New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-11-28

SCoenmoh ono bb Wuo, WhO heQ hIfIVco u ~
vance Of w. the mystery was solved They had
spent the night At the frst station beyond B0oers,
where our forbud ticlet were given to them, With
the request hat they would deliver them. They
had punctualy done 20 - far - NaA whsre 10
people had epdeavOred TO prevent them from stop
ping for the night, insisting that they were bound
10 10 On and carry the forbud Tho cool impu-
dence Of this transaction reached the sublime. At
every station that day. pay had been taken for ser
vice unperformed, and it was more than once de-
manded twice over.
We tru,ted the repeated Assurance Of the post
msster a, Mas, that our tickets hsd bsen for
wardsd at once, and paid him accordingly. Bat 1t
the 6Ist station next morning We found that be hsd
not done 20, and this interlnked chain Of sxiDding
lasted the whole day. We were obliged to wait -
hour or two at every poet, to pay for ms ssengers
who probably never went, and then to resist de-
msnd for repayment at the other end Of tho station
What redress was theref We might indeed writs
complaint in imperfect Norsk, which would be read
by al Inspector month hence or perhaps it would
be crossed out az soon 90 We left 40 we saw done
in two or three instances. Unless Q traveller 10
very well versed in the language and in the laws
relating to the skyds system, be hss no defsnse
asainst imposition, and even in such case he can
oSly obtain redress through delay. The system can
only work equinbly when the people ere honest
al perhaps they were 80 when it was fret adopted.
Here must tell an unpleasant truth. There must
have been some foundation in the beginning for the
VIDE reputation which the Norwegisns have for
honest .impl city of character, but the accounts
given by former travellers are undeserved praise,
applied at present The people are trading on 6s.
titious capital. "Should require written co.,
tract 7" asked Of landlord in relation to . man
with whom was making bargain. "Oh, no."
sad he, Everybody is honest in Norway"-and the
same man tried his best TO cheatme. Said Brasted:
81 once heard en- old sailor say When man has
q reputation for honesty, watch him. and there
is some knowledge of human nature in the remark
Norway was q fresh field when Lsng came hither:
oppor tuDities for imposition were 80 rare that the
faculty had not been developed: he found Me poo
pie honest, and later travellers have been content
with echoirg his opinion "When 6rst came 70
the county," said an Irish gentleman, who for ten
years past has spent bis Summers here, "Iw ad.
vised, as did not understand the currency, to ofsc
haDdfullinpayment and etthe people take whatwaa
due them" "WOud you do it nowl" l asked.
"NO, indeed" said be, land the man Who then ad'
vised me, Norwegian merchant now says he
would not do it either" An English salmon fisher
told me very much the same thiog. II believe
they are honest in their intercourse with each
other" said he, "bst they do not scruple to take
advantage Of travellers whenever they can." For
my own part, ! must say that in no country OF Ea.
rope, except Italy, have experienced 20 many a.
tempts al imposition. Another Engshman who
has been farming here for ssveral years, and who
employs about forty laborers, has been obliged to
procure Swedes, on account Of the peoulAtion Of
the native hands. came to Norway with the pop
ular Impression concerning the people, and would
rot confess myself 20 daagreeably undeesived,
could suppose hat my own experiences were ex-
ceptona. 1 find, however, that they tally with
tAose of osser travellers this Summer cad the co.,
illusion TO fragrant 10 be concealed.
Asa general rule, have found the people honest
in proportion as they src stupid. They are quick
witted wherever the spirit Of gain is aroused, and
the ease with which they pick up little arts Of &C
quisitiveness does net suggest an integrity proof
against temptation. It is bat negative virtns,
rather than that sable quality rooted in tie very
core OF mans nature. i may, perhaps, Judge .
little barshy; but when one nnds the love Of gain
20 strongly developed, 90 keen and graphing. In
combination With The four capital vices Of the Nor
wcgians-iAdOlenee, filth, drunkenness sod heeu'
tousness-the descent TO such dishonest arts ~ l
have described is scarcely single step. There are
no doubt, many districts where the people are still
untempted by rich Tourists and sporssmen, and re-
tain TIE virtues once sscribed to the whole popuA-
ton, but that there has been general and rapid
deterioration Of character cannot be denied. Inc
Statistics of morality, for instance, show that one
child cut of every ten is ileeimate, and the ratio
hs. been steadily Increasing for the past fifty years.
Would that The more intelligent cssses would ssri-
Ously set themselves to work for the good OF
Gamle Norge" instead Of being content with tho
poetical flourish of her name!
Yesterday, from Mas 10 Green, wss 8 continue
non Of our journey down the Hsllinsdal. There
was little change in the scener-hish, fr-wooded
mountains on either hand, the lower slopes spotted
with farms; tbs houses showed some slight i'm.
prcvcmes. ss we advanced. Tho people were az
at work in the fields, cutting this years satsfac-
tory harvest. A ,corehas san blszod in Cleud-
LEGS .ky; the earth was baked and dry, and suflo-
Getting clouds Of dust rose from under our horses
toois Most of the women in the fields, on &C.
count Of the heat, had pulled Of their body sacks,
and were working IA shit, made on the same prin-
cple, which reached 10 The knees. Other garment
they had none. a few Recognizing Us q, strangers,
hastily threw on their sacks COS behind barley