New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-11-11
srhe tsiless yine,
Bxvn On rorves,sn hiliS 70 be Inc nsss
on .orns great s<ssrN,"
I lave not vet seeD.

rave BOZ yeb sooD' l., -.
We at last eans upon little lake IN Close gen.
with walls thousand feet high. NOT susPec'"s
that We had ucended much above the sea-'e'e'' VIC
were surprised to sec the gorge all o. once ope"
below ma revealing q daEk-olue lake, lar Gown
amopa the mountains. We stood on the ofpk Oh
will over which the stream at our side fell IN
% hank of divided cstaracs. Oar road was en-
o;nsered with great difficulty 10 the bottom Of the
steep, whence gentler descent took US TO the
hamlet Of VaseDden, at the hesd OF the LAKE, De
voud this. there was no road for carioles, and We
accordingly gave ours in charge Of bright active
and intelligent little post master twelve years old.
He and bis mother then rowed Us across the laae
n the village of Gravep, whence there was bride
road across the mountains to branch Of the
Hsrdapser Fiord. They demanded only twelve
skpQs item cents) for the rev Of three miles, aud
then posted of 10 neighboring farmhouse TO en-
gsge horses for u.
There was neat white dwelling on the bull winch
we took 10 be the parsonage, but waich proved 10
be the residence Of an army captain on leave, whom
we found sitting in The door cleaning his gun, - we
approached. He eourteously ushered Us into the
house, ard made bis appearance soon aterwsrd 10
clean shirt, followed By his wife, with VINE and
cakes upon tray. found hum to be man OF
more than ordinary intelligence, and OF an earnest
and reflective turn of mind rare in men OF his pro-
fession. He spoke chiefly Of the passion for emi-
srston which now possesses the Norwegian farmers,
considering it not rendered necessary By their &C
tual condition, but rather one Of those contagious
which spread through communities and nanons'
overcoming alike prudence and prejudice. de GO
pored it az retardng the development Of Norway.
Personal interest however is stronger than patriot
ism, everyvhere and see no signs OF the emlsra-
ton decreasing for some years 10 come.
After waiting q considerable time, we obtained
two hor,es and strsppipg farmers son for guide
The fellow was delighted 10 find out where we
came from and was continually shouting to the
people in the fields: " Here, these are Americans;
they were born there "-whereat the people
stared, saluted, and then stared again. he shout.
dered our packs and marched beside the horses,
with the greatest ease. You are strong" TO
marked. "Yes," he replied, Il am strong
Normsud," making bis patriotism an excuse for
his personal pride. We had terribly tough pull
up the me untain, through pine woods, to the sum-
NIT level of the field. The view backward, over
the lake. was enchanting, and we fingered long on
the steep, 10th TO lose it. Turning again, desoate
lake lay before US, heathery swells Of the bleak
table-land and distant peaks, touched with snow.
Once upon the broad, level summit Of Norwegian
field, one would never guess what lovely valleys lie
under these misty breaks which separate it, i'm
mense lobes-wbst gashes of life and beauty pene-
trste its stony heart There are, in fact, two Nor
Ways one abOve-a series Of detached, irregular
masses, bleak, snowy wind swept and heather
grown, inhabited by herdsmsn and hunters; and
one below-s ramifcation Of narrow veins Of land
and water, with fields and forests, highways and
villages.
So, when We bad traversed tho upper land for
several miles, we came 10 brink overlooking
another branch Of the lower land and descended
through thick woods 10 tho farms of Ulvik, ON the
Eyford, an arm Of the HardaDger. The ahores
were eloriously beautiful slopes of dazzling turf
inclosed the bright blue water, and cfumps of oak,
ash and linden, in park-liAe groups, studded the
fields. Lew, red frm-houses, each with its hollow
square of stables and sranaries, dotted tho bill
sides, and the people, male and female were
everywhere out reaping the ripe barley and pihns
il, pillar wise, upon tall stakes. Owing TO this CIR.
cumstance, We were obliged to wait some time for
oarsmen. There was no milk to be bad, nor in.
deed anything to eat notwithstanding the signs Of
plenty On all sides. My friend wandering from
houre 10 house, at last discovered an old man who
brought him q bowl of mead in exchange for
cigar Late in the afternoon, two men came, put
us into shsbby and leaky boat, and pulled away
slowly for Wiz, ten miles distant.
The ford was shut in by lofty and abrupt noun.
tsins, often tsrupted by deep lateral gOrges. This
is the general character Of the Hardanger Fiord,
broad, winding shset Of water, with many arms,
but whose extent is diminished to the eye by the
grandeur Of its shores. Nothing can be wilder or
more desolate than this scenery, especially at the
junction of the two branches, where all signs Of
habitation are shut out Of aight, and one is sur
rounded by mighty precpices Of darkred rock, van.
ishipg away 10 the eastward in gloomy defe. II
was three hours and half before we reached Vik,
at the head of bay on the southern side. Here,
how ever, some English fishermen were chartered,
and we made sure Of supper. The landlord, Of
course, received their superfuous salmon and they
were not the men to spare q potato field, 90 bosb
were forthcoming, and, in the satisfaction Of sp
peased hunger, waEere willing TO indOrse the
opinion of former Ebgli.h traveller in the guests
book: This place seems to Inc paradise, al
though very probably it is not one." The luxury
Of fishing, which l never could understand, has
taught the Norwesians to regard travellers as their
nroner prev Wby should A man they think nav