The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-08-25
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE
The Rev. MIR Fisher In Norway
Northern Europe.

LAERDAIsoREN, NORWAY, July, 1876.
EIitOrs IntCllGencer:
When l wrote from the North Atlantic
ocean, / observed that it was not likely
that you would ever receive another lei.
ter from that particular point. ItwouId
he almost safe 10 make the same Ubserya.
ton in regard to the little village the
name Of which is written at the head Of
this letter. will try to help your read.
er. locate it. II they will take map OF
Norway and look along the west coast
between the sixty.frst and sixty.second
degree Of latitude, they will find a mag.
niGcent inlet Of water, called the Sogne
ford pronounced feeord). These fjords,
which abound on this coast, are inland
arms OF the sea, somewhat resembling the
Scotch loChs, but incomparably grander.
And perhaps the grandest Of them all is
the SognC. 1t runs back one hundred
miles into the interior. If one should
follow its arms, the distance traverSed
would on either side be nearly two hun.
lred miles. The depth is very great.
Ships Of any size could traverse these
waters. But have forgotten to locate
nv position on this ford. Near the
eastern extremity Of II is the little village
Of Laerdalsoren. I..
THE REASON WHY.
What have you gone there for? Not
to run away from my creditors. Nor
have committed any crime that has
forced me to fly before the minister Of
justice to this remote part Of the world.
This is not, by good deal, a fashionable
watering place. There Is very good wa
ter, but it comes down from height
ghsre the reindeer are feeding. The
styes Of dress which prevail here would
hardly suit Saratoga or Brighton. Bow
down your ear and l will whisper into
it the reason why came here. It is be-
cause | desired to travel through this
wonderful Country-perhaps the most
wonderful az to scenery in the world. !
remember that when l was boy read
a little Sabbath school book called Ed
ward and Miriam. They were two chill
dren from somewhere in this general
region who were shipwrecked and cast
upon the shores Of Iceland. The book
described scenes in their old and in their
new home and left 4 most charming i'm
preston on my mind. / thought then
that would like to visit these Northern
lands. As l grew older | became fami-
liar with both the mythology and the
history Of Scandinavia, and they have
attracted me. One OF the best chapters
IN Carlyle's Hero Worship relates to the
Old Morse gods. It stirs one like poal
Of thunder, although Il Is not safe to lis
len too implicitly to some Of It's utter.
Ances. His recent book on the Kings Of
Norway is full Of the same spirit. These
works excite a desire to see the land Of
Thor.
NORWAY, ENGLAND AND AMERICA.
But why should not any one, and espe-
cialy an American wish TO visit these re-
S'on:? The whole English speaking
race ia bound most closely to the North
men; They used to pour down upon
England ages ago and sweep the coasts
with ire and sword. Many Of them re-
NAMED behind and were mingled with
the race they came TO conquer. The i'm
preston left Is as distinct as could be
possible, even on the language which we
'peak. Take the the name Of the week for
Instance, what Is Wednesday but Wod-
ems day, and what Is Thursday but
ESotI day. Wooden and Thor are the
naqes Of the best known Of the old Morse
uod,' Indeed the Norwegian language so
much resembles English on one side and
herman on the other that I am able
already without difficulty to read
sentence after sentence OF II. A Norwe-
gan guide book for public convcyances
s9uIte Ineligible.
nut said that Americans especially
ought to desire to visit these regions.
H HSo , tne assertion is.not without warrant.
Inc lies which bind us in particular to
.ae people who inhabit this country are
Ao 'o!d-one ancient and the other mod
.In' Eight or nine hundred years ago
we Notshmen discovered the continent Of
AMERICA. They seem to have reached its
, ,aStes oy WayOf Iceland, somewhere In the
GsSaSorhood OF What s now called New
.u9aIand, To them and not To the Span.
.s belongs the original honor Of this
Ssa! achievement. Tho fact does not in
s w. east abSte the credit due to Colum.
49, los when he sailed tho knowledge OF
,S. existence Of such continent, unless
~ sO0 The lcelanders, had been forgot.
II, In recent times the Mortimer have
i.SS in their own records the evil
wv ,Se Of what their ioreiathers did, and
To.S, done we'll in publishing il 10 the
+, y' ~. The modern tie which binds US
S,' ,@ " Is emigration. In the north
NAY a our own country there are thou
Ss,' ' Oh this people Who have sought
9Di,e new home. | have already met
S s.O a number OF Norwegians who have
Az AZ = Tie United States and others who
tsBIa brothers and sisters there. II You
ir'1,. e the narrow valleys and The
"'u'u' mountains amid which the mas