Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-09-11
THE MIDNIGHT Sun.
The Grand Spectacle to be Witnessed
Where Morning And Evening Meet

E 4 Taylor in San Francisco Chronicle
No one comes TO Norway without taking
the trip TO Norland to see the sun at mid
night Tourist steamers make regular sum
mer trips from Throndhjem: but, being . few
days in advance OF the first of these, / trav'
eied by comfortable mail packet, and was
thus enabled to visit all the coast towns. Al
almost the entire route lies between the Skjer'
gard islands and the main land IL Is eQuiva-
lent in smoothness TO q river voyage. The
hjosen range, extending along the coast, Is re-
markaoie Tor the grostesque and fantastic
shapes Of its lofty peaks. Alternating with
| these snow-clad cliffs are smiling valleys and
fertile fields, which gives brightness TO the
landscape. Arctic bir,.s, penguIns, osprey, and
elder ducks around. Wnaies and pOrpoiSes ap-
pear. On the rocks immense numbers OF cod
hsh are spread to dry. 1 he coursc being exceed
ingiy tortuous, vessels navigate only by day.
light. The harvest which nature fails to yield
upon the bleak shore is amply compensated
Tor by That of the sea. The westcoast people are
farmers of the deep, and during February,
March and April make their headquait ers
upon the rugged LOf0ten islands. Hltuer the
herring come and Cod and whale pursue. Prot.
Huxley estimates that these cod consume 100
OOo,oUO herring at single banquet In q slngle
sieDg "a, OOO barrels of herring are frequently
taken. The fish are driven into u shallow cove,
net placed across The mouth. and then they
are dipped out at leisure, 10 be sal led and bar
reied almost before they are dead. There are
from 700 TO 800 fish ill a barrel Cod are caught
with both net and line.
grows very rapidly. Barley sown In May is
harvested In July. Even tie turf ON the house
tops is covered with long grass. The same
effect of sunlight is observed ih the animal
kingdom, Wagtails frequently rear two broOds
In one season, Rapid Is the development Oh
ally above the horizon. was enabled to devote
twenty oi my Twenty-Five hours stay u an
excursion into the ountry, embracing visit
~ lie SaltstrOm. This famous whirlpool, COM
pared with which the maeistrUm seemed 1nsig-
nih ant, is formed by the pressure OF q rising
tue forcing a stream through narrow strai.
ialIs Iaster than the basin can Till Or empty,
tie force oil the current becomes enormous
and its roar terrific. wing IA eddies, u wedge
shaped wall OF water extends inward from the
mouth OF the ford until its apex disappears i'll
the vortex OF the Whirlpool. From HAM
merfest, the nOrIheruuosL town OF Europe,
the voyage ~ speedily made to that
rugged promOntOry, NOrdkap, from whose
summit the nocturnal sun Is seen riding Ing IA
over The mysterious Arctic ocean.
My deepest Impressions IRON witnessing the
supiime spectacle OF the midnight sun were re-
ceIved AT point nearer Inc Arctic Circle.
1t was one OF tuOse hush evenings which Oc-
cur with falling barometer; SO still that the
CLASSY surface OF the unuuiaLlug sea was UNI
ruffied even by the breath OF u zephyr. South
ware, above wall vi ciouu, hI.Jestic lnuun-
tain> reared their snowy peak. Far In TIE
west nuated a fleet oi fishing craft, and long
lines vi walter FOWL were wlnglng their way u
rocky resting places. Above the sun, which
lfUin my stand near tile compass i WAlcneu
swinging norIhward, lay several parallel strata
vi heecy clouds. Ihe water HORIZON rolled up
hIguer AND nIguef until, ike u great golden
g.uue, the sun rested upon its rim. the lower
ciouu stratum became Orange-tinteu. Tue
peXt Was dyed with saffron shaues, while the
rosy refieclion Oi The upper stratum painted
tue deiicst,e pink The kjOIen cllns IN Tie south.
r or several moments lue InOtiOn Oh the earLn
seemed caecked, the sun still resting on the
oceans rim, anu tnen-InosL startling vIsiou!
-;iiine y. lisni appears below Tie merry Orb
tue uoriZOn Is reirVsradiug. By thus forcing
the mInu 10 regard the sun AS stationary III bis
True Position. aud cen.erins the attention on
our Own Planetary motion, elect Ii pro-
uuceu lar more s.uidzIny than that experienced
by ine startled ucZekiau winch the SHALLOW re-
treated GA Lue great OF An.iZ