The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-29
WAKENAy'S WAyDERINCS.
Interesting Peeps at Norwegian Scenes
and the People.

Grewsome Islands, Penetrating
Mighty Fiords and Calling at Piotur-
esque Coast Stations Between Ber-
gen and vadso-M Marvellous Coast
Scenery, With a Perspective of Gla-
cier Capped HiRhts-A Glimpse Of
the 1IidniEht Sun.
Copyright 1898. by Edgar L. Wakeman.
London, Oct 5.-At the outset Of these
brief sketches of Norwegian scenes and
folk. there is strong and irresistible i'm
pulse upou ne % make the sort of con-
fession few travellers in foreign lands are
very willing TO 10. ] haveno Morse blood
in my veins. am not Morse scholar ]
have not had the time to even casually
read the scant literature Of travel in Nor
way. 1neyer possessed a guide-book to
that country. ] have acquired only a few
hundred words, and a few score SEN
fences of the Norwegian language, and
those compulsorily through temporary eX-
igency; and my wanderiugs in this land
of wondruus steriIity and marvellous fer
tility, of dreadful nights and awful
depths, of savage grandeur and suuniest
hooks. have only comprised three short
runaway trips from the British side of
the North sea.
Yet so much can be seen IN so little
time in Norway: its scenic wonders are
so impressiVely and startlingly massed
its government and social aystems are so
plain and simple TO the stranger; and,
above all, its people are so responsive,
hospitable and kind, and so like q good
book set open before your eyes for the
reading; that, out Of the little Oppor
tunity have had for observation and as
socia ton when ] look back to the stern
north land and its crags, valleys and
homes, there is such a sense of piano.
ramic completeness of sight, scene and
feeling, the task of Renaissance has
in ii something like the tender pleas
ure of telling about olden scenes and
friends. .-..,
This is no doubt true for two reasons.
One is, that NQrway's scenery is as tire
mendous, if that word may be used as
that of Switzerland, being yaster in eX-
tent and infinitely more varied When
you look upon snOw-capped mountains
above the clouds, a few thousand feet of
altitude more or less, in particular in
stances, are almost incOmprehensible to
sight or mind; and nearly all of these
majestic presentmeuts Of inert nature in
Norway have that added powerfully
weird fascination Of immediate cOntiguity
with a fierce and thunderOus sea Indeed
] am not sure that II would be a true
statement that, considering the many
often sOundless fords piercing her entire
western coast almost TO the Swedish
boundary as arms of the sea, which they
truly are, there is no portion of Norways
measureless and transcendant scenic
RlOrles which is not intensified in charm
and subhmity by this peculiar marine
influence and effect. Because of this in
whatever land You may have stood in awe
before the uplifted, ragged ribs of our
good old globe. these Norway mighty
nights and chasms remain clearest,
sharpest, and longest in the ever-chang-
ing photographs of the travellers memory.
The other reason isa purely ethical one
You cannot be among the people of Nor
way, know them never so little, and leave
them, without having gained that most
blessed of all consciousness to the traveller
of having come upon a place in the uni
versal human allotment which is sturdy
genuine and true. There is a directness
without arfront, simplicity without ig
nOrance, a Sturdlness without niggardli-
ness, an honesty without assumption a
geniality without effusiveness, a hospital
ity without trucking and piety without
pretense, about these folk, minute specific
and universal Your liking for them
grows with every new experience. In the
Latin countries the sunshine of entrance
dazzles you with anticipation ever fading
TO the darkest shadows of iusincerity. In
Norway the greeting is as quiet as the
silences fits land locked fiords; but every
successive experience is as hghtful and
assuring as each new scene from the
strong stone ways leading to her glowing
upland dalen. And so your heart
takes root where your feet have trod
My first visit TO Norway was made
from Hull to Bergen, and thence on a
Norwegian coasting steamer in and out
of the hOrds along the wonderful coast to
NadsO. The next gave me time for iute-
riOr wanderings in the Bergen and Har-
danger districts and the last afforded
opportunity for knowing the scenes and
people roundabout Throndhiem while
some considerable land journeys were
made towards the Osterdel from the
north, and into the Hallingdal from the
west. When the coast tour was made,
/ had no intention of ever seeing Norway
again, and every islet, crag, ford, town
and landing was an object of. eager inter
est. ! am not sure but this method of
visiting Norway has superior advantages
TO the traveller whose time is limited as
his diversity of observation is extraor-
binary; while at the same time he is
practically at ease within, or upon, his
floating inn.
In the first place you are certain of
most intelligent and interesting company
steamers speak English and more kind
hearted, loquacious and almost benevolent
set Of seafaring men are not to be found.
You are constantly agreeably surprised
by the pleasant character of your fellow
passengers. English ''outers" are pre-
dominant. and these are the very cream
OF The English people; hard worked edi-
tors on a brief vacation, sensible. quiet
fellows whose dOze and dream and beam
as though the slight surcease from the
chickering's of Grub Lane were all but an
earthly heaven, bevies Ofsplendid peachy
English girls fresh from some seminary
and accompanied by teachers not a bit
ashamed to be gay and young again /:
grave naturalists broadening their vision
from the gullies Of Hampstead Heath and
the hollows Of Epping Forest; actors and
their wives who are varying the usual
run over TO Paris 10 lark among bhe
dalen and fords. and genuine Lon
don actors and actresses are among
the finest-minded folk you will meet in
any -Ourneylngs; wise old and young
biologists, who, instead of forming the
hard human strata sou would imagine.
are the simplest, suuniest and most sym
pathetic OF men; substantial Americans
who care 10 see something of the world
GU side Of New York, London and Paris.
10 whom, bless them for their quick i'm
pres aiteness everything is Wonderful!