The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1893-11-04

and Calling at Picturesque Coast Sta
lions. Between Bergen and Yadso-
Marvellous Coast Scenery with Per-
spective Of Glacier Capped Heights
A Glimpse Of the Midnight Sun.
LONDON, Oct. 81, 1S93.-At the
outset of these brief sketches of Nor
wegian scenes and folk, there is strong
and irresistible impulse upon me to
make the sort of confession few trav-
elers in foreign lands are very will
ling to do. have no Morse blood in
my veins. / am not Morse scholar.
/ have not had the time to even cas-
ually read the scant literature of
travel in Norway. never possessed
guide book to that country. have
acquired only few hundred words
and few score sentences of the Nor
wegian language, and those compul-
sorily through temporary exigency;
and my wanderings in this land of
wondrous sterility and marvellous
fertility, of dreadful heights and aw-
full depths, of savage grandeur and
sunniest hooks, have only comprised
three short runaway trips from the
British side of the North sea.
Yet so much can be seen in SO lit
tie time in Norway; its scenic won
ders are so impressively and start
lingly massed; its government and
social systems are SO plain and sim
pie to the stranger; and above all,
its people are SO responsive, hospit-
able and kind, and so like good
book set open before your eyes for
the reading; that out of the little OPP
portunity have had for observation
and association, when | look back to
the stern north land and its crags,
valleys and homes, there is such a
sense of panoramic completeness of
sight, scene and feeling, the task of
"reminiscences has in it something like
the tender pleasure of telling about
olden scenes and friends.
This IS no doubt true for two rea-
sons. One is that Norway's scenery
is as tremendous, if that word may
be used. as that of Switzerland, be-
ing vaster in extent and infinitely
more varied. When you look upon
snowcapped mountains above the
clouds, a few thousand feet of alti-
tude more or less, in particular in
stances, are almost ineomprehensible
to sight or mind; and nearly all of
these majestic presentments of inert
nature in Norway have that added
powerfully weird fascination of i'm
mediate contiguiLy with fierce and
thunderous sea. Indeed, | am not
sure but it would be a true statement
that, considering The many often
soundless fiords piercing her entire
western coast almost to the Swedish
boundary as 90 portion of Norway's
measureless and transrendent scenic
glories which is not intensified in
charm and sublimity by this pecu-
liar marine Influence and effect Be
cause of this, in whatever land you
may have stood in awe before the
uplifted, ragged ribs of our good old
globe, these Norway mighty heights
and chasms remain clearest, sharp
est and longest in the ever changing
photographs of the travellers mem
DRY.
The other reason is purely ethical
one. You cannot be among the peo-
pie of Norway, know them never so
little, and leave them, without hav-
ing gained that most blessed of all
consciousness to the traveller, of hav-
ing come upon place in the univer-
sal human allotment which is sturdy,
genuine and true. There is direct
ness without affront, a simplicity
without ignorance, sturdiness
without niggardliness, an honesty
without assumption, geniality with
out effusiveness, hospitality with
out trucking, and a piety without
pretense, about these folk, minute,
specific and universal Your liking
for them grows with every new ex-
perience. In the Latin countries
the sunshine of entrance dazzles you
with anticipation ever fading to the
darkest shadows of insincerity. In
Norway the greeting is as quiet as
the silence of it's land locked fiords;
but every successive experience is
as lightful 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
Norwegian coasting steamer in
and out of the fiords along the won
drous coast to Vadso The next
gave me time for interior wanderings
in the Bergen and Hardanger dis.
tricts; and the last afforded oppor-
tunity for knowing the scenes and
people round about Throndhjem:
while some considerable land Jour.
neys were made towards the Oster-
dial 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 interest. l am not sure but
this method of visiting Norway has
superior advantages to the traveller
whose time is limited, as his diversi-
ty of observation is extraordinary;
while at the same time he is practi-
cally at ease within, or upon, his
floating inn.
In the first place you are certain
of most intelligent and interesting
company. Nearly all the officersof
these coast steamers speak English,
and more kind hearted, loquacious
and almost benevolent sea faring
mes are not to be found You are
constantly agreeably surprised by
the pleasant character of your fellow
passengers. English "outers" are
predominant, and these are the very
cream of the English people;-hard
worked editors on brief vacation,
sensible, quiet fellows who doze and
dream and beam as though the slight
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