Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-12-07

q ptnNo MulCH uhu proudly SnelIeTeu
more human beings before me than the
greatest and oldest hotel in Norway; and |
thus learned of another interesting custom
oil Norwegian peasantry. As have before
pointed out, the tiords are their real high
ways. Journeys of hundreds of miles are
still made by entire families or parties too
poor, or too thrifty, to seek shelter and
food at the tiord.side hamlets. They have
for centuries nsed these nature.built sta
tons. Their food, fuel, and sheep-skins
for covering are brought WITH them in
their boats; and water, the sweetest,
purest, coolest water in the world, is leap
ing or trickling from every rock.
Peter had no sooner built a CHEEKY fire
for each battling party from immemoral
custom contributes to the public supply,
and there is always fuel at hand-then lie
explained, torch in hand, some of the
curious CHARACTERISTICS of this quaintest
hospice | had ever beheld. A genuine
Norwegian inn without landlord, station
without master, hotel without host. On
the same rocky level, but just around u
projection of the tissure-wal, was tiny
paddock with little walls. knee.high. built
of loose stones. The source of certain UNI
accountable sounds had already heard
with dire forebodings were now made
clear. Three tiny Norwegian COWS were
munching their green fodder, and two of
the tiniest calves | had ever seen stood
gravely besidethem, These might helongto
the cragsman we were about to visit, Peter
told me. In any event, here the peasantry
who often changed the grazing places Of
their little herd, penned the animals at
night; and the wise httle things, conscious
as their masters of the danger of night
roaming or misstep, never budged from the
few square yards of rock to which they
were meekly led from the boats.
Where wo built our fire, fires had been
lighted since the time of Harold Haar-
fagre. In hole or little chamber in the
rock were lew rude iron utensils which
had perhaps been used for centuries by
these, ford wayfarers; and another little
idention in the wall served as a sort OF
toll-box, where those who felt able or
willing to do so deposited few ore,
nearly the smallest coin in the world, in
tribute TO the esgle.nest farmer. thous-
ands of feet above, to whose possessions
this strange place was q sort of lower and
outer lodge. Having drawnour boat upon
the rock we slept within it. 1t was
wakeful night for me. The soughng OF
the wind through the narrow hssure was
full of ghostly plants and voices; while
the railing OF near yet unseen waters of
differing volumes from varying heights,
seemed almost articulate with wild speech
and song; as if the mighty hydrologic
heroes OF Norseland in concourse within
this mysterious chasm were returned for
night to chant their sagas there of love, of
the chase and Of war.
II was late when we awoke. The calves
had mysteriously disappeared. Peter was
then sure they were Frederickson's. on the
cliff-top above. Their owner had come
with q companion, and without disturbing
us had slung the little animals over their
shoulders and were now scaling the heights
with them. Peter said we must make
haste. as the cows were to follow, and we
should overtake the cragsmen at home be-
fore they began another descent. With q
bit of food in our hands we started, Peter
in the van. The way led for few hun
dred feet past the crngmans boat-house,
along the edge of what was on three sides
an almost vertical hollow cube cut by
nature from solid stone. More than q
score OF waterfalls could be seen. Some
seemed no larger than white ribbon of
lace waving down the black rock sides.
Others poured from cups and hollows
larger accumulated volumes. And still
others issued like spouting tunnels from
cayernous holes in the rocks. All fell in
an immense pool of such great depth that
the discharge of waters from the black
cauldrOn was without ripple where they
mingled with those of the ford.
The other side of the mighty hollow
cube was broken into irregular masses of
rock, some ploughed as smooth as though
polished by a lapidary, and between these
tremendous DISBURSEMENTS were powdered
stone and detrius of sand; so l knew that
sometime, thousands of years ago, a parcel
OF glaciers had tilted into the chasnl and
thus provided not altogether perilous
way for our ascent. A zig-zag path, form.
ing altogether distance of perhaps two
miles, led up the broken chasm side; and
at three places huge timbers had been
rugged for raising and lowering with rude
windlasses, animals, with huge leather
bands fastened around their bodies, and
all things that could not climb or be car
ried on these sturdy cragsmen's backs.
famous eagle'nest Norwegian farms re-
moved. Peter said they were all equally
accessible both upon the coasts and the
tiords. They have simply seemed inacces-
slble to those travellers who make books
from steamers decks, and have been put
among the eagles, the clouds and the
glaciers, in the pictures. without SO much
as rope and swinging wicker basket to
aid the readers imagination in safe ascent,
We met the head farmer and his son on
their way back to the fiord-side paddock,
near the upper edge of the chasm. | was
much more of curiosity to these good
folk than they to me; for [ was the first
foreigner that had ever visited this, or so
far as can learn, any other, eagle nest
farm in Norway. Peter made them know
easily enough who he was, and the greet
ings at the farmhouse, or houses, for
several branches of one family were
huddled i'll great roomy houses along the
plateau, were rather an ovation than a
welcome. l was altogether disappointed
for / had looked forward to knowing in
this experience the uttermost desolation in
which human beings Can sustain life. |
was glad to find one of the cheeriest places
had come upon anywhere in Norway.
The eagle-nest farm comprised altogether
200 or $40 acres of partially tillable and
grazing land. A mountain stream ran
through it. The cliff.edge above the ford
was protected by low walls of timber and
stone. The entire tract might be called a
"swnil," or little corrie or saucer.shaped
depression such as you will find in the
Scottish Highlands. In front was misty
line above the ford; then mighty PIANO.
rama of mountain, valley and waterfall as
far us the eye could reach. Behind, lay
first field OF shapeless rocks. Then came
u seemingly impenetrable forest of tir.
Above this was another line of SCARED
gray masses Of jagged stone, its upper edge
serrated with streaks and gullies Of snow;
and then the glittering range of ice upon
the Drysdal Field beyond. The light at
this altitude with white peaks everywhere
along the circling horizon line was painful
and blinding, after week passed in the
shadowy depths of the ford region below.
There were fine low, wide, stout timber
built homes; perhaps a half score of out
buildings for tiocks and herds, all arranged
80 as to protect as much as possible both
humans and animals from the awful win
ter winds: a huge storehouse as big as a
village church Tor common use; and a
curious old mill for grinding grain, where
which we had passed the night. The larger
farm. house, or sort OF patriarch to them
all, had u wide outer enclosed hall. In