Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-12-21
THE C0ODLY NORWAY FOLK
A Country Noted for Its Mag
nificent Scenery.
AS TOLD BY THE POET TRAVELLER
An Ever-joyous Welcome for
the Civil Stranger.
Some wOndrous Nature Speotacles De-
soribed-Tho RomsdRl and the Naerodal
Waterfalls Twenty Times Higher
Than Niagara-Scenes OF Grandeur and
SubliInity.

Special Correspondence Of Ciazetteand journal
LONDON, Dec. 5.--There is much about
Norwegian scenery, scenes and incidents
worth relating discursiyely, which is likely
10 prove helpful to succeeding travellers, in
their experiences, or entertaining to read
ers who can only travel in this stern and
mighty land of the north by the not un-
pleasant journeyings of fancy with kindly
tempered writer's for their willing guides.
There are no roadside shrines, save of
natures exclusive handiwork, in all Nor
way. Indeed one travelling along the
grand stone roadways almost feels long
ing for those mute connecting links of
human and spiritual interest. Groups of
peasants kneeling before cross or effigy or
beside COnsecrated fountain, are here never
seen. The only objects by the wayside to
possibly pique curiosity or interest are up
right stone posts on which are cut or
painted eniglnatic figures. Not even an
antiquarian sentiment can be conjured by
these. Their significance is very great
however to the landed proprietors, for
they relate with nice exaCtitude the mum
Der Of metres each is compelled to keep in
perfect repair in summer and wholly clear
OF drift snow and other distractions in
winter. All law is enforced with absolute
impartiality in Norway, and that is why
the country has the finest roads in the
world aud has also been transformed. in
scarcely more than generation of time.
from nation of drinkers and almost sod
den drunken, with all accompanying evils,
to u land of sobriety, cleanliness, ampl-
tude and content.
Jordbaert or strawberries almost consti-
tute national dish in Norway. Indeed |
have often thought that these matchless
berries,
IA the sweeter they are Vice."
/ as n nrAtriInnttaI -
vision to the folk of the high latitudes. |
have found them in my wanderngs grow
ing wild in greatest luxuriance in high
lattudes, in Norway, the Highlands of
Scotland and the Shetland and Orkney
Islands, even i'll dreary Labrador, and in
Manitoba where, in the early days, saw
miles of these trackless prairies crimson in
hue from the ripening fruit. They are So
| universal and plentiful in their wild state
that there is no necessity for their cultiva-
ton. The markets of Bergen, Stavanger
and Throndhjem are fairly odorous with
| this delicious fruit. AT every station, at
every home and in every hotel in Norway
they are securable morning, noon and
night, and at all places rich cream is
served with them. Wherever travellers
may go, upon busy or unfreQuented high
ways, or even along lone mountain paths
they are everywhere rthe picking; and il
one is too lazy to help himself to natures
largesS blue-eyed, tiaXen-hared children
are everywhere at hand with tempting
baskets which are yours for the most trif-
ing return in coin you are willingto bestow.
Indeed so universal is this custom of
strawberry giving and selling that per-
feet duplication of Norwegian childhood
in summer would be formed, in painting
or sculpture, by the figure of ragged,
sniiling-faced, yellow-headed urchin stand
ing at the roadside with upheld basket of
jordbaert in tiny, horny hand and hope
Jul, expectant look in kindly eyes of blue.
In leisurely travelling through Norway,
where one from vagarous impulse or ne
cessity is likely to often come to house OF
bender, cabin Of peasant or hut of noun,
tain saeter, there are certain formalities Of
etiquette well to be borne in mind, The
! civil stranger is almost joyously welcomed
i'll any home. After tile wonderful hand
shaking Of the first greeting is over, the
housewife Immediately prepares refresh
ment OF coffee and sInoerbroed, or but
tered bread. You are supposed to wholly
ignore these agreeable proceedings. When
they are about ready for your entertain
inent, you must rise and profess to be il
readiness to depart. Then the housewife,
is voluble In entreaties for you to remain
Reluctance and entreaty must now have
full play until you are overpowered By
hospitaole entreaty and consent, after re
HVNNN AaAAoAahiipo w lGllblHs Az lui
peasants cabins and the saeters simila
, Formally must be observed. The peasan
woman Or the saeter girl will run forwart
| to meet you, al Ways bearing vessel o
, fresh milk in her hand. You must ut frs
refuse with some expression or gesture
conveying the idea that you are unworth,
of the attention. The woman volubly in
, sists That you must accept her kindly offer
ing. Then you take the vessel, but onl,
the slightest sip of milk, and return
with further manifestations of unworthi
ness. This enables her to further urge an
insist, whereupon you accept the civilit
heartily and take y long draught. Yo
I will be fortunate traveller, then, if 20
I are not forced, by the woman's fears tina
you are not quite sure of your welcome, I
!. drink not pint but gallon
/ Scenlcally considered Norway present
a such limitless varieties and countless nun
bers of tremendous spectacles that 1t is diff
: cult to select even few which may be II
i garded as pre-eminent for grandeur an
a sublimity. Perhaps the great gorge G
Romsdal furnishes the most amazing nun
o Der of water falls to be seen from any on
G point in all the world. The spectacle c
from score to half hundred, each froI
500 to 5000 feet in height; mighty to-
d rent the river Rauma, laundering alon
v beside you, itself in places a series of tr
= mendous cascades, sohd walls of ston
:, rising precipitously al either side frol
y 5000 to 1000 feet; wherever break in III
gorge occurs, either some weird horn
stone piercing the skyline above, or ent
, less mountain chains showing caps {
:, gittering white; and this not for d lit
n distance. but for nearly So miles;-is all S
different from any other scene i'll an
other land, 50 bcwildering in its yer
3 supernbundaUce Of grandeur, and almo
so appalling either in sight or memor,
| IN
!. sible OF lifting description By writer
IL painter, and almost incomprehensible
10 one who looks in awe upon them.
"a Norway is above all else, land ,
~ mighty waterfalls. None is SO wide 1
Is discharges such vast volume of water I
d Niagara, but there are perhaps 500 or OF
that the most hurried traveller cannot In
~ OF seeing, which are several times hlghe
scores are 10 times as high; and the waite
oil several have u perpendicular descent I
"a 20 times the fall of those of our America
10 thunder Of water p have no doubt thl
L. there are still in UNEMPLOYED districts ,
s, this wondrous Northland far more maiest
n waterfalls from glacier-melting helgh
"a than have yet met the tourists wonderiT
c. or inlpassive gaze; for the whole face
10 Norway IS simply an ice-mountain rel
: and torn,into almost measureless tissur
C. and gorges between which creep arms
u the sea, and into which everastipelv d
RS scendS torrcnts, and waterfalls from IL
melting ice-plateaus and mountains abov
80 The, l.ougen and Glommen rivera Ii
10 largest two in Norway, discharge The
as united waters in the Sarpen-fos, a mo
noble waterfall than that OF SchalIheuse
on the Rhine. In the upper TelemarkC
district is the Riukan-ioss. literally Ii
reeking or steaming waterfall, whiC
drops straight from its source over 800 fe
"A into u gulf or wall'surrounded cauldro
CO. alD mill c.l
ae that It's bottom cannot be seen. In sailir
~ | along the tiOrds Won can count hundrh