Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-12-14
Special Correspondence Of Gazette and journal


LONDON, Nov. SOTO the traveller il
Norway, tho impression is constantly
recurring that the country possesses tho
greatest amount of majestic scenery
and the fewest people of any habitablt
land on the face Of the globe. Perhaps
this feeling is strongest with the
wanderer on foot along the mountain
highways. What might be termed the
superabundance of natures tremendous
spectacles often saddens and even an.
pals the spectator, who finds scant re.
lief in human contact or even in that
scenic contrast which provides reposl
from awe-inspired emotions.
These panoramas of nature have been
provided in such vast proportions and
arc So endless in number, that something
like headache and heartache follow the
unrelieyed emotional tension. One in
voluntarily cries out, in the surfeit of il
all, for respite; just us one who has
passed with urwrecked mind through
the mountain-height spiritual and sound
tornadoes of Wagner's "Parsifal," al
Bayreuth, feels that reason might be
easily dethroned if the human gaieties
of Berlin and Paris were not convent.
emily near to assist in speedy restoration.
l had penetrated to the mysterious
"eagle-nest" farms above the clouds, and
now desired to sec something of saeter
life in the same lofty regions. Descend
ing the lordly Romsdal, the most won
derful OF all Norwegian valleys, partly
by carriole and partly on foot, from
Halaker TO Neblungns@s, | came upon
the Jolliest skydsgnt or post.boy | had
found in all Norway, tow-headed, big.
eyed, open-mouth Lars Petersen, or
Peter Larsen, am not sure which.
Tramping alone had become insuifer.
able. For a trifling consideration pur-
chased the companionship and willing
services OF Lars for period of ten days.
He had been taught English at school,
had been four years post-boy, coming
in contact in that period with thousands
OF Englishmen and Americans; though
not sixteen years Of age, he was as
strong as an OK and rimble as a deer;
and, while ripping and running over
with gurgling and boundless good
nature, had Mark Tapley sort of phi
losophy for all unpleasant emergencies
and ready back door out of every ex-
asperating difficulty.
The Romsdal is tremendous gorge or
gully from 1000 to 1000 feet deep, and
from SO TO go miles in length, cutting
through some of the highest mountains,
and the greatest snow and ice fields of
Norway. Along most of its length walls
rise on either side precipitously upwards
Of 5000 feet; and over these pitch water
falls not by the half dozen or dozen but
by the score. most of them having a
sheer fall for their entire descent. These
feed and increase the volume of the
Rauma river, along which winds the
highway, that nearly the whole distance
foams and tunbles and roars in noisy
turbulence on its northwest course to
the ford of Mode and the sea. 1t should
be called the sombre Vale of Waterfalls.
There is nothing to compare with it In
any part of the explored globe.
We loitered at the Sletta Foss, where
the Rauma itself tumbles into the valley,
between Stuehallen and Ormein
stations; at the triple Vermedals Foss;
and passed days Of pleasure and wonder
between Ormein and Horghcim, where
there are hundreds of these water
marvels, varying from 500 to 5000 feet
in fall, and where at one place counted
% in full view at one time; saw the
hlmy Dontefossen which, directly at
the roadside, tumbles 3,700 Norsk feet;
and, when opposite the giant Romsdai
horn or peak, near the picturesque
station of R@dningen, led by merry
Lars, we took mountain path towards
the upland Alnesdal district, still above
which Lars promised to bring me to
some of the widest and loneliest saeters
of Norway.
1t is no easy task to climb to these
saeters. Some are from 30 to so miles
from the valley hamlets and farms.
Those we sought were perhaps no more
than IL miles distant from the Romsdal
highway, but certainly more than twice
that distance by the circuitous and tor
turous way. The path was plain enough
to Lars, as to all these Norwegian Al
pine climbers, and to the ponies used to
carry supplies to the saeters and bring
back again their pack.loads of butter
and cheese; but stranger TO these
ravines and crags would have been ire
lost after half days wan
lering. AS it was we were Obliged to
pass night beside a lonely tarn shut i'll
by black walls, with snow-clad peaks
for the only outlook beyond.
Here Lars genius for surmounting
difficulties was illustrated. We had
brought little food. During the last
Two hours ascent Lars had gathered
here and there every dead branch of
wood that came in sight, as well as
punches of juniper branches. These
with his tollkniy, which every peasant
carries, and some bits of strong cord
which every .post-boy possesses with
which TO mend broken harness, he had
arranged in compact branches, bestow-
ng them on his head, shoulders and
body until he was completely hidden
rom sight. With the dry wood he built
CHEEKY fire. The juniper branches
provided our bed, which was laid in u
mug angle of projecting rock. A
rayellng rug and stout carriole
blanket formed our covering, and here
beneath the glittering stars we "slept
waite rings round our heads" as tile
irish mother would say of her health
ully sleeping child.
The next morning our ascent was re-
umed through hollows, over ridges
where ice and snow lay concealed be-
heath thin layers of black sediment and
lime, around soundless tarns still and
lark as the walls enclosing them, past
'opses Of stunted fur, and with never
light of living thing. The most amaz-
ng sight TO me in these upper regions
vas the frequent patches in sunny hol.
ows of Strawberries. In some places
he ground was literally red with them.
noticed, too, that in these pockety spots
he heat, even at this high altitude, was
.lmost Sitting,
All the way Lars had been telling me
answer to my inquiries about saeters
no ssaeter FOLK. Some things thus
earned Were very Interesting. In the |