Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-12-21

optshOoting cascades, or perhaps pound
ing through cayernons tunnels OF their
own making TO show to the beholder upon
the highway like mass Of white coral set
hundreds of feet UP against the side OF The
black and onyx-like precipitous valley
walls.
The most impressive waterfalls of Nor
way 80 far known are the NOering-fos and
the Skjmggedal-fos. Both of these are in
the Hardanger district, noted also for It's
sublime ford and mountain scenery. the
latter comprising the vast Folgefond, or
glacler-iield, and its handsome hospitable,
picturesque and thoroughly CHARACTERISTIC
peasantry. The Voeringfos is reached.
from Nik, on the Ed fiord, branch of
the noble Hardanger. The going and COM
lug. leisurcly done, requires day. You
ride in the saddle to the little Clifford; are
rowed upon this to the Maabo Farm; and
here other ponies are secured for a long
and dangerous scramble up and down u
wild and broken mountain into the ex
quisite valley of Maabo. 1t is like giant
bowl carved out of ebony with an emerald
bottom. The sides rise thousands of feet
to fields never free Of SNOW and ice. The
Bjoreia river brawls and fuams through
the valley. AT one side is a wild ravine
5000 feet deep. Into this pours the Voer-
ing-fos from an altitude of 2, 225 feet. The
upper masses are split and broken for l, 200
feet. where they accumulate in a gigantic
rock basin, and, then with added ire
mendous force make their final awful
plunge for between 700 and 500 feet. Aside
from: the appallingly savage surroundings,
and horrible roaring Of the almost rock
surrounded cauldron the NOerng-fos pos
sesses weird fascination from the mighty
volume of water rebouuding from the
rocky, narrow-pent bottom of the gorge
in dense column OF dazzling foam and
IL.
Something like the journey to the Noer-
ing-fos. that to the Skj;rggedal. fos is made
| by land and water, but ponies cannot be
utilized, One must walk The scenery
all tho way from the hamlet of Odde Is
| surprisingly grand. comprising many other
important waterfalls, lordly mountain
peaks, sombre gorges, and rearward, the
vast spectral expanse Of the Folgefoud ice
helds The last part of the journey is by
rowboat across magnificent mountain
lake, l,500 feet above the sea, the Ringe-
| dalsvand, into which the Skjnggedal.fos
| really pours its waters. The total height
| of this lion of Norwegian waterfalls does
not exceed that of the Voering.fos, but its
| surroundings are more weirdly savage and
| grand. Tic water descends at first in a
score of veil-like streamers, dazzling white
against the ebUn black. From the vast
| and terribly tbunderous abyss where these
leap and rebound with frantic fury one
mighty fall descends. From the second
great whirlpool the entire volume is dis
charged, something like the Niagara rapids
| though in sleeper cascades. into the Ringe.
| dalsvand still thousand feet below the
bottom Of the great fall. From the foot OF
the latter the entire spectacle is like ire
mendous streamers of white dropped from
glittering glaciers, which crown the noun
tains behind and above, at last gathered
into one mountain high tleecy fold, which
in turn is whipped and torn into vagrant
billowy masses TO the steely blue lake lar
below
Not having trayersed the glacier fields
of Norway, can have no knowledge of
the vast and overpowering scenes that
may be gained from their frozen heights
But all things considered, and admitting
the human element into scenic effects
with its always warmth of influence, be.
lieve tue two finest views To be had in
Norway are at AIolde, and the "King's
View" from above Sundyaden. From an
easily accessible great elevation behind
Molde one can gaze not only upon human
habitations beneath. the sea sweeping in
through the tremendous walls of the ford
curious and quaint craft which ply along
the coast, hundreds of picturesque islands
but vast amphitheatre OF mountains ris
ing tier upon tier, until lost in glitterinf
heights which blend with the sky anu
clouds. Among these weird, far height.
are the fantastic Romsdalhorn, the Mat
terhorn of Norway; Sn,ehatten with il:
white and dazzling helmet; the weird and
mighty horn Of Perpuatind; the serrateC
glittering pixies Of the Langfjeld; and thos,
mighty still unknown and untrackec
heights at the head of that waterway o
, black shadows. the lone and sombre Sol
Fiord. A no more bewildering array o
Alpine peaks can be found in Switzerland
while all Swiss scenery lacks the wondrou
magic of the sea.
From the inn at Sundvolden, one ma,
ascend on foot the huge mountain which
portion OF the ascent Is exceedingly diff
cult. When near the top, but not expect
: ing the sudden surprise in store, on turn
! ing sharp angle of the rock, the who'll
. mighty picture is instantly spread befor
. you. First is o tremendous fertile plain
e studded with lakes, the lakes with islands
the land between with hatnlets, farms
= churches and all the splendid evidences o
g human thrift and home provision; AM
r this vast plain is encircled by lines o
7 forest, then tiers of eternal stone ribbone
I with waterfalls, then mountains of rock
! mountains of snow, mountains of teeth
I whole melting into pictures as lilmy, far
e tastlc and ethereal as the substance o.
half-dreamed dreans. know OF no othe
: such extensive view in all the world; n
: other at once so exquisitely beautiful, s
incomprehenslyely vast, and so surpas
i singly sublime. From Etna alone is ther
/ scene for even comparison. That one tn
d sea cramps and confines and compresse
y into narrow strip of land in which liv
u brigands and serfs, Here are free. happ
U and prosperous people, on whom it almo!
i seems that the God is actually smilin
. through the inelfable glow OF dazzlin
mountain tops. EDGAR l.. WAKEMAN.