The record-union., 1893-12-09
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The saeter house or cabin itself was
rudely constructed of pine logs, though
comfortable enough for the purpose re-
quired. Its roof was of pine beams
sheathed with birch bark in many layers,
and this overlaid by turf and sod. In the
latter several species of mountain ram
bles and wild flowers were growing lux
uriously. There were two large rooms,
perhaps twenty feet in length and nearly
as wide, and against the whole of one side
of the structure was a huge, low shed,
where the herds huddled in time of long
continued storm. One of the two rooms
was kitchen, living and sleeping-room
combined. Two holes in the house wall
and the open door served for admitting
light, and there were no candles, lamps
or lanterns about the place, as bed time
always comes long before night time
in the almost nightless Norwegian sum-
mer.
The table was simply a huge, high
bench. Stools and short benches an
swered for chairs, few shelves resting
on pegs, and a large, rough cupboard Tor
holding food and provisions, with bunk
bed built in one corner, comprised all the
furniture of the living-rOOm, aside from
large shorsten or fireplace in ahother
corner, opposite the door, with its accom-
paniment of iron utensils, and little
crOckery ranged upon shelves at its side.
The other room was the dairy. In this
was fireplace, suspended above which
was huge cauldron kettle, and near this
was boiler built in the wall in which
the milk is heated to a curd and is finally
nodded III the most primitive fashion, by
stone weights, into mySost or cheese, the
whey being fed to the swim or pigs, or,
carried in krukker or kegs and TASKS,
when not too remote, to the valley homes
below.
Vessels containing milk and cream
were ranged along high, strong benches.
Two high keg-like churns, number of
whey TASKS, cheese in the process OF cur
ing, and empty molds, kegs filled with
butter and empty kegs, milking pals,
the krak or milking stool, skimmers and
numerous other rude but ample appli-
ances Of the dairy were cumbrOusly but
conveniently disposed, and everything
was cool, dry, sweet and clean. In her
innocent and boundless pitality Lars
sister was determined that we should oc-
cupy the girls bed while they slept upon
the floor beside us, but we compromised
by making our own couch of reindeer
moss upon the saeter floor, and passed
three nights in this peculiarly informal
manner, the girls using every artifice and
entreaty TO persuade US to longer remain.
In the meantime IN company with
Illlie and Christine we visited a few
neighboring saeters. The arrangement.
belongings and customs at all were pre-
cisely alike. At night the girls call the
herds from the mountains with peculiar
penetrating calls and songs. AS they ap-
proach each cow, goat or sheep is adj
dressed by name, each name ending with
the Norsk syllable rOs, a term OF endear-
ment, and each animal is rewarded by a
bit of salt licked from the saeter girls
capacious hand. The threGody Of the
musical little bells with which the herds
are provided, intensified by the echoing
rocks and the mountain air is a melodic
experience never to be forgotten. Each
animal stands demurely at milking night
and morning, until signal for it's liberty
is given by the saeter girl briskly patting
it's back. At night the animals dispose
themselves for sleep in little groups
closely huddled about the cabin, and the
caressing and cooling of the girls to the
dumb and faithful creatures as they are
sent away to the crags for the long day s
grazing is a scene of tender pastoral
sweetness and atfectionate simplicity
worthy the noblest poets or painters art.
EDGAR l.. WAKEMAN.