Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-12-02

Norwegian farms removed. Peter said |
they were all equally accessible both |
upon the coasts and the fOrds They
have simply SccNcd inaccessible to
those travellers who make books from
steamers decks, aud have been put
among the eagles. the clouds and the
glaciers, in the pictures without so
much as a rope aud swinging wicker
basket to aid the readers Imagination
Ia safe ascent.
We met the head farmer and his son
on their way back to the iufd side pad
dock, near the upper edge Of the chasm
] was much more Of a curiosity 10 these
good iIlk than they to me; for ] was
the first foreigner that had ever visited
this, or, 50 FAR as | can learn. any other,
eagle nest farm in Norway. Peter made
them know easily enough who he was.
and the greetings at the farmhouse, or
houses. for several branches Of one
family were huddlcd In great foOmy
houses along the plateau. were rather
an ovation than n welcome. ! was all
together disappointed; for had looked
forward 90 knowing In this experience
| the utcrmost desolauou in which human
beings eau sustain lie. was glad 10
find one OF the chccriest places ! had
] come upon anywhere In Norway.
The eagle nest farm comprised AL
| together 400 or 900 acres OF partially
/ tilIabIc and grazing land. a mountain
stream ran through ID. The CllistdEc
above the ford was protected by low
walls OF timber aud stone. The entire
tract might be called q "swail, OF little
cofriu or saucer shaped depression. such
as you will lind In The Scottish High
lands. In front WAS u misty line above
/ the ford. then a mighty panorama OF
mountain. valley aud waterfall as Tar as
| the Uye could reach. Behind, lay FIRST
I field Of shapelcss rock Then came %
| seemingly impunctnblg forest Of &c.
! Above this was another line Of sacred
gray masses of Jagged stone, IT, upper
| edge sctratcd win sircaks aud gulics
/ OF snow; aud then the glttcung range
| Of ice upon the Dytdal Field beyond
| The light at this attitude, with white
/ peaks everywhere along the circling
] horizon, line was painful and binding,
/ after week passed IN the shadowy
depth Of the ford region below
There were liuc low, wide, stout
| timber built homes. perhaps a hail score
Of outblildings Tor locks aud herds, all
/ arranged su as 10 protect as much as
/ possible both humans and animals from
/ the awful winter winds, "a huge store
house a. big rs a village church for
/ common use; aud a curious old mill iDr
| grinding grain, where the stream tum.
/ blcd into the chasm In which We had
| passed the night. The larger farm.
/ house, or sort Of patriarch to them all,
| had q wide outer enclosed hall. Ia this
/ were bestowed on shelves hung from
Z pegs or stood Va corners. strange
/ collection Of oars, fishing gear, rude
I farm implements, gamc.ttaps, ttemeni-
| Gus iuf coats and raWhiic boots, stays
/ heads and anlltfs, tusks Of wild bears,
| powder horns and shot pouches aud
| hfcarml OF strange aud antique pattern,
I The living room, were four ~ number
| huge ana square. leading from one to
I another through square openings; aud
| in a corner ui each was an open fire.
/ place as large as ! have ever seen.
/ Every article Of iurnilurg-lung, low
/ tables. uucoutn but comfortable chairs,
/ cumbrous chests, bunk-bcds built INTO
and against the walls. heavy shelves
/ upon great pegs driven into tn house
timbcrs, and even the gailypaintcd
bureaus with the housewives names
aud dates OF their marriage upon them
was OF home manufacture.
/ With all these evidences OF ample
content. II within pumitime tnvron-
mcnt. fclt ahashcd at my own con.
stanlly recurring prccunccvcd tcndcn.
Cics to construct social and material
/ pictures Of meIgtcness ana desoIation
/ where no such condition existed AT
midiagsmad. or dinner, which consisted
OF a sort OF vegetable soup seasoned
I with bits OF urcd fish. the universal
I Had brod something like the Scottish
| haWfRHL ktaEL IrUnI tURFNtUsta .tftaW.
titles OF cheese. butter. cream aud milk,
| with great basins Of tiny. but wondrously
sweet iOrd1rr or strawberries, these
things were frankly spoken Of, causing
the greatest merlimcu, among the fam.
lis OF my host
What lacked thcy} Here were CON.
Portable homes. aud their land which
had remained unqucstioned IN the one
family since Norway was Norway The
women spun the yarn, wuye the cloth,
made the clothing they all wore, and
! besides attended 20 the cattle, and
| worked much IN the fields The men
| tcllcd timber In winter hunted reindeer,
| trapped and shot game, sometimes went
ON long fishing and whaling enterprises;
aud the land produced enough grain
for food aud grass Tor fodder. besides
! furnishing grazing ir the animals OF
less fortunate peaunts, who often
| brought their cows here for the sum.
mcr months, and which explained the
presence Of the three waiting IN the
| gorge beside the ford,
All these folk could read, though
| none had ever attended school sie.
mentary education seems almost here
| ditary here, and books, from the musty
sagas to tue prose poems OF Anderson,
| were piled upon the rude shelves above
the tre-plaCss, Two or three times
/ year they went to church at Bake.
| These were great occasions, and ALT
went In boats together. In the long
| winter months the fires Of the great
chimneys reared rs loud as the noun.
/ tain trmpests; with snow.shocs they
visited other caglc.ncst homes, and en-.
| ioyed much simple merymaking; and
! from year m until year out, indeed from
/ one generation 10 another, they knew
no ineNtricablc cNigenCy and expert.
enccd no need or longing beyond their
own mutual provision and requirement.
More surprising than all, after we had
| departed entire "eaglu-nest com.
munity accompanying Us To the edge Of
/ the Chasm and sending many hearty
"Favell" after as even when the Cllil
/ had hidden them from sight and while
| descending To the ford with the head
| farmer and his son, we learned that
! these folk had never seen or known any
/ officer OF the law; and that there was
not even a tradition Iu the numerous
family above our heads Of title TO their
lands being essential, or of any attempt