The record-union., 1893-10-28
Special Correspondence of the RECORD
UNIoE Copyright 1881

Special Correspondence OF the RECORD
UNIoE. Copyright 1881
LONDON, October 3. 1898.
At the outset of these brief sketches of
Norwegian scenes and folk, there is
strong and irresistible impulse upon me
to make the sort of confession few traV-
elers in foreign lands are very willing TO
do. have no Morse blood in my veins.
I am not a Morse scholar. Ihaye not had
the time to even casually read the scant
literature Of travel in Norway. L never
possessed a guide-book to that country.
1 have acquired only a few hundred
words and few score sentences OF the
Norwegian language, and those compul-
sorry through temporary eXlgency, anu
my wanderings in this land OF wondrous
sterility and marvellous fertility, OF
dreadful nights and awful depths, OF saw
age grandeur and sunniest hooks, have
only comprised three short runaway
trips from the British side of the North
Sea.
Yet so much can be seen in so little
time in Norway, its scenic wonders are
so impressively and startlingly massed,
its government and social systems are SO
plain and simple to the stranger, ana,
above all, its people are so responsive,
hospitable and kind, and so like GOOD
book set open before your eyes Tor the
reading, that out OF the little opportunity
/ have had for observation and assocIa-
ton when | look back to the stern north
land and its crags, valleys and homes,
there is such sense OF panoramic COM
pleteness OF sight, scene ana IeeIlng, the
task of reminiscence has in II something
liLra 10 fpDHpr lalpaGurn Of TELLING aDODC
oIden scenes and friends.
This is no doubt true for two reasons.
One is that Norway's scenery is as tre-
mendous, ii that word may be used, as
that OF Switzerland, being Vaster in eX-
tent and infinitely more varied. When
you look upon snow-capped mountains
above the clouds, few thousand feet OF
altitude, more or less, in particular In
stances, are almost lncomprehensIbIe to
sight or mind, and nearly all OF these
majestic presentments OF inert nature III
Norway have that added powerfully
weird fascination of immediate contlgul-
ty with fierce and thunderouS sea. in
deed l am not sure but it would be true
statement that, considering the many
often soundless hords piercing her entire
western coast almost to the swedish
boundary as arms of the sea, which they
truly are, there is no portion OF NorWay's 5
lneasureless and transcendent scenic glo-
Tics WulCu Is LOU lIlt6LS1l46u III CudIIl
and sublimity by this peculiar influence
and effect. Because OF this, in whatever
land you may have stood in awe before
the uplifted, ragged ribs OF our good OLD
globe, these Norway mighty nights and
chasms remain clearest, sharpest and
longest in the ever-changing photographs
OF the traveller memory.
The other reason is q purely ethical one.
You cannot be among the people of Nor
way. know them never so little, and leave
them, without having gained that most
blessed Of ali CONSCIOUSNESS to the travel
er of having come upon a place in the
universal human allotment which Is
sturdy, genuine ana true. There is d
directness without affrOnt, a simplicity
without Ignorance, sturdiness without
niggardneSs, all honesty without as
sumption, geniaIlty without elusive
ness, a ospitallty without trucking, ana
a piety without pretense about these
folk, minute, specific and universal.
Your liking for them grows with every
new experience. In the Latin countries
the sunshine of entrance dazzles you with
anticipation ever fading 10 the darkest
shadows Of insincerity. In Norway the
greeting is as quiet as the silence of its
Iand-locked fiords. but every successive
experience is as lightful and assuring as
each new scene from the strong stone
ways leading to her glowing upland
y
where your feet have trod.
My first visit to Norway was made
from Hull to Bergen, and thence on a
Norwegian cOasting steamer in and out
OF the lords along the Wondrous coast to
Nadso. The next gave me time for inte-
rior Wanderings in the Bergen and Har-
danger districts, and the last afforded op-
portunity for knowing the scenes and
people roundabout Throndhjem, while
some considerable land journeys were
made towards the Oslerdal from the
north, and into the HallingdaI from the
west. When the coast tour was made |
had no intention OF ever seeing Norway
again, and every islet, crag, ford, town
and landing was an object OF eager inter
est. L am not sure but this method of
visiting Norway has superior advant-
ages 10 the traveller whose time is limi-
ted, as his diversity OF observation is ex-
traordinary, while at the same time ne is
practically at ease within, or upon, his
floating inn.
In the first place you are certain of
most intelligent and interesting compa-
ny. Nearly all the officers OF these coast
steamers speak English, and a more
kind-hearted, loquacious and almost be-
nevolent sea-faring men are not TO be
found. You are constantly agreeablv
surprised by the pleasant character OF
your fellow-passengers. English "out-
ers" are predominant, and these are the
very cream OF the English peoDle-hard-
worked editors on brief vacation, sensi-
bic, quiet fellows who doze and dream
and beam as though the slight surcease
from the chickering's of Grub Lane were
all but an earthly heaven: bevies of
splendid, peachy English girls fresh from
some seminary and accompanied bv
teachers not a bit ashamed TO be gay and
young again; grave naturaliStS broaden
ing their vision from the gullies Of Hamp-
stead Heath and the holIows of Epping
Forest; actors and their wives who are
varying the usual run over to Paris to a
lark among the dalen and nords, and
genuine London actors and actresses are
among the fnest-minded folk you will
meet in any journeylngs; wise ola and
young biologists, who, instead of forming
the hard human strata you would imag-
inc, are the simplest, sunniest and most
sympathetic of men; substantial Ameri-
cans who care to see something of the
world outside of New ork, London and
Paris, TO whom, bless them for their
quick impreSSlveness - everything is
wonderful, wonderful, wonderful r'
English country curates, Highland tree
kirk ministers, rubicund-fa Catholic
clerics, all the best of friends in these
picturesque waters. and yieing with each
other in those true and good human
amenities which their walled in Chris
1;an puluits forbid.
Then there are real and make believe
artists, the genuine ones working earn
estly al outlines which are put modestlv
away in their portfolios, the others tell
inp YOU all about what wonderful work
they will have when they get time to
ss6lI them in;'' amateur photographers
with wrinkled brows and faces OF frozen
importance and weariness; schoolmas-
ters from America and England bound to
work off musty epochs Of history upon
the polite If not always enthralled list