The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1894-06-14
LOOKING AT THE ALUMINIUM BOATS.

of able business men, merchants who ship
their products all over the world, learned
professional men, dignifled officials. All
these joined together to make pleasant our
sojourn In their midst. They certainly
succeeded, for If any people in the world
know the art of entertaining, or, what is
better, have been gifted by nature with
the warmest instincts of hospitality, these
men of Aalesund are they. They felt that
their town had been honored by being
made the final outfltting point and port of
departure for our expedition, and they
wished to show their appreciation thereof.
So they organized an excursion last Sun
day afternoon through the surprisingly
beautiful Geiranger ford. For hours half
hundred of us, Norwegians and Ameri-
cans, steamed amid ice clad mountains ris-
ing sheer and rugged from the waters
edge full mile toward the sky. We
watched the quaint boats Of the quainter
peasantry plying to and fro and noted
with amazement the prosperity and con-
tentment Of these people who live upon a
ledge Of land lying between the mountain
cliff and the deep sea.
I As we drank in the beauty of the scene
it was only natural that we should think
Of advising our friends in America who
travel in Europe for pleasure to come
hither in the summer and for change to
eschew the more commonplace and better
known routes in Italy and Switzerland
Here they would find simple and hos
pitable people, good hotels, admirable
steamships for running through the fiords
and most jolly carrioles to climb the
mountains with behind hardy, long tailed
little Norwegian horses. Moreover, the
people here have not learned the art of get
ting rich out of tourists, and if the Ameri-
cans who come will avoid their national
habit of throwing money about without
rhyme or reason it will be long time be-
fore simple Norway becomes degenerated
in this respect like the remainder of Eu-
rope.
A Royal Feast.
On our excursion there was so much to
eat and drink that even the grandeur of
the scenery was at times overlooked, and
on the return to Aalesund bountiful re-
past was spread in the banqueting hall of
one of the hotels. The Fellowship club of
Chicago, the Press and Gridiron clubs of
Washington, the Clover club of Philadel-
phia, have not a monopoly Of the art of
dinner giving. These dealers in fish in
this little Norwegian city know their busi-
ness too. At Norwegian dinner there is
no disagreeable person who acts as toast
master and makes miserable the hours of
all the guests. Here there is no reason to
fear being called out for speech. When
ever the spirit moves guest he rises, taps
his glass with his spoon, says "Mynheer'
and sails in. Better still, If one forgets the
first time he is on his feet to say all that
he wanted to say-and who does motif
is perfectly proper for him to get up again,
lor even q third or fourth time The chief
address of the evening was made by Rector
Voss, who cleverly did the honors for hts
townsmen, not forgetting to rattle off with
familiar grace a few sentences in both
Greek and Latin. In admirable English
he expressed for himself and his country
men thanks that this American expedition
had been SO generous to science as to take
with it number Of earnest workers in the
various fields Of Investigation from the
Norwegian university. So many clever and
kindly things were said by him, by Mr..
lSchieldrup, who praised the enterprise of
the American press, and by other speakers
that when the writer rose to reply for the
expedition he found it necessary to take
advantage of the local custom and make
his speech on the installment plan. 1t is
very good custom and should be introduced
in America, where it would protect guests
against long speeches and enable gentle
men who do not think well while on their
feet to sit down after few sentences, cool
of, take another drink and brace them
selves up for new effort.
Speeches In Installments.
In one Of our installments we told the
hosts that on our way to Europe man
aboard the steamer had been overheard
saying that If any man ever reached the
north pole he would be a Norwegian. OF
icourse this brought out anplause. But the