Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-27

equally hldeous. The wonderful fur
coats of the drivers, sometimes made of
shaggy bear-skins. gave an Arctic APP
pearance TO en- Arctic landscape. over
which the canopy of heaven. with bright
eat oriel blue Of Italian depth. reminded
one OF sunny southern cllmes instead
OF northern regions and thermometers
below zero.
The competition lasts two days The
first day IL is for distance-about twelve
English mIies-and on the second day 1t
is for jumping. There are usually
hundred competitors for each; but the
second day is usually more exciting to
an onlooker.
For the distance race the road Is mark
ed here and there by bits OF red flannel
tied to n snowy pine tree. and the course
Is so ceverly planned that the twelve
miles necesstate an ascent Of nearly
thousand feet. a descent of about the
same distance, a spin through the thick
est part of the forest and q spell along
the high road. Ravines hillocks, fallen
tree frozen waterfalls, any and every
kind OF obstacle, I'm fact. are TO be found
on that course, ready to tax the prof.
cheney Of the performer.
Down the hill the slslober flies at 4
terrific rate. for IT is something like
skating down hill. only on enormously
long and heavy skates Indeed. the pace
uuiinE Il utSttnN Is dbSOiHlcty
Along the fiat the skiiober shufiles each
step accomplishing distance of several
scet
THE TEST.
Up hill Is where strength and skill are
most required. as naturally the tendency
Of the ski is 10 slip backward. and the
feet of a novice generally go six yards
backward 10 one forward. Women usu-
ally get up hill In crab-like fashion-that
Is 10 say. they stand sideways, and
planting their ski on the ridge of the hill
they step up yard by yard But men.
especially clever ones. face the hill di-
rect. and turning their toes out. with
their legs far apart TO prevent the ski
overlapping at the heel-a position which
makes them look like a frog with his
little legs bent-they stamp the snow SO
as to get bite and toll to the top.
leaving a mark like neat plat In the
snow behind them.
To give some idea OF the proficiency Of
the long-distauce competitors the twelve
English miles have been done by the win
ner i'm / hour % minutes and 50 sec
onds, the next man being only ten
seconds behind him. and the third as
many more. out Of the hundred cOmpeu-
tors only three save in, and there were
no accidents at all. although q. men are
winning posts as our oxford and CAM
bridge crews are when they pull UP at
Mortlake.
All this race is very interesting, and
very wonderful but It is not so exciting
ior the onloOker because Il twelve-mile
course through a mountainous forest
means that very little OF the performers
Is seen. and that only for a second, as
they dart across or turn an angle of the
road.
The Jumping Is the thing The jumping
is awe aspiringl There is literally no
thing a Norwegian cannot do on ski. And
even to an English novice IL Is one of
the most exciting sports imaginable.
What would be more fascinating than
the tearing descent Of a mountain on
ski-the road sparkling in the suns ray
or dimly lightly by a burning torch?
The chosen spot for the jumping COM
petition was very steep Hill rising from
a little lake near Frognersdtern. The
lake was frozen so solid IL made an
excellent stand for the spectators, and
on it, horseback fashion. were arranged
wooden platforms TO accommodate the
representatives of the university and their
friends the members OF various large
clubs, and representatives OF the big in
sttutiOns Of the town, or for the accom-
mediation of private individuals who cared
TO pay for a seat Behind these platforms
were the sledges and between tho
sledges and the platform were hill
locks Of snow arranged on pur-
pose to accommodate the ski. Here they
were stacked in hundreds, and formed
a regular wooden palng round the entire
enclosure. How any man ever found his
own among that multitude will ever re-
main a mystery 10 an English mind. But
I'm spite Of that vast concourse. the Ice
bound lake never grOaned or cracked.
Half way up the hill track, which, OF
course. was treeless. and which. like the
rest of Norway. was covered with some
eight or ten feet OF snow. was a raised
platform about twelve leet high perhaps,
round the sides Of which was draped the
Norwegian flag, although Its top was
thickly imbedded in snow like the rest OF
the course. The competitors were divided
into two lots. above and below the age OF
~. They wore the usual thick gray ski
Dire ss-dOuble breasted, with tight knick-
erbockers and a wOollen cap. the brim OF
which was turned down over the ears to
protect the wearer from frostbite; the
thick WOllen gloves were without any fin
gers for warmth. merely thumb, and
made so long and stockinglike that they
pulled right up over the sleeve.
The entire descent about 40 feet. was
placard upon his breast. denotlng hic
number on the programme. appeared at
"A given sign on the little plateau on the
hilltop. The word to start was given.
He slipped over the plateau, and, at ire
mendous speed. In consequence OF the
steep descent, rushed down the mountain
track on, on, on he came his arms
stretched out in the air for balance; on
20 the little platform he wildly rushed, and
then STOPPING his body, with one huge
spring, his legs doubled up. and,
wildly whirling his arms in the
air like windmill. he jumped
to-what looked to US. sitting be-
low-the arms Of death. For a moment
he was in mdair. those great pant-ike
ski fastened to his feet. 1t did not seem
possible that he could live through such
a moment; the excitement was tremen-
dous. Would he fan and kill himself?
Would he be hurt by his ski? Would ne
tumble on his head and lose conscious
ness? But, no, he absolutely landed on
his feet, and calmly slid away down the
hillside as quietly and happily as If he
were merely going for a walk
ROars of applause greeted his landing.
for Norwegians say the jump is nothing
the skill is required in landing on ones
feet Hardly was he out Of the way be-
fore the second competitor wildly rushed
rom the hilltop but either he was not
so experienced or he caught his ski on
leaving the platform. for he turned a
complete series OF somersaults, and finally
landed In the snow, which was so deep
he almost disappeared; and when he
emerged he metamorphosed into a white
Christmas man.
out OF those hundred competitors. at
least half succeeded in landing on their
feet Is IL not marvellous to contemplate?
Perhaps twenty more, after struggling