Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-02-08
r. L. Vineyard Tells Experiences Of
Winter in the Frozen North.

rromso is the name OF a quaint little
fishing and tourist village. located on
Trom's island at the side of Trom's
ford some 200 miles inside the Arc
lie circle on the northwest coast Of
Norway, II is in the very center oil
the grand scenery for which Norway Is
noted, and is visited every year by
hundreds of English and American
tourists. But a few miles distant is
located the Altenfjord, the scene OF
Marie Correllis Land of the Midnight
sun romance, "Thelma." To visit
the place where the hero and heroine
OF Beatrice Harrodens Ships That
Pass In the Night" met and spoke
each other in passing from Tromso II
is only necessary to cross the ford
and take a quaint little stage coach TO
the queer little mountain village but
days ride distant
Residents OF the San Juan are ia
miller with mountain peaks and pre-
cip!tous canons. Imagine them
throwing around their base the scarf
of grey old ocean; imagine steamships
sailing bravely up the Animas canon
slowing mp occasionally and blowing
the whistle that passengers may have
time to hear the echo, cover the can
on walls with gay-cOlored flowers and
vines; people the hills with bright
faceu, rosy checked natives, and you
will have a fairly accurate idea OF
what the scenery of Norway resem-
bies. Then add to this a brilliant
lou hA haf, hnr
zou and many-hued canopy of sky over
head and you may family conceive
what 1t is like on clear summer day
al midnight.
The people are healthy, pleasant
and accommodating. The boy who
first rowed me ashore answered to my
request for his name by responding.
Sammy Bull" showing a set of clean
white teeth as he smillnglv added not
Johnny Bull"
Fully one-third OF the people speak
English and ii is taught in the public
schools.
The street is lined with many shops
and the goods sold are cheap and
durable. Kaffe's, as they spell the
word there. are many and in them you
can get coffee or chocolate with de-
licious cakes for a surprisingly small
sum. less than five cents in our mon
ey A Lapp village Is located near
by and 1t is a pleasant little trip over
10 see them. and to watch them work
with their reindeer. II Is also worth
while to get up early Saturday morn.
ing and visit the market. an open
square with tables, where the Lapps
display pieces of reindeer meat for
sale. and the fishermen their fish.
Summer hotels are to be found close
by the village on the outskirts with
such attractions as croquet grounds,
tennis courts, etc.
When the Baldwin-Zieglar polar ex-
pedition boat, the good ship America.
first entered Trom's fjord and anchor
ed in the harbor at the village 1t was
in midsummer time and all nature as
well as the village was in gala attire.
The beautiful picture will never be
forgotten by me and the days that fol
lowed were truly halcyon, and their
memory to be forever cherished.
Most OF our excursions ashore were
planned for the night time, or rather
after working hours, as there was no
night. We were kept busy for hours
enough to make a good long working
day, and busy at hard work at that,
as most of the supplies for the trip
had been shipped by freight to that
point, and had to be rehandled there
and lightered out to our ship We
We're. therefore. hard at work when
the August Victoria, one of the float
ing palaces of the Hamburg American
line entered the harbor, crowded (as
We afterwards learned) with Ameri-
can and English tourists. The Amer
lean passengers saw our flag and i'm
modiately some OF them entered their
little steam yacht and ran over to see
who and what we were. Their curio-
sity being satisfied, they returned to
the ship. called the Americans togeth.
er and invited the expedition members
to "a banquet that evening aboard the
August Victoria. OF course most OF
us were delighted to accept, though
Commander Baldwin was unable to
attend.
The American tourists were mostly
very wealthy people. and the seats
were arranged at the tables in such
manner that we were placed In alter
nate seats that is, one of our hosts
were on either side.
My two associates were Mr.. Ferry
OF Michigan and Mr. Miffln OF Boston
! recognized the latter as that of one
of the publishers Of the Atlantic and
was informed that my guess was a
good one. though the gentleman was a
son of the owner. and not the publish
er himself, | also recognized Mr.. Fer
ry's name. or thought | did, and en-
boldened by my first success, | ven-
tureed a second guess.
Mr.. Ferry was delighted 10 know
had heard of him and asked who l
supposed he was. suggested Fer.
ry's seeds, and MifIlin gave a shout OF
laughter in which Ferry himself sheep
ishiy Joined in.