Drøbak anno 1800
Malt av John William Edy
No. LVIII. TOWN OF DROBAK. This small seaport is situated on the east side of the Christiania Fiord, on a flat sandy cliff, under which there is a gravel beach, with a long island or spot of land, forming within it a small harbour for boats only, and extending about half the length of the town in a parallel direction ; beyond it is the road for the ships. The barren rocky island, of which part only is seen, protects the harbour from the great body of water in the Fiord to the westward. The town consists of a small church and a few houses; its trade is inconsiderable, the residents being chiefly mariners and fishermen, with the exception of Mr. Neils Calson, a considerable merchant, Captain Angle, and a few others. The house of the former is seen on the left of the church, and that of the latter in the town. Drobak is embosomed in hills, and is situated near the important pass in the Fiord at Haoe, described in plate 57, which is distinctly seen in the picture, with part of its mountain isle, and also the great stones, in the passage. Between one of them and the hill a ship is seen in the regular channel up the Fiord. To give an idea of the navigation of the whole Fiord, from Christiania to Fader Island, I will take leave to insert an extract from my Journal, of what occurred in sailing down. Sept. 30th, wind east, left Christiania, anchored, at six in the evening, at Gresebue; a few saw-mills, no town, very hazy with rain. Oct. Ist. morn. at 7, weighed anchor, wind S. E. hazy and rainy, passed many islands and water-falls, anchored at 5 opposite Drobak, near which are two cascades, Haoe and Soleberg. Oct. 2nd, weighed at 6 in the morning; hazy and rain, wind S. E. passed the peninsula of Ielon, very dense ; obliged to return 12 miles, to a safe anchoring-place; 4 in the evening heavy rain, clear moon at night, with extraordinary white fog on the water. Oct. 3, at anchor, foul all day, two vessels lost, and all the ports to the westward filled with ships ; being sheltered by the rocks, the storm not felt here. Oct. 4, anchor came up with great labour, stiff clay: blowing hard at N. E. quantities of blubber fish ; passed Osterstrand, and salt works, at Tonsberg ; at six entered Larkoul, thick weather and rain. 5th to the 10th, in harbour, foul wind, fogs, and rain. llth, a little favourable, horizon very black to the N. E., rainbow in the evening: 12th to the 15th foul weather: 16th a storm to the N. E., dragged anchor and let go another; 17th, fair wind, but too strong to get up the anchors: 18th at 6, employed two hours in getting them up, left Larkoul with a fair breeze at N. E., at 2 opposite the Fader Island, a fine sun set, wind variable; at night, it increased to a storm; Fader light blown out; the sea appeared on fire were obliged to return to Larkoul; the small rocks, or sheers, difficult to be seen, in the intense darkness; the ship within a few yards of them before they were discovered; incessant tacking without sea room, and on a lee shore; at day-light passed Slettery Island, where on the reef lay a vessel from Bergen, wrecked in the night. The crew, and among them a frue, or woman of distinction, a passenger, was clinging to the barren rock, imploring our assistance, which it was utterly impossible to afford, situated as we were, expecting the same fate. The sea breaking over their mast head in a horrible foaming marmer from the harbour, we sent a boat out to them, well manned by which they were all fortunately rescued from a watery grave. The vessel was totally lost, and they, although half-drowned, rejoiced most heartily with us on their miraculous preservation. This night, many vessels were lost, and two driven from England to Norway, without anchors, one from the Downs into Arendal, the other from Yarmouth to Stavanger. The storm continued from the 18th to the 22nd, when the wind suddenly changed, from N. E. to S. E., blowing equally hard. On the 23rd and 24th, calm, 25th much rain, N. W. ; 26th and 27th, foggy ; 28th to 30th, foul winds, much cold, to Nov. 3rd, blowing hard, with a tremendous surf; 4th, a perfect hurricane, some ice : determined on going homeward by land, through Sweden, Denmark, Holstein, Hamburg, to Cuxhaven; 21st, embarked in the packet for Yarmouth, where I arrived on the 3Oth, and was in London Dec. 1st. In Larkoul harbour, the wind regularly changed, about 12 at night, to the opposite point of the compass, blowing with equal fury each way.