Year: 1864

The Perpetual Daylight in Norway.


The farther north you go, in Yoyaging along
the Norwegian coast, during the months of June
and July, the brighter and longer becomes the
daylight, until at last you arrive at the regions
of perpetual day. The exquisite charm of this
novel state of things is utterly beyond the com
prehension of those who have not experienced
it. Apart altogether from the gladdening in
fuence of sunshine there is something delight
fully reckless in the feeling that there is no ne
cessity whatever for taking note of the flight of
timeLno fear lest we should, while wandering
together, or perchance alone, among the meun-
tains, be overtaken by night. During several
weeks we lived in the blaze of long nightless
day


do not use hyperbolical language when
speaking of this perpetual daylight. During
several weeks, after we had crossed the Arctic
circle the sun descended little more than its
own diameter below the horizon each night, so
that It had scarcely set when it rose again, and
the diminution Of the light was cutie insgnif-
cant it did not approach in the slightest degree
to twilight. If had been suddenly awakened
during any of the twenty-four hours, in the
cabin of tie yacht, or in any place from which
it was impossible to observe the position of the
sun could not have told whether it was night
or day Having said that, it is almost super
fuous to add that we could, even in the cabin,
read the smallest print at midnight as easily as
at noon-day Moreover, clear midnight was
absolutely brighter than a cloudy forenoon.


Nevertheless, there was a distinct difference
between night and day-a difference with which
light had nothing to do I am inclined to think
that the ncalculable myriads of minute and in
visible creatures with which God has filled the
soitudes of this world, even more largely than
its inhabited parts, exercise much more pow
erful influence on our senses than we suppose
During the day time these teeming millions,
busting about in the activity of their tiny
spheres create an actual, though unrecognizable
noise l do not refer to gnats and flies so much
as to those atomic insects whose little persons
are never seen, and whose individual voices are
never heard, but whose collective hum is fact
that is best proved by the silence that follows
its cessation. In the evening all these retire to
rest and night is marked by deep impressive
stiffness, which we are so apt enormously to
suppose is altogether the result of that noisy
giant man. having betaken himself to his lair.
! Yet this difference between night and day was
only noticeable when we were alone, or very
/ quiet the preponderating noises resulting from
! conversation or walking were more than sut1-
cient to dispel the sweet influence.
----~-49D---------


VEGETAB1E.-R Read what Captain Job Pfest,
in his "Wonderful Adventures" says Of the
| Vegetable Kingdom


The term vegetable-sometmes pronounced
vegetables probably derived from the pecu-
| liar long and pointed form of this description of
esculents, hence originally called wedgeetable
then vegetables, and now refined into the pres
/ ent term.


Annual Towering plants resemble whales as
they come up to blow.


Flowers very warike in their disposition
and ever ARMED with pistils


They are migratory in their habits, for wher-
/ ever they may winter they are sure to leave in
! the spring; most of them very polite and
full Of boughs.


Like dandies the coating of many trees is
their most valuable portion. Cork trees and
boot trees, for instance.


Grain and seeds hfe not considered danger
GUS except when about to shoot.


Several trees, like watch-dogs, are valued
mostly for their bark


A little bark will make rope but it takes a
large pile of wood for a cord


Though there are no vegetable beaux, there
are a number Of spruce trees.


It is considered only right and proper to ak
trees before you fell them.


Fruit trees have military characteristics
when young they trained, they have many
kernels, and their shoots are straight.


Grain must be treated like infants when the
head bends it must be resorted to, to fit it for
use.


Great indulgence in fruit is dangerous-and
too free use of it produce a melancholy effect.


Old maids are fond of pears-but cannot en-
dure any reference to dates.


Sailors are attached to bays; oystermen to
beeches; loye-sick maidens to pine.