Part 1

Produced by Charlene Taylor, Bryan Ness, Robert Tonsing and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)

“GAMLE NORGE” RAMBLES AND SCRAMBLES IN NORWAY

BY ROBERT TAYLOR PRITCHETT

_WITH MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY ILLUSTRATIONS_

LONDON VIRTUE & CO., LIMITED, 26, IVY LANE PATERNOSTER ROW 1879

_The Engravings in this Work have been executed by Messrs._ J. & G. NICHOLLS, _under the personal supervision of the Artist._

PREFACE.

The object of the present work is to bring before the notice of the general reader and tourist the advantages and pleasure accruing from a few weeks’ sojourn among the mountains and fjords of that grand yet simple country, Norway. Everywhere abounding with features of interest, it will especially commend itself to the Englishman when he calls to mind how close was the link between the Scandinavians and his ancestors.

To travel profitably it is not sufficient merely to notice or admire scenic effects. Men and manners should also be closely observed; and no object or detail, however trivial, should be neglected or deemed beneath regard. Norway presents a wide field for observation and research, whatever may be the tastes and predilections of the visitor. Here may the geologist, if so disposed, find ample material for study; the archæologist and antiquarian may revel among Runic stones, Viking tumuli, rites and ceremonies, quaint wood-carvings adorned with the ever-twining serpent, costumes, customs, &c.; the keenest sportsman will find a treat in store for him; while the lover of the grand in nature and of simple rustic life will meet with them here to his heart’s content. But to do this the main roads and cities must be abandoned for the mountains and fjelds, with their reindeer tracts and trout streams.

To the Fjeld, then, to the Fjeld! with its beautiful flora and mosses, its sport, its avalanches and landslips, its balmy air and soothing zephyrs. To the Fjeld—off to the Fjeld!

R. T. P.

CONTENTS.

I.—CHRISTIANSAND AND CHRISTIANIA.

PAGE

GAMLE NORGE—AN EARLY MURRAY—UNEXPLORED STATE OF THE COUNTRY—THE PIONEERS OF SPORT—CROSSING THE NORTH SEA—NOT THEN AS NOW—CONTENT OF THE PEASANTS—CHARM OF THE FJELD—CHRISTIANSAND—CHRISTIANIA—THE EMIGRANT’S VICISSITUDES—THE VICTORIA HOTEL AND OSCAR HALL 3

II.—THELEMARKEN.

LYSTHUS—COMPONENT PARTS OF TRAVEL—HITTERDAL CHURCH—THE CHAIR—THE CAMP AT SKEJE—FLATDAL—RELICS OF THE PAST—THE ASTONISHED MAGPIE AND UNKNOWN MUSIC—THE COSTUMES OF THELEMARKEN—THE “HULDRE”—THE BEAUTIFUL TROLD—BERGE AND THE MANGLETRÆ—MOGEN—THE PLOUGH, REIN HORNS, AND SNOW SHOES—BOCKLEY AND PUKKINGS—BLACK-BROWN BEER—JAMSGAARD—A NIGHT IN THE LAAVE—CAMP BEDS AND HAMMOCK—BOTTEN—NEW ROAD-MAKING—WEIRD SCOTCH FIRS—A BLASTED FOREST 19

III.—HARDANGER.

HAUKELID—SLAUGHTER OF REINDEER IN A BOTTEN—THE BROKEN BRIDGE—THE FORD—USEFUL OLD PONY—THE ASCENT—ROLDAL VALLEY AND BRIDGE—THE LENSMAND—FLORA AND LONG TRAMP—DOUBLE SOLAR RAINBOW—SNOW SHOES—GRÖNDAL AND DISTANT FOLGEFOND—ZIGZAG ROAD—SELJESTAD—NO FOOD, BUT A GOOD PONY—GRÖNDAL WATERFALLS—SANDEN VAND—THE LATE ARRIVAL AT ODDE 41

IV.—BERGEN AND ARCHÆOLOGY.

FROM ODDE DOWN SÖR FJORD—UTNE—HARDANGER FJORD—FAIRY TROLDS—BJERG TROLDS—THE HULDRE—THE NÖKKEN—THE NISSER—HAUGE FOLKET—TUFTI FOLKET—THE DRANGEN—CRACA, THE WITCH OF NORWAY—OLAF KYRRE, THE NORSE KING—BERGEN—THE HANSEATIC LEAGUE—THE GERMAN MERCHANTS—THE “PFEFFER JUNKERS”—THE FISH FOLK OF BERGEN—THE MUSEUM—STRAX—THE SILDE KONGE—NORWEGIAN WHALE SKELETONS—THE FLINT PERIOD—BRONZE PERIOD—INHUMATION AND CINERATION—ROMAN INFLUENCE—THE IRON PERIOD—ARCHÆOLOGICAL PERIODS IN NORWAY 53

V.—WEST COAST AND NORDFJORD.

COAST TRAVELLING—BERGEN HARBOUR—THE SCHOONER YACHT—SKAALS OVERDONE—WEST COAST—STEENSUND—ALDEN—OUSEN AND ITS GARDEN ROOFS—EN ROUTE FOR SANDE—DELIGHTFUL STATION—GOOD FISH—JOLSTER VAND AND NEDRE VASENDEN—THE ANXIOUS BATHER—PICTURESQUE CHURCH-GOING—NORWEGIAN BLAKKEN—THE ACCIDENT—THE FRIENDLY TOILETTE—COSTUMES AND BABY SWADDLING—SCARCITY OF FOOD—THE TENTMASTER COOKING—NORDFJORD ANTIQUITIES—PROFESSOR WORSAAE AND M. LORANGE—CONTENTS OF TUMULUS—THE VIKINGS’ GAME OF “MYLLA”—UDVIG—THE BAD PASS FROM MOLDESTADT—SNOW POLES—THE POSTMAN AND BIRCH BOUGHS—BIRTHDAY FESTIVITIES—FALEIDET—LYTH FISHING—HAUGEN AND HORNINGDALSKRAKKEN—HELLESYLT—BELTS—THE GEIRANGER FJORD—CAPTAIN DAHL—THE SEVEN SISTERS—THE VIKING’S HEAD—THE PULPIT—MARAAK—STORFJORD 73

VI.—MOLDE AND ROMSDAL.

MOLDE—THE GOOD SHIP “TASSO”—STATLAND—AALESUND—MOLDE LANDING—HERR BUCK—THE LOVE OF FLOWERS AT MOLDE—THE LEPER HOUSE—MOLDE TO VEBLUNGSNÆS—THE BEAR AND THE PIGE—ROMSDAL FJORD—AAK—THE RAUMA—THE OLD CHURCH OF GRYTEN—THE CANDELABRA—HERR ONSUM—NÆSS—THE SKYD-GUT—THE SAIL WITH SEA ROVERS—THE INEBRIATED BAKER OF WHITE BREAD—OLE LARSEN—THE LAAVE—HERR LANDMARK AND THE HOTEL AT AAK—KJERULF THE COMPOSER—THE ROMSDAL HORN—THE TROLTINDERNE—FIVA—THE MEAL HOUSE—THE STEEN-SKREED—THE SOLGANG WIND—THE SHEEP BOY AND GOAT HORN—SEA-FISHING—WOODWORK—CARRIOLES—HOW TO CROSS A RIVER—OLD KYLE—MØLMEN CHURCH, AND THE SLEEPER’S CURE—FLIES—SALMON-FISHING FROM A TINE 101

VII.—THE FJELD AND REINDEER.

OPENING DAY FOR REINDEER—AALESUND—AURORA BOREALIS—INQUIRING FRIENDS—BERRY VARIETIES—TO THE FJELD—NECESSARIES—REINDEER-FLOWERS—TO THE TENTS—THE DOGGIES—DANJEL AND OLE—MØLMEN—THE ARRIVAL—OUR CONCERT—PTARMIGAN—REINDEER SPÖR—TROUT-FISHING IN THE VAND—GOOD SPORT—THE TENTMASTER’S STORY—PASSOP AND THE STOR BUCK—SNOW-WORK—SÆTER LIFE—MARITZ’S LONELY STATE—HER KINDLINESS—THE SWIZZLE-STICK—THE OLD BOAT—THE EAGLE AND NEST—REINDEER AND RED DEER HEADS—THE DIFFICULTY OF GETTING THEM—INDFJORD—OLE ERIKSON BOE—HALVE JACOBSEN—INGEBORG AND THE STEEN-SKREED—INGRANA’S ACCOUNT—INGEBORG’S FUNERAL—RUNICSTONE—GRAVE-BOARDS—ISTERDAL—THE MEAL-MILL—OLD KYLE—A SIMPLE-MINDED COW—OLE FIVA—AIGUILLES—VALDAL—THE SOURCE OF THE ISTER—EXPEDITION TO A FROZEN LAKE 137

VIII.—CEREMONIES, WEDDINGS, ETC.

WEDDINGS—COSTUME—THE PROCESSION TO THE CHURCH—THE BRIDE’S RETURN—MOTTOES—BETROTHAL AND MARRIAGE—CONFIRMATION—FUNERALS THEIR “ONLY ONE”—GRAVE-BOARD INSCRIPTIONS—HOME LIFE—ANTIPATHY TO VENTILATION—NEW CURRENCY—GEOLOGY—VARIATIONS IN TEMPERATURE—WATERFALLS—POPULATION—WOOD-CARVING—OLD SILVER 191

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE THE MEAL MILL: ISTERDAL Frontispiece THE COURTYARD, VICTORIA HOTEL, CHRISTIANIA 11 A TIMBER SHOOT 13 KONGSBERG: THELEMARKEN 23 HITTERDAL CHURCH: SUNDAY MORNING 27 FLATDAL: THELEMARKEN 31 JAMSGAARD LAAVE 37 THE WOODEN BRIDGE AT ROLDAL 43 SKJÆGGEDAL FOS 47 BERGEN 58 BERGEN: FISH MARKET IN THE DISTANCE 59 THE VILLAGE AND CHURCH OF ALVA 75 THE FRIENDLY TOILETTE 81 SANOE, LOOKING DOWN THE VALLEY 83 BRONZE BOWL, WITH ENAMEL CASE, SWORDS OF VIKING PERIOD: BERGEN MUSEUM 84 THE POST ARRIVING AT UDVIG 87 HELLESYLT 96 THE GEIRANGER FJORD: SEVEN SISTERS FALL 97 VEBLUNGSNÆS: ROMSDAL 109 THE TROLTINDERNE BY MOONLIGHT 119 ROMSDAL SNOW 123 MAKING FOR THE FJORD 124 INTERIOR OF MØLMEN CHURCH 129 NEAR OVENDAL: AFTER REINDEER 145 THE STIGE-STEEN, OR LADDER ROCK 161 VOLDA 171 SYLTEBØ: WITH FARM IMPLEMENTS 172 LANDSLIP AT SYLBOTTEN: INDFJORD 179 RUNIC STONE, WITH INSCRIPTION, NEAR INDFJORD 180 THE GRAVESTED: INGEBORG’S FUNERAL, INDFJORD 181 THE HEAD OF THE VALLEY: ISTERDAL 185 A BRIDAL PARTY CROSSING THE FJORD 193 THE BRIDE’S RETURN BY WATER 194 RETURN FROM THE CHRISTENING 198 THEIR “ONLY ONE” 200

ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT.

PAGE Tyssestrængene Fos 3 Christiansand 7 Christiania 12 Hour Glasses 19 Norwegian Carved Lintels 20 Carved House in Thelemarken 21 Carved Houses, Bru, Thelemarken 22 The Raft Boat: Thelemarken 25 Porch at Hitterdal: Thelemarken 28 Chair in Hitterdal Church 29 Smoking the Cows: Thelemarken 36 The Mangletræ 37 Seljestad 42 Odde: Hardanger 44 Odde: Hardanger 46 Buerbræ Glacier 48 The Spring Dance: Hardanger 49 The Market: Bergen 54 Rosendal 55 Church Candlestand: Bergen Museum 62 Knife-stone on Bronze Belt: Bergen Museum 63 Hard Schist Implements: North Cape 64 Sword and Bracelet: Bergen Museum 65 Rowlock Knot of Birch-stones and Viking Rowlock 65 Sword Handle: Bergen Museum 66 Arrow Heads and Sword Handle: Bergen Museum 67 Ousen 76 The Island of Alden 77 Nordfjord Peasants 78 Norwegian Plough 80 The Lych Gate, Nordfjord 82 The Pass: Moldestadt 86 Postman and his Carriole 87 The Saw-Mill: Udvig 88 Faleidet: Nordfjord 89 The Olden River 90 Lyth Fishing 91 Haugen, near Hellesylt 94 The Horningdalskrakken, near Haugen 95 Breen-stok, or Bucket for Sharpening Stone 97 The Landing-place: Molde 102 Molde, from above the Town 103 Sea Warehouse: Molde 104 The Flower Market: Molde 105 The Churchyard: Molde 106 The Coast Inspector 108 Carriole crossing a River 111 Næss 112 Ole Larsen, our Shoemaker 114 The Farm at Aak 116 Meal House: Fiva, Romsdal 120 The Laave at Fiva: Romsdal 121 Rauma River Boat 122 Sheep Boy’s Horn 123 Shipping a Carriole 127 Grave-board, Mølmen Churchyard 128 A Norwegian Salmon Stage 131 Hardanger 132 Powder Flask, &c. 137 Snow Plough 139 Snow Pass: Thorbvu 142 After Sport 144 An Anxious Moment 145 Thorbvu: Encamping 146 Easing down the Patriarch 147 The Gralloch 148 Maritz Sæter 149 A Friend in Need 152 The Eagle’s Nest 153 Reindeer Head 154 Red Deer Head 155 Worm Box 159 Fresh Fish al Fresco 160 Casting 162 A Good Beginning 163 Wool Holder 166 Reeb Holder 168 Eikesdal 170 Looking across Indfjord 176 The Halt at Griseth 177 Spinning in the Sæter: Isterdal 184 Melting Glacier over Valdal 186 Church Axe 187 Bridal Crown 192 The Wedding 193 Drinking Horn 194 Before the Wedding 196 The Arrival at Home 197 Hitterdal Church 198 The Funeral: Bergen 199 The Stolkjær and Boat 200 Sledging 203 The Gentle Reproof 204 Stabur and Wooden Tankards 208 Costume of Lutheran Priest of Norway 210

I. CHRISTIANSAND AND CHRISTIANIA.

GAMLE NORGE—AN EARLY MURRAY—UNEXPLORED STATE OF THE COUNTRY—THE PIONEERS OF SPORT—CROSSING THE NORTH SEA—NOT THEN AS NOW—CONTENT OF THE PEASANTS—CHARM OF THE FJELD—CHRISTIANSAND—CHRISTIANIA—THE EMIGRANT’S VICISSITUDES—THE VICTORIA HOTEL AND OSCAR HALL.

[Dropcap caption: _Tyssestrængene Fos._]

For comparatively few years has Norway received any attention from the travelling public. The beauty and grandeur of the country and the simple habits of the people were known to but few, and only heard of occasionally from some energetic salmon fisher who preferred outdoor life, good sport, plain food, and vigorous health to the constant whirl of advanced civilisation, busy cities, over-crowded _soirées_, high-pressure dinners, and the general hurry-skurry of modern life. The words “Gamle Norge,” or old Norway, while exciting the greatest enthusiasm in Norway itself, rejoice the heart not only of many an Englishman who has become practically acquainted with its charms, but of those who, having heard of them, long to go and judge for themselves. Nor is the expression of modern introduction; it was evidently well known in the sixteenth century, as our immortal bard alludes to it in _Hamlet_.

Forty-five years ago Norway and its salmon fisheries were unknown luxuries. Even as late as 1839 Murray published a post-octavo Handbook for Travellers in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, in the preface to which occur the subjoined passages:—

“The principal object of the following pages is to afford such of my travelling countrymen as are disposed to quit the more beaten paths of Southern Europe, and explore the less known, but equally romantic, regions of the north, some useful information as to time and distance, which at present they can only obtain by time and experience. Beyond Hamburg all is unknown land; no guide-book contains any account of the Baltic steamboats, still less of the means of travelling, either by land or water, in the more distant lands of Norway and Sweden. At the steam-packet offices in London you may learn that an English steamer sails three times a month from Lubec to Stockholm, but no further information can be obtained.

• • • • •

“Unless the weather is unusually stormy, and the passage of the vessel has consequently been delayed, the steamer remains in the outer harbour, called Klippen, for four or five hours; enabling the passengers who are going straight to Norway to inspect the city, which is well worth seeing. A miniature steamboat, the smallest I have ever seen, conveys you from the quay, at which the larger vessel remains moored, up the long harbour to the town itself, the journey occupying about half-an-hour. In the afternoon the _Constitution_ continues her voyage, stretching much further out to sea, in crossing the Skager Rack, until, at an early hour the next morning, you reach Frederiksværn, the principal arsenal of Norway, situated at the entrance of the winding fjord of Christiania. From this place a smaller coasting steamboat conveys the passengers to Christiania, touching, in its passage up the Christiania fjord, at the various small towns and villages on either shore.

• • • • •

“Steam vessels have for the last two or three years plied between Christiania and Frederiksværn and Bergen, but their times of leaving have hitherto been very irregular; beyond Bergen I am not aware that any regular communication has hitherto been projected.

• • • • •

“No traveller has any business to intrude among the mountain fastnesses of Norway, unless he can not only endure a fair proportion of bodily fatigue, but can likewise put up with accommodations of the coarsest description. As far as Christiania this, of course, does not apply: the transport thither is by a comfortable steamboat, and the Hôtel du Nord sufficiently good to satisfy any man; but when you attempt to penetrate into the bowels of the land the case is different.

• • • • •

“The Norsemen are strict Lutherans; scarcely an individual is to be met with professing any other creed, and no place of worship of any other kind exists in Norway. No Jew is allowed to set foot in Norway—a strange law in this free country. It has often struck me as a curious anomaly, that in the free cities of the Continent these unhappy outcasts were far worse treated than under many despotic governments. Commercial jealousy in a great measure accounts for this enmity in a city of merchants, but in a poor and thinly-populated country like Norway this motive could have no weight. I have been unable to learn from what cause the exclusion originated, though it is said to have originated from some idle fear that they would possess themselves of the produce of the silver mines at Kongsberg; but it is certainly a most startling fact that the freest people on earth should cling with such watchful jealousy to one of the most illiberal and inhuman laws that can be conceived.”

Soon after this our real sport-lovers began to discover the charms of Norway, Sir Hyde Parker, Sir Richard Sutton, and Lionel James leading the van; and within the space of forty years the transition has taken place from free fishing and shooting to the Scotch system of letting moors—a state of things that would astonish Forrester and Biddulph, whose work on Norway has now become historical and of the greatest interest. Forrester begins thus (A.D. 1834):—“Eight days in the North Sea, beating against foul winds, or, which was still worse, becalmed amongst fleets of Dutch fishing-boats, and ending in a regular gale of wind, which was worst of all, prepared us to hail the sight of land, and that of the coast of Norway.” This passage was made in a little Norwegian schooner, bound from Gravesend to the south of Norway.

How different is it now! Thanks to Messrs. Wilson, steamers take us thither almost to the hour, unless, indeed, the clerk of the weather should connive with old Neptune to teach us a lesson, by reminding us that the elements are not yet to be ordered about entirely as we like. English visitors commenced about 1824; Lord Lothian, Lord Clanwilliam, and Lord H. Kerr, 1827; Marquis of Hastings, 1829; and in 1830 we have Elliott’s account of Norway. Those were early days, when the _bönder_ were astonished, and could hardly believe their own eyes, when Englishmen went down with a piece of thread and a kind of coach-whip to kill a salmon of thirty pounds; or, again, when the first flying shot opened a new world to them. Those were the times when members of the Storthing (or Parliament) appeared in the costume of their own district, with belts, tolle-knives, &c. They were not so eager to grasp at civilisation as the Japanese, who simultaneously took to elastic boots, tall black hats, and the English language within a year. No; they are a contented people, with no desire for change, or to have it thrust upon them, until they discover that they can make money of the delighted foreigner, who, elevated by the grandeur of the mountain scenery, grows more warm-hearted, kind, and generous than ever. Then the Norseman becomes rabid and exacting; but the provinces (thank Heaven!) still preserve their primitive simplicity.