we form their acquaintance. With regard to the position and boundaries of the country, it is necessary to keep in mind that Norway forms part of the great Scandinavian peninsula, which constitutes the north-west corner of Europe, and is separated from the rest of the continent by the Baltic Sea. This peninsula is occupied chiefly by Norway and Sweden, which now form one kingdom, inclosed by the common boundary of the sea, under the same monarch, but each speaking its own language, governed by its own laws, and retaining its own ancient constitution. This peninsula is bounded on the east by Russia and the Baltic, more particularly that branch of the Baltic called the Gulf of Bothnia; on the south, by the Cattegat and its continuation, the Skaggerak, that wide entrance to the Baltic which connects it with the North Sea; on the west, by the North Sea, or rather, by the Atlantic Ocean, for, in reality, there is no land between Norway and America, except the Shetland Isles and the island of Iceland; and on the north, by the Arctic Ocean, which extends across the North Pole to the north-western shores of America. The climate of this peninsula must therefore be considered (so far as latitude, at least, is concerned) as much more severe than that of England; for while the most southerly portion is north of the mainland of Scotland, its northern regions extend across the Arctic circle, far into the frigid zone. In reality, however, the climate is much milder than might be supposed, as the temperature is considerably modified by its proximity to the sea, and by the gulf stream from the tropics, which, still retaining some portion of its warmth, passes along its western shores. In this peninsula, Norway and Sweden lie side by side, like twin brothers, separated physically by a chain of mountains, but really and politically by a line of demarcation, drawn with the greatest possible care and accuracy from north to south, for a distance of 1,100 miles.

So much for the position of the country in relation to the rest of Europe; but what, it may be asked, are the features which distinguish it from others, and render it an object of attraction? There are two peculiarities in the physical geography of Norway which distinguish it, not only from Sweden, but from every other country in the world, and which 'form the distinguishing charm of its scenery, viz., its Fjords and Fjelds, or, in plain English, the mountain chains, which cover a large portion of its surface, and the gulfs or arms of the sea, which penetrate so deeply into the interior of the country. True, other countries have their mountains, and most countries which border on the sea have their coasts indented by gulfs, bays, or other openings upon a larger or smaller scale; but in Norway these are marked features, and upon a scale vastly larger, in proportion to its magnitude, than in any other country; insomuch, that if you were to speak of the land of mountains and gulfs, no one acquainted with its geography would suppose for a moment that you meant any other country than Norway.

The great range of mountains, which, with its various branches, nearly covers the entire country, commences at Lindesnaes, the South Cape of Norway, and extends to the North Cape; and to such an extent does it spread itself out in every direction, that more than three-fourths of the entire country are said to be upwards of 2,000 feet above the level of the sea, and, with few exceptions, entirely incapable of cultivation. Of the remaining fourth, one-half is above 800 feet, and perhaps

there is not one part out of thirty which is less than 300 feet above the sea level.

These ranges are called by different local names, which it is unnecessary here to specify; but the loftiest portion, and that which contains the finest and boldest scenery, consists of three principal parts— the Hardanger Fjeld on the south; the Fille Fjeld, which we crossed on the way from Christiania to Bergen, in the middle; and the Dovre Fjeld, which we crossed on our return from Molde to Christiania, on the north. In passing from one side of the country to the other, it is of course necessary to cross these mountains, and this circumstance constitutes at once the difficulty, the romance, and the charm of the journey. The main roads are chiefly two-that which connects the capital with the city of Bergen, and traverses the plateau of the Fille Fjeld, at an elevation of between 3,000 and 4,000 feet; and that which leads to Molde, or Drontheim, traversing the plateau of the Dovre Fjeld, at an elevation of upwards of 4,500 feet above the sea level, and passing near the foot of Sneehaetten, a mountain the summit of which is nearly 8,000 feet above the level of the sea. These roads, traversing mountain ranges of such magnitude, with their lateral branches, defiles, and valleys, conduct the traveller through the grandest scenes of Nature; and although somewhat difficult and laborious, from their steepness, keep him, if possessed of any taste for the sublime or the beautiful, in a constant state of pleasurable excitement.

The other principal physical feature to which I wished to direct attention is the Fjords, or arms of the sea, penetrating into the interior of the country, amongst the mountain masses, and with them producing the most wonderful variety of scenes, at once stupendous and delightful.

Every one who has paid any attention to a map of Norway must have observed the peculiarly jagged appearance of the western and southern coast, full of inequalities and indentations, some of them comparatively slight, but many of them forming deep gulfs and bays extending far into the interior. Where there are mountain ranges, there are necessarily valleys of corresponding magnitude. In the interior, the deepest of these valleys, if cut off from communication with the sea, form lakes, by the operation of the hydrostatic law, while those which are nearer the ocean, and communicate with it, constitute, for the same reason, the fjords in question; and these, passing from the stupendous mountain ranges of the interior into the deep sea of the Norwegian coast, are of corresponding depth and grandeur. Of these the Christiania Fjord is about 70 miles in length, and remarkably picturesque and beautiful; the Hardanger Fjord is still larger, and lies amidst the most majestic scenery of the west coast, surrounded by mountains and glaciers, and abounding in waterfalls; while the Sogne Fjord penetrates the land to the depth of about 150 miles, and, overshadowed as it is by a mountain wall which often approaches or perhaps exceeds the height of 3,000 feet, has an aspect of peculiar and sombre grandeur. Of the first and the last of these fjords I can speak from personal observation. With the Hardanger I am only acquainted by the descriptions of

others.

The second reason I hinted at for the selection of Norway for a visit, was its historical associations, more particularly with our own country.

I will not undertake to assert that this motive had very great weight with us at the moment of deciding upon our course; but I will say, that if it was not the real or principal reason which influenced our determination, it is a very excellent reason for directing our course to that country.

I imagine, however, that I hear some one, whose notions of the Danes, by which name all the Scandinavian tribes are designated by our historians, are drawn from the pages of Hume, and from the records of the ravages of the sea-rovers in the time of Alfred the Great, say, Why occupy ourselves with these robbers and cut-throats, and why entrust our precious persons to hordes of pirates, or at least to the descendants of such persons, who, from the little communication they have with the rest of the world, are probably very little better than their ancestors? This feeling may probably be increased by the knowledge we have that the historical connection between them and ourselves is rather humiliating to our pride than otherwise, inasmuch as these northern wanderers seldom visited our shores but as conquerors. Looking a little further, however, we shall be reassured by discovering that we belong to a conquering race, whether German or Scandinavian, and that the energy, perseverance, and skill, which have enabled us to triumph in so many enterprises in every part of the world, are derived not only from the Saxons, who supplanted the ancient Britons, but also from the Vikings of Norway and Denmark, who infested the seas, and made settlements upon the shores of our country in the time of the Saxon kings, and from their descendants, who, having first conquered one of the most fertile provinces of France, afterwards, as Normans, descended upon the southern coast of our island, amalgamated themselves with the inhabitants of the country, and established a dynasty, which, connecting itself with the Saxon royal family of England, exists to the present day. Whatever may be thought of the deeds of some of their historical personages, we cannot but respect the gallantry which, fostered amid the rude influences of the north, was destined, as Lord Dufferin justly observes, "to give an imperial dynasty to Russia, a nobility to England, and conquerors to every seaboard of Europe."

The history of Norway, especially in its relations to our own country, would form a very interesting subject of inquiry, and afford a great deal of instruction, but it would lead us too far away from my main object, which is to give such an account of the country as a brief personal narrative of a tour through a considerable portion of it may enable me to do. I am not one of those who think that the character of a people, their institutions and manners, or the physical appearance of the country, can be fully ascertained in a hasty journey of three or four weeks; but it must be admitted, that knowing, as we did, something of the peculiarities of the country before we went there, personal and actual observation would both extend and correct our previous ideas, and that the mere circumstance of having our attention fixed upon it with a view to our own enjoyment, would impress both facts and scenes upon our minds with a distinctness, vividness, and persistency, which could be obtained in no other way.

At the approach of daylight, then, our captain ventured again to approach the land, and accordingly, at seven on the Monday morning, we heard the anchor go down in the harbour of Christiansand, and peeping

through the little apology for a window in our cabin, caught the first glimpse of the Norwegian coast. There it lay, or, to speak more correctly, there it stood, frowning, bleak, brown, barren, and bold, which, although this may seem to be an alliteration, describes the scene as correctly as I know how it should be described. And yet there was nothing at all forbidding in its appearance, but the contrary, for the fine bay in which our vessel was reposing is of a very picturesque character, surrounded by crags and protected by islands of the most romantie form, while the town itself appears to lie in a little sandy plain, flanked on both sides by lofty hills, and watered by a beautiful river, which here finds its outlet in the deep green waters of the bay. But the rain descending in torrents, we remain under cover, and hoping to have the opportunity of visiting it on our return, at nine weigh anchor, and stand out by the east channel amongst the rocks and islands to which I have referred. During the whole of this day we sailed along the south coast at a distance of about four miles, and thus had an excellent opportunity of observing its rugged margin, upon which the white surf was perpetually beating.

Later in the day the sea increased considerably, and a strong current setting against us from the Baltic, although the log showed a speed of upwards of nine knots an hour, our progress over the ground was not more than six or seven. In the meantime, the state of the weather very considerably reduced our dinner party, the motion of the vessel apparently affecting the gastric functions of a majority of the passengers. About ten at night we entered the Christiania Fjord, and, although we amused ourselves with watching the lights on shore, we regretted the absence of the sun, and the consequent loss of the fine scenery of this beautiful fjord.

The next morning, at five, we awoke in the harbour of Christiania, the capital of Norway, and, having hurried on shore, had our luggage passed on the quay, and, without taking time to look about us, went off to the railway station, where we found all our wants supplied, both provisions and carioles being ready, and an intelligent, educated, and active Norwegian waiting to conduct us through the country. All these arrangements had been made for us through the kindness of friends, who had been apprised of our arrival; and, having provided ourselves with a stock of Norwegian money, without which none of our plans could have been carried out, we left the capital by railway at half-past seven.

The easiest way of penetrating the interior of the country, to a certain extent, is by the railway and the Mjosen Lake. The Norwegian Trunk Railway, as it is called, the only railway in Norway, connects the capital with the lake, and although only six Norwegian, or forty-two English miles in length, is an important agent in the development of its commercial prosperity. By means of this undertaking and the steamers on the lake, the most populous and productive part of the country is brought into immediate connection with the capital and with the highway of nations, and being well managed, with moderate fares, it has not only proved a fair investment of capital, but has considerably increased the social and material advantages of the inhabitants; and I may add that, although chiefly constructed by Norwegian industry, it is the product of English skill, for the late Robert Stephenson was the

engineer, and furnished the locomotives; Mr. George Bidder was the superintendent of the works; and Messrs. Peto, Ricardo, and Brassey, were the contractors-names all of which are well known in connection with the great railway system of this country, and of Europe at large.

After leaving Christiania we were much struck with the peculiarities of the line, and the difficult and costly works required by the nature of the country. We see this in the heavy gradients, especially near Christiania, where the ascent is 1 in 40; in the hills of solid granite and slate rocks, through which there are extensive cuttings; and in the numerous rivers and streams which traverse the valleys, and which are crossed by timber viaducts, perhaps the most extraordinary ever used for railway purposes, and which, although of immense strength, have an extremely light and elegant appearance. The line passes through a picturesque and fertile country, and the latter part of it, approaching Eidsvold, is actually cut through dense forests of pines, the tall and taper red stems of which, reflecting the light, impart a peculiarly soft and warm tint to the atmosphere, which is exceedingly agreeable.

Eidsvold, at which place we arrived about eleven o'clock, is at once the terminus of the railway and the place of embarkation on the lake, in addition to which it is of some historical and national importance, inasmuch as here, in the eventful year 1814, that constitution was formed by the representatives of the nation, which secured its rights and liberties.

If space allowed, or it were my purpose to give the history of Norway, it would be highly interesting to describe the steps by which this constitution was established, and the struggles which terminated in the transfer of the country from Denmark to Sweden-a measure accomplished against the will of its inhabitants, but which has really tended to the promotion of their freedom and social welfare. But we must leave this seductive topic, and hasten to embark on board the pretty little steamer which is awaiting our arrival at the pier, and commence our voyage still further into the interior.

The Mjosen is a noble sheet of water, about 70 English miles in length, and although narrow for a considerable distance, it expands towards the centre to a width of nearly eight miles. At Minde, which is the real entrance to the lake, the scenery is very fine, the hanging woods seeming to be suspended over the sparkling waters, and the hills sloping off gracefully in all directions. As we advance, the view becomes more imposing; but nowhere on this lake have we the bold and majestic scenery for which Norway is remarkable. It has rather the air of a fine, cultivated country, for it is indeed the most cultivated part of Norway, the shores being studded with farms and villages, to which an appearance of grandeur is imparted by the fine expanse of water over which we are sailing. We had a large number of passengers on board, most of them taken from Eidsvold, but many picked up at the various stations at which we called; and I could not help observing, now that, for the first time, I had the opportunity of seeing a considerable number of Norwegians together, the ease and freedom of their intercourse with each other, which was marked, at the same time, by a kindly and by a respectful tone and manner. I may also add, that in sitting down at table with a very large party, in the