UHE iAND. 277 



expressed much surprise at seeing us, and said that 

 travellers like ourselves had never been there before. 

 Indeed, I have no doubt whatever that in many out-of- 

 the-way places we were absolutely the first individuals of 

 a class somewhat different from themselves that these 

 poor Norse fishermen and small farmers of the coast had 

 ever set eyes upon. Their looks of surprise in some 

 cases, and of curiosity in all, showed this plainly enough. 



In one chaotic glen or gorge where we landed we 

 distributed a few presents among the people such aa 

 knives, scissors, and thimbles with which they were 

 immensely delighted. Three of our party were ladies ; 

 and the curiosity exhibited by the Norse women in regard 

 to our fair companions was very amusing. By the way, 

 one of the said "fair" companions was a brunette, and 

 her long jet black ringlets appeared to afford matter for 

 unceasing wonder and admiration to the flaxen-haired 

 maidens of Norway. 



Of course I am now speaking of the untravelled dis- 

 tricts. In the regular highways of the country, travel- 

 lers of every class and nation are common enough. But 

 Norway, in the interior as well as on the coast, has 

 this advantage over other lands, that there are regions, 

 plenty of them, where travellers have never been, and to 

 reach which is a matter of so great difficulty that it is 

 probable few will ever attempt to go. This fact is a 

 matter of rejoicing in these days of railroads and steam- 

 boats! 



