THE NATIVES AT HOME. 288 



tion of haste or perturbation from their birthdays up to 

 that time. We sat in a sort of small garden, round a 

 green painted table, drinking excellent coffee, of which 

 beverage the Norwegians seem to be uncommonly 

 fond. 



The costume of these good people was of an uncom- 

 monly sombre hue ; indeed, this is the case throughout 

 Norway generally. But when a Norse girl marries, she 

 comes out for once in brilliant plumage. She decks her- 

 self out in the gaudiest of habiliments, with a profusion 

 of gold and silver ornaments. The most conspicuous 

 part of her costume is a crown of pure silver, gilt, and a 

 scarlet-cloth breast-piece, which is thickly studded with 

 silver-gilt brooches and beads of various hues, besides 

 little round mirrors 1 This breast-piece and the crown 

 usually belong, not to the bride, but to the district ! 

 They are a species of public property hired out by each 

 bride on hr? wedding-day for the sum of about five shil- 

 lings. This costume is gorgeous, and remarkably becom- 

 ing, especially when worn by a fair-haired, blue-eyed, 

 and pretty Norse girl. 



Some time after the little touch of domestic life above 

 narrated, we had a specimen of the manner in which the 

 peasants of these remote glens indulge in a little public 

 recreation. We chanced to be up at the head of the 

 Nord fiord on the eve of St. John's day, not the day 

 of the Evangelist, but of the Baptist. This is a -;eat 

 day in Norway ; and poor indeed must be the hamlet 

 where, or, the eve of that day, there is not an attempt 



