226 SPORT IN NORWAY. 
middle of this; and that America, the sea, Jétwnheim,* 
are on its extreme limits. The theories of Galileo do 
not seem to have made much progress here. That the 
earth remains still, and that the sun, moon, and stars 
revolve round her at a respectful distance, is considered 
to be an incontestable fact. Like the old man in the 
fable, the Seetersdal peasant has a confused idea that an 
emperor is superior to a king, and an empire to a king- 
dom, and the Pope—of whom he has mysterious and 
uncomiortable conceptions—over them all. 
It is stall to be hoped that better means of intercourse 
and growing enlightenment will tend to remove such 
ideas ; and in time even to obtain the mastery over that 
filth which has justly made the Sztersdal peasant so 
renowned, and which is so prevalent even where his 
circumstances are comparatively affluent, lying like a 
heavy weight on soul and body, and blunting all per- 
ception for the beautiful, and for real prosperity. 
Szetersdal and the neighbouring districts are excellent 
hunting quarters. On the high grounds are to be found 
reindeer; on the mountain side, ptarmigan; while 
black-cock, foxes, hares, wolves, and bears abound in 
the forests. As the peasants never keep dogs, and hares 
therefore are only hunted in the winter when the snow 
is on the ground, it frequently happens that they lose 
their instinctive shyness, and it is no unusual thing in 
* Home of the giants. 
