564 ^EPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



77 degrees (Fabreubeit) ; even wbile out at sea tbe weatber was warm, 

 calm, and suimy, and in some of tbe barbors surrounded by bigb rocks 

 tbe beat was actually oppressive. 



" Sucb sunny summer days, appreciated all tbe more because tbey 

 are few and far between, occur in all tbese nortbern latitudes ; but not 

 so often as to make tbe iubabitants forget bow far nortb tbey live ; for 

 tbe cbanges in tbe weatber are very sudden. Even now tbe borizon 

 began to grow dark ; a black wall of clouds rose rapidly in tbe soutb 

 over tbe Vestfiord, and we bad scarcely reacbed Svolviir wben a wbirl- 

 wind swept along the coast witb appalling fury. For about balf an bour 

 a perfect burricane was raging, then it suddenly grew calm again, and 

 under a cloudy sky with a moist atmospbere and an occasional drizzle 

 tbe steamer continued its course, gently rocked by small waves. Wben 

 we reacbed Eeine, wbere massive cyclopeau rocks rise above tbe low 

 coast, forming crater-like cavities partly filled witb, snow, anotber 

 wbirlwind was raging. Tbe pilot said tbat bere was tbe cave of tbe 

 winds, and truly wben a sbort wbile after we left Eeine it was per- 

 fectly calm. 



" Sucb sudden wbirlwinds coming on witbout tbe slightest premon- 

 itory sign are by no means of rare occurrence in tbese northern lati- 

 tudes. If in tbe case of sucb a sudden wbirlwind tbe crew do not im- 

 mediately strike sail the boat is upset, and the only means of safety is 

 to reach tbe bottom of tbe boat and to cling to it. Most of the inhabit- 

 ants of tbese parts carry a strong knife in a leathern sheath in their 

 belt; no fisherman is ever witbout such a knife. This knife tbey then 

 plunge deep into the keel and bold fast to tbe handle. If, as bappens 

 sometimes, one of these boats is driven on the coast, tbe knives sticking 

 in the keel, among them one broken off at tbe handle, resembling the 

 fatal Eunic characters, tell more eloquently than words could do one 

 of those tragedies of which more than one is acted every year in those 

 stormy seas. All along the west coast of Norway far up toward the 

 north it is considered a rule that of three persons regularly following 

 the occupation of fishermen one meets with his death in the waves of 

 the ocean," 



