1890] In Har danger 



America. With a trunk from two to five inches in 

 height, each puts out rarely more than three leaves, 

 in the uppermost of which is enclosed, as in a hand, 

 a wee catkin of flowers. 



Birch gradation is one of the most interesting Biuh 

 botanical features of the Far North. Everywhere at s'^^^^'"'" 

 sea level and to the south, the varying species ot 

 Betula grow into trees. Northward and upward, 

 with increasing cold and shortened summers, bushy 

 forms come in, to give way at last to the dwarfest 

 of all trees, the mosslike form of high altitudes and 

 of the Far North. A similar degeneration occurs 

 among the willows, though the least willow is much 

 larger than the smallest birch. Higher up than 

 either grows the reindeer moss, a dry, coarse, gray, 

 lichen-like plant, tasteless no doubt, but satisfying to 

 the beast that feeds upon it. 



At Stor Ishaug we were hospitably received and 

 regaled on the thickest and sweetest of cream, one 

 of my former specialties. The next morning we 

 descended the great cliff walls which, with magnifi- 

 cent views of lakes and waterfalls, lead down to the 

 Simodal, and there we rejoined our friends to row 

 back with them to Eidfjord and thence again to 

 Odde for the last time. 



The final lap on land took us by stolkjaerre for A 

 several hours through superb fir forests flooded with J^°°"^'^^^ 

 moonlight, past three exquisite waterfalls that drop 

 simultaneously on opposite sides of the road, across 

 which their mists commingle. These are the Lotefos 

 and Skarsfos on the left, and the still more beautiful 

 Espelandsfos on the right. I shall never forget the 

 rapt expression on the face of our skydsgut (postboy) 

 as he pointed out the three, dwelling on their so- 



C 347 2 



