108 A RIVER OF NORWAY 



salmon are otherwise engaged. All the early 

 books on sport in Norway are agreed that, 

 until the advent of the English pioneers, the 

 Norwegians knew nothing of fishing with rod 

 and line. Now the country boys are fond of 

 fishing for trout. Their methods are accurately 

 described in the immortal " Three in Norway " : 



" They first settle how far they want to cast 

 say thirty feet. Then cut down a thirty-foot 

 pine tree ; take the bark off it, tie a string to 

 the thin end, and a hook to the string ; stick 

 a worm on the hook, and go forth to the strife. 

 When the fish bites, they strike with great 

 rapidity and violence, and something is bound 

 to go ; generally it is the fish, which leaves its 

 native element at a speed which must astonish 

 it; describes half of a sixty-foot circle at the 

 same rate, and lands either in a tree or on a 

 rock with sufficient force to break itself." 



Some of the Bergen tradespeople have 

 become keen anglers, but the notion of sport 

 has not yet permeated all classes. We asked 

 our excellent cook, Frederika, who for some 

 years came from the south of Norway to 

 minister to our needs, whether there was any 

 salmon fishing near her home. " Oh yes," she 



