The Country-folk. 47 



travel, they know nothing of the sport of angling, 

 and are often ignorant of the comparative value of 

 their own small streams and the better rivers ; but, 

 with the arrival of a British visitor, a vision of gold 

 appears before their eyes, and they seldom ask less 

 than their river's worth. 



The value of the harvest reaped from sportsmen and 

 tourists is fully appreciated by the Norwegians, and 

 it is to their advantage to know that fair dealing is 

 likely to increase the number of visitors. 



The solitary, uneventful life of the valley and the cold 

 and darkness of the protracted winter of their country 

 perhaps incline them to be a triHe phlegmatic, and the dis- 

 appointments which the vagaries of the short Norwegian 

 summer inflict upon a population chiefly engaged in 

 agriculture, have accustomed them to accept calamity with- 

 out murmur. 



Yet when occasions arise which call for quick resource 

 and prompt action, it is seldom that they are found un- 

 equal to the occasion ; their remarks and replies are 

 generally to the point, and their wit is distinctly of the 

 dry order. An occasional incident may somewhat excite 

 them, but I am inclined to attribute this to the desire to 

 render the utmost assistance to their companion in sport. 

 Many a time I have been excessively annoyed with myself 

 at the escape of a fish from my hook, but nothing more 



4 



