178 Angling Travels in Norway. 



The men appeared perfectly satisfied with this graceful 

 retreat, and evidently preferred it to forging ahead with 

 the oars ; but I was getting tired of the business, and 

 a couple of squalls which were within an ace of consigning 

 ourselves and baggage to the bottom of the fjord deter- 

 mined me to order the sail to be lowered. 



The men feigned not to understand, so we ourselves 

 lowered the sheet, and as soon as it was stowed, I ordered 

 three men to row, and myself took the bow oar on the 

 outside, so that I could row the boat's head into shore 

 whenever I desired. 



I got her to within a few yards of the shore in com- 

 parative shelter, and, determined to give them a good 

 sweating, I kept rowing her head round, so that they 

 were obliged to exert themselves to prevent us running 

 ashore, and thus we travelled about four miles to Eike- 

 fjord, and all of us were pretty well done up. But, had 

 I not exercised such tactics, we should probably have 

 drifted about the fjord for many hours. 



The church clock struck seven as we ran the boat 

 ashore, and we thus completed a far from agreeable 

 night's work, and were pleased in paying off two of 

 the sulkiest individuals it has been my misfortune to 

 meet. 



I am glad to say that neither before nor since 

 have I experienced such unpleasantness with Norwegian 



