194 Angling Travels in Norway. 



berries on the bank, and shoved my boat from shore ; then 

 she altered her mind upon the subject ; but, as I neither 

 wanted the fruit or to be bothered about it, I did not 

 grant the privilege usually extended to the fair sex. 



WhUe perusing the map and steamer time-table, I, by 

 chance, found a much easier and shorter route between 

 Svardal and FlorQ than that by which we had arrived, viz. 

 via Hopen, a small hamlet situated within an hour's row 

 of the top of the fjord which receives the lake's discharge 

 by means of the little river Osen. 



The steamer plied once a week, and, as she was due 

 upon the following day, we decided to take advantage of 

 the opportunity. 



Johann had repeatedly solicited a written testimonial 

 as to his abilities, but as we had failed to discover them, 

 we had hitherto adroitly evaded the question ; but now, 

 as we intimated our intention to depart, he again urged 

 the request with much importunity. 



I wrote out a very fair description of his talents ; but, 

 after a night's study of the document, he returned it to 

 me, remarking that it was " not much of a testimonial," in 

 which I quite agreed, at the same time refusing to make 

 any alteration, as I did not think it fair to mislead 

 future visitors to the district. Early the next day, we 

 rowed down Svardal lake, through heavy rain, taking a 

 cart in a second boat, and, when we reached the head of 



