Nordland. 251 



upon gaining the deck not a soul was about. Lighters 

 came alongside, and I ascertained we were off Rognan, 

 and that the navigators of our boat were making the 

 most of a couple of hours' rest. 



As from deck I viewed the entrance of Saltdalen 

 at Rognan, the valley appeared to be of about two 

 miles in width, hemmed in upon both sides with birch 

 and pine-clad hills, which reached inland as far as 

 the eye could see. The river ran into the fjord upon 

 the left hand ; then came a tall-spired church, and 

 from that point to the right-hand extremity a belt of 

 pine trees is drawn up in line as if to repulse the in- 

 vader ; and these are fronted by rows of substantially 

 built boat-houses, which extend to the strand, and 

 house the nets and tackle of the fishing-boats, which 

 now ride idly in the bay, expecting the arrival of the 

 herring. 



Upon conveying our baggage to land the case of 

 provisions was missing, and no key was attached to the 

 ^ case, which was rather a severe blow to my " old 

 hand." However, we placed the kit upon carts, and 

 adjourned to what is facetiously described as the Hotel 

 of Rognan, where we procured a very fair breakfast, then 

 wired about the presumably lost case, called upon Herr 

 Norman, the Landsman of the district, and then proceeded 

 by road to Sundby, a distance of about four miles, where 



