in ASCENT OF SNEEHATTEN 43 



Lofoden Islands, gave him great confidence and 

 resource while pursuing chamois, ibex, and moufflon in 

 after years. 



"NORWAY, \bthjune 1862. 



The ascent of the Dovre Fjeld begins here, and in 

 about one and a half hour's time you reach the begin- 

 ning of the plateau, which is nothing more than a large 

 flat plain of moorland, with nothing but waste and 

 desolation as far as the eye can stretch. On each side 

 this desert land is lined with mountains ; on the north 

 side we first saw the Norwegian Mont Blanc, Snee- 

 hatten. It looked a magnificent mountain, covered 

 with snow from top to bottom. I was determined the 

 moment I saw it that I would make the ascent the 

 next day. From the Fjeld was just visible a small 

 black spot on the top, which, I found, is supposed to 

 be an extinct crater ; this, of course, would make my 

 expedition of double interest. Jerkin was reached 

 about eight o'clock. It is a capital station ; by far the 

 best along the road. It consists of about three houses, 

 all belonging to the same man. We ordered dinner, 

 which made its appearance in a short time, and con- 

 sisted of reindeer's steaks ; they are capital, not unlike 

 venison, but of a much wilder flavour. While at 

 dinner up drove two carrioles, and then a third, and in 

 them were three Dutchmen. As I looked at them 

 from where I sat, I saw they were wiry, strong-looking 

 fellows, and I began to get a little uneasy about my 

 expedition to Sneehatten, about which another anxiety 

 had presented itself since my arrival namely, that of 

 first ascent, as I had heard the instant I arrived that 

 no ascents had been made this year, as the mountain 

 was in a very bad state, owing to the snow and cold. 

 This, of course, made me all the more anxious, as I said 

 before. My determination was immediately made up, 



