212 HAPPY HUNTING-GROUNDS 



difficult country over which it passes ; while parallel 

 to it a short distance above or below are the cuttings 

 and embankments of the new railway which is to 

 pass through the Dovre Fjeld and join the line to 

 Christiania, which will when completed immensely 

 shorten the railway journey between the ancient and 

 the modern capital. There were not a great number 

 of navvies at work ; even primitive Norway has its 

 labour troubles like the rest of the world. All went 

 well till we reached the third posting station ; excep- 

 tionally good ponies had taken us along the fairly 

 level but rather heavy road at about the orthodox six 

 miles an hour, but at Bjerkager a check came. We 

 had telephoned on, but we found no horse or convey- 

 ance awaiting us on our arrival. A bright, cheerful, 

 and buxom Norwegian matron, who talked and under- 

 stood a little English, condoled with our plight and 

 did all she could to help us ; but more than an hour 

 was wasted before a jaded bay pony was brought 

 down from the hayfield and harnessed to the stolk- 

 jaerre, to which we had already transferred our light 

 baggage. 



The authorities admitted having received our 

 telephone message, but professed to have misunder- 

 stood it ; as they were getting in their hay, I suspect 

 that the misunderstanding was intentional. How 

 we fretted and fumed at the delay ! We could not 

 settle down to anything, as every moment we hoped 

 against hope that our horse would arrive. We were 

 sadly in want of food, as we had had nothing but 

 chocolate and a cup of coffee since 5.30 ; but were 

 afraid to risk further delays by ordering a meal, so we 

 wandered round the yard sending post-cards from the 



