324 NORWEGIAN LAPLAND. 



cipitous limits to the westward. The ample 

 forests spread out beneath us, looked like 

 fine green fields, the loftiest trees appearing 

 no more than herbs of the humblest growth. 

 About these mountains grew the same spe- 

 cies of plants that I had observed on the 

 other side of the alps. We now descended 

 into a lower country. It seems, as I write 

 this, that I am still walking down the 

 mountain, so long and steep was the de- 

 scent, but the alpine plants no longer made 

 their appearance after we had reached the 

 more humble hills. When we arrived at 

 the plains below, how grateful was the 

 transition from a chill and frozen mountain 

 to a warm balmy valley ! I sat down to 

 regale myself with strawberries. Instead 

 of ice and snow, I was surrounded M'ith 

 vegetation in all its prime. Such tall grass 

 I had never before beheld in any country. 

 Instead of the blustering wind so lately 

 experienced, soft gales wafted around us 

 the grateful scent of flowery clover and 

 rarious other plants. In the earlier part 



