144 SUNDAL 



aforesaid, act as effective fenders for the habitable valley. 

 It is the breath of the avalanche that works the widest 

 ruin the violent outrush of air caused by the sudden fall 

 of tens of thousands of tons of snow. So, near the pretty 

 gaard of Elvershoi may be seen the churchyard of 

 Leuken, with its crowded wooden and iron crosses; but 

 the church, a substantial wooden structure, is no longer 

 there. Some years ago there was a great snowfall from 

 the frowning front of Evelsfonnhei, driving such a mighty 

 blast before it as lifted the church bodily and hurled it 

 some hundreds of yards into the river, whence it was 

 recovered, and now stands spruce and fair, in its gay coat 

 of paint, at the little seaport of Sundalsoren, eight kilo- 

 metres lower down. 



There is no valley richer hi flowers than Sundal. Un- 

 like Romsdal, there is no regular tourist traffic through it. 

 He who would visit it must do so of set purpose. And 

 well it repays a good deal of extra trouble. But you must 

 by no means miss a leisurely stroll through Hoass Woods. 

 There, under the shapely pines and lightsome birches, is 

 spread a carpet of the choicest flowers, such as I have 

 seen surpassed nowhere else for richness and extent. Lily 

 of the valley, its dainty cousin, the Smilacina, butterfly 

 and meadow orchis, wintergreen (both the round-leaved 

 kind, with its spire of delicate bells, and the lowly 

 uniflora of exquisite fragrance), cow-wheat, campanulas, 

 bearberry there is no end to the profusion. And every- 

 where among these lustier herbs is spread that most 

 fragrant of all honeysuckles, whereon our great master, 

 Linnaeus, bestowed his name. I hope that fair lady to 

 whom I once gave his bookplate has assigned it an 

 honoured place in her collection, for it bore the impression 



