SKETCHES FROM S^TERSDAL. 211 



pest of town civilization which, beginning at the head, 

 will soon descend lower, and exchange the genuine 

 Norwegian costume for the tasteless " Dano-French " 

 tail coat. The old inhabitant sees them disappear with 

 regret, as they give place to the broad-brimmed, be- 

 tasselled caps, which the Norwegian peasant seems to 

 receive with especial affection wherever the national 

 dress is disappearing. 



There was a time (and there are still to be found 

 old men who wear this dress) when the Sastersdal pea- 

 sant used to go about in his long white frock, short 

 yellow leather breeches, long white stockings, and 

 garters with tassels ; but it is long ago, and the rising 

 generation scarce remember it. Then the overwhelm- 

 ing power of civilization came from the north over the 

 Fjeld, not as now, from the south through the valley. 

 Then there was no regular road, and the traffic with 

 Christiansand was but small ; but therefore consequently 

 greater with Thelemarken, whence came the fashion 

 which swept away in its devastating current the knee- 

 breeches and the long peasant frocks, introducing in 

 their place the short jacket and the enormous trousers 

 peculiar to that district. Now-a-days, the 'Seetersdal 

 peasant is completely immersed in his breeches, while 

 at the same time he is hung up in his jacket, thus quite 

 putting to shame the old proverb " He who is born to 

 be hung cannot drown ;" for here, as is so often the case 



