6 FOKESTKY OF NORWAY. 



procession, which extends for miles ; and it may be noticed 

 that the course of this stream of floats is always longer 

 than the course of the river's bed ; for the water is slowly 

 swinging from side to side as it flows, and the floats show 

 the course of the stream and its whirling eddies.' 



The Hailing dance referred to is a Norwegian dance, 

 reminding one at once of the sailors' hornpipe and the 

 Highland fling, but still more vigorous and exhausting to 

 the dancer, being diversified with somersaults such as are 

 here alluded to. 



On my return to Christiansand in the evening I at once 

 took possession of my berth on board the steamer, which, 

 like others in which I have sailed on these northern seas, 

 was more luxurious in its arrangements than are those in 

 many of the sea-going steamers on the British coast. 



We sailed at three o'clock in the morning, and from that 

 time, till near nine o'clock in the evening, with the excep- 

 tion of about an hour and a half in the middle of the 

 day when we left the coast ; we were the whole way sailing 

 onwards among islands, rounding them and passing them 

 as if on a pleasure trip there being always rocks to sea- 

 ward to break the roll of the waves, and secure for us 

 placid waters, and looking in on every village on the 

 coast, while breakfast, dinner, and supper were served 

 with all the northern whets and appetisers of which many 

 a one has heard. 



Steamers from Britain to Christiania generally avoid 

 the coast, so that this sight is lost until they enter the 

 Christiania Fiord. Such as is the fiord, such was the 

 whole course, with the trifling exception of the hour and 

 a half spoken of. I was reminded of a voyage through 

 the Thousand Isles of Lake Ontario in America ; but the 

 scene was different. Here the islands are rocks, not rocks 

 rough and rugged but rocks of granite planed down 

 and smoothed by glacial action, more like clean and white 

 and sparkling banks of mud than are rocks on a sea-giit 

 shore. It required no eifort and but little fancy to picture 



