24 FORESTRY OF NORWAY. 



Bolke, of a triangular shape, 1000 feet ; and a little beyond 

 this the Tol, 690 feet above the sea level. Everywhere 

 little streams trickled down the hill-side, rilling the air 

 with the sweet music of their waters.' The house and its 

 inhabitants he found to be not less interesting than the 

 house was beautifully situated. About seventeen miles 

 west of this farm he came upon the lower end of Tin 

 lake, upon which there plies a little steamer; and he 

 tells : ' The shores of the lake are thoroughly Norwegian, 

 with rugged mountains covered with forests to their very 

 tops. Toward the northern portion of the western shore 

 one enters a part of the lake called Vestfiord, running east 

 and west; the scenery increases in beauty, the landscape 

 reminding one of the Hardanger. Leading from this fiord 

 is a fine narrow valley called Vestfiordal, on the left of 

 which Gaustad rises 6000 feet high. It is celebrated for 

 the Ryukaridfoss, at its end, one of Norway's highest and 

 most beautiful waterfalls. The valley terminates abruptly, 

 closed by gigantic walls, but the spray of the turbulent 

 waters is seen long before the fall is reached. The 

 Ryukandfoss [reeking or smoking waterfall], plunges into 

 a chasm from a height of 780 feet over a perpendicular 

 ledge on the table-land. It is formed by the river Maan, 

 which rises in the Mjoes Vand. The sight is appalling as 

 the eye seeks the depth below amidst the roar of the 

 waters : it is a fascinating spot.' 



Perhaps we too may find it fascinating, so fascinating 

 as to lead us to loiter by the way, and forget the length 

 of the journey which is before us; but I do not suppose 

 any one will find the time mis-spent. 



To make more intelligible the account of this region 

 which I have to give, I may premise that in the northern 

 portion of Norway the land presents the appearance of 

 table-lands, or comparatively level plateaux, cut up by 

 what may be called ravines rather than valleys, which are 

 sometimes more than a thousand feet in depth ; these can 

 only be crossed by zigzag tracks or roads, descending the 



