17$ FORESTRY OP NORWAY. 



landed at Vraadal, and, dismissing the boatmen, began the 

 ascent from the shores of the lake, through open glades 

 tufted with alder and birch. Looking backwards towards 

 the bird's-eye view of the bay of islands now spread 

 beneath, as on a map, with all the outline of bay, and 

 inlet, and grassy promontory, and its network of intersect- 

 ing channels gleaming like silvery threads, and opening 

 out into the last broad reach of the noble lake, was a 

 scene of indescribable beauty. Before us, at a great dis- 

 tance to the north-east, stretched away the dark chain of 

 mountains which bounds the valley of the Maan, towards 

 which our course was tending. In about two hours, 

 descending through a spruce grove of particular luxuri- 

 ance and very lofty growth, we caught glimpses among 

 the trees in the windings of the road of a fine sheet of 

 water below, and of an enormous mountain mass, which 

 rising directly from its edge, towered to a height of 4000 

 feet above the fiord.' 



In the higher-lying plateaux, whither we have been led, 

 there is carried on an interesting phase of rural industry, 

 which has been alluded to in some of the narratives which 

 have come under consideration in preceding statements 

 in which mention has been made of Saeters, or cheese- 

 making establishments on the mountain pastures. These 

 are generally at a considerable distance from the farm- 

 house, and thither are sent the milch cattle under the 

 charge of young women, there to spend the summer months, 

 where, for the accommodation of the dairy maids, and the 

 prosecution of their dairy operations, there are huts bear- 

 ing the designation I have cited. 



There, is seen a phase of rural life extensively practised 

 in Norway, and not unknown in Sweden, so distinct in its 

 usages from corresponding practices followed in dairy estab- 

 lishments in other lands that it may be cited as one of the 

 national peculiarities. 



These saeters are one-storeyed huts, each containing two 

 rooms. The outer apartment, which is fitted up with a 



