SAETEK LIFE. 185 



W ^"i * j* T^ V^<o 



' The mountain life is an active one, and the girls are 

 busy from sunrise to twilight. The pastures belonging to 

 this saeter were extensive in the neighbouring mountains, 

 and sufficed for fifty-two milch cows, with eight others, 

 and four horses. The cattle belonged to three different 

 farms, including that of Nels. The farthersome coming 

 from Soer fiord, fifty miles distant; two of his daughters 

 had charge of those not belonging to him, for which they 

 were paid. The milk of each herd was put in the vessels 

 belonging to the place from which the cows came, and the 

 butter and cheese were set apart in like manner. The 

 people are so honest that no farmer fears that the girls 

 will favour one at the expense of the other, or put any of 

 the butter or cheese in vessels belonging to any but the 

 rightful owners. 



' A large enclosure, surrounded by a stone wall, contained 

 a fine meadow, the grass of which was carefully cut and 

 dried, to be taken away by sleighs in the winter. There 

 were upwards of 250 milch cows at the Valdai saeters, 

 besides large numbers of heifers, calves, and horses. The 

 calves were kept at home ; every morning and evening they 

 were fed on a mixture of churned milk and flour, with 

 salt ; or if no milk was to be had, on hot water, in which 

 juniper shrubs had been kept for a while. 



' At four o'clock in the morning we were awakened by 

 the ringing of the bells, which some of the cows wore 

 around their necks ; they had come by themselves from 

 the mountains to be milked, and this was the signal for the 

 girls to rise. This they did at once, and were soon on 

 duty. . . . Each buckling on her waist a belt from 

 which hung a horn filled with salt ; this is given to the 

 cows as well as to the horses and sheep, generally in the 

 morning and evening, when they go to or from the 

 mountains. 



* After the milking the girls drove the cows up another 

 path in the mountains to new pastures, from which they 

 would come and go by themselves after knowing the way. 

 On their return the maidens went into the milk-room, the 



