SALMON-FISIIIXG. 65 



hardly help, as I look up at its awful sides, giving it 

 personal identity and the attributes of life — regarding 

 it with a sort of terror, and with a humble desire 

 somehow to propitiate it, as a merciful giant who 

 respects and pities my minute life, and disdains to 

 put his foot upon me or crush me with one of his 

 granite thunderbolts. 



In my youth I tried to gain its summit, where 

 tradition says there is a lake on which floats a golden 

 bowl. I failed miserably ; but have no doubt that 

 with proper appliances, which I had not, some skilled 

 Alpine climber would succeed. One such, alas ! came 

 out some two years ago with such appliances, and 

 the strong resolve of youth and abounding strength, 

 steadfastly purposed to solve the mystery. He only 

 attained the deeper mystery of death ; not in the 

 attempt, but drowned deplorably by the upsetting of 

 a boat which he had engaged to cross the Fjord 

 (being unwilling, in his eager haste to reach the scene 

 of his proposed adventure, to wait even a day for 

 the regular steamer which would have conveyed him 



F 



