40 TRAVELS IN THE EIGHTIES. 



One or two fishes were caught upon the way up, 

 wherever the road approached the stream, and also at 

 two points where some considerable rapids made a series 

 of pools, and at other likely spots ; but it was evident 

 that this was the fishing ground for the dwellers at 

 Idre. The higher one advanced, the more replete 

 with trout, mostly of small size, did the river appear, 

 until nearly sixty were added to the bag with the 

 assistance of the surveyor, who had found a long rod 

 and worm hook, with the usual horsehair line, lying 

 about near one of the huts, and having procured the 

 necessary bait, was using it with great success. 



The small house, however, was most uncomfortably 

 crowded, and would have been unbearable when the 

 remainder of the party arrived, for the apartment was 

 already full of the surveyor's men, who occupied them- 

 selves in sitting mutely in every available position 

 and staring blankly at those who happened to be 

 opposite to them. It was but half a Swedish mile 

 (about three and a half English) to Helsjofors, a log 

 house at the confluence of the Storan and Hagaan, 

 into which the river now divided. It could be ac- 

 complished, moreover, by boat up a pretty winding 

 stream. The former stream was the larger, but with- 

 out human habitation, while the latter headed not far 

 from Lake E-ogon, and boasted, besides, of two log- 

 houses, where, doubtless, fresh guides might be pro- 

 cured. Just before arriving at Helsjofors a lake of 

 moderate size was crossed, in which after asking my 

 permission to delay for the purpose, for the night air 



