96 FARTHEST NORTH 



beauties of nature, but it is a fine thing for a people to 

 have a fair land, be it never so poor. Never did this seem 

 clearer to me than now when I was leaving it. 



Every now and then a hurrah from land — at one 

 time from a troop of children, at another from grown- 

 up people, but mostly from wondering peasants who 

 gaze long at the strange-looking ship and muse over its 

 enifjmatic destination. And men and women on board 

 sloops and ten-oared boats stand up in their red shirts 

 that glow in the sunlight, and rest on their oars to look 

 at us. Steamboats crowded with people came out from 

 the towns we passed to greet us, and bid us God-speed 

 on our way with music, songs, and cannon salutes. The 

 great tourist steamboats dipped flags to us and fired 

 salutes, and the smaller craft did the same. It is em- 

 barrassing and oppressive to be the object of homage 

 like this before anything has been accomplished. There 

 is an old saying : 



" At eve the day shall be praised. 

 The wife when she is burnt, 

 The sword when tried, 

 The woman when married, 

 The ice when passed over, 

 Ale when drunk." 



Most touching was the interest and sympathy with which 

 these poor fisher-folk and peasants greeted us. It often 

 set me wondering. I felt they followed us with fervent 

 eagerness. I remember one day — it was north in Hel- 

 oeland — an old woman was standino- wavino- and wavino; 



