NORWEGIAN GLACIERS. 79 



We are, no doubt, justified in supposing the period of a 

 milder climate to have lasted nearly up to our own age, even 

 if separated from this by some few centuries. Hertzberg, the 

 illustrious observer of several phenomena bearing upon the phy- 

 sical geography of the western part of our country, also, about 

 a century ago, expressed it as his opinion that the Snow-field of 

 the Folgefon had, indeed, been les extensive several centuries 

 ago. Naumann too, the German geologist, who made his famous 

 excursions in Norway in the years 1821 and 1822, also tells 

 us, with regard to the Snowfield of the Folgefon, that „nach 

 glaubwürdigen Traditionen der Umwohner nimmt allerdings die 

 Höhe des Schneefeldes allmälig zu, wiewohl nur bemerkbar von 

 Generation zu Generation." We must, however, go far back 

 into mythical ages to get at the origin of those traditions which 

 state that the Folgefon grew into existence in an almost instan- 

 taneous manner, covering at ones no less than seven clerical 

 parishes. It is, however, extremely interesting to see that the 

 name Folgefon probably originated in a somewhat close connec- 

 tion with these old traditions, a fact that is clearly proved by 

 Norse etymology. 



Some other traditions, however, are recorded, which are of 

 far greater interest. The Jostedal Snow-field is said to increase 

 for a period of from thirty to sixty years, and to retreat for a 

 similar period, or we find it said that the glaciers increase and 

 diminish every seventh or every nineteenth year. How much 

 value may be placed upon traditions of this kind, it is not easy 

 to say, but it is nevertheless extremely interesting to note the 

 relative coincidence of some of these numbers with the figures 

 representing periods of climatic oscillation assumed by science 

 only some few decades ago. 



Besides this rather slight oscillation, there have probably 

 occurred, even within the time of human habitation, some greater 

 changes, as we may judge from a tradition current among the 

 peasants of the Jostedal about the middle of the eighteenth cen- 



