FOREST SCENES. 13 
lower slopes of the foot-hills on the northern side, is never 
more than a quarter of a mile distant from the broad blue 
river, which for mile after mile flows through a string of 
picturesque lakelets whose gleaming waters reflect in 
vivid outline the groups of stately spruces on the tiny 
islands and jutting promontories. In the pure mountain 
air and beneath a glowing sky, whose depth of blue would 
almost bear comparison with that of California, the 
brilliant colouring of the northern landscape in early 
autumn, when the first night-frosts are beginning to paint 
the woods, must be seen to be realised. England’s 
‘autumn gold’ is charming indeed beneath an October- 
sun, but its tints are, comparatively speaking, sober and 
sad, Norway's gold is bright and red and glowing, and 
cheers as well as charms. The sunlight streaming down 
through the interlacing boughs of the firs shines on the 
glossy dark leaves and scarlet clusters of the moltebere 
spangling the surface of the ground in bright parterres, 
and lights up joyously the exquisite shades of green, 
ruddy-brown, and deep crimson of the mosses and the 
varied purple and silver grey of the lichens which clothe 
the masses of granite lying here and there amidst the 
undergrowth. Where the woodland opens out down by 
the river bank, the bracken is already yellowing and the 
purple of the heather gives signs that its beauty is on the 
wane. The lower leaves of the aspen, tremulous in the 
light air which is always breathing above the river, are 
turning red-brown under the influence of the chill nights ; 
the cotton plants in the tiny swamps are waving their 
white plumes in- token of surrender; even the hardy alder 
has a touch of bronze on its foliage, and the mountain ash 
is everywhere gorgeous with its pendulous clusters of 
crimson berries. Up the slopes of the hills, amongst the 
dark green of the spruces, and the ruddy trunks of the 
Scotch firs, the silver birches are aflame with the brilliant 
yellow of their fading leaves ; everywhere the brightness 
of the colouring makes the landscape joyous. 
‘Tn spring and early summer the eye of the traveller is 
