180 HontsTRY OF NORWAY. 
flavour to the milk of these places. Many of these saeters 
are very difficult of access; high mountain ranges and. 
snow patches have to be crossed, and rivers forded by man 
and beast. Solitary indeed is the life in these mountains, 
for only once or twice during the summer does the farmer 
go up there to see how those who have been left are get- 
ting’ on, to hear about the herds, and if the season has been 
good. . . . On these visits they bring. provisions, and 
take back the produce of the dairy. The saeter life is also 
a hard one; the pastures are far away from the huts, and 
during the whole day the maidens have to follow the herd, 
rain or shine, andreturn in the evening, cold, hungry, and 
often wet. 
‘In some mountains pastures are very abundant, and 
saeters are numerous; in others they are few and far 
apart. Almost every farmer possesses one, but some who. 
have more mountain land than they require rent part of 
this to those less fortunate. . . . The people start 
for the saeter in many districts toward the middle of June, 
the time varying somewhat, but generally not after mid- 
summer—St. John’s Day—according to the distance and 
the mountain heights that are to be crossed. They return 
between the middle and end of September, and if high 
mountains are to be passed, about the first week in Sep- 
tember. 
‘The young maidens, the pride of their family or of a 
neighbourhood, will remain in the mountains all alone 
feeling as safe as in their father’s home ; they have no fear 
of being molested, for they trust to the honour and man- 
hood of the Bond—agriculturist—blood. Very few things 
in Norway have impressed me more than this simple faith. 
‘The young lover comes once or twice to cheer the hours 
of his sweetheart, but only for aday. If engaged to him 
he is the more welcome, for in the autumn, after the 
labours of the harvest are over, the wedding will probably 
take place,’ 
In connection with this I may cite the following infor- 
mation given by him in another connection :—‘ A betrothal 
