62 
Che Sportsman Canrist. 
IN THE LAND OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN. 
SING of codfish and their livers’ oil, for codfish is the 
daily and the sole theme of aj] the dwellers on this west- 
ern coast of Norway. They eat codfish, they drink codfish, 
they manure with codfish and, in short, they hve upon cod- 
fish in both senses of the word. The great resort of the 
codfish is the banks of the Luffoden Islands, about 69° north 
latitnde, Hither they come in millons twice a year, and, 
strange to say, in the greatest numbers in the month of Feb- 
ruary, for the Gulf Stream sets strongly along this coast, and 
very rarely are the fiords frozen even in these high northern 
latitudes. 
There are codfish and there are codfish. The genuine 
fish is migratory and puts in an appearance only twice a 
year on these banks. Then he disappears, and the fishermen 
say that he is gone to sea. But the dwellers at home, the 
smaller codfish, who can be caught at any time and upon 
whom millions of gulls feed, are a much inferior article, 
It is estimated that fifty millions of codfish are taken off 
this coast eyery year. The government stations vessels at 
certain central points, and it is the duty of every fisherman 
to report his catch as he passes. This report does not include 
what he and his crew may eat. The men fish in open boats 
in mid winter, and of course are yery much exposed to the 
weather, and suifer consequently from rheumatism, As 
their fathers did, so do they. We were shown at Christi- 
ania the ship of a Viking, lately dug up from a mound, 
where be and his ship, and his dogs and his horses, and his 
jewels were buried. Itisan open boat, about thirty feet 
long and ten feet wide, and beautifully proportioned, They 
build in Norway on the same lines now. It had a great 
square sail, and a bank of oars on each side passing through 
holes. There was absolutely no protection from the weather 
except an awning, and necessarily they could not use this in 
rough weather. In these open boats those hardy pirates 
made their descents upon the coasts of England and France, 
and even penetrated into the Mediterranean, while their his- 
toriuns contend that they crossed to Greeland and discovered 
America. The medical men at Christinia have studied ihis 
Viking’s bones, and find that he was not more than 50 years 
of age, about six feet tall, and that he dicd of rheumatism in 
the hip joint. But to return to our codfish. A very 
large number of cod are sold to be eaten fresh, but 
the greater part are dried, and soa sent to all 
parts of the world. When a boat comes in, the 
fish are handed oyer to the women. They clean 
them, cut off their heads and their tails, take out 
their bones, and bang the fish under the house or fish house, 
where they may dry; for the fish houses are built upon piles 
for this purpose. A handy woman will make $1.25 a day 
cleaning fish. The intestines are thrown away, but the head 
and tail and the bones are dried and sold to the mills to be 
turned into fish guano, Itisa curious sight to see a Nor- 
wegian vessel laden with dry codfish. They are piled up 
like shingles on the deck, and look very much like them, but 
the nose can detect the difference when the eye fails. These 
vessels have an immense square sail, as their fathers’ vessels 
had a thousand years ago. It is hoisted by strong arms and 
many of them, for your true Norwegian scorns a windlass or 
any other modern mechanical contrivance. At the bow 
there stands an upright post, rising some ten feet, that the 
steersman may sec it above the deck load of fish or lumber 
and know how to direct his course, 
But the ‘‘precious jewel’’ of the cod lies in his liver. 
There are cod-liver factories on the Luffoden Islands and on 
the Main, Two hundred thousand gallons of cod-liver oil 
are here manufactured annially. It is shipped to all parts 
of the world, and even to the United States, for I regret to 
state that the Norwegian cod-liver oil is better than our own 
and this is the reason. It appears that the liver should be 
taken from the fish within half an hour after he is caught 
and should be thrown into the kettle within twelve hours. 
Then it is perfectly sweet, later it becomes rancid. Our cod 
fishermen, fishing on the banks of Newfoundland, have 
long distance to go, even if the factory is on the shores of 
that island, while here the fisherman takes his fish almost at 
his door, and a night’s sail brings him to the factory, A 
fresh cod liver is a tif-bit for a king, or even for a Parisian, 
who is better fed than most kings, especially when the king 
makes a contract with his cook, as some kings do, and pays 
him so much per head per diem for himself and court. But 
a liver twenty-four hours old is simply uneatable. The liver 
is wonderfully full of oil. Three pounds of liver will make 
two of oil. 
The fish are taken on a hook and line. Ima letter to you 
last summer from Elsinore, I described the curious imple- 
ment they use there for taking fish, Here I have just 
hooked from the steamer’s deck, three or four small ones 
with a machine even more singularly and wonderfully made. 
A heavy line is fastened to half a pound of lead. Fastened 
to one side of the lower end of the lead and projecting from 
it is a piece of stiff brass wire bent like a half bow, and on 
the outer end of this bow is fastened the gut with a pewter 
fish, and the hook. Why the hook is attached to this half 
bow I cannot say. I asked our Norwegian captain and 
many others. “No one knew, But these machines have heen 
used athousand years and more. It was suggested that 
the sinker not being directly above the hook, the fish might 
not be frightened by it. My impression is that 4 sort of 
twirl is communicated by this arrangement to the bait, which 
makes if appear more natural. ; ‘ 
Well, you lower this machine near the bottom into six or 
seven fathoms of water, and then you commence a series of 
short and rapid jerks. The fish are so numerous and so 
stupid or so hungry that they rush for the bait, aud before 
they can get out of the way are hooked on the outside. I 
doubt if your oldest reader ever heard before of an appara- 
tus of hooking fish on the outside. 
I caught from the deck of the steamer several small cod, 
but the mate took the boat, and rowing three or four 
hundred yards from this bold, bleak cliff, took, in half an 
hour, half a dozen five or six pound fish, and most tooth- 
some fish they were. ; ; 
The codfish of these regions is evidently a superior creation 
to that of Newfoundland’s foggy banks. He has an eye for 
the picturesque. He is found in the most beautiful fiords, 
amid the grandest and wildest, as well as the most pictur- 
esque, scenery. If he has anything below, compared to what 
there is above, he ought not to be enticed therefrom by the 
wily bait. For when the midnight sun casts its column of 
saffron light across the waters of those Luffoden fiords, it is 
difficult to conceive of anything more lovely. But I vegret 
to state that at midnight one soon loses his respect for his 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
majesty, the sun, You stare at him with perfect impunity, 
and he twinkles and twinkles at you, as he were tipping you 
a wink. To compare great things with small, he reminded 
me of a locomotive headlight. 
And now I must bid adieu to the North Cape, adieu to the 
midnight sun and the many-sided codfish. I shall probably 
never see the former again, nor lure the latter with the pewter 
spoon. WickwAmM Eorrman. 
Norte Capen; Norway, Latitnde 71° 10/ North, July 2, 1884, 
HUNTING IN THE HIMALAYAS. 
Lights and Shades of an Indian Forester’s Life—III. 
Pps musk deer is a small animal about thirty pounds 
weight, and not being of a roving disposition can only 
be found by hunting him up in his home, which he makes 
in rhododendron stocked ravines, aboye the timber limits. 
These ravines were, I knew, numerous some two or three 
miles to the north of the plateau on which we had pitched 
our camp, aud to these ravines our steps were directed the 
next morning. We took all the available coolies with us, 
leaving only a few to cut wood for the camp, and on arriv- 
ing on the ground told them to separate in three parties, one 
party to each ravine, and beginning at the lower rhododen- 
dron limit to beat upward. We sportsmen of course took 
the heads of the ravines, and had scarcely stationed our- 
selyes before the shouting from below announced that the 
coolies were at work. The village headman joined us and 
prayed for a shot,so I handed him my rifle. In about a 
quarter of an hour a female walked quietly out into an open- 
ing about eighty yards below, and the Zemindar leveled his 
rifle, but at the same moment a shot to the right startled her 
and she disappeared under coyer. The beaters came nearer, 
more shots on our right, and presently two deer, a male 
and a female, broke cover ata gallop, and dashed up the 
ravine toward us. The Zemindar got his rifle to the level, 
and at the moment he pulled the trigger, the male sighted 
him and swerved off up the ridge, and by the time the ball 
had szeached the spot, the female had come into line and 
stopped it, but I had my smoothbore with a wire cartridge 
and swan shot in it, and was in time forashot. The little 
beast disappeared over the ridge, but fell and rolled over as 
soon as he attempted the descent. Here we found M., who 
had bagged a female, and leaving the coolies to cut the 
throats and excise the musk bag from my male, we started 
on to C,, who had had three shots and missed them all. 
We now lighted our pipes, and talked maters over while 
the coolies were getting’ back to the foot of the next three 
ravines, which occupied about an hour, when we again took 
up our stations in the same order as before. In due course 
amale and female trotted out of cover at.cighty yards, the 
Zemindar fired, and both animals skipped over the ledge to 
our left into one of the covers already beaten. Much shout- 
ing and more firing to my right, and when we again rendez- 
voused and compared notes, A. had had no better luck than 
we, but C, had got one stag and wounded another, which 
the coolies were tracking. Again we sent the men below, 
and took up our stations at the next three ravines. Again 
the shouting was borne up from below, whén looking round, 
IT saw a moonal pheasant sailing right down for me. I was 
too late to take him coming at me, but wheeling sharp 
round, I sent a wire cartridge after him with the confidence 
that I covered him as I fired; the next instant he had disap- 
peared down the ravine, The shouts drew nearer, a female 
stepped out at sixty yards, stood a moment, then the male 
put out his head and shoulders; the Zemindar fired. 1 saw 
the female tun sharp round, and a little struggling in the 
bushes told us that the male was biting the dust. We went 
down to perform the last offices with the knife. Two sbots 
in quick succession on the right, and looking up I saw a 
male plunging right down toward us. He was within ten 
yards when I fired, and rolled right over to our feet, start- 
ling the Zemindar, who was cutting the purse from his own 
animal. I laid down my gun to perform the like office for 
the one Lhad dropped, when I heard fresh shots on the 
right, and the next moment another animal coming from M,’s 
direction, dashed by within thirty yards of us, and was gone 
before we could recover our weapons. 
The coolies now came up bringing my moonal which they 
had seen fall, and when we once more rendezvoused and com- 
pared notes A, was able to report one male bagged and C. a 
female, and the finding of the wounded male which the 
mountaineers had finished with their sticks. 
It was now long past noon, and as we were five or six 
miles from camp, and had rather a heavy bag to carry home 
it. was decided that we had done enough for the day, so the 
lunch basket was produced, and done full justice to. We 
counted up our bags. The Zemindar had one male and one 
female, | two males and a moonal, M. a mule and female, 
and CG. two males and a female. We had done a good day’s 
work, the six pouches of inusk being worth ten dollars, 
American money, apiece, and the moonal skin about the 
same, 
While we discussed our pipes the coolies got the skins off, 
and loading these with the meat in their kiltas we started 
for home, which we reached in time to get a good bath while 
the day was still warm. Both C. and M. were keen for a 
chance at a bear, but when we sat down to a saddle of good 
gooral roasted on the spit, the general verdict was that the 
meat was worthy of the skin and that the head would not 
only be prized as a trophy, but would always serve to recall 
a dish enjoyed with all the gusto of the gourmet, stimulated 
by a ten-mile march oyer the mountains, and it was resolved 
that the morrow, which was the last day of our stay, should 
be devoted to gooral and ter, but that 1f we could get scent of 
3, bear, we would endeavor to come to close quarters with 
him. 
Thus resolved, we retired to sleep the sleep of the just, or, 
what is practically the same, the sleep of tired and satisfied 
hunters; and before the sun was half an hour high we were 
ouce more toiling up the mountain side, the predominant 
sentiment in my breast being that [ was carrying at least one 
more cup of coffee than was conyentent at that elevation. 1 
was not the only one of the party who experienced the diffi- 
culty of mounting the hill on a full stomach, both M. and C. 
seemed under the same necessity of stopping at every hun- 
dred yards to admire the scenery or peer among the rocks for 
ter. We had determined to push well on to the grazing 
grounds, where we had seen the zooral on Tuesday, before 
dividing forces, Arrived at the extremity of the plateau the 
glasses were brought into requisition; there was nothing in 
sight, but the ground was so broken that this argued little. 
We could sweep the elevated ridges on all sides, but could 
see nothing of what was in the hollows, It was a poor 
country for beating with less than a hundred coolies and 
eight or ten guns, so we concluded to stalk in two parties, 
M. elected to join forces with me, and ©, took the Zemindar, 
{Aue 21, 1884. 
whom he had furnished with a long Enfield, The trysting 
place for luncheon was fixed, and we were just about fo sep- 
arate when a buriel stepped into sight on the edge of a cliff 
some sixty yards above, and looked calmly over without 
noticing us. C. and M, fired almost instantaneously, but OQ, 
was a few seconds in advance, and I saw the beast fall at the 
first shot without knowing whose it was; he fell a hundred 
feet and slid a few yards before he came to a stop, “dead ag 
mutton.” Leaving a couple of men to carry the kill to our 
luncheon camp, the party divided, C. crossing the first 
ridge, while M, and I struck down the ravine, making for 
where I had shot the bear, — | 
We had not been parted mote than ten minutes before we 
heard firing—one, two, three—and after a short interval two 
more shots. M, started to clamber up the ridge, while I 
kept down the rayine, making for the end of the spur, which 
was not far distant, Presently, [heard a shot behind me, 
and looking round I saw and heard a brown bear going | 
down the side of the ridge straight for M., who fired his 
second barrel, at about five yards he threw down hisvifle and 
scrambled off on all fours, just in time to avoid the hear, 
which, missing him, rolled like a ball down to the ravine, 
about a hundred yards above me. Here the beast struggled 
to his feet and came lumbering down the ravine. I could 
see he was hard hit, and slipping behind a projecting rock T 
waited his advent, He came on within ten yards, when] 
raised my rifle; he caught sight of me at the same moment, 
stopped and growled. A No. 10 spherical in his throat 
rolled him over, but as he struggled on toward me I jumped 
on the ledge and gave him the second barrel through the 
shoulder. This crippled him, but he was not yet dead aud, 
reloading, I gave him one in the ear which settled him. By 
this time the coolies had come out of their hiding places, 
M., too, was nearly in at the kill, and C, and his whole troop 
had reached the crest of the ridge and were coming down 
toward us. Now came the important question, ‘‘ Whose is 
the skin?’ The beast was examined and turned oyer, and 
found to have five holes in his skin besides my finishing shot 
in the ear. M, and I were, cousequently out of il. Subse- 
quent examination showed that M., C. and the Zemindar 
liad each got in one shot, and as it was impossible to deter- | 
mine whether C.’s effective shot was fired before or after the | 
Zemindar’s, it was settled by U. giving the latter a couple of 
rupees (a dollar) and taking the skin, ; 
But C.’s party had got sight of some gooral before putting 
up the bear, and were anxious to stalk them, so we separated 
ouce more, and M. and I made for the cliff below which 1 
had shot the first bear, I was satisfied that the ledge on 
which I had seen the two big ter, was their regular haunt, 
and as we neared the spot, I took out my glasses, and was 
not disappointed in my expectations. Phere were the ter, 
and on reaching the extremity of the space, and examining: | 
them closely, they proved to be two large males. Lowering | 
my glasses, I caught sight of three more tare on a lower + 
ledge, and examining the rocks more carefully; we found a , 
whole herd of thirty or more, scarcely visible in the deep 
shadows of the block slate ledges on the side of the cliff, 
- The distance to the highest pair which were nearly on our 
level, was little short ef two hundred yards, while those | 
lower down ranged up to two hundred and fifty. It is very 
uncertain killing at that distance, and I suggested to M. that | 
one of us should vo below, stallk round toward the foot of 
the cliff, and lic in cover until the other’s shot from above: 4 
sent them down fora close shot. M. started to po down — 
and show himself at a point specified, before I fired. Light- 
ing my pipe, I smoked away at my leisure, and otherwise | 
employed the time in cutting a couple of rests tor my heels, | 
and another for my seat, within a few feet of the precipice. | 
The coolies | kept in the background. J had finished my | 
pipe before I got M.’s signal, but it came at length, and get 4 
ting into my improvised seat, and resting my elbows on my | 
knees, | drew avery steady pull on the trigger; both ter 
sprung up. the one I had coyered rushed to the other end of | 
the ledge some half dozen yards, and again went on his 4 
knees, the other stood irresolute. I gaye the same beast my | 
second barrel; he sprung to his feet again, and the whole 
herd went down the precipice making straight for M.’s hid- 
ing place, He let them come on pretty close, rose to his | 
tect and fired, one dropped; the herd stood irresolute; asec- | 
ond shot, and the herd turned and went up the cliff. Calling | 
a couple of coolies to hold my legs, I Jay down and leaned! 
over the precipice with my glasses, and saw my beast lying = 
at the foot of the cliff as 1 had expected, and not caring to 
shoot any more, I sent all the beaters down to M. to help 
bring up the load, and to tell him that I was gone back to 
the trysting place. . 
I strolled along very leisurely, rifle in hand and my shot- 
gun slung over my shoulders, and im something like forty 
minutes had gained the crest of the ridge which overlooked 
the ravine in which we had dropped the bear. Looking 
back, IT was unable to see M. and his party, but listening 1 
could distinctly hear the hum of their distant yoices, some-— 
thing more than half a mile below. Turning to look up the 
ravine for the spot where the bear had fallen, 1 saw some- 
thing which sent a thrill through me. The beast was sitting 
calmly on his haunches. Withdrawing quietly behind the 
ridge and leveling my glass, I could at first make out noth- 
ing more than the bear sitting on bis haunches at the yery 
spot I had dropped him, but I soon got at the real position 
of affairs. It was the mate of the dead beast which, with 
his back toward me, was apparently licking the wounds 
of his fallen comrade, which he almost concealed from my 
view behind his own broad back. He was about two hun- 
dred yards higher up the ravine, and falling back behind the 
crest of the spur, so as to keep out of sight, I stalked quietly 
up to the spot I had selected with my eye as nearly above 
him. Divesting myself of my smooth-bore I peeped over, 
and could but just see the point of his shoulders over the) 
rock on which I had stood to fire the last shot at bis com-! 
rade, Steuling noiselessly another ten yards, I got a full 
side view, and was able to bring my rifle in position without 
disturbing him as he sat there licking the face of the dead, 
‘Ping! and with a short growl the beast rushed to the oppo- 
site side of the ravine and sprung up the bank. Again I 
covered him, my finger was on the trigger, but as 1 pulled 
he disappeared from my view; my ball lodged in the hillside 
and the bear lay dead below, shot through the heart with the 
first shot, 
Reloading, I descended to the ravine and examined my 
kill, which was a large female, with an excellent coat, but 
reflecting that 1 had but a very circumscribed view in the} 
ravine, I once more toiled up to the ridge, and sat down with 
my back against a rock to smoke my pipe and gaze out over, 
the wild grandeur of the scene and listen to the murmur of 
the distant Ganges. I was in a very complacent mood,| 
speculating on the half-envious, halt-pleased surprise with 
which M. and GC. would regard my last addition to the bag’ 
4 
r 
i. 
a 
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