210 Professor Hansteen’s RemarJcs made on a Journey 
a very rare and remarkable occurrence. If you remain with 
them a little while, and win the mountain peasant’s confidence, 
you will sometimes see him, at your departure, take out a little 
pocket-book, and insert in it the name of his guest. It was with 
surprise I heard several peasants in Wesfiorddal, repeat the 
names of Esmark, Smith, Schow, Flor and Dahl, and, in short, 
of all the persons who had visited Riukandfall, or ascended 
Gousta, while all they had undertaken was still fresh in their 
memories. The scarcity of incident is probably likewise the 
cause that the mountain peasant is commonly so much interested 
in the political scenes of the great theatre of Europe. After the 
first explanations are over, the traveller is eagerly questioned if 
there is any where an appearance of war. The Greeks’ war of 
Freedom was therefore the first, and the measures of the Stor- 
thing, the second subject, which at this time were usually 
brought on the carpet. Many of them read carefully the news- 
papers, which are lent to them by the clergymen, or other offi- 
cial persons in the neighbourhood : they are commonly well 
versed in the geography of Europe, and particularly in the an- 
cient history of their own country. Snorre Sturleson, Bast- 
holm’s Philosophy for the unlearned, and the works of several 
of our later popular writers, are to be found in a row on a shelf 
in the house. 
Agriculture is here inconsiderable ; and as we approach nearer 
the limit of snow, becomes impossible. But the more advantage- 
ous becomes the rearing of cattle. The vigorous mountain 
plants give the cattle a degree of fatness, which the more luxu- 
riant grass of the lower plains cannot produce. The greater 
part, therefore, of the peasant’s food, consists of milk. The la- 
borious exertion of climbing the mountains, gives full play to 
the muscles of their thighs and legs, so that they are generally of 
a handsome and vigorous make, particularly well adapted for 
all bodily exercises, and for the wild flings of their own national 
dance. 
An attachment to what is old is characteristic of the moun- 
tain peasant. Nothing new has been able to intrude itself in- 
to these lofty regions. The national costumes, which are for 
the most part neat, and in good taste, and much better suited to 
rthe peasant than a bad imitation of the dress of the towns, is 
