300 Xlev. U. F. Borgesen's Description of Vettie's Giel , 
more remarkable, not even the oldest peasant in Farnaes (the 
nearest district to it) had ever been on the farm of Vettie. Men 
lived and died in close neighbourhood to it without having ever 
seen it. Nobody ever repaired thither but those who were the 
nearest relations of the family who lived on it, who of course 
were in the most isolated situation possible in an inhabited 
country. My curiosity was much excited. Besides, in order to 
have a more accurate knowledge of the people and the district, 
I had made a point to allow no corner of my parish to remain 
unvisited. The danger itself was a sort of allurement, as it was 
a triumph to surmount it. 
On Sunday the 12th of June 1818, after divine service, I set 
out from my manse in Aardaiannex, in company with a number 
of people who had been at church, to Aardafs Water. This 
lake is about three-quarters of a mile long (more than four Eng- 
lish miles), and at the broadest half a quarter (about three- 
quarters of an English mile), inclosed on both sides by lofty 
mountains, which, from their steep and sometimes perpendicu- 
larly hanging sides, forbid all approach by land. The lake is 
thus the only and the common communication between those 
who live above it and the other parts of the district of Aardai. 
There were many boats of us in company, the most of which 
strove with great exertion to row past one another. They are 
excellent rowers ; and this passage to and from church never 
takes place without this sort of contest, the only object of which 
is the honour of winning. It is pleasant to witness- this contest. 
Six men, commonly stout young fellows, sit at the oars ; the 
boat darts forward like an arrow; and you may imagine the 
vigour which is exerted, when the blade of the oar sometimes 
snaps in the water*— a circumstance which happened to the boat 
that was striving with ours, and which, in consequence, fell a 
considerable way behind. But as they had got a reserve oar, 
which was put out in haste, our boat, which was deeply laden, 
having about twenty people in her, was quickly overtaken and 
passed. So soon as the boat you contend with falls a good way 
behind, or it is perceived that in spite of all exertion you are not 
able to keep up, the strife is over, though it ceases not without 
some sarcastic jokes on the part of the conquerors. After this, 
though they still push briskly forward, they go on more equally 
