44 
WILD NORWAY. 
we could not help observing that the simple folk 
regarded us rather as reckless spendthrifts, living out 
here at monstrously extravagant expense (about twelve 
shillings per day, all told, for the two), to shoot deer 
which we could not use when we got them. But it is 
pleasant to find an absolutely unsophisticated region. 
During the next ten days, we had some examples 
of fjeld-veir (fell-weather), when storms of rain, sleet, 
and flying scud drove across the hills. Weary days. 
Nothing could be done but eat and smoke and sleep, 
and read again and again our fortnight-old newspapers. 
Each day seemed to drag itself out to double its normal 
length, partly through the early hours we keep, for we 
find it impossible to retard coffee-crushing a minute 
beyond 6 a.m. Bifle-practice at a mark was tried, but 
even that involved getting wet, so our hunters fell 
to asking the prices of everything we had, and were 
intensely interested in our battery, which they regarded 
with due respect. 
Then it cleared, and we recommenced stalking. The 
first morning we set out together, crossing a big lake to 
the west. In some very deep corries beyond was abun¬ 
dant pasturage,- and close down to the water we fell 
in with the spoor of two big bucks. They had gone off 
at speed, down wind, perhaps having seen the boat. 
We were obliged by the wind to make long detours, but 
each time picked up the track. The deer were now 
going slowly, feeding; but we failed to get to leeward, 
and in the afternoon a storm of sleet drove us off the 
hill. These were large deer, and as I had resolved 
to kill none but big heads, we continued hunting their 
