the rocks. A large expanse of fjeld and forest, broken and intersected by rushing torrents, leaving nothing but streaks of white foam visible in the distance, converged to the deep, deep, narrow romantic valley we were now entering. The day had become fine and beautiful. We gazed in silence as we commenced our descent down the road, carried in a slanting direction to an angle, so as to render the way less difficult and steep. At a very short distance after we had turned the angle of the road a halt was called. In a recess covered with wild flowers, and bushes on the top of the sloping bank, above the road, we found sufficient room for our middags-mad

What a beautidashing in their

waters of the

The broken bank was overhung by steep rocks. The fire was soon lighted. Esmeralda peeled some potatoes. An excellent soup was made from our stock of yesterday, to which was added the dried meat from Holiaker, to be boiled a second time with potatoes, Liebig's essence, and a quantity of wild sorrel. ful scene! What numberless streams deep-worn watercourses into the blue Rauma, which loses itself in the deep ravine of the narrow valley; so we stayed until it was found to be six o'clock. Hastily loading again we followed the gradual descent of the road. Before us rose the singularly shaped mountain, said to be the Dontind.* Its shape is peculiar, with its escarped precipices and snowy summit. A very picturesque waterfall came dashing down the rocks to our right, and close by stood a very small wooden mill, with its simple and primitive method of grinding. The miller was there as we looked

*We believe this is the same mountain called in the Guide Book (6 Storhætten."

in, and had just room to stand inside. He was grinding oats. If many articles of food are not so fine in quality in Norway, there is one satisfaction, that what you have is generally genuine.

At last we came to where the Rauma, at a short distance from the road, enters a deep gorge, and forms the beautiful fall of the Sondre Slettefossen. The river passes through a deep chasm of rock, and is spanned by a narrow log bridge. Not far from the fall, on the opposite side of the road, we found some rough broken ground at the back of a rocky cliff. An old carriageway had once gone through the rocks, but was now stopped up, so that we found ourselves on a comfortable platform above the main road.

The view was beautiful. The donkeys were driven up, and quickly unloaded. An old peasant man and woman, and one or two children were there, as if they had been forewarned of our arrival, and were ready to receive us. Out came our silver-mounted brandy-flask. It was of handsome spiral shape and formed of glass. How it escaped being broken we could never make out, but we have it now. The old man and woman drank their brandy, and seemed much pleased. They plucked some grass to feed the donkeys. Very soon other peasants came, and a reindeer-hunter, who spoke some English. The hunter was a very civil intelligent man; he could read English, and spoke it tolerably well, telling us there were many reindeer, and he would go with English gentlemen shooting them.

Our evening meal was soon ready, four eggs, fladbröd, butter, and tea. The peasants were told that after our tents were pitched they should have some music. Two

of my tent-rods were broken, and we had to splice themIn consequence of the loss of our kettle-prop we were obliged to make holes for our tent-rods with the sharp point of one of Tennant's geological hammers. Whilst the tents were being pitched we continued our notes de voyage.

The peasants were not numerous, but they were appreciative as we played. It was interesting to watch their kindly countenances as they gazed on the nomads, with their tents and donkeys, on the sheltered platform of a rocky cliff above the Rauma. When our music ended, and we wished them good night, they did not remain about our tents, but quietly left us to take our rest.

THE

CHAPTER XXII.

"Commend me to gipsy life and hard living. Robust exercise, outdoor life, and pleasant companions are sure to beget good dispositions, both of mind and body, and would create a stomach under the very ribs of death, capable of digesting a bar of pig iron."

GEORGE S. PHILLIPS (January Searle).

DONTIND ORMEIN-MOUNTAIN ROAD-OUR BIVOUAC-DELIGHTED
VISITOR

THE WATER ELF-EXCITED GIPSIES-TAGE EN STOL-NOR-
WEGIAN GIRLS-SUNDAY ON THE RAUMA-CARRIOLE TRAVELLING
COMING TO GRIEF- SPILLE A LITTLE-ESMERALDA'S BIRTHDAY-THE
NORWEGIAN CLIMATE-THE SJIRIAGLNS-UNCOMFORTABLE BED-THE

LARGE ANT.

It was a charming night. The Rauma foamed beneath and lulled us to sleep. The snow-covered and singularly shaped "Dontind " towered in the distance above the valley.

At seven o'clock the next morning we were up and had breakfast, tea, fladbröd, and butter. Whilst the gipsies were loading, we went to the log bridge, and viewed the picturesque fall of the Rauma, the "Sondre Slettefossen," foaming through high and overhanging rocks. Returning soon afterwards to our camp, we found Noah and Esmeralda in high dudgeon. A gale at sea, a simoom, or even an earthquake, could only be compared to it. The gist of Noah's wrong was some real or fancied neglect on the part of Esmeralda to pack one

pocket properly. In travelling our tent-cover, rugs, wardrobe, and a number of minor articles, were packed into one pocket, which was placed on the puru rawnee, and formed a pad for the other things she carried to rest upon. To avoid injury to the animal's back it was, therefore, very essential that all hard substances should be placed in the corners of the pocket, so that they should not bear upon the animal's back. It was necessary to use great care, especially during the long and difficult journey we had before us. Pouring oil on the troubled waters of the boro panee (gip., sea), we started with the thermometer at 78° Fahrenheit. All soon subsided into tranquillity and friendly feeling.

The sun now became very hot. Everywhere we were greeted with the same excitement, and the donkeys were much admired; grass was at times given them, and a friendly welcome to ourselves. Descending the beautiful road on the right side of the narrow valley, with pleasant farms below us on the slopes to the Rauma, we reached the post station of Ormein. Beautifully situated as it is, this station would be excellent quarters, and a comfortable resting place for the lover of nature, and the fisherman. There was a general rush as we came up. The donkeys were surrounded, and water and grass were brought for them. We went into the station and purchased a large loaf of bread, some excellent crisp fladbröd, a pound of good butter, and two kinds of Norwegian soap, for one mark and twenty skillings. There was a bed in the kitchen, covered with an animal's skin. The fire was made on a raised hearth, the chimney rising straight from it, but without contact with the sides of the room; so that there is great economy of heat obtained. As you look from the sta