Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1842 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XIV. Mundheim.--Cairns.--Doubtful origin.--Elves.--The printer's devil.--A heavy fall.--Peasants' houses.--Love of finery.--Red deer.--Scarcity of animals in Norway.--Birds.--Adaptation in colour of the coverings of animals to their haunts.--Night attack.--Christiania.--Professor of Mineralogy.--A studio.--Museum.--Travellers'fare.--Hut of ajager or hunter.--The Glommen.--The Aurora Borealis.--Salmon fishing.--"Burning the water."--Costume of the peasants.--Norse weddings.--The bride's wardrobe.--Hereditary ornaments.--The Kors Fiord.--Detention from the weather.--Inhabitants.--Their occupation.--A bride.--Her dress.--Heavy metal.--Head-gear.--Marriage procession.--Mermaidens.--Their nautical accomplishments.--A perilous voyage.--Contrary winds.--Disasters at sea.--Rumours at Bergen.--Kind conduct of Mr. Konow.--Hospitable and simple character of the Norwegians. On the evening of Sunday the 9th of October I reached Mundheim, having accomplished 42 English miles that day in my boat, and slept soundly in a peasant's house by the water-side. On nearly every Nses, or small promontory on the Hardanger Fiord, are to be seen cairns, or heaps of stones laid upon the rock, which were placed there (as the peasants say) in former times to be used as missiles in battle. But it is much more probable that they mark the burying-place of some renowned robber or sea-king. At a place 10 miles from Mundheim, called Scobbostein Naes, and not long ago, the skeleton of a man was found in a kind of coffin concealed under a heap of such stones. During this coasting trip I heard many wonderful stories of the elves or mountain sprites of the Hardanger. For instance, of one, a literary elfin I suppose, spilling the contents of his ink-bottle all over a...