That mightiest of giants,—
But snow-skating Skadi
Now dwells there, I trow,
In her father’s old mansion.”
Elder Edda.
[40] A proof of the authenticity of this legend is to be found in the etymology of the word, “gate,” (gatin—the street), being a Norwegian word.
[41] Hermod and Baldur were both sons of Odin. That is to say, Courage and Innocence are both children of Heavenly Wisdom.
[42] The moral of this legend is admirable. The Principle of Evil is of itself powerless against the Principle of Good, until it is assisted by well-intentioned, but blind Prejudice; but that same Prejudice, after its enlightenment, becomes its partner and ally.
[43] An attentive reader, who is also a fisherman, will see, by reverting to the time which the adventures in the Torjedahl and Soberud-dahl must have taken, that this voyage must have taken place much later in the year than the 24th of June, and that consequently he could not have seen the bale-fires he describes. The fact is, the author made two visits to Christiansand; he arrived there in June, but, finding the snow-water still in the river, he made a voyage among the islands, to occupy the time, and visited the place again at the end of July. To prevent unnecessary confusion, the incidents of both these visits are told together; but the fisherman must not conclude from this, that anything is to be done in any of the Tellemarken rivers before the second week in July.
[44] The whole Norwegian navy consists of one frigate, two corvettes, two brigs, three schooners, and a hundred and forty of these gun-boats. The Swedes, who have upon the whole rather a powerful navy, considering the poverty of their country,—that is to say, thirteen line-of-battle ships, fourteen frigates, some of them very heavy ones, and twenty-two steamers—possess also three hundred of these gun-boats. They carry generally one long tomer forward, and sometimes a carronade, sometimes a smaller gun aft. They are quite open, except a couple of bunks for the officers’ sleeping places, pull from twenty to thirty oars, and are generally sent to sea in squadrons, with a frigate or corvette to take care of them,—like an old duck with a brood of ducklings. The frigate forms a rallying point and place of refuge, as well as a place of rest, for the crews are changed from time to time, and in their turns enjoy a week’s rest and cover on board of her.