GRÖD-STICK AND BOWL, LEIRDALEN.
It was very dark as we went to the sœter, after our evening meal was concluded. We found three other women there. The room was scrupulously clean. It is certainly the most comfortable, and cleanly sœter, we met with during our wanderings; they had a good bedstead, convenient fire-place, and a very ingenious folding table. It was a curious scene, as we played our music by the fire-light and watched their interested countenances. The women were very fair. All mountain races are fond of music. It would seem as if the quickened instincts of the people, whose lot is cast so much in mountain scenes, are attuned to harmony with nature. The women seemed much pleased. The room was dreadfully hot and we had the door propped open, which was the cause of occasional contests with a tame goat, who seemed determined to come in. At last we were glad to escape the heat and went out into a dark, windy, rainy night. It poured with rain as we got to our tents, yet we did not envy Ole Rödsheim his night’s rest in the hot room of the sœter; but hot and cold seemed all the same to Ole; Then the rain came down so heavily it began to come into our tent, and a trench being now dug round it we soon fell asleep.
The gröd and some more milk formed our frokost, and saved tea, sugar, bread and butter. Mixed occasionally with other food it is excellent for the mountains where you can have fresh milk at the sœters. The nutriment was quite sufficient for mountain work. A meal of gröd and milk for five hungry people cost on an average the sum of about sixpence. The cost of the five kops of milk at the sœter was twenty skillings.[95] The woman seemed well satisfied with eight skillings for the trouble we had given her. The two pounds of butter we purchased to take with us cost two marks more.
Whilst the donkeys were being loaded, taking Zachariah with us, we went to see the waterfall above the sœter. The torrent dashes from the steep mountain above, and descends in fleecy clouds to the broken rocks below. Occasionally, above the continuous sound of the falling waters, we could hear a rattling roar, as if loose rocks were suddenly dashed about in the waters far above. Then all subsided into the same constant hum of the falling torrent. It is picturesque, but quite below comparison with many we had before seen, especially in Romsdal.
When we returned, and were ready to start, we missed Ole, Noah, and Esmeralda, who we at last found eating best fladbröd and cheese in the sœter. It was a present from the woman.
Saying adieu to the women of the sœter, we now left at ten o’clock. The fir woods had been left behind, and we proceeded up the wild valley of the Lera from the Ytterdals Sœter.
The Vesle Fjeld and its glaciers were on the right bank of the Lera. One peak of dark rock rising from glaciers on either side, Ole said had never been ascended. Ole said Messrs. Boyson and Harrison were much pleased with the scenery.
At the sœter Ole had found one of Mr. Boyson’s spoons, which had been left there, and he was going to return it. We were told that at one place Mr. Boyson had accidentally left a bag containing £30, but of course in Norway it was perfectly safe, and was afterwards restored safely to his possession.
The sun became very hot. Esmeralda and Zachariah both rode upon the baggage of their donkeys. The road now became a more narrow track. All the donkeys were evidently suffering from the heat. The Puru Rawnee had fallen once, and the Tarno Rye, after falling with Esmeralda two or three times, was unloaded, and we halted at some rocks above a waterfall on the Lera.
It was an exceedingly warm spot, with no shade. The second piece of reindeer meat was boiled in our kettle, with some potatoes. Though rather salt, the soup was excellent. Some of the boiled meat and potatoes were also eaten, and washed down with spring water. After middags-mad we tried to write our notes, and fell fast asleep. In fact, we were all disinclined to move, but managed to start about four o’clock.