“EN ORIGINAL ENGELSKMAND.
“Blandt den Mængde af fremmede Turister skrwer Mgbl., der i disse Dage opholder seg hei i Byen for herfra at tiltræde Reisen om i Landet, er ogsaa en Engelskmand Mr. Smith, der er saa lykkeligat have opdaget en ny Specialitet inden Turistlwets Enemœrker. Han reiser nemlig ikke hrerkeu i Kariol, eller Kano, meu tilfods og forer alligevel med sig Mad, Drikke, Klœder, Sko, Hus, Hjem og alle andre Livets Velsignelser lige indtil gode Naboer. Han ledsages kort at fortœlle af 3 Æfler, paa lwis Ryg der lœsses allehaande Livsforn oden heder iberegnet Telte, som slaaes op, hvor og naar han onsker at raste, for atter at tuges ned igjen, naar han drager videre, og som under hans Reise helt oz holdent maa ers tatte ham almmdeligt Husly. Det er saaledes et fuldstændig gjennemfort Romadelir, der udgjor Mr. Smith’s Specialitet; men for at gjore dette rigtig Komfort abelt har han taget med som sin Betjening paa Reisen et Selskab af veritable Romader, nemlig tre Tatere (gypsies) to Brodre og en Soster. Det skal vere Mr. Smith’s tanke at anvende 3—4 Maaneder paa et gjennemstreife vore Hoifjeldsegne, og rimeligvis vil mangeu af vore Turister da faa Leileghed til at se deu lille Karavane, der udgjor hans Reisetrœn.”
TRANSLATION OF THE FOREGOING.
“AN ORIGINAL ENGLISHMAN.
“Among the numerous foreign tourists, says the Morgen bladett (Morning Paper), there is at present staying at Byen, with an intention of proceeding inland, an English gentleman, Mr. Smith, who has made a new invention for the use of tourists. He neither travels by carriage or boat, but on foot, and nevertheless carries with him food, drink, clothes, shoes, and every other necessary of life in a small compass. It consists of a folding contrivance on three donkeys, in which the articles are packed, and is carried on the back, forming when spread out a tent, whenever he wishes to halt, and the tent can be struck at pleasure. The invention is of a completely nomadic character, and to render the expedition still more consistent, he is accompanied during the journey, by a party of real nomads, viz.:—three Tartars (gipsies), two brothers, and a sister as servants. Mr. Smith designs to spend three or four months in our upper plateaux, in which he is far more reasonable than many of our tourists, few of whom do more than join some small party in the ordinary way.”
Our friend in the plaid trousers, who seemed a shrewd, intelligent man, did his best to solve all difficulties. We could not feel otherwise than pleased at the interest they took in our expedition. The voice of the tall man in plaid trousers generally dominated the conversation. At length, after a comparison between the respective merits of donkeys and mules, with many salutations, they left our camp. They had scarcely gone, when two or three good-looking peasant girls came, accompanied by some young men, and one rather good-looking woman, who asked a variety of questions in rapid succession. It is to be feared our answers were exceedingly indefinite, but she seemed to explain everything to everybody, and we began to look upon her as part and parcel of our camp. One lively, good-tempered, nice-looking girl knelt down near us, as we were seated writing our notes, and kept looking at everything in the tents, not hidden from view. Sometimes she laughed so merrily, that the impulse was catching, and we found ourselves joining, in her cheerful mood. Esmeralda had retired to sleep; the visitors were very anxious to see her, when informed by signs she was asleep, they contented themselves with looking at her Alpine slippers, which came in for a long criticism by the rather good-looking visitor, who explained everything, to everybody, until the hour becoming late they all left.
It rained heavily during the night, and it required some management to keep our things dry.
At 12.38 A.M. we called to Noah to report upon the morning,—“All misty and wet,” said Noah, as he looked out; and our getting up was postponed till six o’clock, when all rose for frokost (breakfast). Zachariah made the “yog” (gip., fire) in the wet damp morning; then when the fire burnt up, Zachariah, in putting our kettle of soup on the kettle-prop to be ready for breakfast, contrived to upset nearly the whole. The scene was melancholy and effective; the reverse of complimentary, were the observations of the rest of the party. Accidents will happen, so making the best of our loss, tea was substituted. Zachariah seemed more than any of the rest, disappointed and grieved, at what had occurred.
CHAPTER XII.
“Many times he would go into the forest of the peeke, and set up ther his tent, with great provision of viteles, and would remaine ther vii weeks or more hunting and making other worthy pastimes unto his company.”—Hunter’s South Yorkshire.