“Now then, Noah, I can’t eat it!” We could not help laughing. Then it was tasted by ourselves. Esmeralda tasted it. Noah had literally deluged it with pepper. The soup was condemned. Noah took our anything but complimentary remarks upon his cuisine, with his usual good-temper, and, as if to show that the soup was really not so bad, he finished our shares as well as his own. Slices of bread and butter were cut for ourself, Esmeralda, and Zachariah, and we decided that Noah should never again attempt any culinary operations.
Hastily striking camp, all our things were packed and loaded. Our party left the camp ground at half-past five o’clock.
On the right of the road, going to Holmen, a short distance below our camp, we passed the mile-stone which marked two and a half Norsk miles, or seventeen and a half English miles from Lillehammer.
At Holmen bread could not be purchased, but we were told that we could get some at a house beyond, where Esmeralda afterwards bought eight loaves for two marks and a half. Several men followed us along the road to see our donkeys.
Passing a small sheet of water, some crows on the the bank were so tame that they allowed us to come close to them. The Norwegian crow has some white about it, but in size it is much the same as the English crow.
As we reached the shores of the Losna Vand, a long narrow lake, the rain clouds seemed to be gathering over some very picturesque mountains near its shores.[39] Coming to a small recess of ground, by a stream of water on the road side near the lake, a halt was called—in truth we were rather hungry. The remembrance of the hot soup had not become effaced from Zachariah’s memory. When our things were unpacked, it was at once discovered, that our kettle prop had been left at our last camp. We were much annoyed, not only on account of the difficulty of boiling our things, but with regard to making holes in the ground for our tent raniers. As a substitute for our lost kettle prop, two Alpine stocks were brought into use, and some twisted wire was fastened between them, to suspend our kettle over the fire. Whilst we were engaged in preparing our meal, the rain storm gathered on the hills at the head of the lake. All our baggage was safely stowed away under our invaluable siphonia tent cover. Esmeralda was also sheltered in a comfortable place amongst the baggage. As her brothers and ourselves were pouring out the tea, it began to rain heavily. Soon afterwards, we found the donkeys had strayed out of sight, and Noah had to follow them at least half a mile, before he could bring them back to the camp.
A woman soon made her appearance and begged. We think she lived in a house on the road side, not very far from where we were. Four skillings seemed to please her very much. Then came a little boy dressed in only a few rags, who seated himself near our camp as we were taking our breakfast. The rain had almost ceased for a short time. The boy looked so piteous, as we were demolishing, with considerable appetite, tea, bread and butter, and sardines, that we could not help giving him some bread and butter. The little fellow said nothing, but putting out his hand, he clasped ours with a look of intense gratitude. Then came three small girls, and they also had bread and butter. The rain recommenced, but, breakfast being finished, Esmeralda was carefully covered up. Noah and Zachariah immediately disappeared underneath some part of the waterproof and fell asleep. We retired also, with our head just out, so that we could observe the travellers passing along the road. Several peasants came up, and stared at the donkeys, as they stood in the rain, near our dark mass of siphonian waterproof, with nothing else to be seen, but our head. They asked a number of questions with very little result, after which the donkies were again examined. Their mouths were opened, teeth reckoned, and their conformation carefully noted. Their tails were handled. Sometimes one of the donkeys, on such occasions, would move his hind leg, and great was the rush to get out of his way. We were asked their ages. The visit generally wound up with an earnest discussion amongst themselves, in which we could distinguish the words asen (donkeys), and heste (horses), often repeated.
Another group of women and men soon came to the spot, and, as we rested on our elbows with our head, out of our waterproof, we were again the subject of farther interrogatory. It is probable they did not elicit much, though our vocabulary improved with the journey. A peasant drove up with a crippled militia man. The driver at once got down in haste. He was particularly curious about the donkeys; in fact the three donkeys were evidently expected to be seen somewhere on the route, and they had become the subject of eager anxiety.
At one time, we almost expected to see the lone figure of the Birmingham bagman, in the driving rain, on the lake side, hovering near our donkeys, but he never came. Rain, rain, ever rain. We tried to write our notes, but our pencil formed all kinds of arabesque lines in zigzag pattern, which still remain in our note-book, and we fell asleep. The falling book awoke us to consciousness, and the necessity for action. We gave Esmeralda some quinine and water, and took some ourselves. Taking advantage of a lull in the rain-storm, the order was given to pack up, and we were soon en route.
The Losna Vand is a picturesque lake, but its beauty would have been more appreciated on a fine day. Our party travelled on, till we crossed a bridge over a stream, at the foot of a wild gorge. At the house near, we obtained two loaves of rye bröd, and half a pound of butter for 9d. The rain poured down heavily. We took shelter from the driving rain and wind, for a short time, to the leeward of a small log hut, on the shore of the lake by the roadside, whilst the donkeys stood under the wall on the other side the road. The gipsies were as lively as usual, though they were wet through, and had no change. We had our light siphonia waterproof on, and Esmeralda her long Alpine cloak. The gipsies sang, whilst Zachariah tumbled, and danced, and laughed, and pulled all kinds of dreadful faces. Then Noah found a curious round stone of quartz, but it was too heavy to carry. Some women came and looked at us with curious interest. We did not stay long. Notwithstanding the wind and rain, we must continue our journey, till we come to some spot where we can camp. When we had passed a short distance along the road, an interesting child, who had come down from a log cottage above, offered us a skilling. The little girl and her parents had evidently commiserated our forlorn condition as nomad wanderers, and were anxious to give their unsolicited assistance. It will not be forgotten in their account with the next world. We were obliged to refuse, and, shaking the little girl by the hand, bade her farewell. May she have long happiness in life, as her kind heart deserves.