Our gipsies had breakfast ready soon after 7 o’clock, and taking Noah with us, we found Mr. L. at Veblungsnœs. With his assistance we obtained from an excellent general shop, the only one of the kind apparently in Veblungsnœs, two bottles of very good port wine, for one dollar two marks twelve skillings, twelve pounds of brown sugar, for one dollar four skillings, or about eight shillings and eight pence English money; some brimstone and treacle for the gipsies, soap, and some small items came to another dollar. The owner of the shop, which contained a variety of almost everything, had a counting-house attached, where he changed for us a ten-pound Bank of England note, into a quantity of small money of the country. We forget his name. All tradesmen should have their name and address printed at the head of their bills, and give one on all occasions, so that chance customers may have some means of reference and recommendation. Noah was heavily weighted; more bread cost two marks four skillings, and some sundries, and gurnet for dinner, made our expenditure nearly another dollar. Mr. L. had read much in English, and, although he had never been in England, conversed with great ease and fluency in the English language. We returned to our camp, to meet Herr Solberg, the photographer.
The day was beautiful, Herr Solberg was ready with his apparatus. The photographer came from Molde; he is a tall, pale, quiet, intelligent man. Esmeralda had put our things ready, so that our toilette was soon made. As to herself, she was resplendent in the blue dress, plaid braid, and silver buttons. Her brothers had very few additions they could make, but Noah contrived to buy at Veblungsnœs a paper front and collar, which gave him immense satisfaction. Zachariah was in a melancholy temper; no one had bought him a churie (gip. shut-knife) at Veblungsnœs. His existence was blurred, his cheerfulness clouded, and his smile was gone.
THE ENGLISH GIPSIES’ CAMP AT VEBLUNGSNŒS.
About 12 o’clock Herr Solberg took his first stereoscopic view. Mr. L., some ladies, and one of our former visitors, a Norwegian captain and his son and children, came to our camp. The stereoscopic view was pronounced perfect. The donkeys were a success, and the wooded hill above our camp came out with the background exceedingly well. Another photograph of ourselves, tents and donkeys, was afterwards made, and also a carte de visite of Esmeralda, standing under a birch-tree, with her tambourine in her hand. On her finger is a silver ring, presented to her by one of our friends, as a memento of Veblungsnœs. As the ladies sat on the grass looking on, we set our musical-box to play near them, and so the day passed until 3 o’clock, when the sun having been too high and powerful for a good single photograph, Herr Solberg left us to have our dinner, and to return again at 4 o’clock. Our gurnet was very good, but exceedingly reduced in substance in boiling. Upon Herr Solberg’s return, he took another successful photograph of our camp, and left. The donkeys are very difficult to take, but by a happy chance they were exceedingly quiet at the right moment. The engraving now given, is taken from Herr Solberg’s photograph of our gipsy camp at Veblungsnœs.
Noah was soon required on duty. Having sufficient time before tea, we went to Veblungsnœs, and bought some sealing-wax and glue, whilst Noah went to a spirit store, kept by an old man, who had all the appearance of a jovial Bacchanalian. Two or three bottles of aquavit, or brændeviin, a sort of corn brandy, was bought by Noah. We afterwards imagined the bottles were filled with the dregs of one of the casks, perhaps, the brandy was therefore more potent. Certain impurities floating about did not inspire confidence. It was inferior to that we had purchased from the steward of the steamer at Lillehammer. The brandy was intended for our peasant visitors at camp. We were annoyed, but found they were not very squeamish, and seemed to like it; yet we wished to give them the very best, and were always ready to give the highest price.
Meat, or as it is called in Norwegian, kiöd, is not very obtainable. No butchers’ shops are to be met with at Veblungsnœs. No joints of meat hanging up for sale. Mr. L. believed that a large ox had been killed for the funeral of a substantial bonde, residing at a large house, on the high-road near Veblungsnœs church, and he would inquire. We had just returned to our camp when we received a letter from Mr. L. and went with the bearer to the bondegaard. They could let us have ten or fifteen pounds of beef, at ten skillings per pound. We went up some steps from the road to the house-door; but the atmosphere was too close for us to remain inside. Going with a man to a door at one end of the house, he entered a kind of cellar, and we were shown the meat in a cask. They kindly sold us ten pounds of the beef, which Noah took away. We paid four marks four skillings, or three shillings and nine pence English money value. Being uncertain when we should have another chance of buying fresh meat, we thought it desirable to save our stores as much as possible.
Visitors were at our tents when we returned for tea. Sounds of voices speaking nautical English met our ear: the skipper of the yacht “Claymore” introduced himself, with one of the yacht’s crew and their Norwegian pilot. The skipper said two or three young English gentlemen were cruising with their yacht, and she was at anchor in the Fjord[67] near Veblungsnœs. The yacht had reached Christiansand about the time we reached Christiania. We gave them some brandy, and the skipper seemed quite delighted to see anyone who could talk English. He told us they had an ancient claymore for a figure-head on board, and three dogs and a monkey. On leaving they said we might probably come to see the yacht before she left.
The Norwegian Sunday commences at 5 o’clock on Saturday afternoon. As usual, we determined not to allow any music in the evening, and we heard afterwards, the farmer, who was very scrupulous upon the observance of the Sunday, was much pleased.
When our Visitors from the “Claymore” were gone we were ready for tea. Zachariah was unable to eat any of the fried meat. Our can of water was boiled, and our beef fried, at our camp fire, at the bottom of the grassy knoll, on which our tents were pitched. A clear, winding, narrow brook, shaded by alder and birch bushes, rippled below us; the grass was short, having been newly mown, and the hay was taken away. A fine bold mountain rose before us, with rocky peaks, as we looked from Veblungsnœs. The summer’s sun had not melted all its winter snow. Its three peaks were called the King, Queen, and Bishop. After tea Captain C. came by our tents en route to the telegraph office. All were anxious to hear tidings of the war. Mr. L. coming to our camp soon after, told us the news, and we all walked together to Aak.