Amongst the party present were several members of the Diet (Storthing), which had recently refused the applications of the King for various grants of money. This subject excited much animated conversation, and the majority of the persons present expressed their approbation at so bold and independent a measure. This called forth a political toast relating to the situation of their country; when the whole company, elated with wine and conversation, simultaneously burst forth into the national chorus of Norway, which had been composed as a prize poem during the short struggle against the union of that country with Sweden, and which was much admired by the Norwegians, and on all occasions sung by them with the utmost enthusiasm of feeling; but, notwithstanding the liberal politics of the party, they drank Sir Humphry's toast—"The King of Norway and Sweden"—with much apparent loyalty.
A succession of toasts followed, the last of which recommended "The British Constitution as a model for all the world." With this sentiment the festivities concluded—a momentary silence ensued; the custom of the country assigned to a stranger the honourable office of returning to the host and hostess the thanks of the company for their hospitable reception; all eyes were anxiously fixed upon the English philosopher; and as soon as he was made acquainted with the duty he was expected to perform, he rose from his seat, and in allusion to the sentiment so recently drunk in compliment to himself, he proposed as a concluding toast, "Norwegian hospitality a model for all the world."
From Arendal the vessel proceeded to Laurvig, where she stopped only a few hours; but Sir Humphry seized this opportunity to go on shore to view the country, and he afterwards weighed the copper plates which had been attached to the ship in Christiansand, as the vessel was now to cross that deep bay, at the bottom of which is situated Christiana, the capital of the kingdom. The few plates were found to be in good order; and the results, which however must be allowed to have been very incomplete, confirmed, as far as they went, the conclusions to which he had been led by former experiments, viz. that 1/200 of iron surface was the proportion best calculated to defend the copper, without so overprotecting it as to favour the adhesion of marine productions; while they moreover proved that there is a mechanical as well as a chemical wear of the copper, which, in the most exposed part of the ship, and in the most rapid course, bears a relation to it of nearly 2 to 4.55.
The country increased in fertility towards the eastern parts of it; but it possessed much less beauty than the neighbourhood of Mandal.
As soon as Davy perceived that the vessel had to pass near the mouth of the Glommen, the largest river of Norway, he directed that she should enter it. Steam-boats appeared to have been entirely unknown in that part of the country. The inhabitants of the town of Frederickstadt were alarmed by the belief that the vessel was on fire, and they ran down to the beach in multitudes. As the vessel proceeded up the river, the people every where left their work, looked on awhile in silent amazement, and then shouted with delight.
The vessel anchored a mile below the great fall of the Glommen, called Sarpen, and which Davy visited on the following day (July 15). Three Kings of Denmark have visited this fall, and a name commemorates the spot whence they viewed this grand scene of nature. The fall is not one perpendicular descent, but consists of three sheets of water closely succeeding each other; and, by means of a barometer, he ascertained the entire altitude to be little more than a hundred feet. In comparing the character of this waterfall with those of the others he had visited, he observes, that size is merely comparative; and that he prefers the Velino at Terni, on account of the harmony that exists in all its parts. It displays all the force and power of the element, in its rapid and precipitous descent; and you feel that even man would be nothing in its waves, and would be dashed to pieces by its force. The whole scene is embraced at once by the eye, and the effect is almost as sublime as that of the Glommen, where the river is at least one hundred times as large; for the Glommen falls, as it were, from a whole valley upon a mountain of granite; and unless where you see the giant pines of Norway, fifty or sixty feet in height, carried down by it and swimming in its whirlpools like straws, you have no idea of its magnitude and power. Considering these waterfalls in all their relations, he is disposed to think, that while that of Velino is the most perfect and beautiful, the fall of the Glommen is the most awful.
On both sides of this fall are extensive saw-mills, with machinery of very imperfect construction. Davy spent some time with the proprietors of these mills, who were acquainted with the English language, and showed him every attention in their power. As an angler, he spoke with regret of the immense quantity of sawdust which floated in the water, and formed almost hills along the banks, and which, he observed, must be poisonous to the fish, by sometimes choking their gills, and interfering with their respiration.
From the Glommen the steam-vessel passed through the Svinesund to Strömstadt, the first town in Sweden beyond the frontier of Norway, from which Charles XII. essayed to besiege the neighbouring fortress of Frederickstadt in Norway. From Strömstadt, Davy set out on the 17th of July, and reached Gottenburg by land in two days, where he remained for a short time, in consequence of a slight indisposition. On his journey, he had a conversation with Oscar, the Crown Prince of Denmark, who, under the direction of Berzelius, had diligently devoted himself to the study of chemistry. He conversed with our philosopher upon various subjects connected with that science; and Davy, on his return to England, declared that he had never met with a more enlightened person.
The Crown Prince expressed great surprise, as indeed did every body in Sweden, on hearing that it was not Davy's intention to visit Professor Berzelius at Stockholm; and his astonishment was still farther increased, when he was informed by himself, that he came to Norway and Sweden with no other view than to enjoy the diversion of hunting and fishing! He however did by accident afterwards meet Berzelius, but his interview was but of short duration.
From Gottenburg he hastened to Copenhagen, where he renewed his acquaintance with Prince Christian of Denmark, cousin of the King, and heir presumptive of the crown; in whose company he had some years before observed an eruption of Mount Vesuvius. He also visited Professor Oersted, and earnestly requested that he might see the apparatus by which that philosopher had made those electro-magnetic experiments which had rendered his name so celebrated throughout Europe.