CHAPTER VII.
UP THE CHRISTIANIA FJORD.
“I should like to know where this place is,” said Ryder, the second master, as he appeared upon the quarter-deck of the ship, with one of the forty bound volumes of Harper’s Magazine, which were contained in the library.
“What place?” asked Lincoln, the third lieutenant, as he glanced at the volume.
“That’s more than I know; but here is a picture of a steamer between two high bluffs of rock, and under it, she is said to be entering the fjord.”
“We are just at the mouth of the fjord now, and if there are any such rocks as those here, I should like to see them. Why, you see they rise above the steamer’s main-topmast.”
Lincoln took the book, and read the description; but he was none the wiser for his labor, for the narrow strait through which the steamer in the picture was passing was not particularly described. The book was shown to the pilot, who did not know just where the place was; but after he had been told that the steamer came from Gottenburg, and was on her way to Christiania, he thought that the bold rocks must be in the vicinity of Frederiksværn. He offered to take the ship through the pass, as the wind was fair, and Mr. Lowington consented that he should do so, for in order to enable the students to see the fine scenery on the fjord, the studies were to be laid aside for the day.
“I don’t see where there can be anything like this,” said Ryder, as he surveyed the shores.
“There are plenty of islands here, but certainly none of them rise to any such heights as those in the picture,” replied Lincoln. “They are bare rocks out at sea, but some of them are a little green farther in. It don’t begin to be so wild as I supposed it was in these parts. Why, I have read and heard so much about the Christiania Fjord, that I supposed it was the grandest scenery in the world.”
“It don’t look much like the picture—does it?” laughed Ryder.