The Argosy — page 139: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

125 About Norway. This was not very encouraging. We had yet to discover that all such remarks must be taken for what they are worth: according to the knowledge of the speaker; and especially as regards his power and capacity for appreciating the scenes he has visited. A stress might well be laid upon these words, for experience proves more and more that only a certain number of those who travel really take in and appreciate the beauties of nature, and consequently possess opinions worthy of credit and attention. Within an hour of being told that to go beyond Tromdhjéek was little less than folly, we were again called upon to give a second questioner the same interesting information as to our plans. ‘A charming trip that to the North Cape,” he returned. ‘ But everything worth seeing comes after Frouchjem. T his side the old town, the journey is dull and tedious.” Here, in the course of an hour were diametrically opposed opinions from two men, each professing perfect knowledge of the subject. And this experience followed us throughout Norway wherever advice was sought: a contradiction of opinions so bewildering, that at last we gave up making enquiries, judged for ourselves, and were satisfied with the results. There are, of course, many whose advice may be trusted, but it is difficult to find them out by intuition. As to the guide books—Murray, though good in many partic- ulars, was somewhat bewildering: Baedeker was not then published: whilst Bennett’s Guide, though excellent as far as it goes, is limited. Nevertheless it is of great use, and no one going through Norway should be without it. Thus, on our first arrival at Christiania we should have been lost but for calling upon Mr. Bennett for information. This he gave at once, to us as to everyone, in the readiest and most obliging manner. We had a week in which to reach Bergen, and wished to see as much as possible of the best part of the country lying between that port and Christiania; including the Morkefos or Vettisfos, a chief waterfall of Norway, of which we had heard wonderful accounts. Mr. Bennett jotted down a route, giving to each day its appointed work, each night its place of rest. This was followed out with great success. Neither at the hotel nor elsewhere, could any reliable in- formation be obtained. Even those who inspected our plan shook their heads and said they knew nothing about the matter, In the slowness of their trains the Norwegians excel the Dutch ; and yet the latter, for this merit or defect, according to the ithe nerves, and tancy of the individual traveller, may plate themselves at the head of other European countries. But here all comparison ends, for whilst the Dutch possess but a small territory sufficiently intersected by lines, Norway with its great tract of country has scarcely any rail- ways at all. Nor is it probable that she will ever be much better off in this respect. The land is so thinly populated that railroads could never pay. From the Inlly nature of the country their construction COMIC OOOKSs.E@) m