The Argosy — page 313: what you’re looking at

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

294 About Norway. deer moss and rough gorse that sank in as we walked over it, had the wind only been in a contrary direction, instead of cutting hail and freezing cold we should have found a glorious sun, brilliant skies, stretches of Arctic sea glowing with reflected midnight tints, a warm, balmy air. But that unfortunate mirage, so beautiful in itself, had announced the fate that awaited us, and sad was the disappointment. Nor did this untoward state of things cease with the North Cape, and the return journey became in consequence inexpressibly tedious. The fact of our vessel being as much a cargo as a passenger ship now grew unpleasantly apparent. Going up to the Cape, when everything was new and strange; every step of the way fresh ground, giving rise to a succession of rapid impressions; calling at the different stations had been not one of the least pleasant of the recurring incidents of the voyage. But now that cold and rain had succeeded warmth and sunshine, these frequent stoppages became wearisome to the last degree. And in returning, the ship seemed to have an unlimited amount of cargo to take on board, so that every now and then almost half a day would be lost at some small un- interesting station, whilst the hold was gradually being filled with dried stockfish, and the unhappy passengers were half poisoned with the smell that haunted them henceforth with too close a constancy : a familiarity that bred a very decided aversion. We left the North Cape on the Thursday night: the word night being a mere manner of speech, for it was distinguished from the day only by the revolution of the hours, not by the alternations of light and darkness. And yet much that we now saw was in reality new ground : for, as far as was possible, the steamer was so timed that those places passed in the night in going were passed 1 in the day in. returning. Thus, had the weather only proved propitious, all would have been well. But Friday passed, and Saturday, and still the skies wept. Sunday morning was gloomy, but the deluge had ceased. Before some of us were up the ship stopped at Sandtorvholm, and most of the passengers had landed to inspect the church of Throndenaes. — in the neighbourhood : said to be-one of the oldest and most curious churches in Norway. In about two hours’ time, or rather more, they all returned enraptured with their excursion. Have you ever observed, reader, that if anything is going on in which you have been accidentally left out: such for instance as a long-planned picnic, or an excursion like the present: everyone in returning, with malice prepense, will outvie everyone else in glowing descriptions of the irreparable loss you have sustained : until at last you are ready to send yourself to Coventry for your untoward fate, and your friends to Halifax for their too evident effort to excite your jealous regret. Soit was in this instance. When the passengers had returned to deck, mounting the ladder with more or less dignity, according to the bent of each mind, all tongues were loosened in a GoOmichboo (E(0)