The Argosy — page 314: what you’re looking at

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

About Norway. 295 full chorus of praise of what they had seen and done: the charming road; the luxurious vegetation ; the quaint church ; the curious fish- faced people. One of the party, indeed, with the true ring of small venom in his voice, remarked that it was the most glorious walk he had ever enjoyed in the whole course of his existence. We were led to suppose that we had missed the very gem of the voyage. Perhaps the most amusing part of the whole thing was, that shortly before the return of the absentees, A. had said with a laugh: “Take notice that they will come back full of raptures, full of supreme pity for those who were left behind: we shall have missed the most glorious thing out.” So when his words came to pass he turned with a quiet “T told you so.” But the glowing description so worked upon the feelings of the two American ladies that wailing and lamentation ensued on their part. Possessing, in their knowledge of human nature, the harm- lessness of the dove but not the wisdom of the serpent, they accepted as literal and undisputed fact every word that was said, and were almost beside themselves with remorse. The Captain, who happened to be standing near them, could not resist their appeals and offered to land them in their turn, The ship was not yet ready to start; they might land, see the church, and go on to the further shore ; whilst the vessel would round yonder point and put in to pick them up. This was very satisfactory, and too kind an offer to be refused. So the ladies hastily got ready, and being unprotected, A. and I offered to accompany them. We started, a small and select party, with two boatmen to put us ashore and act as guides. After a short row we landed and commenced our walk. It certainly was a very pleasant one, though it did not merit all the praises lately sung in ‘ts favour. A long undulating road led us between low green banks adorned here and there with small clusters of birch-trees and stunted shrubs: evergreens that refreshed the eye after the monotony of the sea: but we saw nothing more “ luxuriant ” than this, ‘There was a lightness in the air at once buoyant and refreshing. To our left the sea plashed soothingly upon the beach. Out upon the blue waters the ship was still taking in her cargo. We felt rather like being cast upon a desert island, and wondered what would become of us if the vessel went to one part of the island and we to another, so that we finally missed one another. It was quite an alarming thought, and the ladies turned pale as they gave utterance to it and clung to each other for consolation—as we all turn to those who have the first claim upon our affections when trouble lays his rude hand upon us. But we had faith in our amiable captain, and this thought restored tranquillity to their agitated minds. Presently we came to a few scattered houses, and looked for the inhabitants, who, in this and other parts of this northern coast, are said to resemble fishes, from the fact that they have little else to live upon. We detected no resemblance, but as only two or three people COMICOOOKS.GO An