Winter. Spring. Summer. Autumn.
Christiania + 25° + 38° + 60° + 42°
Bergen + 36 + 45 + 58 + 48
Trondhjem + 24 + 35 + 61 + 40
North Cape + 24 + 30 + 42 + 32
The mean temperature at North Cape is 32°, the greatest cold arising
from north-east winds. Thunder-storms occur in winter, while west winds
cause dense fogs.
At the conclusion of Forbes’s “Norway” will be found a most interesting
map, with isothermal lines passing through those places which have
the same temperature in the months of January and July; and it is very
striking to notice that the July temperature of the north of Ireland
and Edinburgh is maintained through Norway as far as the Arctic Circle,
when it begins to deflect to the eastward, where the gulf stream’s
influence ceases.
[Illustration: _Stabur and Wooden Tankards._]
Again, the waterfalls are a great feature of this country. Some
one has depicted Norway thus [Symbol], and the Alps thus [Symbol].
There is much truth in this. The valleys running down to the fjords
produce immense precipices, down which rush the many waters of the
high plateaux of 3,000 or 4,000 feet; and in some parts these falls
are strengthened by the waters of the vast stretch of _sneebræden_,
or snow-fields, of which the Justedal and the Folgefond are the most
extensive.
The casual observer, looking at the map of Norway, would think it well
populated, but a few years ago its inhabitants numbered hardly more
than one-fourth those of London and its suburbs.[8] The names on the
map frequently represent mere stations, farms, _præstegaarden_, or
rectories, and villages are seldom seen. As in Scotland, the farmer
takes the name of his land. In fact, Norway and Scotland are very
closely allied to each other in many respects.
[8] Population of Norway, 1,150,000.
From the Runic downwards, the wood-carving of Norway stands alone for
distinctive characteristics, and is still carried on in every variety
by means of the simple national tolle-knife, which is ready for
everything.
The lintels and carvings of the _staburs_, or store-houses, in
Thelemarken have been already shown, but the most interesting specimens
are found in churches, where the tortuous lines are full of originality
and power of design. Serpents are ever-present and ever-varying,
the museums being rich in specimens of this ecclesiastical class of
work. Wood, and birch especially, is used for every kind of domestic
utensil, and ornamentation is very generally introduced. Some of the
old horse collars are beautiful, and are sometimes painted; tankards
are richly carved; spoons profusely so; and on some occasions the
bridegroom, if he be very expert, prepares a double spoon for the bride
and himself, wherewith to eat their porridge simultaneously. Drinking
bowls, salt-boxes, _mangel stoks_, are all carved; and this art is much
encouraged by the long winter evenings.
The old silver of Norway is so large a subject that a series of
illustrations would be necessary to do justice to the matter; but
its day is fast passing away. The peasants and fishermen have found
new outlets for their earnings, and the time has gone by when they
wondered what new thing they could have made in the precious metal;
in fact, electro-plate is now invading Gamle Norge. May the _bönder_
select the blessings of civilisation and eschew its evils! May their
home happiness and love be ever-increasing, and the kind welcome which
we have so often experienced never decrease in heartiness! For a time
farewell!