Ancient and Modern Trondhjem. -- Runic Inscriptions. -- A Famous
Old Cathedral. -- Local Characteristics. -- Romantic Story of
King Olaf. -- Curious Local Productions. -- An Island Prison. --
Lafoss Falls. -- Corn Magazines. -- Land-owners. -- Wood-cutters.
-- Forests. -- A Tumble Overboard. -- A Genuine Cockney. --
Comparative Length of Days. -- Characteristics of Boreal Regions.
-- Arctic Winter Fisheries. -- The Ancient Cathedral Town of
Lund; the Oxford of Sweden. -- Pagan Times.
Trondhjem is situated on a fjord of the same name occupying a
peninsula formed by the river Nid, and is surrounded by beautiful and
picturesque scenery. A delightful view of the town and its environs
may be had from the old fort of Kristiansten. Here resided the kings
of Norway in the olden time. It is now a thriving but small city, the
seat of a bishopric, and contains a Royal Academy of Sciences, a
Museum embracing some remarkable examples of ancient weapons besides
well-preserved armor, and there is here also a good Public Library.
The Cathedral of St. Olaf is quite famous, being the finest Gothic
edifice in all Scandinavia, and the only local object of special
interest to the traveller. In the eleventh and twelfth centuries it
was the burial-place of the kings of Norway. It is built in its
modern form of a soft gray stone which was quarried near the town,
but the older walls and foundation date back many centuries, it
being the restoration of a much more ancient church which was
partially destroyed by fire in the year 1719. For many centuries
carving in stone and wood has been a specialty in Scandinavia. The
old Runic inscriptions are all carved in stone. Some of these works
going back seven or eight hundred years, are of the most quaint and
curious character. In this old cathedral there is a fine display of
carvings in the way of bosses and capitals. Some of the Swedish
churches exhibit similar specimens of rude art, which are of great
interest to antiquarians. The Trondhjem cathedral contains a copy of
Thorwaldsen's Christ, the original of which is in the Frue Kirke at
Copenhagen. This colossal figure seen in the dim light of the
cathedral eloquently expresses its inscription: "Come unto me all ye
that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Many of
the tombs in the cemetery adjoining the cathedral were observed to be
decked with flowers so fresh as to indicate frequent renewals, and
yet many years had intervened since the date borne by the stone slabs
above the dead who were thus gracefully remembered. The
Scandinavians, like the Turks, make the graves of the departed a
pleasant resort for leisure hours. The services performed in the old
cathedral were those of the English Church on the occasion of our
visit, which was on a Sunday; but the attendance was so small as to
be remarked upon, not fifty persons being present, though there is
quite a colony of English residents here.
After Christiania and Bergen Trondhjem is the next largest town in
Norway, having fully twenty-five thousand inhabitants and enjoying
quite an active commerce, as its shipping indicated. The
thoroughfares are broad and cheerful, and are liberally and
tastefully adorned with a fine growth of trees. The Kongensgade
(King's Street), two hundred feet in width, runs from end to end of
the city, and with the Munkegade, divides it like a cross. The latter
street intersects the great market-place, which is in the centre of
the town. The principal shops are found on the Strandgade. The
houses, rarely over two stories in height, are painted white and
roofed with red tiles, like scarlet caps upon light-haired men. The
facades are full of windows, which in turn are crowded with growing
and blooming plants. The irregularity of the cobble-stones used as
pavements for the streets renders pedestrianism very uncomfortable,
and riding in a vehicle even more so. The Arsenal on the left bank of
the Nid was once the palace home of the ancient kings, and the royal
throne is still exhibited to the curious visitor, preserved in an
unused portion of the structure. Those familiar with Scandinavian
history will remember that Trondhjem was founded about a thousand
years ago by King Olaf Trygvason, upon the site of a much older city
named Nidaros. There is certainly nothing visible to indicate its
great antiquity. The adventurous life of King Olaf, which recurs to
us in this connection, may be outlined in a few words, and is more
romantic than that of any other ruler of Norway known to us. Born a
prince, he barely escaped assassination at the hands of the usurper
of his rights, by fleeing from the country in charge of his mother.
They were captured by pirates, separated and sold into slavery. Then
followed a period of deprivation and hardship; but at a comparatively
early age Olaf was opportunely discovered and ransomed by a relative
who had never ceased to seek for the missing youth. He soon after
became a distinguished sea-king, of that class which we call pirates
in our day. His career in this field of adventure is represented to
have been one of daring and reckless hardihood, characterized by
merciless aggression and great success. Finally Olaf married an Irish
princess, embraced Christianity, and fought his way to the throne of
Norway, assuming the crown in the year of our Lord 991. From this
time he became a zealous missionary, propagating his faith by the
sword; and like all other religious zealots he was guilty of
outrageous acts of cruelty, proving the axiom that "the worst of
madmen is a saint run mad." Seven years subsequent to the last named
date he destroyed the Pagan temple of Thor and Odin at Trondhjem,
with all its venerated idols. Upon the site of this temple he built a
Christian church, making the city his seat of government; and so it
remained the capital down to the time of the union with Denmark. Olaf
was slain in battle while fighting for his throne, and was canonized
by the church, his shrine at Trondhjem being for centuries a Mecca
for pious pilgrims from all parts of Europe. In such veneration were
the memory and services of this converted pirate held by a certain
class of religionists, that churches were erected in his name at
Constantinople and elsewhere. His body lies buried in the present
cathedral; and, remarkable to relate, it was found to be incorrupt so
late as 1541, according to reliable historical record, at which time
the tomb underwent an official examination induced by some State
question of importance. It was in this cathedral that Bernadotte was
crowned King of Norway, in 1818; Oscar I., in 1844; Charles XV., in
1860; and Oscar II., the present sovereign of the two Kingdoms, in
1873.
In some of the fancy-goods shops on the Strandgade one can purchase
silver ornaments of native design and workmanship, quite as original
and peculiar as those produced at Trichinopoly in middle India, or at
Genoa in Italy. Choice furs, such as delicate and well-cured skins of
sable and fox, can be had here at reasonable rates, made up in the
form of simple mantles and robes. It was observed that upon entering
a shop here the customer invariably removes his hat out of respect to
the store-keeper, whether man or woman, and remains thus uncovered
while perfecting his purchase. Courtesy is a cheap though potent
commodity, and wholesome lessons may often be acquired in unexpected
places. One curious local production was observed in the form of
eider-down rugs, capes, cloaks, and the like, which were also seen at
Christiania. One very fine specimen was in the form of a cloak
designed for ladies' wear, but which seemed to be rather an expensive
luxury at the price asked, which was a thousand dollars.
A short walk from the town brings one to Hlade, where stands the
famous, or rather infamous, Jarl Hakon's castle, and from whence he
ruled over the country round about with an iron hand in the olden
time. He was a savage Heathen, believing in and practising human
sacrifices, evidences of which are pointed out to the curious
visitor. About a mile from the town, in the fjord, is the island of
Munkholm, once the site of a Benedictine monastery, as its name
indicates, and which was erected in 1028. The base of one of the
towers, mouldering and moss-grown, now only remains. Victor Hugo
graphically describes this island in his "Han d'Islande." Here the
famous minister of Christian V., Griffenfeldt, was confined for many
weary years. His crime was absolutely nothing, his incarceration for
this long period being purely the result of political intrigue. When
he was finally brought to the scaffold for execution, a messenger
interrupted the headsman at the last moment, and announced a pardon
from the King. "The pardon," said the worn out sufferer, "is severer
than the penalty!"
A walk or drive of three or four miles up the beautiful valley of the
Nid carries one to the Lafoss Falls, upper and lower, situated about
a mile from each other; and though classed among the ordinary
waterfalls of Norway, they are superior to anything of the sort in
Switzerland. The upper fall is nearly a hundred feet high, with a
width of five hundred feet; the lower one is eighty feet in height
and about one third as wide as the other. The falls of the Rhine at
Schaffhausen may be compared to them; but these Scandinavian falls
are more remarkable in size, as well as more perpendicular. They are
annually visited by large numbers of tourists from Europe and
America, and have, like all such strong demonstrations of Nature, an
individuality quite impressive. The salmon-fishing in this
neighborhood is said to be the best in the country. The topographical
formation of Norway precludes the extensive building of railroads,
but three thousand square miles of the kingdom are covered with lakes
which greatly facilitate inland communication. Lake Mjoesen, already
spoken of, and Randsfjord are respectively sixty and forty-five miles
long. The hundreds of fjords which indent the west coast form another
system of waterways, the four largest being the Hardangerfjord,
Sognefjord, Porsanger, and Christiania. The population concentrates
on and about these natural means of communication, and thus all are
more or less utilized. About the shores of the Trondhjemfjord are to
be seen delightful green fields and thrifty farms, vegetation
advancing as if by magic under the continuous heat of the ardent sun.
The latitude here is 64 deg. 65'. The mean annual temperature is set
down in the local statistics at 42 deg. Fahrenheit, which it will be
found by comparison corresponds with the winter temperature on the
southern coast of England.
We were here told of a system of storage for grain, long established,
but which was quite new to us, and which as a local expedient appears
to possess considerable merit. It seems that there are what is called
Corn Magazines organized in various districts, to which farmers may
send a portion of their surplus produce, and whence also they may be
supplied with loans of grain when required. The depositors receive at
the rate of twelve and a half per cent increase upon their deposit of
grain for twelve months, and the borrowers replace the quantities
advanced to them at the expiration of the same period, paying an
interest of twenty-five per cent in kind. The difference in the
amount of interest on the grain received and that loaned pays the
necessary expenses of storage and of sustaining the system. As the
sole object is the mutual benefit of all concerned, no profit above
actual expenses is demanded or considered to be desirable. The
necessity for these magazines is owing to the precarious character of
the crops,--a peculiarity of which is that there may be an abundance
in one locality, and a partial or even total failure of the crop in
another, though they may be separated by only a few miles from each
other. These granaries are fostered by the Government.
As one travels northward, it is found that farming as a permanent
occupation gradually and naturally ceases. The populace, gathered
about the fjords in small villages, devote their time to fishing,
trading in skins, reindeer-meat, and the like. In middle and
southern Norway, where farming is the principal occupation of the
people, at the death of the head of the family the land belonging to
the deceased is equally divided among the surviving children. No
estates are entailed in this country. The division of real property
tends to foster a spirit of independence and self-respect which will
be looked for in vain among those nations where the land is in the
possession of the few. It is a remarkable fact that the number of
landed proprietors in Norway, in proportion to the aggregate of the
population, is greater than in any other country in Europe. Reliable
statistics show that there is here one estate for every twenty-two
persons; while in Scotland, for instance, there is but one for each
seven hundred! The Scandinavian farmer is neither poor nor rich; he
raises from his own soil nearly all the necessities of life, even
including the family clothing,--exchanging a small portion of his
surplus for such articles as he requires, but which are not of home
product. The average farms in Norway consist of from sixty to
seventy-five acres each, though some are much larger. This does not
include a certain portion of mountain pasturage, only available in
summer, but which is attached to every farm located in the valleys,
known (as already described) as the saeter.
The mountain scenery of the northern part of the country, especially
near the coast, is not excelled in its bold and rugged character in
any part of the world. Norway is here very sparsely inhabited,--a few
huts, as we have shown, being occasionally perched upon elevations
which seem to be accessible to eagles and reptiles only, where
footways or narrow paths are built upon piles across gaping ravines,
or are formed of timber suspended by chains securely fastened to the
rocks. The inhabitants of these desolate regions find occupation and
procure a precarious living by cutting wood for fuel, which they
transport upon their backs, or by the production of charcoal. In the
more accessible places they cut timber for building purposes, which
they float down the seething rapids and tortuous rivers to the
villages and cities. Occasionally these people kill a bear or trap a
wolf, from which sources they realize both food and a small
government bounty in money. The fir, the pine, and the white birch
abound, the first growing at an elevation of twenty-five hundred feet
above the level of the sea. Now and again the eye is arrested by the
gracefully-disposed mountain-ash, heavy with clusters of red berries;
and often intermingled with the undergrowth, the pale dog-rose is
seen growing far beyond the reach of human hands. In Sweden there are
immense forests of firs hundreds of miles in extent, where the aspen
and mountain-ash also abound. The oak is rare, but is found well
developed in some of the southern districts of both Norway and
Sweden. Wood is almost universally used for family fuel, as well as
for manufacturing purposes, though some considerable quantities of
peat are realized from the bogs in some of the southern districts,
which is also consumed in domestic use.
The usual route of those who seek to gain a view of the "midnight
sun,"--that is, of witnessing the phenomenon of the sun passing round
the horizon without sinking beneath it,--is to depart from Trondhjem
by sea for the North Cape, skirting the iron-bound coast for a
distance of about seven hundred miles. This was the route taken by
the author, and over which he will ask the reader to accompany him.
As the steamer was just casting off her shore-lines and getting
underway, a passenger who seemed to have been accidentally detained
came running down the pier to get on board, in doing which he missed
his proper footing and fell into the water alongside. He was promptly
relieved from his somewhat perilous position, but in a decidedly
dripping condition. After descending to his cabin for a short time he
appeared in more presentable shape, wearing a plaid travelling suit
which was rather "loud" in the size of the diagonal figures. He wore
a single eye-glass, stuck after the English fashion before his right
eye, depending from which was a thin gold chain. His principal
occupation seemed to be the manipulation of that eye-glass, shaking
it out of place by a vigorous jerk of the head, and replacing it
again incessantly. The fellow was an unmistakable cockney, and a more
verdant specimen it would be difficult to conceive of. His great
simplicity as exhibited at times was almost beyond belief. He
appeared to be travelling alone, but though evidently near his
majority he was scarcely fit to do so. His ideas of geography, or
indeed of whither we were sailing, seemed to be ludicrously
involved. A Yankee schoolboy of ten years would have proved to be a
veritable Solomon compared with our cockney fellow-passenger.
As we sail northward, the rapid lengthening of the days becomes more
and more obvious. At Lund, in the extreme south of Sweden, the
longest day experienced is seventeen hours and a half; at Stockholm,
two hundred miles farther north, the longest day of the year is
eighteen hours and a half; at Bergen, in Norway, three hundred miles
north of Lund, the longest day is nineteen hours; and at Trondhjem,
five hundred miles north of Lund, the longest day is twenty-one
hours. Above this point of latitude to the North Cape there is
virtually no night at all during the brief summer season, as the sun
is visible, or nearly so, for the whole twenty-four hours. From early
in May until about the first of August, north of Trondhjem, the stars
take a vacation, or at least they are not visible, while the moon is
so pale as to give no light, the Great Bear puts by his seven
lustres, and the diamond belt of Orion is unseen. But the heavenly
lamps revive by the first of September, and after a short period are
supplemented by the marvellous and beautiful radiations of the Aurora
Borealis. Winter now sets in, the sun disappears entirely from sight,
and night reigns supreme, the heavens shining only with subdued
light. Were it not for the brilliancy of the Auroral light, the
fishermen could hardly pursue their winter vocation, that being the
harvest-time with them, and midnight is considered to be the best
period of the twenty-four hours for successful fishing in these
frosty regions. In and about the Lofoden Islands alone five thousand
boats are thus regularly employed at the height of the season, giving
occupation to from twenty to twenty-five thousand men. These people
are mostly Scandinavians, properly so designated; but other countries
also contribute their quota to swell the number, many coming
especially from northern Russia and northern Finland east of the
Bothnian Gulf.
Though Lund is not in the direct route over which we propose to take
the reader, still having mentioned this ancient and most interesting
locality, a few words in relation to it will not be out of place.
To-day it has a population of some twelve or fifteen thousand only,
but according to popular tradition it was once a city of two hundred
thousand inhabitants, and was a famous and flourishing capital two
thousand years ago, long before the birth of Christ. Its former
churches and monasteries have crumbled to dust, the grounds and
neighborhood being now only remarkable for the beautiful trees which
have sprung up and covered the wrinkles that ruthless time has scored
upon the face of the earth. The Lund of our day is a sleepy, dreamy
old town, called by some the Oxford of Sweden, because of the
acknowledged excellence of its University. The number of students
attached thereto we could not learn, but we saw them in goodly
numbers, living in separate lodgings about the town and only coming
together at the period of recitations and public lectures. The system
of instruction here is unique; enough was learned to satisfy one of
that, but the details were not clearly defined.
Lund has also its cathedral, a noble Norman structure dedicated to
Saint Lawrence, and which is all things considered one of the finest
in Sweden, though it is a little grotesque by reason of the
marvellous giants and impossible dwarfs sculptured upon the pillars
of the interior. It was founded in the eleventh century, and has been
more than once fully renovated. The town is of easy access. One has
only to cross the Sound from Copenhagen, and it is richly worth
visiting. It was a "holy" city in Pagan times, containing in those
days temples to Odin and Thor, and was especially remarkable for the
ceremonies which took place there connected with the worship of these
Heathen deities, accompanied by human sacrifice.