UNSUCCESSFUL FISHING--A MILITARY OFFICER--THE DERNIER RESSORT--OUR GIPSY RECEPTION--INTERRUPTED TOILETTE--FÊTE CHAMPÊTRE--DANCING ON THE GREENSWARD--TINCTURE OF CEDAR--THE DISAPPOINTMENT--THE LOSNA VAND--THE KETTLE PROP LOST--PEASANT CHILDREN--INTERESTING DISCUSSIONS--WRITING UNDER DIFFICULTIES--THE KINDLY HEART.
When frokost (Nor., breakfast) was over, we sent Noah and Zachariah to the Logan, with a fishing-rod each, and some trout-flies. Esmeralda stayed at the tents, and added to the remains of the former stock of soup, some rice, Liebig’s essence of meat, pea flour, and some mushrooms, gathered _en route_. She prepared some excellent soup for middags-mad (Nor., dinner). Esmeralda was standing outside the tents, when a traveller from Throndhjem came up with his Skydskarl from the road; he spoke to her in English, but she did not appear to understand him. When we came out of the tents, the stranger bowed, and said it was a pleasant way of travelling. He asked if we were Italians, at the same time looking at Esmeralda. We informed him the others were Romanys. He wished to know if we had our wife with us, and we informed him we were not married. Then our visitor asked how we managed in the rain, and when he had looked round our camp, politely took off his hat, and left. Noah and Zachariah returned without having had a rise. Leaving them in charge of the camp, Esmeralda and myself went to see a waterfall, but, missing our way in the forest, we returned laden with ferns, foxgloves, and lichens. We found at our camp a very respectably dressed young woman, accompanied by a girl with scanty white petticoat, barelegs and feet. Getting out our dictionary, we told them they should have some music, if they came at seven that evening. They mentioned otta klokken (Nor., eight o’clock), and it was so arranged. Noah and Zachariah having played them two or three tunes, our visitors left. The soup at dinner was excellent, and with some bread and butter, made a good meal. The weather now became very fine; we seated ourselves on a mossy bank, some short distance at the edge of the tangled thickets of the forest, which skirted our camp. Gleams of sunshine enlivened the scene. Esmeralda was busily cleaning our boots, when we noticed close to us, a tall, gentlemanly, Norwegian officer. He wore a military cap, and had come along a narrow pathway through the trees. We had not heard his footsteps, and as he paused for a moment, a faint smile seemed to play on his countenance. We bowed, and asked him if he spoke English, but finding he was not able to do so, we sent Noah to show him the donkeys. Noah was busily levelling, with our camp spade, certain inequalities of the small terrace near our camp, so that our visitors might have level turf for their dancing in the evening. When the officer returned, he appeared to wish to say something in English; a dictionary was handed to him, but that failing, Mr. Bennett’s “Dialogue Book” was given as a _dernier ressort_. Whilst he was in search of words, Esmeralda was busy brushing our clothes; sometimes he was turning over the pages, and sometimes he seemed rather astonished and amused at Esmeralda’s style of brushing, especially when she pulled our coat, and gave us a bang with the brush for not turning round. In vain he searched the “Dialogue Book,” and then he shook his head. Esmeralda completed her task, and declared we looked five pounds better. We then showed the officer the tents.