The Norwegian horses are, in general, superior to the Swedish. Entire horses are much made use of in the northern parts of the country.

The Norwegians, like the Swedes, are famed for their hospitality; a stranger, indeed, finds every door open to receive him. The manners and customs of the people are much the same in both countries. The Norwegians are passionately fond of music.

Excepting at Christiana, I saw little of society during my rambles in Norway. In that place it is on a very pleasant footing. From its being the seat of Government, a good deal of gaiety is generally going on. The Viceroy keeps up much state. Count Sandel filled that high office at the time of my visiting the capital. On one occasion, when I had the honour to dine at his Excellency's table, every thing was conducted in almost regal style.

Though the nobility are rather numerous in Sweden, this is far from being the case in Norway; indeed, at the present moment, there are only two titled families in that kingdom. The Norwegians are very democratic in their notions, for even these, by an act of Storting, will be extinct on the death of the present possessors.

Count Wedel Jarlsberg is the head of one of these families. This nobleman, who is possessed of very great talents, has acquired the universal esteem of the nation for his patriotism and devo

tion to the service of his country. The Count is a man of large fortune. He resides much at Bogstad, a beautiful place within a few miles of Christiana. Here, together with most of our countrymen who have visited Norway, I have been most hospitably entertained on several dif ferent occasions.

The Norwegian peasantry are a very fine race of people. Their houses, which are generally built on a similar plan to those in Sweden, are usually large and comfortable. It is a common practice among them to sleep between two feather-beds.

Nearly every description of game common to Sweden is to be found in Norway. There is the elk, the stag, the reindeer, and the hare; the capercali, the black-cock, the hazel-hen, the ripa, the woodcock, the snipe, &c. I am doubtful whether the fallow-deer or the roebuck are to be met with in that kingdom. The reindeer, in a wild state, are abundant in the Dovre, Hardanger, and other lofty mountain ranges.

Excepting as regards the elk and stag, I have reason to believe no laws exist in Norway for the preservation of other descriptions of game. I subjoin some information on that subject, which was kindly furnished to me in writing by General Baron Wedel Jarlsberg, the brother of the distinguished nobleman of whom I have just spoken. I give an exact transcript of the General's letters, which were penned in the English language.

"In reply to your inquiries of the 23rd ult. I beg to observe, that with us the chase is free, or nearly so; if not by law, at least in practice. With the exception of stags and elks, which may only be killed at a certain time of the year, and then only to a certain extent as to number, we shoot game of every description, both bird and beast, wherever we meet them, and at every season of the year, without let or hindrance. With regard to stags, the law, Christean V. book 5, chapter 10, provides:- Stags may not be shot except fourteen days before St. Bartholemy, (24th August,) and fourteen days after; and every owner is only allowed to shoot two stags in the year, under a fine to the King.' The same law farther enacts, No person is allowed to hunt or shoot stags in places where he has no lot or part in the ground, under a fine to the owner of the ground or soil, and to the King.' The same applies to those who hunt or pursue game with dogs in other men's woods. Bears and wolves you may kill or shoot wherever you find them; except the bear lies in his winter-quarters, when he is the property of the person on whose ground he lies.

"From the above, it appears, that sporting with dogs on another person's property, without permission of the owner of the soil, is not strictly legal, though it is what is practised daily; and from the great abundance of game, and the vast

extent of forests and tracts not under culture, the practice is seldom objected to. An act of the legislature of 22d June, 1824, confines the right of shooting elks to the owner of the soil where they are found, and forbids even him to shoot more than one deer every year, and that only from the 1st of July to the end of October.

"In reply to your inquiry, under January 20th, I have no hesitation in saying, that wherever 'stags' are spoken of in the Norwegian gamelaws, the common stag (cervus elaphus) is meant, and not the rein: fallow-deer and roes are not found in Norway, that I know of. Reindeer may therefore be shot without limitation as to number; but it is not quite clear to me that one would be justified in shooting them on another man's property without permission of the owner of the soil; such permission must at all events be had before you can legally hunt them with dogs."

CHAPTER XXIII.

Journey to Flisberg.-The Glutton.-The Rat.-Olof Mattsson.

AFTER leaving our bivouack, we struck through the country farther to the westward, but were singularly unlucky during this little expedition; for, though we did not meet with a bear, we roused one, as we subsequently learned, from his winterquarters. The tracks of the beast, however, were not seen until some time afterwards, when we had left that part of the country; and as there was no one to pursue him, he went off unmolested. The reason why his footsteps had not previously been seen, was owing to that part of the forest being far distant from the haunts of men. spot where the beast was couched was said to have been within a few hundred paces of our bivouack, and it was therefore to be presumed that we disturbed him when getting up a fire.

The

Though for several hours in the early part of the morning the snow was in tolerable order for our skidor, in the middle of the day it became partially melted, (such parts at least, as were ex