ripple the surface. Here we cast anchor, and were quietly informed by Laasen that here we must remain till the wind changed. The case was now all too clear, for the wind was careering madly up both channels. Anxious as we were to hasten to the north, the "fix" we were in was somewhat tantalising. But, to our great joy, about ten P.M., the wind so moderated and so veered as to admit of our tacking out by the northern passage.

Soon after noon, on the 30th, passing within shelter of low rocky islands, we entered the bay of Aalesund. Here we were twice boarded by custom-house officers, who were, however, very civil, and gave us no trouble; they were satisfied with asking the name and destination of our yacht, &c. We were never during the whole of our western cruise even asked for our passports. The harbour is good, and the place is one of the stations of the fortnightly government steamers. Aalesund is famous as the birth-place of Olaf, the great Scandinavian conqueror. Two of us landed, taking with us three large pitchers to be filled with milk and cream, which ranked among our principal luxuries. We succeeded after some difficulty and the payment of nineteen skillings. In prosecuting our search for it, we entered what proved to be the authorised store of the place, replenished with all kinds of goods, from broadcloth and canvass down to pins and sugar-candy. The storekeepers (called Handelsmaende) in the north are authorised by government, and enjoy a monopoly of the trade of the district. This custom is thought necessary, in order to induce persons of respectability to open shops, and it does not seem to be regarded as a grievance.

Aalesund is a clean and picturesque town, lying embosomed amongst mountains. Its population is about 900, reckoned large for these latitudes. Its wooden houses are painted white, and roofed with brilliant red tiles. The

houses are surrounded on the level of the second floor with heavy wooden galleries, in which the inhabitants are fond of lounging. There are large warehouses for storing wood, oil, and especially stock-fish. The situation of this little. town is beautiful, its general appearance lively and attractive, and such as to indicate a very tolerable amount of comfort, and even wealth.

During the evening we sailed past Molde, from which the magnificent scenery of the Romsdal may be said to commence. The view of the mountains at this point was very fine, even as seen from our position, some miles from land. About midnight we passed the lighthouse of Christiansund. About this point there are numerous reefs of sunken rocks, made apparent this night by the foam of the roaring breakers that boiled over them with tremendous fury. There was a heavy ground-swell, but it was not till it encountered one of these obstacles that it showed its terrible force. We felt here, as frequently in Norway, the solitude scarcely less than awful, as our little bark, alone upon the waters, threaded her way among foam-crowned reefs of sunken rock, while the only sounds that relieved the silence were the roar of breakers and the screaming of seabirds.

On the morning of the 1st of July we found ourselves off the lighthouse of Aedö, a small island north-east of Christiansund, but at no great distance from it. The wind had failed us in the night. We took advantage of the calm to write a batch of letters, to be ready for the Trondhjem post. At night we sunk an empty corked bottle by aid of a heavy lead, with a line of 222 fathoms in length, without reaching the bottom. On raising it to the surface again, we found of course that the cork had been thrust in by the pressure, and the bottle filled with water from below; the cork was thrust into its proper place again in reascending, only reversed.

The temperature of the water so raised was 45° Fahrenheit, the surface water being at the time 53°. The water from below was much salter, too, than the surface water.

On the morning of the 2d a brisk breeze was blowing, which took us rapidly up the Trondhjem Fjord. The scenery of this fjord is of no great interest, the hills being of low and uniform height, a great contrast to the fjordscenery to which we had lately been accustomed.

Owing to the extreme spaciousness of the houses, Trondhjem, which really contains only 14,000 inhabitants, occupies a large area, and would be supposed by a stranger at first sight to be much more populous, though the unfrequented state of the streets is calculated to correct such an impression. The houses are of wood, and painted for the most part of a reddish-brown colour, which gives the town a sombre appearance. The day of our arrival was cloudy and cold, and altogether our first impressions of this once renowned northern capital were of a somewhat gloomy cast. One redeeming feature was found in the bright show of flowers in almost every window, which throughout Scandinavia indicates the value of the inhabitants for the treasures of their brief summer.

The views of Trondhjem from the surrounding heights are pleasing, the ancient cathedral in the midst of the city, and the substantial fortress of Munkholm (Monk Island) in the bay, being among the most striking objects. The hills surround the upper part of the fjord so as to give it an entirely land-locked appearance, but are not to be compared in picturesqueness with those of Bergen. The account of Trondhjem given by Dr. Clarke, in which he describes it as unsurpassed by the Bay of Naples, must be set down to sheer enthusiasm.

On Sabbath, the 3d, we worshipped in the venerable cathedral amid a numerous congregation. The cathedral is still

an imposing building, though much fallen from its best condition, when surmounted by eighteen lofty spires. It was founded in the tenth century, and received numerous additions in after ages, but suffered severely from a fire which occurred in 1719. After service, passing into the churchyard, we witnessed a funeral. A band of youthful choristers chanted appropriate psalms around the open grave, while the officiating minister, making use of a tiny spade provided for the purpose, thrice cast upon the coffin after it was lowered, fine gravel, supplied in a box for the purpose, each time repeating the words, "From dust camest thou; in dust dwellest thou; from dust shalt thou arise." There was no prayer or address at the grave. The mourners wore crape on their hats. The relations, eight or ten in number, after the ceremony, ranged themselves in line before the door of the cathedral, uncovered and shook hands in silence with the guests as they departed. We saw three coffins deposited and the mourning groups retire, thus reminded that the essentials of man's brief history are in all lands the same, his life, his death, his heart-woes.

In this churchyard formerly stood the coronation chair, or throne, in which the Norwegian kings used to be crowned, and before which their subjects swore allegiance to them. It was of stone, with approaches on all the four sides.

Monday, the 4th of July, being King Oscar's birthday, we had the opportunity of witnessing the holiday aspect of the city. There was service in the cathedral in the forenoon. The place was densely crowded, and presented an imposing aspect. The interior of the cathedral is disfigured by successive tiers of pews one over the other, to the number in some parts of four. These were all thronged with gaily-attired citizens and peasants; and resembled more the boxes of a theatre than the pews of a church. The whitewashing of the interior greatly impairs the general effect.

An address was delivered by the Bishop on the mutual duties of princes and subjects. We were struck with the plainness of the assembled women, and with the numerous cases of decrepitude we observed.

After service, Mr. Knüdtzen (uncle of the consul), to whom we were indebted for much kindness and courtesy, conducted two of us to the residence of the Bishop, to whom he introduced us. The house of the Bishop bore the air of substantial comfort, not at all that of grandeur. Bishop Darrè is a man of refined and cultivated manners, and received us with charming courtesy. He had not yet doffed his official robes, and in his silk gown, great ruff, gold cross and chain representing some order, he presented a dignified and imposing appearance. We had much interesting conversation with him. He told us that there is not a little genuine piety in his diocese, especially among the peasants, who come often from distances of thirty or forty miles to church. He spoke hopefully, too, of the increasing piety of the youthful clergy. He asked, with much interest, what we could tell him about the growing desire for the Bible in Tuscany. He gave us also some account of the ambulatory character of the schools in remote parts of his diocese, similar to those in the West Highlands of Scotland.

We gladly availed ourselves of Mr. Knüdtzen's invitation to accompany him to a public dinner to be held in the clubhouse, in commemoration of the King's birthday. The party consisted of about seventy, including the principal civil and military authorities, all distinguished by some badge of office. The Bishop was also present. The courses somewhat resembled those of a German table d'hôte. The toasts were given between courses. "The King" was drunk with enthusiasm." Gamlè Norgè" (old Norway) was received with unbounded demonstrations of delight, the whole company rising and joining lustily in the beautiful national air, "For