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Chapter 9 SIKKILDAL.

Word Count: 2387    |    Released on: 06/12/2017

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rning; and he abused Esau shamefully, because the latter wanted the eggs buttered and the Skipper wanted them fried. Esau laid down the axiom that 'no gentleman ever eats fried eggs,' in a peculiarly offensive manner, and proceeded further to make ill-natured remarks with reference to violet ink; and the Skipper retorted with the observation, 'Wish you'd bro

s boots and shaving, which he seems to do at the same time, so that one brus

birch and juniper from which to obtain our supply. We divide the altitudes rather differently from the system adopted by other great explorers. The lowest belt is that of pine forests and strawberries

reen; but at Sikkildals Vand it is very scarce, and so it took us quite a long time to collect enough dry wood to last our stay out, but it was done at last. We carried one canoe across th

m it, as rocks from time to time broke off and came crashing down; but our tent-though seemingly under this cliff-was well out of their reach. At the further end of the upper lake we could see an apparently impassable mountain ridge. Beyond this, about four miles further according to the maps, was Besse S?ter, a farm, or ranch, only one day's journey from our final resting-place. How we were to cross that mountain with our canoes and baggage, was a matter on

cturesque native costume which the people in these primitive regions still adhere to, especially on Sundays. The girls about here are rather pretty than otherwise, and these were a particul

to capture one by rapid paddling, in which endeavour he was nearly but not quite successful. There were

r boat-load and five or six strangers-quite a crowd: possibly they had been having a church

return to camp we concluded that this was the hour and we were the men to revel in a fiendish glut of capture. So there was a regular stampede in that camp, and after dinner we all went out armed to the teeth with rods

amp under a cloudy sky and with a chilly blast a-blowing, two forlorn youths, 'sa

two, but more difficult to catch fish in. The Skipper got some in it to-day, and they were larger fish than those of the lower lak

camp, at which they seemed much pleased. We took them short cruises in the c

des a certain number of good stallions, which are turned out on the fjeld and run with the peasants' mares, and that they take grea

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mes for the excellence of the sport, for we generally acquire a very keen appetite every three or four hours so long as the sun is performing his daily duty (of standing still while we circulate feebly round ourselves). He came back to the tent, presenting rather a distended appearance, having stuffed most of his po

per lake, and returned with the noble spoil of five sandpipers which he had shot o

destruction of a stoat was too much for him, and having chirped till two of them stood close together and a third just behind, he fired into the crowd and mortally injured the lot. Poor little things! It is rather a shame to kill them, f

r the surface of the deep, mosquitoes gathered round us in swarms, and a few spots of rain drove us home to the snug retreat of the tent, where

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id not like to catch any more-for it is against our principles to waste food wilfully, woeful want being too ne

out half an hour; before putting the pot in, all the embers and ashes are cleared out, and then raked back on to the top of the tin and all round it, and a small fire is kept going on the top. If well managed t

in the shape of food, ponies, and men, and whom we expect to meet at Besse S?ter. Peter had a great deal to tell us about all our affairs, which seem to be prospering under Jens' auspices. He talks English very badly, so the interview lasted some time, and then we pushed off and paddled straight away to the extreme end of

pe to follow its wanderings, if two men and horses-with whom we have made an arrangement to transport us-turn up. These two men and horses are the sole inhabitants of this v

at this hut several kinds of food are kept, such as tinned meats and beer. B-- and his friend have therefore been there shopping. The news of this hut is rather unpleasant to us, for Gjendin was chosen chiefly for its wildness and remoteness from civilisation, and now we are ha

cretly glad, as there was only enough soup for two; so we had a whisky 'skaal' (health-drinkin

rule they like it. We are not much of drunkards our

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