THROUGH NORWAY WITH A ENAPSACK. * THE Sea-Serpent is no longer

a mystery ; Mr. W. Mattieu Wil- liams has caught the father of all the sea-serpents, and not only caught but anatomized it. In June last, some hours before sun- set on a long Norwegian summer's day, he laid hold on the monster, and here is the account he gives of its appearance and structure.

" At about eight in the evening, as we approached the Satten fiord, lat. 67°, I observed a curiously-shaped ship, and tried to define it with the tele- scope. Presently it diminished to half its former size, then rose again, but was then seemingly undermined by a sort of notch, or open angle formed by one portion of it with the surface of the horizon. Further examination showed that it could not be a ship, and many opinions were expressed con- • Through Norway with a Knapsack. By W. 'Mattieu Williams. Published by Smith, Elder, and Co. earning it • but at last I discovered its real nature. It was the head of the veritable Kraken,' the great Scandinavian sea-serpent ; the angle being the monster's mouth, his upper jaw only being above water. The folds of his enormously long body were seen. stretching along the horizon, now rising, now sinking, all in continuous motion. At the most moderate cal- culation, its length must have been three or four miles, from the uplifted head to the last visible fold ; and how far the point of its tail might be from that I will not venture to conjecture. It continued moving, and sometimes the greater part of it disappeared all at once : at one moment the head dis- appeared almost entirely, at another time only the head and the extreme folds were visible, then more than half of the tail end had gone. Why, then, have neither geologists nor fishermen found any fossil or recent re- mains of this creature ? Simply because they have not properly sought for them : the petrifactions exist abundantly. They may be found hereabouts —in the form of low rocky ridges, stretching in long lines, with spaces of sea between them, like the Hestmann's messengers. Some start abruptly out of the water, and rise to fifty, a hundred, or more feet in height ; these are the heads, the low ridges are the coils of the body, of the Kraken.

" Towards the end of a long, clear, glaring summer's day, after the sun's rays (which here are powerful to a degree incredible to those who have not felt them) have been for eighteen or twenty hours continually, pouring upon these rocks, which from the nature of their service are excellent absorbers of heat, they become considerably hotter than the surrounding sea, and are covered with a layer of rarefied air, continually ascending and waving about, and refracting, the light very differently from the denser air over the intermediate sea. Now let us suppose a line of these low rocks just visible above the horizon, and between them and the spectator's eye a number of other low rocks, which he, raised on a ship's deck, looks over. It is evident that as he moves along he will see a particular point on the horizon some- times over an unbroken line of sea, or sometimes over one or more of these low, warm rocks, with a rarefied atmosphere above them. Any one who is acquainted with the rudimentary principles of optics will perceive that, under these circumstances, an apparent undulating motion would be given to objects on the horizon ; they would appear to rise or fall, according as he viewed them through a denser or a rarer atmosphere ; and thus the waving of the coils of the serpent's body is accounted for. This may be illustrated by holding a hot poker between the eye and a distant object which is seen just over the poker."

The undermining of the head rock forming the serpent's up- lifted jaw is explained by a well-known law of optics, from which it results that light cannot pass from a dense into a rare medium at angles exceeding a certain degree of obliquity, but must be reflected from the surface of the latter. Hence under certain cir- cumstances the thinnest film of air is absolutely opaque and shines like the brightest polished silver. This effect may be exemplified by blackening a plate of metal over the flame of a lamp, and cautiously immersing it when cold in a tumbler of water : then if it be looked at obliquely through the water, the blackened surface disappears, concealed by the silvery mirror-like film of air which adheres to it. If the blackened plate be laid horizontally at the bottom of an aquarium and viewed through the sides, it will explain the mirage of the desert, the film of air on the plate repre- senting such a mirror as that which is formed by the hot air over the distant sands, and which the spectator, with his head sur- rounded by a denser stratum, looks on very obliquely, and mis- takes for a sheet of water. This is not the common explanation of the phenomenon, but it appears to be the true one ; and Mr. Williams shows that the same principle applies to the sea-serpent and his uplifted jaw.

" Let us suppose one of these island rocks to have a sloping shore, or that there is a reef of low rocks close to it ; these, being heated, will be covered with a film of rarefied air clinging to them for a while before ascending. Such rocks, or sloping coast, when near the horizon, will be seen at an obli- quity sufficient to produce a mirage ; this, the necessary obliquity, will be maintained up to a certain height of the slope, and, so far, the dark rock will be invisible, and its place occupied by a bright reflecting surface. The light, thus reflected, will be scarcely distinguishable from the transmitted light of the horizon, and hence it appears (unless carefully observed) that the bright part of the rock or shore is transparent, or that the rock is cut off from below : hence the gaping jaw."

It is confirmatory of Mr. Williams's theory that Pontoppidan de- scribesthe Kraken, as looking at first " like a number of small islands surrounded with something that floats and fluctuates like sea- weeds"; and that in a paper by the Bishop of Bergen, himself a believer in the existence of the monster, it is stated that " the in- habitants of the island of Herroe at Sondmor see the serpent every year for a couple of months in summer, whenever the weather is fine and the sea calm "; that is to say, at the only time when it would be possible to see it, according to Mr. Williams's theory.

We have plunged abruptly into the middle of Mr. Williams's book for the preceding matter, and placed it in the front of our notice, both on account of its intrinsic interest, and because it is characteristic of the very instructive and amusing work from which it is taken. Its author is what the Rector of Eversley delights to call himself—a minute philosopher ; he is subtle in ob- servation, and happy in the art of joining and assimilating the new facts he perceives with his previous knowledge. Thus he often arrives at very interesting and intelligible solutions of grand and complex phenomena, and hits upon practical devices of great utility. For instance, he has invented an incomparable knapsack, of which no pedestrian tourist who values his own comfort and health should fail to possess himself ; he has taught how to fur- nish it to the best advantage ; how the traveller in Norway should dress ; and how with a stock of but two shirts he may every day en joy the luxury of a clean one by being his own laundryman. Mr. Williams is a model pedestrian traveller, and his book is the best guide we know of for those who intend to explore Norway on foot. He piques himself, not without reason, on the art of making a little money go a long way ; his Norwegian tour occupied, from the time of leaving Hull to his return to London, two months and eleven days ; and his expenses, of which he gives a detailed ac- count were from first to last 251. 98. 4d. Once, indeed, his pride

of hardihood and independence was deeply mortified by finding himself, on board a Norwegian steamer, along with three Oxonians who had taken a deck passage at one third the fare he was paying. To be looked down upon by his fellow-countrymen " as an effemi- nate, lounging aristocrat, a sensual sitter on stuffed cushions, while there were hard planks within reach," was more than he could pa- tiently bear. But the Oxonians evidently did not like their deck passage, and that was a great consolation. " They looked very un- comfortable, and went ashore at Bodo, under pretence of ascend- ing a mountain on the Swedish frontier ; but as I firmly believe, really to wait for the next packet and take saloon passage and claret without our knowing it."

" This incident reminded me of several facts I have observed of late, tending to show that a change is coming over the spirit of travelling Eng- lishmen. That stupid ostentation of expenditure, which was once a recog- nized characteristic of Englishmen, is now much less frequent ; and all experienced tourists that I have recently met condemn it most heartily. It is well known that in Switzerland, or any other country where English swarm, the track of their wanderings is indicated by a trail of corruption. The character of hotel-keepers, waiters, guides, and all with whom they come in contact, is lowered. A people originally simple-minded, dignified, honest, and truly obliging, become servile, greedy, and extortionate, through the folly of some of our country-men, who are mean enough to fling their money about in exchange for a flunkeyish adulation, which any man en- dowed with wholesome pride can only regard as despicable and insulting ! The number of these essentially vulgar-minded people is decidedly dimi- nishing; and this form of folly is now chiefly confined to very youthful puppies, or very raw tourists, who have just made their first escape from be- hind the counter, and are intoxicated with their own enterprise in venturing beyond Gravesend. A few of the modern French fops who wear light Newmarket coats, with vest and trousers of the same pattern, and keep a ' bouledo,gue,' a cab, and an English groom whom they call Tom,' do the same. These melancholy examples are very useful to us, for nothing is better calculated to make 2nglishmen disgusted with their own follies, than the sight of a Frenchman caricaturing, by attempting to imitate them."

The character of the Norwegian people inspired Mr. Williams with cordial esteem. He admired the quiet self-respect of the innkeepers, who have not yet been corrupted by the class of tra- vellers he so strongly condemns.

"They are not uncivil—no, nor inattentive; they appear to have a theory that people with arms and legs can help themselves, and they allow them to do so. . . .

" The different classes of society in Norway are not distinguishable by their conduct ; for all are quiet, courteous, unassuming, and dignified. An English puppy, as we are all aware, is the most contemptible of the brutes, and a true English gentleman the most dignified of human beings. The Norwegians of all classes exhibit the peculiar external attributes of high English breeding in a very remarkable degree. They are, as far as I have yet seen, the best behaved people in Europe : haughtiness and cringing seem equally unknown among them. It is often argued that an aristocracy is necessary to give by example a high tone to society, but Norway is al- most the only country in Europe without an aristocracy or any preten- sions to such ; unless it be the aristocracy of timber-merchants and fish- salters.

" In one sense, it is true, the great bulk of the Norwegian people may be regarded as an aristocracy, seeing that they are the owners by inheritance of the land they live upon. This, doubtless, contributes largely to their quiet sense of dignity and independence ; and, coupled with the fact that the na- tion has never passed through the degrading stage of feudal tyranny and serfdom, may go far to account for these characteristics. It must be borne in mind that while an aristocracy, by its example, diffuses refinement and elegance in society, it also inevitably engenders more or less of snobbishness and flunkeyism among the naturally vulgar-minded and incapable imitators of true dignity and refinement. The peculiar absence of these pitiful vices in Norway is, I suspect, largely attributable to the fact that aristocratic in- fluences—the aping of style, and our prevalent ideas of 'station' and social position '—are so little known."

Mr. Williams paid more than one visit to a Lapp encampment, and the more he saw of those gentle savages the more he became interested in them. They are singularly exempt from vice ; drunkenness, the only one to which they were formerly addicted, is now very rare, thanks to the benevolent efforts of their Nor- wegian neighbours.

The present condition of these Lapps, their peaceful, undisturbed ex- istence, their freedom at all periods from persecution or oppression, is a grand evidence of the high moral character of the Norwegians. I am not aware of any other instance in the world's history. of a people so weak, so helpless for self-defence, remaining for centuries in contact with an ener- getic, civilized, and altogether stronger people, and never attacked, pil- laged, enslaved or interfered with, except for the benevolent purposes of education and moral and religious improvement."

Our author saw the Kraken, but did not see the Maelstrom, though it was under his nose.

" In the early part of the day we passed close to the channel against which the terrible word Maelstrom is marked on most of our English maps. Ever since my first school lessons in geography, 1 have pictured this place to my mind as a great, whirling, conical hollow in the waters, like the den of the ant-lion, near to which no ship dare approach, not even within many miles. I looked for it on my Norwegian map, but it is not marked there ; the rest of the English passengers were equally diligent, but with no better success, though there were three different maps among us, and all on a large scale, giving minute details. We peeped at the ship's charts, and could not find it there in the portions that we examined. We then inquired of the captain, a man of much experience in these seas, who told us that all he knew about the Maelstrom had been communicated to hint by his Eng- lish passengers. He was very satirical, and cruelly hard upon us ; ho told us that the English had imported a great deal of useful knowledge into Norway, amongst which was this information concerning the Maelstrom ; also, that the English patronized the Norwegians very kindly, and showed them how to improve their political institutions, their agricultural opera- tions, and the builil of their ships and boats : and among these practical hints and suggestions he classed the sailing directions for avoiding the Maelstrom, which had been drawn up by English hydrographers for the benefit of Scandinavian mariners. We had much difficulty. in getting at him at all on the matter, he was so impermeably ironical ; but the lieutenant was more communicative. It appears that the Maelstrom, which we read about, is an unmitigated myth. There are many mad strOms, or bad currents, hereabouts. Several of the channels between the islands are in certain concurrent states of the wind and tide, rather dangerous for small craft ; and even larger vessels, if not skilfully handled, may be drifted

against the rocks. The channel where we mark the Maelstrom is one of these, but by no means the worst of them ; in ordinary states of wind and tide, it may be navigated safely in a cock-boat. There is no huge golfing eddy anywhere hereabouts, and I believe not in any other part of the world."

It is proverbial that one must go abroad to learn news of home. A Lapp girl, with whom our author conversed, was quite aston- ished to hear from him what every schoolboy in England knows, that the inner bark of the birch is a favourite esculent among her people. She had never heard of its being used in that way ; but then, as Mr. Williams remarks, what should she know about the matter, poor ignorant creature, who had never read books of travel ?

We find ourselves rambling without any order through these pleasant pages. The following must be the last of our desultory extracts.

"I started by boat again, and, crossing the Fanne Fiord, walked over the isthmus from Dvergsnaes to 13811esnaes. It is a fiat country, an alluvial de- posit, partly moorland and partly.pastoral. At one part, the road, after an abrupt turn, comes in a line with a broad, grassy avenue of remarkably park-like character. Far away in the distance I heard a melody so wild and shrill that it seemed scarcely possible to be produced by human voice ; but after walking about half a mile along the green avenue, I came upon the singer, a girl, who, amidst a community of happy ruminating cows, was lying down and warbling most wonderfully. Her face was turned away from me, and as my steps were noiseless upon the soft grass, I came quite near to her, and lying down, remained unheard and unseen, listening to her sing- ing. The old Greeks, who understood such matters very well, represent the sirens with sweet voices as well as pretty faces, and tell us that their voices were the most potent with their victims. They were right : there is a won- derful fascination in the tones of certain voices, and this was one of them. I fell into a most romantic and sentimental mood, without seeing the face of the sweet warbler. She sang a kind of ranz de vaches ; but the ' yedl ' was much wilder, more shrill and rapid, than any I have heard in Switzerland ; the sudden breaking from the lightly-touched contralto notes into the piercing liquid falsetto, was marvellous for sweetness and rapidity : some of these falsetto notes seemed to me higher than any I had ever heard pro- duced by the human voice. Unhappily, before ten minutes had passed since I had laid me down to listen thus at leisure, she turned her head and saw me there. In an instant she sprang upon her feet, and bounded like a startled hare into the wood hard by. She disappeared quite out of eight, hidden by the tall stems of the pine trees. I waited for some time, hoping that she might take courage and return ; for I felt that it would be too im- pertinent to follow her. But she did not even peep from her hiding-place ; so I walked mournfully away, and very slowly, looking back very often ; but the cows were ruminating all alone, andno more yodling ' was heard. I wished 1 for riches and leisure, that I might linger hereabouts, and learn where she lived and all about her, make her acquaintance, and then employ great masters to cultivate her voice and teach her all the mysteries of music. I cannot say whether she was pretty, though I feel morally certain that she must have been. I only saw that she had large bright eyes, which seemed to flash with terror as she started up, and that her figure was slight, as she bounded into the wood."

Those who intend to follow Mr. Williams's track should not postpone the study of his book until the travelling season begins. The more thoroughly they master its contents during the fallow time of the year, the better it will be for them ; and the volume is not one which they can conveniently carry in a knapsack, to be consulted on the spot. Du reste, it is very creditably got up ; it is illustrated with six tinted chromolithographs and some wood- cuts, very well executed, and, above all, with that indispensable adjunct of a book of travels, an excellent map.