children to express her thanks by the usual mode
of offering her hand, or rather taking hold of mine.
I have generally observed that the cliildren of the
peasantry are healthy and well-featured; but these
little cottagers were really beautiful.
It would appear that money, in this part of Norway,
is very scarce, and that a few skillings even
Avill go a great Avay: indeed, I seldom saw more
thankfulness, and a stronger expression of gratitude
depicted in a man’s countenance, than on the occasion
of my giving something less than twopence to
a peasant, Avhose house I had entered during the
day’s journey, and partaken of a large basin of rich
milk and some excellent butter, and for which he also
shook me veiy heartily by the hand.
At the distance of about a Norwegian mile (or
seven of ours), before reaching Roraas, down the
descent on the other side of the mountain, the road
comes upon the banks of the Glommen river, which
takes its rise in the same range, but at some distance
to the northward. It is first seen from the
road in the shape of a torrent foaming over its rocky
bed, hut before it reaches Roraas it has become a
broad tranquil stream. It Avas late in the evening
Avhen I arrived in the town, after being Iavo long
days upon the road, Avhich may be considered as
no bad driving in Norway, the distance from Tronyem
being reckoned at fourteen Norwegian, or
about one hundred English miles. I had been told
that there Avere tAvo or three lodging-houses for tra vellers
in Roraas, whose occupants have agreed
f
li'
among themselves to take it in turn, every week or
fortnight, to accommodate strangers.
Roraas is a remarkable-looking place, being
bleakly situated on the side of a barren mountain.
The principal objects that attract a stranger’s notice
are the Smelting-House, the Roasting House, the
enormous mounds of slags, o ^ somethingo like those
near the smelting-Avorks of SAvansea, and the Church,
which is of considerable size, and Avas built, as appears
by an inscription OAcr the door, so late as
1780. The interior struck me as being nearly as
large as that part of the cathedral at Tronyem, in
which the service is performed. The arrangement
is somewhat singular, the pulpit being placed immediately
over the communion table ; and above it
is the organ-loft. This plan, I am told, is generally
noAV adopted in the building of the Norwegian
churches, particularly in those of the octagon
form : but I haA'e not before observed it. A picture
of the Lord’s Supper decorates the altar; it
Avas painted, as I Avas informed, by an artist of
Tronj'em about tAventy years since, and is by no
means a bad specimen of the arts. There Avere besides
two or three portra,iis here, one of Avhich Avas
that of Martin Luther. Behind the altar is a small
chapel, in AA'hich prayers and exhortations are read
by the clergyman to intended communicants, the
day previous to their receiving the sacrament. The
seats in the gallery of the church are divided into
separate peAVs, similar to those in the cathedral at
y