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which the Swedish one would have been, without a
soul to share its pleasures or its inconveniences.
On this last day of the journey, I felt very much
annoyed at what could not be helped—the horrible
bad state of the road. The late rains and the
numerous carts had so completely cut it up in
every direction, and made it so full of deep ruts,
that I found it utterly impossible to escape, or to
quarter, as it is commonly called, but was obliged
to allow the horse to pick its own way, and to drag
the little carriole over the ridges of the ruts and
through the mire, while I was jumbled, jolted, and
fatigued, beyond what I had before experienced in
the worst parts of Norway. Added to this was the
annoyance of constantly meeting the carts of the
peasantry on their return from the fair which had
just been held at Tronyem: these clumsy vehicles,
in attempting to quarter, would sometimes stick
fast in the mud, while the drivers of the carts and
the carriole were grinning and scolding at each other.
Others again, like Giles Jolt, were quietly sleeping
in their carts, regardless of what might happen to
themselves or their horses; and others loitering
behind at a considerable distance, leaving the vehicles
to the discretion of their horses. In some
places I found these little caravans halting by the
road-side, the horses taken out of the carts and
turned loose to feed: on such occasions care is
taken to prevent their straying away by placing
shackles on their legs.
The drivers, during a halt of this kind, are always
to be seen stretched at full length on the ground,
and I have even seen them, when it has been raining
incessantly, lying on the wet grass, covered
with nothing but a cloak, sometimes with a little
fire burning at their feet, just as we see the gipsies
in their encampments.
After my long day’s journey, which I will not
call unpleasant, notwithstanding the miserable state
of the roads, I arrived at Tronyem in the evening,
and took up my abode at Madame Holmberg’s
comfortable house, intending to remain there until
the “ Flower of Yarrow’’ should be ready for sea.
-m I
l-l
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