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but as we intended to kill the animals on the passage,
when the fresh meat we had on board was
exhausted, ive were alloived, as a great indulgence,
to purchase one of these animals. There was here,
however, no risk of wanting fresh meat. A boat
came alongside with a quantity of the flesh of red-
deer for sa le ; but as there was nothing tempting
in its appearance, and being already, with the addition
of our sheep, well supplied with fresh meat,
we declined purchasing any of this species of game.
The red-deer are said to abound so much on the
mountainous parts of Tusteren, and the other high
mountainous islands on this part of the coast, that
the inhabitants feel thankful when any one will
take the trouble to shoot them, as they interfere
very much with the feeding of the sheep.
On the morning of the 19th, the wind being fair,
all the vessels began to loosen their sails ready
for a start, and got under weigh about six
o’clock. The greater part were Spanish, some of
which had been there nearly two months waiting
for a Avind. A Spanish brig, that had left Tronyem
nine days before us, Ave observed in our way
doAvn, lying quietly at anchor in one of the little
snug bays of the fiord. It Avas eleven o’clock before
Ave got our pilot on hoard, Avhen we also Aveighed
anchor. T’he passage out is short, and lies close
to the Grib oerne group of islands, beset with numberless
rocks. This group lies directly in the
centre of the entrance into the fiord. The largest
of the group, although not exceeding, I believe,
300 yards in length, and about 200 m breadth,
is said to be peopled by some two or three hundred
inhabitants, mostly fishermen; and its little church
forms a remarkable object in the midst of these
rocky islets. I cannot imagine th a t there exists in
the world a coast so remarkably beset with myriads
of rocks as that of Norway. I t would seem as if
the whole of that alpine range which fronts the
Western Ocean, and runs nearly in a north and
south direction through the country, had been convulsed
and torn asunder, and its fragments carried
hy the numerous fiords into the sea, some of them
rising above the surface, and others beneath it.
One can scarcely conceive it possible that any
vessel attempting to enter one of these fiords could
escape being wrecked, unless she was furnished with
a skilful pilot, and even then they must be wholly
inaccessible in tempestuous weathei.
The property of the Grib Islands belongs to a
Mr. Moses, one of the principal merchants of
Christiansund, and it is considered to be highly
valuable on account of the fishing, which is here
carried on to a great extent. It consists chiefly of
lobsters, cod, and ling, as well as the other species
of fish usually caught on the coast of Norway.
Mr. Moses, and two other gentlemen residing at
Christiansund, accompanied us out to sea as far as
this cluster of islands, and returned Avith the pilot.
As the pilot-boat pushed off* from us they stood up.