b o o k rowed acrofs the lake we landed near Hole, a fmall village
X. ’ 5
--- iin the diftridt of Ringerike, defervedly cfteemed the moft
.fertile part of Norway.
From Hole, we continued our journey through a rich plain,
the narrow roads winding between corn fields and inclofures
•of pafture, and changed horfes at Steen, near the piiturefque
ruins of a church feated on a gentle eminence. This village
• contains alfo a few remains of ramparts, which prove it to
have been formerly a place of fome importance. At a little
diftance we noticed a mound of earth or barrow, called by
the natives the tomb of Halden the Black, king of Norway;
and a little further, we paffed the church of Norderhug, famous
for a battle between the Swedes and Norwegians.
We ioon quitted the rich plain, and penetrating into a
hilly country, found the roads fb exceedingly ftony and fteep
as to require the utmoft caution, particularly as the horfes in
thefe parts are exceedingly adtive and lively; notwithftanding all
our precautions my carriage was overturned.
At Setran we again changed horfes, and while they were getting
ready, we made our repaft in a peafant’s cottage, containing a
room with two beds, fo clean and neat as would have done
credit to a gentleman’s houfe. In the room I obferved a print of
the unfortunate Struenfee in prifon, tormented by the devil:
thofe prints were, I prefume, circulated and greedily deceived
by the common people at the time o f his fall.
From thence we /paffed through a valley, enriched by a fine
• ' i waterfall,
waterfall, detached farm houfes, churches, clumps of trees, dif-
perfed among the- corn fields and meadows; a river gliding
along, and heightening by its tranfparency and murmurs the
charms o f this delightful fcenery. As we were admiring the
beauties of this ever changing fcenery evening came on, and I
was fuddenly ftruck with a phenomenon, which never occurred
to me except in Switzerland, and which I at firft miftook for a
bright meteor in the heavens. It was a gleam of the fetting fun,
illuminating the fnow capped fummits of the diftant mountains,
and appearing like a flame of fire ikirting the diilant horizon.
The air was clear,, the ftars ihone uncommonly bright, and
feemed nearer to the eye than I had ever obferved them before,
except upon the tops of the Swifs alps.
We took up our abode during the night at Van, a village
feated on an eminence, and overlooking the Rands-Sion, a lake
near fifty miles long, and fcarcely more than two miles broad,
embofomed in the mountains, its Hoping banks prettily fringed
with wood, and ¡chequered with fcattered cottages. The next
morning we ferried over the lake, and coafted it for about fix
miles, the road afcending and defcending the precipices which
overhang the water. We afterwards rowed over feveral fmaller
lakes, which fupply ftreams that fall into the Rands-Sion. I ob-
ierved much peafe and fome corn ftill ftanding, but which the
peafants were cutting as fall as poflible; feveral fmall patches of
hops which were very good; many goats were browfing on the
V ol. III. Z > fides