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THE LIBRARY

OF

THE UNIVERSITY

OF CALIFORNIA

PRESENTED BY

PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND

MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID

ANGLING TRAVELS

IN

NORWAY.

a

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2007 with funding from

Microsoft Corporation

http://www.archive.org/details/anglingtravelsinOOsandrich

BAGHOCO POOL.

Angling Travels

in Norway

FRASER SANDEMAN,

AUTHOR OF
" BY HOOK AND BY CROOK," ETC.

ILLUSTRATED

BY PENCIL, BRUSH, AND CAMERA,

AND

COLOURED PLATES OF SALMON FLIES BY THE AUTHOR

ALSO A

PLATE OF FAVOURITE FLIES FOR NORWAY,

LONDON: CHAPMAN & HALL, ld.

1895.

S36

^

PREFACE.

The purpose of the following pages is to describe some
few districts, rivers, lakes, and fish of Norway with which
I am acquainted, and to indicate in what respects they
differ with those of the British Isles from an angler's
point of view. I have ventured to give some hints
upon the various methods of angling and its require-
ments, also upon the treatment of fish alive and dead,
which I trust may be of interest and service to naturalists
and sportsmen.

In writing of a country, it is difficult to omit mention
of her people, although one might prefer to avoid so
delicate a subject.

" I like the people," is a phrase frequently uttered
by visitors to Norway, and probably expresses correctly
enough the British opinion of our Scandinavian neigh-
bours ; but it is rather a large order for individual
foreigners to declare that they like or dislike a whole

b 2

ivi31£317

Vlll

Preface.

nation, so I have merely stated how I have been treated
by dwellers in town and country, including those who
are accustomed to have dealings with sportsmen and
travellers, and others inhabiting more remote districts,
where visitors are scarce and no fixed rules or tarifi's
exist.

The chapters in which are related the details of
various expeditions in quest of fish are intended to afford
some idea of what the angler may expect as regards
sport, and to describe Norwegian life in hotel, private
house, farm, and camp. In giving the names of the
rivers and districts in which some of my experiences have
been gained, I have adopted the suggestion of kindly
critics of " By Hook and by Crook," and I take this
opportunity to thank them and my readers for their
gracious reception of that work. Although the technical
illustrations are roughly drawn, I trust they may serve
their purpose, and, with the more artistic process pro-
ductions from photographs, convey faithful impressions
of sport in a sporting country.

FEASER SANDEMAN.

Akmathwaite, May, 1895.

CONTENTS,

PART I.

CHAPTEK PAG*

I. Introductory ... ... ... ... ... 1

II. Danger Ahead ... ... ... ... 6

III. The Year in Norway ... ... ... ... 10

IV. Climate and Weather ... ... ... 16

V. Eivers ... ... ... ... ... 21

VI. Nets and Traps in the Fjords and Eivers ... 28

VII. The Lakes of Norway ... ... ... ... 39

VIII. The Country-folk ... ... ... ... 43

IX. Boats ... ... ... ... ... 50

X. Salmonid^e of Norway ... ... ... 54

XI. To distinguish between Trout and Smolt... ... 102

XII. Tackle for Norway ... ... ... 106

XIII. Harling and Boat-angling ... ... ... 114

XIV. Upon Eenting and Letting Salmon Eivers ... 127
XV. Prawn-fishing for Salmon ... ... ... 137

XVI. To Split, Cure, and Smoke Salmon ... ... 143

Contents.
PAKT II.

NORWEGIAN SKETCHES.

XVII. SQrendal ... ... ... ... ... 148

XVIII. Vads«th and Svardal ... ... ... 173

XIX. VOSS AND THE EVANGER RlVER ... ... ... 199

XX. Nordland... ... ... ... ... 236

OI1A1TER

rAGE

Appendix ... ... ... ... ... 281

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Saqhouo Pool ...

Fjord-net

Salmon-trap ...

A River Salmon-trap

A Norwegian Family Party

Three Little Maids from School ...

Salmon, Head of

Table of Salmonidje

Salmon, Gill-covers

„ Jaws and Tongue ...
„ Thorax
Sea-trout, Head of

„ Tail, Gill-cover, Tongue, and Jaws ,

„ Malformed Head

Herling, Gill-cover and Tail ...
Bull-trout, Head of
„ Gill-covers

>* ,j ,,

,, Jaws, Tongue, and Tails ...

Trout, Head of

„ Jaws, Tongue, and Gill-cover ...
Char, Tail of

Favourite Flies for Norway ...
Ole and I

All Sixes and Sevens
Five Minutes' Rest
Prawn-tackle

To Split a Fish

Frontinpiere
32

3G

37

44

49

56

... Behveen 56 and 57

58

59

CO

83

84

8G

88

89

90

91

93

95

9G

100

To face 106
108

113

119

140

141

143

144

146

Xll

List of Illustrations.

Christiansund ...

ElKEFJOKD, 7 AJ*. ...

VadsjEth Lake

„ „ Outlet of ...

Vads.etii River
Head of Vads^th Lake

SVAKDAL FjELDS
HOPEN
VoSSEVANGEN LAKE

Liland's Hotel, Bulken

The Voss National Costume

A Salmon-trap

The Foss

View of Rapid from Suspension Bridge

The Stage at Saohoug

Saghoug Pool

Two Hours' Sport in Sagiioug

River at Head of Vossevangen Lake

Foss at Vossevangen ...

Salten Fjord

A Lady of Lofoten

A Norsk " Herring-smack "

Rognan

Map of Salten River

Grilse, Sea-trout, etc.

The Forstassistent's House

JlTNKERDAL

I'AOB

151
179
183
184
188
190
191
196
202
203
205
208
210
213
216
219
223
227
230
242
243
246
250
253
255
260
269

1.

Llanover

2.

Bransty ...

3.

Saghoug

4.

GOla ...

COLOURED ILLUSTRATIONS.

To face 106

109

110

„ 112

[A s reference is made in the following pages to fishing-tackle, etc., it is but fair to the
proprietors or makers of such to say that the Author has no pecuniary interest
in any fishing-tachle or fishing-gear.'}

?>

ANGLING TRAVELS IN NORWAY.

PART I.

CHAPTEE I.

INTRODUCTORY.

Change of scene is not infrequently prescribed by the
physician ; and who shall say that novelty has not a charm
for those of robust health ?

Most of us can recall to mind some first visit to a
particular spot where commonplace incidents felicitously
combined to fill our cup of enjoyment to overflowing,
leaving behind them impressions which memory has
delighted to keep quick.

Indeed, so delightful have been those recollections that
we have been prompted to repeat our visit — alas ! only to
meet with disappointment.

Why the disappointment ? The component parts of that
previous good time were again present, and we were pre-
pared to take our part with the fullest intention to continue

B

■

2 Angling Travels in Norway.

exactly where we had left off, but somehow or another an
indescribable something appeared to be lacking, and the
function had not the " go " of heretofore.

Others enjoyed themselves as we had done, but for us
the novelty had departed, its interest was shallow, and its
mysteries easy of penetration. Year by year we reap
similar disappointments in the various walks and studies
of life, which afford part material for the erection of that
structure named " experience."

"Without a fair stock of knowledge of the world and its
inmates, we approach each new situation with diffidence,
for we have little confidence in our behaviour under novel
circumstances, but later, when the apprenticeship of years
has been intelligently served — we meet each new task with
a bold front, conscious of resource, and as advancement is
made towards perfection we even thirst for opportunities
to afford exercise of our skill.

"Familiarity breeds contempt" — so in no pursuit
should self-reliance, the fruit of experience, be permitted
to engender relaxation of vigilance and observation, or the
proverb, " A little knowledge is a dangerous thing," may
be found too true. Such confidence might indeed be termed
the abuse of lessons of the past, which should be utilized
more economically to assimilate present situations with
others previously encountered, thus providing a method of
procedure conducive to ultimate success.

Introductory. 3

In short, we should not expose ourselves to the risks of
overweening confidence, whether in the pursuit of pro-
fession, business, or sport.

Of intellectual pursuits, pastimes, field-sports, or what
you will, those may be said to have asserted supremacy
which have best stood the test of time. Upon exami-
nation, such will reveal the possession of infinite variety
in detail, an expansive field for study, and stimulant for
research.

These are the legacies bequeathed to the sportsman — I
mean the sportsman in a true sense, the man who studies
the natural history of his quarry — not the man who pulls
the trigger at a bundle of feathers whose contents are to
him of little interest, nor him who employs the speed of
horse or dog simply as an instrument for gambling. A
spectator of a glove-fight, the backer of a dog or horse
who has no interest in the animal beyond his bet, is, in our
days, flattered by a portion of the Press into the belief that
he is a sportsman ; but in my humble opinion it would be
preferable, in order to avoid confusion, to grant to him
who pursues the sports of the field the exclusive right
to his own title, and to describe gamblers and bettors
by a more appropriate term.

Of the many branches of " sport," none has better stood
the test of time than angling — none has more votaries ;
and although, as in other studies, we commence where our

4 Angling Travels in Norway.

fathers concluded, there remains a vast amount to be learnt
both in the art itself and in the habits of the game.

Our methods of angling are no doubt much improved,
and in fish culture and ichthyology we have made con-
siderable strides, but towards the elucidation of the
incidents of some stages in the life of the Salmonidse we are
so distant that we yet appear to be nearer the beginning
than the end.

The observation of fish while angling in foreign waters
affords the opportunity to compare their habits with those
of dwellers in the lakes and rivers of our own country, and
for this purpose visits to Norway are of rare interest to the
angler-naturalist.

He will probably make no startling discovery, it is true,
but he will ascertain the peculiarities of the waters of the
country, the requirements for angling, and the habits of fish
under circumstances which do not exist elsewhere, and
turning homewards with his harvest garnered, he will
acknowledge to himself that had it been reaped ere he first
had put foot in the country he would have commenced at
the point where he concluded — to his advantage as regards
sport.

Such was my impression at the termination of my first
visit to Scandinavia, as, with my kind host, I made the
sad return passage by river to the fjord ; and to enable
anglers, no farther advanced than I, to take up the thread

Introductory. 5

where it snapped with me is the object of the following
chapters.

The first portion of this volume is principally devoted
to the more technical matters relating to ichthyology and
angling in Norway, which I am afraid are somewhat dry
reading, and in the second portion I have endeavoured to
place before my readers descriptions of a few angling
trips, with the hope that they may convey some little
idea of the difficulties and the requirements of Norwegian
angling.

CHAPTER II.

DANGER AHEAD.

The natural habits of the various species of Salmonidse,
when uncontrolled, are identical all Europe over ; each would
behave in precisely the same manner whether existing in
Great Britain, Portugal, or Norway ; they are to the manner
born, and incapable of aping the conduct of other species.

This trait is common to all kinds of animals, so the
angler should approach a strange sphere of operations with
a firm conviction that he will meet his own familiar friends,
and he should not permit unaccustomed surroundings to
influence him in this respect.

Climatic influence, conformation of the watershed, and
the nature of the river-bed, impart to fisheries individual
peculiarity, and the combination of these factors produces
a result suitable or inimical to the existence of fish.

When fish occupy haunts embracing the necessities or
even luxuries of existence, they are loath to quit, notwith-
standing that changes effected by various causes may have

Danger Ahead. 7

rendered the tenancy less enjoyable ; they, so to say, put
up with the inconvenience, and, as long as they are able,
make the best of a bad job, but, when free agents, will
rather forsake such homes than alter their natural habits
to meet the exigencies of the situation.

In short, rivers and lakes may alter, but, Unless com-
pelled, fish will not.

Angling in Norway is conducted by the methods
practised in our home waters, but the nature of the
country and climate demands alterations in detail ; there-
fore it is essential that the angler should appreciate the
conditions which afford a key to the situation.

He starts with one certainty, however, in that he is
about to fish a strange river in a strange country — an
awkward combination — so he must call experience to his
aid, and endeavour to diagnose the pools without loss of
time ; with this object, he should keep his eyes open, and
concentrate attention while noting the size of the river and
the formation of its bed, banks, and pools.

The possession of a good eye for the lie of fish is a
gift granted to the few who have made a study of natural
history at the waterside, and these become so conversant
with their subject that they for the time being seem as if
merged into it ; but some seem never to acquire this
sympathy, however much they may fish.

Most of the Norwegian salmon rivers worth fishing are

8 Angling Travels in Norway.

rented by natives of the British Isles, by Norsk anglers,
or by speculators ; and one or two in the extreme
north, such as the Tana, can be fished upon payment of
the Norwegian and Russian licences. Trustworthy in-
formation as to the average yearly take upon each river
can only be obtained from one who has fished it recently ;
any other source is more or less unreliable.

Norway has her late and early rivers, and many of
the best for angling purposes are of such width that
" harling " is the only practical method by which they
can be fished ; others, or beats of others, hardly admit the
use of aught but the fly. Again, upon some, the fish, when
caught, become the property of the riparian proprietors ;
so the angler intending to take a fishing had better
first determine what he wants, and then endeavour to
get it.

The salmon-fishing season commences towards the end
of May upon early rivers, and about the end of June upon
the later ones, and it may be taken as a general rule that
the first four to six weeks are the best upon most rivers ;
but there are a few which fish best towards the end of
July until the close of the season — i.e. September 15,
— except in a few instances where extensions have been
granted.

Fortunate is the man who can await at his riverside
the ascent of the fish, and see the season out ; but as, for

Danger Ahead. 9

private reasons, many "go out" at intermediate dates,
I propose to briefly sketch the events of an average year
upon a Norwegian river, in order that the angler may
form some idea of what has taken place prior to his
arrival, and what may be expected to occur later.

CHAPTER III.

THE YEAR IN NORWAY.

In order to obtain a sharply defined point in the yearly
existence of the salmon, we will fix upon September 15
(the commencement of the ordinary close-time) as the
date of our departure.

The summer is well-nigh past, the nights are drawing
in, the annual snow upon the mountain and hill summits
has supplied food for the rivers, or partly remains with
the glacier ice to defy the rays of the feeble autumn sun.

Thus the rivers are mostly dependent upon springs for
supply, and, in consequence, are at about their lowest
level until the advent of frost.

The pools are now stocked with fish deep in colour
and far advanced towards spawning condition, those in
the upper stretches having selected favourite sites ere
this, while later arrivals have gradually appropriated the
lower berths, all awaiting a fitting time and season. The
spawning operations now commence, and will continue

The Year in Norway. 1 1

into the winter season, which may set in at any date
after the beginning of November ; then many of the
rivers become clothed in ice to such depth that while
in this state they are used as roads.

From now until the break up of frost in the follow-
ing spring the inhabitants of such rivers and lakes are
prisoners, merely refreshed by the under-current provided
by springs.

The temperature during the next few months compels
the fatness of the clouds to fall as snow, and preserves it
as such throughout the winter.

A copious supply of snow before Christmas is anxiously
awaited by those interested in angling, and, to ensure a
good season, this should be augmented by other falls
during the early months of the following year.

The snow falling in December becomes hard and com-
pact by the frost of the next few months, and is further
compressed by subsequent falls, the total forming solid
material capable of stubborn resistance to the rays of the
next summer's sun, thus providing the angler with a
lengthy season.

If the snow stored up on mountains and fjelds shall
but have fallen during the later months of winter, the
coming angling season will probably be of short duration,
for the supply is soft, and easy of disintegration by rain
and sun.

12 Angling Travels in Norway.

With successive snowfalls as above described, the
angling prospects are of good promise, yet they are by
no means assured ; various courses of events, as regards
weather and temperature, may easily occur to mar the
brightest hopes.

In one case, continued rainfall may melt the supply
of snow en bloc, flooding the rivers, and then leaving
them at summer level, with little chance of improvement
for that season. On the other hand, the temperature
during the summer months may be so low that much
snow remains unmelted, and the rivers, thus deprived of
supplies, soon fall in. Or, in a third case, long-continued
hot summer weather may melt the snow, and bring about
one continued flood, and then leave the river entirely
dependent upon rain for further supply. These are the
conditions which militate against the fulfilment of initiatory
promise, and complications of them may easily arise.

With the advent of warmer temperature, the thick
coatings of ice, which for so long a period have clothed
the rivers and watersheds, will commence to give and
break up, and pile one upon another as the stream impels
them to the fjords.

The huge masses grind and crash against the banks
and other obstructions, giving signal to the country-folk
to witness the annual spectacle.

By the middle of May, this country, which for so

The Year in Norway. 13

many months has been hushed in the deathlike sleep of
winter, commences to open out — the hillsides, which until
recently were white, now stream with water, the valleys
awaken, and vegetation springs to life.

The pine, the juniper, and silver-birch put forth new
shoots, and the grass becomes of emerald green. Norway
is at last awake, and her valleys and rivers free them-
selves of Hood water and debris of winter, putting their
homes in order for the reception of their annual visitors —
the fish of the sea and the fowls of the air. The divers,
ducks, martins, swallows, and small migrants appear as if
by magic, seeming impatient for the leafy growth which
will afford cover for their domestic arrangements. The
bears, with appetites whetted by hibernation, will drop
down from the fjelds to indulge in sheep-stealing, and
anglers arrive in pursuit of fish.

Towards the early days of June, many of the rivers
will have become free from flood-water, and gradually fine
down to a condition favourable to the ascent of fish, which
are waiting at the entrance of the fjords, or the mouths
of the rivers, until their waters shall be raised to a suitable
temperature.

Fish are now being caught in the nets at the river
mouth and all along the fjord, but none are found in the
river itself, so there can be no doubt that temperature
controls their movements. The natives prophesy that

14 Angling Travels in Norway.

with a week of warm weather they may be expected, and
subsequent events prove them to be correct.

A week of inactivity is no pleasant prospect for the
angler, but in consideration of the volume of icy water
pouring into the fjord it is but reasonable that the rise
in temperature is so long delayed, in spite of tidal
influence.

Cold northerly winds, attended by sleet and rain, will
naturally delay ascent of fish, and the angler may possibly
have to bide his time until the middle of June with the
only consolation — better too soon than too late.

Upon early rivers, even in a late season, the middle
of June should herald a run of fish, then work begins, and
the angler must settle to business, fishing, according to
his lights, until the middle of August, when small waters
and golden-tinted flanks will warn him that it be time
to desist.

The lakes of Norway are often frozen during the
winter months, and naturally take long to thaw, when
they have no stream to sweep away their ice cover, and
the fjelds by which they are approachable are so wet
and rotten that they are almost impracticable until July ;
but this delay is of little importance to the angler, as
the inhabitants of the lakes do not regain fair condition
until the middle of that month, or even the early days
of August.

The Year in Norway. 15

In this manner, for some months after spawning, the
lake-fish are dependent for nourishment upon bottom
feeding, consequently their convalescence is greatly
retarded.

I have in this chapter endeavoured to convey to the
reader some idea of the events of a year in Norway, and
will proceed with a few details as to the climate and
temperature that may be experienced during the angling
season.

CHAPTER IV.

CLIMATE AND WEATHER.

It is impossible to accurately forecast the meteorological
conditions of a Norwegian summer, for the clerk of the
weather makes arrangements with the same disregard for
the interests of anglers and agriculturists as he displays
in other parte of the world ; his sway is undeniable and
his reign supreme.

It is no use to kick against the pricks, no use to
grumble, and of no use to speculate how more pleasant
the time might be if we could arrange the order of events
more to our liking.

The only practical system is that which provides
against all contingencies, and renders the helpless mortal
fit to face the foe.

In the ordinary course of events, the Norwegian
summer, with broiling sun and cloudless sky, will take
the field ere the middle of June, and will more or less
hold the boards until the end of August, but there are

Climate and Weather. 17

exceptions, and these exceptions must be provided
against.

It may easily happen that north-westerly winds, ac-
companied by sleet and rain, will rule the roast, and refuse
to be ousted for a month or two.

The sun may assert his power now and again, and
upon each occasion summer appears to have arrived ; but
without warning the wind shifts back to the old quarter,
and the murky clouds retrace their steps.

In the morning I have set out under a brilliant sun
and cloudless sky, anticipating a hot day, and my hopes
were realized until perhaps about three p.m., when
suddenly the wind has backed, and I have been treated
to an icy draught from the snow-clad mountains, and have
turned up my coat-collar and shivered.

The system of clothing adopted by the natives of any
particular portion of the earth's surface is always indicative
of the climate's nature and vagaries, and the visitor in
Norway cannot fail to remark what care the natives take
of their chests and throats. They frequently wear what
may be named a chest-protector — a kind of thick pad
which commences under the waistcoat, and reaches nearly
to the chin ; they also show partiality for a woollen scarf
around the neck, which a deal of hot sun will fail to
remove, and yet they will wade in icy water, and be wet
all day, without anxiety as to health. The reason of these

i& Angling Travels in Norway.

precautions is not far to seek, for the valleys are deep
cuttings, and create a draught either up or down, which
must be kept at bay.

To successfully cope with these peculiarities of climate,
the angler should be provided with suits of clothing such
as he would wear during winter, spring, and summer in
the British Isles, not forgetting wading trousers, wading
stockings, and mackintosh coat down to his heels, and if
he include a Shetland jersey he probably will not lament.

The reader must not understand that any particular
weather is general throughout Norway during any one
season, and he must note that conditions which are favour-
able to some districts may preclude chance of sport in
others, and in this direction it is apparent that a supply
of water which floods a small river may barely suffice to
maintain a larger one in angling trim for a considerable
time.

Cold winds much retard the snow in melting, and main-
tain the water of the fjords and rivers at a low temperature,
and under such circumstances the angling season will be
late in starting.

Upon the other hand, warm weather, attended by rain,
will quickly melt and disintegrate the snow upon the
highlands ; and, if this state of affairs should continue, the
season will be short, and may even terminate almost
before it has commenced.

Climate and Weather. 19

As a general rule, the prospects of an angling season
upon rivers not supplied by glaciers can be pretty ac-
curately gauged by the stock of snow up country ; but, as
above indicated, such calculations may easily be upset.
It stands to reason that the smaller rivers and the upper
stretches of large ones will be well served by a wet season
which possibly may render the bigger waters useless on
account of continued floods, and then there is the reverse
side of the picture, viz. a cold dry season with little snow
upon the hills and mountains, consequently no water in
the small rivers, and only sufficient in the larger to afford
a couple of weeks' sport.

The conditions requisite to constitute an ideal season
from the angler's point of view would be somewhat upon
these lines— plenty of snow before and after Christmas,
warm weather during end of May and June, with occa-
sional cool and cloudy days, then, with occasional rain
in July, the rivers should fish well for a couple of months,
and it is indeed fortunate if spates should occur during
the weekly close-time for netting in the fjords, to which
I shall have occasion to refer later on.

The man who can spend the months of June, July, and
August in Norway is fortunate, as he reaps the season's
harvest ; but he who is obliged to fix his visit to extend
over a shorter period may easily miss the mark in this
as in other countries.

20 Angling Travels in Norway.

It is difficult to ascertain the season's prospects before
going out ; indeed, the "old hands " who annually visit
the country appear to take little or no pains to obtain
information, for the simple reason that they intend to go
out early and see the season through ; but, in any case,
not much could be ascertained beyond the quantity of
snow up country.

The angler with but a limited time at his disposal must
put all his eggs in one basket, for the distance is too great
to permit of leaving the country for a while, to return
when the water is in order ; thus, under adverse circum-
stances, a deal of time may be spent unprofitably, which,
if nearer home, the angler could utilize for other purposes,
and place to his credit, to be drawn upon later.

If I were free to select a month's salmon fishing, I
should, upon the early rivers, take from June 15 to July
15, and for sea-trout and lake fishing would prefer from
July 15 to August 15.

With axioms as described above, it is scarcely possible
that a season with bad prospects can prove a good one,
while promises, like pie-crust, are made but to be broken,
and the fairest hopes may never be realized.

CHAPTER V.

RIVERS.

The ways and means by which Norwegian rivers obtain
their supplies have such variety that it is but natural that
the inland fisheries of the country should differ to a
considerable extent with one another, and to a yet greater
degree as compared with those of a less unconventional
country such as Great Britain.

In this and other chapters, be it understood, I summon
the aid of comparison, not for purpose of disparagement
or praise, but in the endeavour to enable the reader, by
the assistance of a familiar scene, to realize a country of
which he is personally ignorant.

Norway contains rivers of all sizes, some glacier-fed,
some snow-fed, and others with watersheds of such little
altitude that after the first break-up of winter they are
entirely dependent upon rainfall for supply.

The largest, such as the Tana and Namsen, are bigger
than any river in the British Isles ; the medium-size rivers

2 2 Angling Travels in Norway.

would compare with the Tay, Tweed, or Solway rivers ;
while the smaller ones are about on a par, as regards
volume, with the Helmsdale, North Esk, etc., and then
come the really small streams which may be compared
with the sea-trout rivers of Wales and the west of
Scotland ; thus it is essential that the angler should be
acquainted with the size of his river before he " goes out,"
in order that his tackle be suitable for the task in hand.

In an ordinary summer, the heat of the sun's rays will
day by day melt sufficient quantities of snow and ice
to maintain the snow- and glacier-fed rivers in angling
trim until the end of July, or even later, and the
supply from these sources naturally depends upon the
temperature of the day and night.

The produce of the day's sun will make itself apparent
towards evening, causing the river to rise a few inches
or several feet ; then, as the night passes away, the water
will again fall in until upon the following morning it
will be slightly below the level of that previous. But
if perchance the nights should be hot, the snow may
continue to melt throughout the four-and-twenty hours,
and the river in consequence be in a continual state
of flood, and thus the reserve of snow is not so economi-
cally used in the angler's interests as if the nights were
sufficiently cool to check it in melting.

Towards the end of the season, as the stock of snow

Rivers. 2%

becomes reduced, this evening rise of water is of short
duration, and the river may be again fishable within
a few hours, until when the annual snow has become
exhausted, or the daily temperature is too low to melt
that which may remain, then the river becomes dead-low.

The angler who has learnt to regard snow broth
as his bete noir is apt to be startled by the statement
that it is upon plentiful supplies of snow that his sport
to a great extent depends, and it is excusable if with
some slight trepidation he approach such fields and
pastures new.

But there is no need of alarm, for the snow-water has
no resemblance to the same mess in Great Britain, for
in its descent from the hills and mountains it gets so
tossed about that it becomes aerated and similar to the
water in the rivers themselves.

During the first few weeks of the melting winter-snow,
the hillsides are streaming with water in all directions ;
in fact, the country is nothing more nor less than an
immense shower-bath, and as the streams issuing from
glaciers and snow-fields speed on, to give their contribution
to the rivers below, they are frecpuently precipitated
from considerable heights, thus forming the waterfalls,
or "fosses," which add so much to the scenic beauty
of the country, and attract visitors from near and far.

The glacier-fed rivers being partially independent of

24 Angling Travels in Norway.

snow and rain for their supplies, afford the angler a greater
certainty of sport in summers of average temperature,
but when the winter's snow has melted, there often
comes a period when the green glacier-water puts the
river completely out of trim for angling to a distance
of many miles ; thus a short river of this description
may give disappointing results.

It will be gathered from the foregoing remarks that
in an average season the volume of water in the rivers
is maintained at a fair height for from six weeks to a
couple of months, and during this period is not subject to
such frequent extremes as is the case in rivers which are
fed by rain alone.

The migratory Salmonida?, as might be expected,
are aware of the probable order of events, and during
the early part of the season, in the snow-fed and glacier-
fed rivers, do not ascend in large "runs," as is their
habit in countries where the date of the next spate is
a matter of comparative uncertainty, but are content
to keep dribbling up day by day in small batches, when
unimpeded by obstacles such as nets, etc.

This procedure is favourable to the angler, as thereby
he is provided with a daily supply of fresh-run fish.
The rivers, whose temperatures favour the early running
of fish, are frequently well stocked upon the opening
of the season, and fine sport is obtained for a few weeks,

Rivers. 25

then the daily takes grow smaller by degrees, while the
smallest rivers provide no more than a week's fishing.

In Norway, as elsewhere, fish often run quickly through
the lower portions of the rivers, and, in a big water
especially, they will halt little en route; so, to take
full advantage of opportunities, the angler fishing such
should be constantly at work, paying particular attention
to business during the weekly close-time for nets in
the fjords, and at those hours by which the fish will
reach his fishery as they ascend with each high tide at the
river's mouth.

The pools and beds of Norwegian rivers are of every
variety and formation ; some are of solid rock ; others
are formed of cobbles, angular blocks of rock, and coarse
gravel ; while another variety is of fine gravel, studded
with stones of all shapes and sizes.

Those pools, which are floored and walled in by solid
rock, naturally retain their conformation, and when once
learnt are known for ever ; but those whose beds are
composed of loose stones and gravel may from year to
year be swept clean of all obstructions at the break-up of
each winter's ice ; and, in consequence, their characters
are subject to frequent alteration, and their values as
salmon-pools are increased or diminished as the case
may be.

In some instances the gravel silted up by the floods

26 Angling Travels in Norway.

and ice-floes of successive springs will cause the river
to deviate from the path it has used for a number of
years ; thus a good pool may be rendered useless,
while the new passage which takes its place will in
all likelihood be too rapid, for some years at least, to
suit the requirements of fish.

Loose stones or boulders resting upon gravel have
as insecure foundation as the house that is built upon
sand ; thus pools become bare wastes, robbed of charms
which, if they could remain, would offer infallible induce-
ments for fish.

Fish hurry through these stretches, and seek more
congenial quarters where they can find shelters against
the stream.

Notwithstanding the small accommodation for rest
extended by these gravelly pools, exhausted nature
compels the fish to take an easy now and again, to recruit
strength, but they will delay as little as possible in
uncongenial quarters.

To remedy the lack of suitable resting-places for
fish in the gravelly pools, the proprietors or lessees upon
many rivers resort to artificial means, either by dropping
in rocks or by building structures of timber and boulders,
but when such devices are adopted, much discretion is
needed, for a big salmon-river is an awkward thing to
play with ; and when, in the natural course of events,

Rivers. 2 7

it is not unusual for half an acre of bank to be washed
away, it can readily be understood that landowners look
with a jealous eye upon systems for the improvement
of angling which may possibly deprive them of their
property.

To prevent the encroachment of rivers upon land,
and to insure the safety of the post-roads, long and
steep embankments of stone have frequently to be made,
and as these can only be constructed at great cost, it
follows that any meddling with the beds or banks of
rivers is, to say the least of it, a hazardous procedure.

The land adjacent to some of the pools of many
Norwegian rivers lies flat and low, and long backwaters
are not uncommon which rise and fall with the main
stream. These backwaters are invaluable as nurseries
for the young Salmonidse, who can thus exist and grow
fat in comparative safety.

Some few lessees or proprietors of Norwegian rivers
have gone to much expense in blasting the waterways
and in the construction of passes and ladders to provide
passages by which the fish can ascend to upper waters ;
and by these means many rivers have been much
improved, while to others small benefit would appear
to have accrued.

CHAPTER VI.

NETS AND TRAPS IN THE FJORDS AND RIVERS.

The stock of salmon existing at the present time in
Norwegian rivers is generally considered to be much less
than in years gone by, and the cause of the decrease is
attributed to the greed of the netsmen along the coast and
at the mouths and along the margins of the fjords ; and
when it is considered that these arms of the sea, many of
them some thirty miles or more in length, through which
fish must pass en route to the rivers, are furnished at
every promontory with an elaborate system of netting,
it is apparent how great must be the odds against a
fish emerging scathless from the ordeal.

Fish, like blind men, steer by the margin of the road,
and it is obvious that their path is more nearly defined at
points where the land projects out into the fjord, round
which they must turn, so these are the positions generally
selected for the setting of nets.

It is unnecessary here to enter into full details of the

Nets and Traps in the Fjords and Rivers. 29

increase of salmon-netting, but I may mention that about
thirty years ago there were only about three hundred nets
along the coast, whereas at the present time the number
exceeds six thousand.

Whatever proficiency Norwegians may have attained
in the capture of cod and the more common sea-fish, until
within recent years they would not appear to have possessed
much aptitude in the capture of salmon, and the progress
they have made in the art is mainly due to the adoption
of the various patterns of nets and the methods of using
them as practised in Great Britain, and in consequence
they hold their tutors in considerable esteem.

Even at the present time in the northern districts of
Norway, the flesh of the salmon is valuable for food only
in the neighbourhood of its capture, but lower down the
coast improved means of transport and the system of
re-icing the packages during transit have opened up
the industry of salmon-netting, and as the natives have
a particularly keen scent for £ s. d., they are not slow to
adopt the best systems for the purpose.

Their coffers were filling with the proceeds of the golden
eggs while they paid not the slightest regard for the goose
that laid them, and, as was certain to be the case, the stock
of salmon gradually but surely decreased until even the
extinction of the species seemed possible in the not-far-
distant future.

30 Angling Travels in Norway.

The yearly captures both by net and rod were growing
" smaller by degress and beautifully less," and the reason
was patent to all, but no measures were adopted to avert
the disaster until the energetic protests of visitors from the
British Isles — lessees of rivers — so far impressed the native
authorities that at length the weekly close-time for nets
was lengthened by a day, and the size of the mesh was
also increased.

The latter restriction, however, was not to come into
force until three years after the law was passed, and
although the delay was to be regretted, it was only fair
to grant the fishermen a reasonable time to wear out their
nets then in use.

The new law regulating the size of mesh was, however,
more fortunate than that which increased the weekly close-
time, for the latter, to the great disappointment of those
who have the true interests of the rivers at heart, was
cancelled within a year of its introduction for political
purposes by the same Government which passed it.

The various forms of net are not removed bodily from
the water, but in most instances have merely the guiding-
arm shifted; in others, the entrance to the bag is shut while
the guiding-arm remains in position. Again, some nets
and traps have an exit at the extremity of the bag
which is opened during close-time.

I have frequently landed grilse weighing exactly four

Nets and Traps in the Fjords and Rivers. 31

pounds each which have just contrived to run through the
nets, having the scales stripped from their skins from a
distance of two inches in front of the fore extremity of
the dorsal fin to two inches behind it ; so it may be taken
that a fish of this weight is the largest that can squeeze
through.

It can easily be understood that the close-time can be
disregarded with impunity in districts which contain miles
upon miles of lonely fjord, which are rarely traversed by
others than those directly or indirectly interested in the
transgression of the law, and so over vast districts the
close-time existed, or even now exists, but in name.

The fishermen seem to agree not to inform against one
another, and it is no uncommon event for the nets to
remain fishing when by rights they should be off duty.

In several instances those detected in disobedience to
the law have pleaded ignorance, and not infrequently have
been granted such an extension of time in which to pay
the fine imposed that the penalty was reduced to little
less than a farce.

In course of time, however, sufficient prosecutions have
been put in force to prove that the proprietors and lessees
were in grim earnest, and no doubt the close-time is now
more generally observed, notwithstanding that more con-
victions are obtained.

Many of the fjord and river watchers have far from a

32 Angling Travels in Norway.

pleasant time while engaged in their arduous duties, and
I recollect one of them telling me that some netsmen
had threatened to put his head into a saw-mill if he
interfered with their poaching proclivities.

In the years 1884-1886, the average number of
convictions was seventy-three, and the amount of the

/r

14.1

t c

fines imposed was Kr. 1488 ; while during the years
1887-1891, the fines imposed annually amounted to
Kr. 3390, divided amongst one hundred and sixty-three
individuals.

Fixed walls of net guiding the fish into a pocket at the
end are anchored along the edges of the fjords at each
projecting angle of rock which the fish skirt in pursuit

Nets and Traps in the Fjords and Rivers. 33

of the river mouth ; and, with the object of directing them
to these points, fishermen frequently paint the rocks white
in imitation of falling water, with intention to give fish
the idea that a rivulet or beck runs in, and so to excite
a curiosity that shall bring them into contact with the
net.

This idea of whitening the rocks may have been
original, but probably was suggested by the patches of
white quartz which occasionally intersect the rocks at
the water's edge, and to some extent appear to attract fish.

The angler has much to suffer in this sparsely inhabited
country, yet he is spared some of the annoyances to be
encountered upon the rivers of the United Kingdom —
firstly, he is rarely troubled by kelts; and, secondly, there
are few dead leaves to foul his hook ; but in order that his
life may not be one of unadulterated bliss, a few hazards
are strewn in his path.

The consequences of a landslip in the course of a water-
shed or river may be fatal to angling for an entire season,
on account of discoloration caused by the wash of marl or
clay which keeps pouring in ; then there is the annual
transportation of pine logs down the rivers to the fjords,
which frequently upsets all calculation, and, maybe for a
day or two, renders a good water well-nigh unfishable.

I have frequently started casting from the boat in a
state of water which almost guaranteed sport, and while

^4 Angling Travels in Norway.

in the act of casting have been thrown on my knees by
the concussion caused by a pine log drifting down upon
the boat, and, upon looking up-stream, to my dismay have
viewed an endless string of these nuisances bearing down
upon us.

Down they come along the stream side of your favourite
pools, the ends alternately charging the banks and making
a rare mess of the water, until first one and then another
gets hitched up upon the banks or shallows as the water
gradually falls in.

Towards the afternoon, most of the trunks will have
passed by, or become hitched up, and you calculate upon
a few hours of uninterrupted sport ; but even in this you
are disappointed, as the effect of the day's sun now causes
the river to rise, and the anchored logs are again freed, to
pursue their deadly course, and put an end to the day's
angling.

You console yourself with the reflection that upon the
morrow you will be unmolested, and betimes you set to
work to make up for lost time, but here again you are
out in your reckoning, for scarcely have you commenced
fishing when a log comes bumping into the boat, a warning
of more trouble.

The stream is more sparsely strewn with litter to-day
than yesterday, as these are only the stragglers which have
got hung up in banks and backwaters, and to get free

Nets and Traps in the Fjords and Rivers. 35

require the assistance of that gang of fiends in black
who are now remorselessly wading all over the pool
above, while freeing the pine logs with their twelve-foot
hitchers.

You pull ashore to await their departure, and resolve to
keep your temper, but, alas ! the gang requires food and
rest, so they squat at the water's edge for an hour or two.
It is no use your fishing above or below, for both have
been disturbed alike, so you give it up until the evening.
Later on you start afresh with yet a chance of sport, when
in all probability the last two of the gang of woodmen
will descend the river in a boat, in order to set afloat
the most obstinate of the logs ; thus the best part of
two days' angling is completely ruined.

The operation of transporting logs could be performed
during times of flood without hindrance to the angler,
but this system would not suit the wily Norsk, for occa-
sionally he might have to recover logs left high and dry
some little distance inland, so he delays the descent of his
property until later, usually selecting a period when the
pools are in first-class angling trim.

A further cause of annoyance to anglers is found in the
ubiquitous ferry-boat which is generally stationed opposite
the best catch of the pool, and which, during the hay-
making season, incessantly crosses and re-crosses the
stream. In most countries, the ferry-boat is used with

36 Angling Travels in Norway.

discretion upon salmon rivers, but the Norwegian is not by
nature an angler, and it does not occur to him to extend
to sportsmen any consideration in this direction.

The capture of migratory Salmonidse in the rivers of
Norway is regulated and controlled by laws distinct
from those which apply to the fjords.

Occasionally there are stretches of water, half fjord,

\

Trap open.

THAP FOR SHALLOW WATER.

half river, which, however, come under the river regula-
tions, and as these are of no use for angling, the enter-
prising Norsk uses them as fields for the exercise of his
ingenuity in the setting of salmon-traps, and in this pursuit
he is no fool.

The trapper selects for his engine a situation where the
passage of the fish is narrowly defined, and then extends
a projecting arm of timber or masonry to make the

Nets and Traps in the Fjords and Rivers. 37

passage easiest of ascent at one particular point, and at
this point he establishes his infernal machine.

Many of these trappers conform to the requirements of
the weekly close-time by opening a door at the upper end
of the trap, thus affording a clear passage for fish through
the instrument ; but I would oblige them to close the
entrance to the trap, as I take it that, during close-time, it

£»

A RIVER SALMON-TRAP.

should work neither directly nor indirectly towards the
capture of fish.

It stands to reason that fish having passed through the
traps during close-time with convenience to themselves,
will gain confidence in the structures, and be inclined to
continue in their use until they are brought to by the
closed door, and meet their fate. Thus the trap, when not
fishing, instils a confidence for the benefit of similar other
engines, which I maintain should not be, and I am glad to

38 Angling Travels in Norway.

say that river-keepers to whom I have explained my views
have fully concurred in them. I would have fixed engines
entirely removed during close-time, or, at all events, have
the entrances closed, and when convictions are obtained
for the illegal use of traps or nets, the engines should be
confiscated in addition to the imposition of the fine.

CHAPTER VII.

THE LAKES OF NORWAY.

The lakes of Norway are of all sorts and sizes, varying
from the little basin at the base of small undulations in the
fjelds to large expanses of water several miles in length,
fed by rivers or streams supplied by snow or glacier-clad
mountains.

In many parts of the country there are chains of lakes
connected by links of river which would require years, to
thoroughly explore. As a rule, they teem with many
varieties of Salmonidse, including salmon, sea-trout, bull-
trout, brown and yellow trout, char, and hybrids of these
species; and when to this list are added land-locked
specimens of the migratory Salmonidae, it is apparent that
an extensive and interesting field is open to the angler and
ichthyologist.

Many lakes are let in conjunction with adjacent rivers,
while the majority are open to anglers, and, whether open
or not, leave to fish them can mostly be obtained by the

4-0 Angling Travels in Norway.

asking, for the salmon-fisher, except for an odd day or so,
has little time or inclination to leave his river in quest of
smaller game ; thus the lakes are seldom fished by others
than those who go out for that especial purpose. The
borders of these lakes, and the islands they contain, are
favourite resorts of wild-fowl during the breeding season,
and it is more than probable that a systematic exploration
of these little-frequented inland waters would lead to
valuable ornithological discoveries.

An ornithological expedition with the object of dis-
covery of the breeding haunts of wild-fowl could scarcely
be combined with an angling tour, for at the nesting-time
the fjelds are rotten with half-melted snow, and the
scaly inhabitants of the lakes are yet in such poor condition
that they offer no attraction to the angler.

The fjeld-lakes are scarcely free from ice until the
end of May, and except in a few forward districts, are
not worth the angler's attention until well into July ;
indeed, speaking generally, August is the best month.

Some lakes are simply land-locked basins, others of
larger dimensions are fed and relieved by rivers draining
considerable tracts of country, and a third description has
centuries ago been formed by some huge landslip which
has fallen down, and, by blocking up the passage of a river,
has created a semi-artificial lake. In the latter description
of lake, the overflow may be precipitated over heights not

The Lakes of Norway. 41

negotiable by fish ; whereas, before the date of the landslip,
a passage was open to Salrnonidse via the fjord, the large
river and the rivulet, and these accidents of Nature are the
key to the solution of many ichthyological puzzles.

Landslips and volcanic disturbances have barred the
ascent of fish in many a Norwegian river, but it does not
necessarily follow that descent is affected in the same
degree, and it is not uncommon to occasionally find a variety
of fish in a river which is not general.

Thus the construction and characteristics of the lakes
of Norway are of peculiar interest, telling tales of the past,
and providing solutions of problems respecting the species
of fish they contain at the present day.

It should be noted that the fj eld-lakes have not the
same facility to free themselves from winter ice as
have the rivers ; and, in consequence, they and their
inhabitants require more time to attain condition.

Lakes which communicate with the sea by river and
fjord are generally the resort of salmon, sea-trout, and
bull-trout for breeding purposes, and it is remarkable that
many rivers would be void of spawning redds if it were
not for the existence of lakes or lake-like expanses of
water at their heads, to which I shall have occasion to
refer later on.

Many of the lakes are situated among the f j elds or
higher lands of the country ; but it does not necessarily

42 Angling Travels in Norway.

follow that the lakes themselves are at a great altitude
above sea-level ; they often lie several hundred feet below
the ridges which must be crossed to reach them.

In secluded nooks upon the fjelds, and in the sheltered
hollows which form the watersheds of the lakes, good
pasturage is often found.

These grazing lands are the properties of the hamlets
in the valley below ; each farmer owns a log house upon
his portion of land, called in Norwegian a smter, to which
some of his people repair with the cattle so soon as the
harvest is garnered in the valley, and will remain there
until September or October. These sceters may be many
miles from the valleys, but the milk is usually sent down
to the farm every evening in cask upon horseback, or by
bearer.

Many lakes are bordered by trees, and are deep at the
sides ; but upon those worth fishing a boat is usually to be
found.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE COUNTRY-FOLK.

In previous chapters I have endeavoured to give the reader
some idea of the fjelds, rivers, and lakes which combine
to constitute the country districts of Norway from the
angler's point of view.

This is an easy task as compared with a description of
the manners and disposition of her country-folk.

I have been the recipient of much kindness and hospi-
tality at the hands of Norwegian citizens; in fact, so
obliging are they to a foreigner that they can scarcely do
too much for him.

In some senses, it seems scarcely correct to make use of
the word " foreigner," as between Norwegian and British
subjects, for their languages, religions, customs, and
manners bear such similarity that the inhabitant of
Great Britain scarcely feels as if abroad when upon
Norwegian soil.

44 Angling Travels in Norway.

The dwellers upon fjord, fjeld, and riverside have
been my partners in sport throughout many a long

A NORWEGIAN FAMILY PARTY.

day and expedition, and I sincerely trust that they
have as little fault to find with me as I have with
them.

Living as they do from year end to year end in the

The Country-folk. 45

midst of fish, flesh, and fowl, it would be indeed strange
were they not imbued with the love of sport and natural
history.

Many of them are true sportsmen in that they possess
knowledge of the habits and haunts of beasts, birds, and
fish ; they know not fatigue, and their patience and
perseverance are well-nigh inexhaustible.

I have found the inhabitants of the valleys along
the lengthy coast of Norway to differ considerably in
disposition and courtesy towards visitors. In some
districts they will do all in their power to oblige, and
are fair in their dealings, while in others they will
not put themselves out of their way to assist, and are
somewhat extortionate in their demands.

In the tourist districts, and in the valleys where
rivers have been fished for many years, house-rent,
wages, and the prices of supplies are fixed ; indeed,
this is generally the case, but in more remote quarters
the country-folk are not above asking for a great
deal more than they are prepared to accept.

One cannot expect country-folk to take a great
amount of interest in strangers whom, after a few
weeks' sojourn, they may never see again ; consequently,
the casual angler may not be as well treated as one
who annually fishes the same river ; but the natives of
some districts do not appear to grasp the idea that

46 Angling Travels in Norway.

fair dealing and moderate attention may prompt a
return visit, or the introduction of others.

To my mind, one of the most pleasing characteristics
of the Norwegian peasant is his independence. He is
courteous to his neighbours, attends to his own affairs,
but gives no homage, and expects none, for all are equal.

During the angling season, the farmers are busy
with their crops, and have no inclination to waste
their time or yours ; they are unaccustomed to attention
from one another, and attempts towards affability upon
the part of visitors are not understood. They do not
bother about one another, and do not expect visitors to
bother about them, and I know parts of England where
the same feeling exists.

In Norway, the fishing rights of rivers, lakes, and
fjords belong to the riparian proprietors, and these
cannot be sold apart from the property, but they can
be let on lease.

Of late a law has been passed that land cannot
be sold to foreigners, the object being to prevent traffic
in property which might in the future be required for
railway or other purposes, but at present the law
applies generally.

The riparian proprietors who own fisheries of small
value in somewhat remote districts hear that large
rents are obtained for fishing elsewhere. They seldom

The Country-folk. 47

travel, they know nothing of the sport of angling,
and are often ignorant of the comparative value of
their own small streams and the better rivers ; but,
with the arrival of a British visitor, a vision of gold
appears before their eyes, and they seldom ask less
than their river's worth.

The value of the harvest reaped from sportsmen and
tourists is fully appreciated by the Norwegians, and
it is to their advantage to know that fair dealing is
likely to increase the number of visitors.

The solitary, uneventful life of the valley and the cold
and darkness of the protracted winter of their country
perhaps incline them to be a trifle phlegmatic, and the dis-
appointments which the vagaries of the short Norwegian
summer inflict upon a population chiefly engaged in
agriculture, have accustomed them to accept calamity with-
out murmur.

Yet when occasions arise which call for quick resource
and prompt action, it is seldom that they are found un-
equal to the occasion ; their remarks and replies are
generally to the point, and their wit is distinctly of the
dry order. An occasional incident may somewhat excite
them, but I am inclined to attribute this to the desire to
render the utmost assistance to their companion in sport.
Many a time I have been excessively annoyed with myself
at the escape of a fish from my hook, but nothing more

48 Angling Travels in Norway.

than a smile Hits across my boatman's countenance, and he
continues rowing as if nothing had occurred.

When, however, a fish is being played I cannot say he
is so steady, and in gafling a fish he is about the worst
hand I have ever met.

It seems quite impossible for him to wait until the gaff
can be nicely placed over the shoulder of the fish, he prefers
to make wild dashes with the instrument, and frequently
succeeds in frightening the fish away, or in gafting your
line.

The rents they make with the gaff deprive me of half
the pleasure of the capture, and although I have shown
them the correct method times without number, they will
be just as clumsy upon the next opportunity, so now I
strand my fish whenever possible, and use a net in place
of the gaff.

This, however, some do not appreciate, as they think
they are deprived of having a hand in the sport. The
Norwegian is of kindly disposition, and his care of animals
is extreme; in fact, he makes pets of his servants. His
knowledge he willingly places at the disposal of his com-
panion in sport, and he will work away with a dogged
determination which leaves nothing to be desired. This is
the kind of man with whom to go a-fishing. The Nor-
wegian is an adept at all kinds of wood-work, from the
building of his house to the manufacture of ropes from

The Country-folk. 49

twisted twigs, and his knife serves in his deft hands the
purposes of half a dozen tools.

THREE LITTLE MAIDS FROM SCHOOL.

CHAPTER IX.

BOATS.

1 — "V HE Norwegian excels in the craft of
wood-working ; it is an art pecu-
liarly his own, and in the branch
of boat-building he is in the first
rank.

It might be expected that a
people living upon a sea-board, with water the principal
means of transit, should possess boats of superior make
and shape, but it is not every nation which in its craft
combines the ornamental with the practical.

For use upon the sea, the fjord, and the river, several
patterns of boat are in use. There is the boat somewhat
of the cutter build, whose prow is but slightly elevated
above the height of the gunwale amidships ; this is chiefly
used for fjord work in proximity to the towns.

The peculiarity of the pattern lies in its gradually
decreasing beam from a point rather forward of amidships

Boats. 5 1

to the stern ; its bottom and sides have considerable Hare,
and the boat can be whipped from side to side with great
facility. The typical boat of the country is built some-
what upon similar lines to the above, but the design is
different. From rather forward of amidships she tapers
away aft to the bare width of her stern-post, the prow
is raised to a considerable height, while the stern is also
elevated. Her sides have considerable Hare, carried as far
forward as possible ; thus she sits like a duck upon the
water, is of little draught, behaves well in waves or surf,
and drags not at all from the stern.

At the present time, oak is employed but to a small
extent for boat-building, the pine of the country is in
general use. The strakes are about a foot in width,
often much more, and these are fastened together by bolts
and rivets of galvanized iron, which have superseded the
system of pegging with wood.

The boat is either oiled, or painted with Stockholm
tar, and with ordinary care will last for years.

The oars and sculls are also made of pine, and are
innocent of buttons.

The fulcrum is a single rowlock of pine, and a loop
of cord or twisted birch-twig running through a hole in
the gunwale is passed over the handle of the oar, serving
to keep it more or less in position when out of hand, and
providing a fulcrum when it is desired to backwater.

52 Angling Travels in Norway.

The rudder is hung upon iron pins, and is controlled
by a tiller usually formed of two rods jointing at right,
angles ; but for inland and angling purposes no rudder is
used.

As already stated, the native boat is of very light
draught, and can easily be hauled or "tracked" up-stream,
no matter how shallow may be the water, and likewise can
with safety be run upon shallows or the bank when a fish
has to be landed. It is an excellent boat for angling.

The largest rivers of Norway are fishable only by boat ;
the lower and middle waters of the medium-size rivers, in
some of their pools, are certain to require a boat, and even
the small rivers require this accessory more frequently
than the angler might wish.

Somehow or another, unless the catch can be com-
manded from the bank of big waters, a boat is mostly
necessary, as there is generally such an expanse of deepish
water between the bank and the catch as places wading
out of the question, and, in many cases, the rough bottom
and powerful stream prohibit the practice.

In the uppermost pools of the larger rivers, and
throughout the small rivers, the waders can be used with
advantage ; but under a broiling hot sun I personally
prefer to wade without them.

The boats, when not in use, are moored to the bank
upon the easy side of the stream, or up some convenient

Boats. 53

backwater, but when it is desired to leave the boat upon
some strand, the native system is to pull the boat up,
fasten the painter to the largest adjacent stone, and pile
upon and around the latter sufficient other stones as will
securely anchor the boat should a rise of water take place,
occasioned either by rainfall or melted snow— this pre-
caution should never be omitted, especially in situations
where a rise of a foot or so is sufficient to flood a
considerable area. Acquaintance with the methods of the
Norwegian brings the conviction that he is hard to beat
at his own game.

An excellent boat for angling purposes costs but the
equivalent to from 28s. to 35s., and in some places even
less, and such, with ordinary attention, will last for ten
years or more. These boats are in every respect superior
to those built in Great Britain for angling work, and
can be held with ease in rapid water. I use them at
home in preference to our boats.

For fishing lakes a sea-anchor will be found of great
service, especially when the angler has no attendant. By
its aid the boat is kept head to wind as she drifts at
a suitable pace for casting. To hold a . fishing-boat a
sea-anchor of sail area 18 ins. square is quite sufficient.

CHAPTER X.

SALMONIDjE OF NORWAY.

The list of Salmonidse found in Norway includes the
following distinct species, viz. the salmon, sea-trout,
bull-trout, yellow trout, brown trout, grayling, and char,
which, when existing under normal conditions, differ little
in characteristics from the various species common to the
British Isles.

The inhabitants of the various rivers and lakes possess
slight peculiarities in shape, colouring, and marking, as
is also the case in rivers of other countries ; but these
should rarely give the ichthyologist serious trouble in
identification.

It will have been gathered from a perusal of the
previous chapters that from mountain summit to river
bed, the country of Norway is far bigger than that of
the British Isles, and, in consequence of the climate, the
chapter of accidents which affects fish-rearing and fish-life
is proportionately longer and more varied.

Salmonidae of Norway. 55

Acquaintance with this less conventional land reveals
the purport and value of many provisions of Nature, which
may scarcely seem necessary for the protection and
perpetuation of animal life in Great Britain, and reminds
the observer how circumscribed is his own little sphere.
In rivers and lakes, which at certain portions of their
courses have at one time or another been pretty well
turned upside down, it is not very remarkable that
curiosities of fish-life should abound, yet in the large
majority of cases a careful examination of the subject will
lead to certain identification with a distinct species at
some stage of the latter's existence, although the size of
the curiosity may be abnormal.

In a country where the ordinary journeys of migratory
Salmonidae are possibly held in suspense for months or
years, by effects of climate or convulsions of Nature, it
may be not unwise, in the first stages of examination, to
dismiss the size of the subject from calculation, and to
commence with the application of the tests for species ;
then, should this result in a solution of the problem, the
causes of individual peculiarity are ripe for speculation
or further investigation.

It is not probable that every angler will take sufficient
interest to study all the details of fish-life, and, as the
discovery of an uncommon object appears to possess a
fascination, a tendency would unfortunately seem to exist

56 Angling Travels in Norway.

which invests a rather unusual specimen with an interest
to which in reality it has no claim.

I have frequently had specimens presented with the
query, " What's this ? " the exhibitor evidently expecting
a reply which would suggest some rare object ; but it
seldom has been other than one showing a trifling variety
in shape or colour from some accepted species.

SALMON, 5.J LBS. Q LIFE-SIZE).

The inquirer generally seems disappointed, so to
dissipate sucli illusions is no tasteful task ; but the ruthless
knife of the surgeon must be conscientiously applied in
the interests of natural history.

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sea-trout (Salmo trutta), bull-trout (Salmo eriox), and

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Salmonidae of Norway. 57

common trout (Salmo fario), the annexed table will
be found in convenient form for reference, and contains
mention of the points by which the different species are
distinguishable.

As regards curious specimens, landlocked fish, etc., I
will allude to those I have seen in Norway in the
following pages.

Salmon (Salmo solar ; Norsk, Lax).

Shape. — Body, elegant in outline ; head, small and

thoroughbred.

Scales.' — Lustrous and silvery.

Colour. — Back, dark green shading lighter, then blueish

tinge.

Flanks, silvery white.

Belly, lustrous white.

Marking. — Spotted black, the spots being in shape

from cross to square. Few, if any spots below medial

line, except immediately behind gill-covers.

Gill-covers. — Begular and round in outline. Those

of males are more irregular. Sparsely spotted.

Teeth. — Upper jaw, two rows )

\ extremities toothless.
Lower jaw, one row )

Vomer, cluster of teeth at point.

Tongue, two rows.

Thorax : upper, two rows ; lower, one row.

r

58

Angling Travels in Norway.

Fins. — Dorsal, adipose, and pectoral, slate-colour.

Ventral and anal, light slate to white.
Tail, — Forked, less so with age ; square when old ;
colour, slate.

Previous to my acquaintance with the fjords, rivers, and
lakes of Norway, I had been given to understand that,

Male, 15 lbs.

GILL-COVERS (§ LIFE-SIZE).

broadly speaking, the salmon of the country was a gamer
fish to kill and less tasteful as food than his brethren
of the British Isles, but my own experience shows that
he is neither better nor worse in either respect; in fact,

Salmonidas of Norway*

59

he proved to be exactly what I expected to find
him.

The salmon affords the most sport and the best food
the nearer to the sea he be captured ; and, vice versd, he
becomes of less value for both purposes as he wends his
way to the spawning-beds.

Some rivers of Norway communicate directly with
the sea, others discharge their waters into fjords vary-

Lower.

JAWS AND TONGUE.

Upper.

ing in length from five to forty or more miles, and in
accordance with the distance that the fish have to travel
before capture, their value for sport and food should be
gauged.

The waters of the fjords are sufficiently brackish to grow
seaweed, and mature sea-fish, such as codling, whiting,
etc., to within a few yards of their inland extremities, and
it is but natural that salmon, while navigating such
favourable waters, should lose less in condition than if

60 Angling Travels in Norway.

the journey were performed in fresh water, to all intents
and purposes devoid of food.

As salmon commence to lose condition upon their
departure from the sea, it is fair to argue that they lose
the same in a proportion as the water becomes less saline,
and contains less food in the way of small fish.

It is a fact that salmon feed largely upon the herring,
and in many districts the reason of the scarcity of fish

in the river is explained by
the natives by their loitering
in the fjords after food ; but
when such excuses have been
made, the fishing has subse-
quently been indifferent, and my opinion is that by the
time the salmon leaves the sea for the fjord he is in
perfect condition, and his business is to seek the spawn-
ing-grounds, consequently I pay little heed to the herring-
detaining theory.

The salmon is intent upon the business he has imme-
diately in hand, whether it be feeding, running, or breeding.
When he is feeding — I mean in the sea — he is rarely seen ;
when he is running he rarely, if ever, feeds ; and when he is
on the redds he bestows not a glance or thought upon other
matters.

When we have had no fish in the river, I cannot
remember that many were being caught in the fjord

Salmonidae of Norway. 61

unless perhaps at the very junction with the sea, so I
think salmon run through the fjords without loss of time.

Salmon from a distance of many scores of miles become
aware that their river is open to them by the same in-
comprehensible senses which inform wild-fowl of the exact
date when their northern resorts, hundreds of miles away,
are free from ice and ripe for visitation ; and these acute
senses — usually described as instinct — remind one of the
behaviour of cattle on board ship when approaching land
not yet in sight.

I should say that the average weight of the salmon
killed in Norway is greater than the same in the British
Isles, as in many of the largest and medium-size rivers,
fish weighing over 30 lbs. are, comparatively speaking,
common, and I do not hesitate to say that in the lowest
and middle stretches of rivers they take a suitable bait
more freely.

The angler, upon his first visit to Norwegian waters, will
be surprised at how seldom fish show themselves in the
pools ; they, however, frequently jump immediately they
have ascended a stream, as is the case in our own rivers.

During the first four weeks or so of an average season
in Norway, the rivers are maintained at a height favour-
able for "running," for reasons before mentioned, and
under such circumstances the British angler would expect
fish to " take " freely, and from my personal experience

62 Angling Travels in Norway.

I should not wonder at a scarcity of "jumpers,"
as I generally find that the jumping fish, by external
appearance, have been some time in the river, while the
fresh-run ones that I kill frequently have made no
display before taking the lure.

I counted the fin rays of two fish killed in the Siirendal
river (the Surna) upon the 23rd and 25th July. The fish
each weighed 17 lbs., and the rays were as follows : —

Dorsal fin

13 rays

Anal ,,

11 „

Pectoral „

14 „

Ventral „

9 „

Caudal „

19 „

In one of the fish the last ray of the dorsal fin was very
short, with appearance of having been injured.

I have met with a few fish of the hog-backed type, some
fish with rather large, and others with rather small tails;
but these peculiarities are not uncommon in British waters,
and the skin readily becomes tinted with whatever colour-
ing matter a water may contain.

There are early and late rivers in Norway, and in
accordance with the date of the ascent of the fish, the
spawning-time may approximately be determined.

In some of the early rivers in the North, the fish
become red by the middle of July, and upon the 24th
of that month I have killed new fish as full-bellied as

Salmonidas of Norway. 63

are those of the Solway rivers about the end of October,
and from my own experience I should say that the
average date of spawning in Norwegian rivers is from a
month to six weeks earlier than the average of Great
Britain.

The angling season closes generally upon September
15, and the spawning operations commence within a few
weeks' time, so the fish can reckon upon a full month at
least during which the ova and milt can be deposited
ere the surface of those rivers which freeze over will become
ice-covered.

Some rivers in the south of Norway, and many further
north which flow out of lakes, are free of ice throughout
winter, but upon others the water running over thin
shallows is often frozen in patches right through, and
some situations which have been selected as redds may
be left high and dry as the river falls in, and the per-
centage of ova lost from these causes is far greater than
in a less rigorous climate, while the voracious bull-trout
ever exacts toll. There is also a considerable formation
of ground-ice in many rivers which is undesirable in a
hatchery, and the open ones run extremely dry.

In consequence of the low temperature of these rivers,
the regulation period of ninety days required for hatching
the ova is probably often exceeded, except where the rivers
are fed by warm springs.

64 Angling Travels in Norway.

Allowing a liberal period for the deposit of ova, the fish
should be hatched out by the end of February, and by the
time of the clearance of ice the youngsters should have
absorbed the contents of the yolk-bag, and have become
perfect fish.

At this time, and throughout the season, the parr may
be observed feeding in the backwaters, or stationed in some
miniature stream formed by stones at the margin of the
river, where for the first few weeks he fattens upon particles
scarcely visible to the human eye.

Later on, he devotes his attention to midges, and then
to fair-sized flies, until the winter again comes round, and
his appetite can only be satisfied by subaquaeous food.

The parr differ in size to much the same extent as in
British rivers, so it is probable that their transformation
into smolts is governed by the same laws as are proved
to exist in the British Isles; indeed, the provision of Nature,
which ordains that half of each brood should remain as
parr for two years, would seem to be of extreme value
in this land of accident, in order to preserve a portion
of each year's production.

At the commencement of June, I have seen salmon-fry
an inch to an inch-and-a-half long, and on the first of July
I have seen them two-and-a-half inches in length dis-
porting themselves in the rivers and fresh-water portions
of the fjords.

Salmonidze of Norway. 65

In the first instance, I was considerably perplexed to
account for the absence of smolts in Norwegian rivers, and
in order to ascertain if they were taking shelter up the
backwaters and small streams, I for many days took a trout
rod with me, and for an hour or so whipped all likely
places, but only succeeded in hooking trout and parr.

I have seen large numbers of smolts just below the
entrance of rivers into the fjords, but in the rivers them-
selves I have not seen a single specimen.

I have been shown as smolts fish which really were
parr or trout, and I have been informed that smolts were
in abundance upon the higher reaches of the river. I
have been fishing at the time, and throughout a period of
two months they have not passed down, and I have
arrived at the conclusion that the smolts descend the
river before the commencement of the salmon-angling
season, probably at, or very soon after, the break-up of
winter, and when the early date at which the ova is shed
and the late opening of the angling season are taken into
consideration, it is not surprising that the smolts should
have departed seawards by the first week in June.

In the small rivers grilse will run up early ; but in the
large rivers, and even in many small ones, the arrival of the
grilse heralds the close of salmon angling.

By about the middle of July the rivers become small
(unless there should be rain), and the grilse take to the

66 Angling Travels in Norway.

river, appropriating for resting-places the very rocks and
stones which, in bigger waters, were shelters for salmon;
they freely take the fly or minnow, and fight well,

For the first month or so of the angling season, when
the melting snow and ice throughout the highlands of
the watershed maintain the rivers in good ply, salmon
keep running up with every tide, naturally gaining the
rivers in greater numbers during the weekly close-time
for netting ; but when the snow is exhausted, a few will
run up only during the close-time, or if there be rain.

From the commencement of the angling season the
rivers are remarkably free of kelts ; indeed, these are as
scarce as smolts, and, in my opinion, for one and the
same reason.

I calculate that the smolt is prepared to descend the
rivers early in May, while the kelt certainly is so, and
both desire a flood to permit of their departure ; thus, as
water sufficient for the purpose is certain to occur at latest
soon after the end of April, both smolt and kelt take
advantage of the first opportunity.

I am certain that in some waters of the British Isles
the existence of smolts causes delay in the return of kelts
to the sea, and by the early removal of smolts the induce-
ment does not exist.

The py lories of the salmon fresh from the sea, via fjord
and river, are extended with fat, or perhaps I should say

Salmonidag of Norway. 67

with essence of food, the individual strings of these organs
having the appearance of being merged into one mass ; a
layer of this nutritious extract underlies the skin, and
intervenes between the flakes of solid flesh, the secre-
tion being more abundant in the neighbourhood of the
abdomen.

The consumer appreciates the difference between the
rich and lean portions of the salmon, and, if he be wise,
would select the " thick " or the " thin " in accordance
with his powers of digestion.

In this manner the salmon carries sufficient supplies to
sustain him during an existence of comparative inactivity,
and adequate to meet the demands of ova or milt.

The supply of food in a salmon river is so limited that
it would not pay for the working ; and I think that, to
all intents and purposes, salmon do not feed in the river ;
I have most carefully examined the internal economy of
scores of fish, and have found nothing in the stomach
beyond a greenish liquid and a few reddish, shelly frag-
ments, which I have recognized as the cases of the fresh-
water shrimp.

I will not go so far as to say that the unspawned
salmon will not feed in fresh water of a river ; very likely
he would, if there were sufficient food to pay for the
hunting, but in that case there would be no necessity for
the secretive organs and tissues which he possesses.

68 Angling Travels in Norway.

If a salmon were to attempt to gain subsistence solely
from the food which exists in a river he would wear
himself to skin and bone in the process ; but the same
exertion is not required in picking up fragments which
pass under his very nose as he rests upon the river-bed.

The stomach of the salmon, with its ducts and exit,
becomes contracted by disuse when in the river, and the
small particles of food which he obtains merely perform
the office of keeping the machinery from absolute inaction.

I have opened fish whose stomachs contained small
white worms, and in many others I have found the tape-
worm. From the proportions of a certain cock fish, I put
him down as a forty-pounder, but upon weighing him I
was astonished to find that he drew the scale at but thirty
pounds. I tried another steel-yard with the same reading.
His frame was certainly that of a fish nigh upon forty
pounds, but a further inspection showed him to be narrow.

Upon opening him we discovered a large tape-worm,
and thus the mystery was revealed, for he had been
supporting a lodger. The existence of tape-worm in
salmon is far from uncommon in Norway.

I have frequently found sea-lice upon fish which have
negotiated from thirty to forty miles of fjord, and beyond
that fifteen miles of river, but when captured at the
mouth of a river such a distance from the sea the para-
sites are not very numerous, nor are they very firmly

Salmonidas of Norway. 69

attached to the fish, and by the time that ten to fifteen
miles of river have been travelled but few lice will remain ;
in fact the brackish and fresh water seem to affect salmon
and sea-lice alike.

In a big water, both in British and Norwegian rivers,
the salmon will run up during the daytime, for they may
frequently be seen jumping at the stream-tops after having
negotiated the rapid water below ; but, in lower states of
the water, I think this practice is more general with the
Norwegian salmon, and I have frequently observed three
or four ascending together through water scarcely three
feet in depth, illuminated by a midday sun.

The long Norwegian twilight will allow the angler to
continue operations until eleven or twelve o'clock through-
out the month of June, and as far north as Bergen there
is sufficient light to fish comfortably until 9 p.m. up to
about August 10. The habits of the fish doubtless are.
affected by the light as regards " taking," especially in low
waters, but, by common consent, they appear to desist from
"taking" at some variable hour which, in my opinion, is
determined by the daily or nightly temperature and light.

If the evening be warm and balmy, salmon will often
take up to midnight ; but, on the other hand, should
cold atmosphere or wind set in, it is of little good to
continue fishing after 7 or 8 p.m. ; in fact, in cold weather,
I much prefer the daytime.

70 Angling Travels in Norway.

Many British and Norwegian anglers decry fishing
under a hot sun, but in heavy waters I think it makes not
much difference, and even in small waters I have done
very well if the sun does not shine down-stream.

I have been frequently warned, when starting out
under a sun beating straight down upon the river, that
I was not very likely to raise a fish, and my boatman, or
gaffer, has implored me to wait until five o'clock in the
evening, but with plenty of water I generally pay little
attention to sun in Norway, and have nothing to regret
for my waywardness, principally thanking the free-taking
habits of the Norwegian salmon.

There is only one direction of the sun upon the river
during which I decline to fish, and that is when it strikes
down a pool, and, consequently, straight into the eyes of
fish, thus the general direction of a river's course is of
much importance in day-angling.

In various parts of Norway a fairly extensive system
of marking fish and returning them to the water has been
practised, with the object of advancement of our knowledge
of the natural history of the salmon, with the result that
fish have very seldom been recaptured south of the river in
which they were originally taken, while, upon the other
hand, they have frequently been caught north of it, which
suggests the inference that kelts, upon regaining salt water,
are in the habit of travelling in a northern direction. The

Salmonidas of Norway. 71

details have been published by the Norwegian Inspector
of Fisheries, and are invested with no mean value.

There is a theory — or, perhaps, I may say a belief —
among the sea-fishermen that the salmon feed upon the
herrings, and follow them into the fjords ; and several have
told me that they have frequently seen salmon disgorging
herrings when confined in the nets. These statements,
which I believe to be reliable, combined with authenticated
instances of herrings having been actually found in the
stomachs of salmon in our own country, would seem to
leave little room for doubt, at all events, as to one article
of their diet.

There are many rivers in Norway which are headed by
a single lake, others which spring from a chain of lakes
with insufficient facilities between them for the passage
of salmon ; and, again, there are rivers intersected by
lakes through which the fish freely run.

It is frequently the case that the communications
between lakes of which the salmon makes use become,
for all practical purposes, cut off, as the season wanes,
and it follows that the fish who occupy the uppermost
lakes are the first to ascend the river. Later on, the
lower lakes, should there be any, become stocked with
fish, and so the available space becomes occupied.

The Norwegian lakes are mostly very deep in the
middle portions (I have let out 150 yards of loaded

72 Angling Travels in Norway.

line without reaching the bottom), and the fish frequent
the shallower water near the sides, usually selecting
a site near a promontory, to obtain whatever stream the
lake may afford.

To satisfy my curiosity, I have netted such portions,
and have ascertained that fish which have run up at
the beginning of June have by July 15 become very dis-
coloured, and the milt or ova so far advanced in condition
that spawning should commence within about six weeks'
time. At the commencement of spawning operations,
the fish draw up the rivers and tributaries or towards the
edges of the lakes, and dig troughs out of stones and rubble
within sight of an observer upon the bank, selecting a
locality which possesses some little stream or current.

Salmon seem to become lethargic upon entering the
lakes, and I have rarely seen them jump except soon
after their entrance at the outlet, and it is difficult
to tempt them with fly or bait.

Herr Landmark, the Government Inspector of Fisheries
in Norway, publishes periodically his reports, which, in
addition to providing us with much information of great
value as regards statistics, supply us with the results
of an extended system of experiment conducted by him-
self and others, notably by Mr. Walter E. Archer, the
present Inspector of Salmon Fisheries of Scotland.

As a practical ichthyologist, he warns us that his

Salmonidae of Norway. 73

experiments and systems have not yet been conducted
upon so large a scale as to render it absolutely safe to
accept the results of his labours as facts in the general
natural history of the Salmo salar of Norway.

As an individual, I am prepared to accept the result
of their experiments as conclusive evidence upon many
points ; and persons more difficult to convince must admit
that the many straws they have tracked at least
tend to show the direction in which the wind blows.
Ilerr Landmark's experiments in marking salmon have
proved that, as a general rule, fish return to spawn in
the river of their birth. Of 56 fish marked in a certain
river, 34 were recaught in it, 1 in a different river, and
22 by nets at distances varying from half a mile to
200 miles from where marked.*

Herr Landmark points out that Salmo salar while
at sea travels with the current, and as this sets north-
wards during summer along the western coast of Norway,
it follows that the more northern rivers benefit by those
southern-bred fish which get somewhat beyond their
reckoning in search of food, and of others which prefer
to strike another river rather than await with great
inconvenience to themselves a rise in the temperature of
their native stream.

* Vide Annual Report of the Fishery Board for Scotland for 1892,
Part IT., note 11.

L

74 Angling Travels in Norway.

Herr Landmark says that the river Aaensira furnishes
somewhat of an exception to the rule that fish in a
large majority of instances return to their native rivers,
and he explains that the temperature of this river in
spring and early summer is exceptionally low ; but this
river affords no great exception to the rule, for of fifteen
fish marked and subsequently recovered, twelve were
recaptured in or close to the river itself, and of the other
three, one was recaptured 200 miles, another 230 miles,
and the third 500 miles, all north of the Aaensira.

There would appear to be no particular reason why
a fish should seek "fresh fields and pastures new," if
he can satisfy his requirements close at hand under
conditions favourable to his existence and to his advance
towards maturity. Herr Landmark says that of the
fish marked, 36 per cent, were males, whereas of those
recaptured the males represented the proportion of 11
per cent., and he suggests that this decrease in the
percentage of males may be accounted for by the great
mortality which occurs among cock fish after spawning.
Perhaps the more wary and cunning nature of the
male fish renders him less liable to be captured a second
time either by rod or net, and any one who knows much
about nets and the netting of fish can testify that fish
recognize them at a glance, and take advantage of the
slightest loophole to effect their escape.

Salmonidae of Norway. 75

The result of the marking of fish in Norway shows
that no hard-and-fast rule can be made as regards the
increase in weight of fish from one year to another ; in
fact, as in most points concerning the natural history of
the salmon, we must not pay too much attention to
exceptions, but rather base our calculations upon the
general average.

Herr Landmark says that fish weighing from 1* to
3kgs. in one year increase on an average 100 per cent. ;
fish of from 3 to 5 kgs. increase 50 per cent. ; fish of from
5 to 7 kgs. increase 40 per cent. ; fish from 7 to 9 kgs.
increase 25 per cent. ; and, lastly, fish of from 9 to
12 kgs. increase 20 per cent., which means that a fish
of 27 lbs. would increase in weight about 5 J lbs. in a
single year, which, more or less, agrees with the calcu-
lations of experts in this country as regards British
salmon.

It must be remembered that a 27 lb. fish will lose from
4 to 5 lbs. in weight during spawning, and in the course of
a year he regains this loss of 4 to 5 lbs., and increases in
weight to another 5 lbs. or so, making a total increase of
about 10 lbs. between the kelt stage and the date when he
next ascends the river as a fresh fish.

The last question I shall attempt to deal with in regard
to the salmon is, how often does he spawn ?

I must again revert to Herr Landmark's investigations,

y6 Angling Travels in Norway.

which prove that thirteen salmon which were marked in
one year, either when in condition just ready for spawning,
or immediately after they had spawned, were retaken the
following year in similar condition.

It is pretty generally admitted in Norway that a large
number of fish which spawn in the lower reaches of a river
will fall back to the sea before winter, and as the spawning
takes place fairly early, such fish would have ample time to
regain condition, and again ascend the river in the following
June or July, so there would appear to be no reason why
such fish should not spawn annually.

On the other hand, it is well known that large numbers
of salmon remain in the rivers until spring, and these
are named " winter fish," and I cannot believe that such
fish, descending in spring, with a long journey before them,
can have sufficient time to regain condition and increase in
weight so that they can reascend the rivers before autumn
or late in summer.

It may be argued that the " winter fish," which we
will say descend in April and May, would have sufficient
time to reattain condition and occupy the lower redds of
the river in September ; then, having spawned, may drop
down to the sea before winter, and come up again as spring
fish in June. By such a system, fish would spawn high up
and low down the river in alternate years ; but this cannot
be the case as far as concerns the rivers I have fished, for

Salmonidae of Norway. 77

in these the big fish invariably run up very early when
there is plenty of water, and as the volume of water
decreases so does the size of the fish running up.

In Great Britain, the rivers are such that, with
favourable waters, fish can run throughout the twelve
months ; but it by no means follows that a fish ascends
to breed every year; it is common for spring fish to
ascend the river in the winter and spring months, and
those that avoid an untimely end spawn, say, in December,
and descend the river in March, April, and May of the
following spring, about a year after they came up.

In rivers which have both autumn and spring " runs,"
it is possible that fish descending in spring may re-
ascend in autumn, then they would be spring and autumn
fish in alternate years ; but I fail to see how fish can breed
annually in British or any other rivers which only have
a spring run, i.e. so long as they pass the winter in the

river.

To revert to Norwegian fisheries — as an instance, I will
take the Salten river. The run of fish has practically
ended early in August, at which date I have observed
many fish far advanced towards spawning condition
in the topmost cascade-like pools of the Junkerdal river,
which, at its junction with the Lons river at Storjord,
is named the Salten river. These fish are breeding at a
distance of about a hundred miles from the sea proper,

78 Angling Travels in Norway.

and I am of opinion that it is impossible for them to
shed their ova, or milt, in late autumn, then to visit the
sea in early spring, and return to the river in June or
July, having in the interim traversed two hundred miles,
regained about 5 lbs. lost in the kelt stage, and have
accumulated an additional increase in weight of 5 lbs. at
the least.

If Salmo salar can spawn annually under such con-
ditions as these, he must pass the majority of his days in
racing up and down the river and fjord.

Some instances have been recorded of fish marked
as kelts in spring having been recaptured as fresh-run
fish in autumn, but this would be impossible in rivers
which afford insufficient water for an autumn " run."

The conclusions I arrive at are- —

(1) That salmon which have spawned in pools which

in the autumn have open communication with
the fjord or sea, may, and frequently do,
return to the sea after spawning and before
winter, and under such conditions may very
well spawn each year.

(2) That salmon which have spawned in situations

from which no departure is possible until the
following spring, may spawn each year, pro-
vided that their river admits of an autumn
" run."

Salmonidae of Norway. 79

(3) That salmon which have spawned in situations

from which departure is impossible until the
following spring, in a river which has no autumn
run, spawn but once in two years.

(4) That fish which ascend the rivers each autumn

can well spawn each year.

(5) That fish can spawn each year in rivers which

admit of both spring and autumn " runs," pro-
vided that the fish do not confine themselves
to either spring or autumn "running."

(6) That fish which descend the rivers as kelts in

winter (December and January) can reascend
as fresh fish in the following summer (July and
later).

I call attention to these points, as, if I am correct,
they bear somewhat strongly upon the system of breed-
ing from " spring " or " autumn " fish, and upon the
annual growth of the salmon.

The results derived from the marking of fish by Mr.
Walter E. Archer, than whom there exists no greater
authority upon the natural history of Norwegian salmon,
are most instructive, both as regards the facts they prove
and the inferences to be drawn from them.

In the Suldal (or Sand's river), the Aaensira, the
Figgen, and the Topdals rivers, of some thousands of
fish marked, 56 were recaptured.

80 Angling Travels in Norway.

Of these 56 fish-
Four may be dismissed on account of accident or
uncertainty.

One was marked on December 18, 1886, as fresh-
run, and was recaptured in August, 1887, as
"apparently" a kelt, 18 lbs. and 16 lbs. being
the respective weights.

One was marked in December as a kelt of 9i lbs.,
and was recaught in the following April, still a
kelt weighing 9 lbs.

One was marked in December " about to spawn,"
weight 15 lbs., and was recaught in the follow-
ing April, weight lOi lbs. a kelt.

One was marked in December as " about to spawn,"
weight 19 lbs., and was recaught as a kelt in
the following April, weight 13 lbs.

Eighteen were marked either as kelts or fish about
to spawn (13 being kelts and 5 being fish about
to spawn), and all of these were recaught either
as kelts or fish about to spawn in the breeding
season immediately following that in which
they were first marked.

Thirty were marked either as kelts or as fish
ascending the river to spawn, and were not
recaught until the second season after they had
been marked.

Salmonidas of Norway. 81

Nothing was recorded of their proceedings for an
entire season.

Thus of 48 fish marked and recaptured, it is proved
that 18 spawned twice in consecutive breeding seasons,
and that 30 fish spawned one season, that nothing was
seen of them during the next season, but that during
the second season after marking they were recaptured
as kelts or fish about to spawn.

These 30 fish may have spawned or may not have
spawned in the season during which nothing is recorded
of them ; but, as Mr. Walter E. Archer points out, there is
negative evidence in favour of their having missed a season.

Fish remaining in the sea from twelve to eighteen
months at a time would be expected to gain more in
weight per annum than those which spawn annually,
and we have here the fact that these 30 fish which, so
to say, were lost sight of for an entire season, gained
half as much again in weight per annum as compared
with the 18 fish which spawned annually for two years.

Again, of the marked fish, on account of the risks
run by fish and labels, it would have appeared probable
that more would have been recovered during the first
season after marking than in later years, but the opposite
has been the case — 18 fish having been recaught during
the first season after marking, whereas 30 fish were re-
captured during the second year after marking.

82 Angling Travels in Norway.

I may also draw attention to the fact that of the 18
fish which spawned in two successive years, about one-
half reascended the river during the second year in the
month of July, and the other half in the late autumn,
whereas of the 30 fish which did or did not miss a season,
22 reascended the river in May, June, and July, and
8 in October and November.

I fully expect that experiments in the future will
prove that many fish breed but once in two years, much
in accordance with the laws of nature, which rule that
of a brood of parr, one-half becomes smolts at one year
of age, and the other half at two years.

The annexed sketches were taken from Norwegian fish.

Sea-trout (Salmo trutta; Norsk, Stysrret).

Shape. — Head, small and refined ; body, even and
elegant in outline.

Scales. — Silvery and lustrous.

Colour. — Bright and silvery; back, dark green, shading
lighter to silver flanks and lustrous white belly.

Marking. — Freely marked with black, cross-shaped
spots from back to medial line ; more sparsely spotted
from medial line to short distance below. Some spots
are rather square in shape.

Gill-covers. — Oval and regular in outline. Sparsely
spotted.

Salmonidae of Norway.

83

Teeth. — Upper jaw, two rows.
Under jaw, one row.

Vomer, two rows, setting outwards (these dis-
appear with age, and only a few remain at
point of jaw).
Tongue, two rows.
Fins. — Slate-colour to white.

Dorsal, spotted or blotched with black.
Tail. — Forked, the inside edges being little rounded ;
colour, slate.

6EA-TROUT, 2 LB3. (§ LIFE-SIZE).

The sea-trout is common throughout the greater part
of Norway, and shares the large and smaller rivers with
his relation the salmon, while in the smallest rivers he
only meets with the trout.

The date of his entry of a river, in the same manner as
that of the salmon, is governed by the temperature of the

84 Angling Travels in Norway.

water; consequently, his ascent commences at times varying
with the nature of the watersheds of various rivers ; but,
as I have observed that in the larger rivers the advent of
the sea-trout is from two to three weeks later than that
of the salmon, I believe he requires a higher temperature
of water.

In the small rivers, which are soon clear of snow-water,

2 lbs. Q life-size).

2 lbs. d life-size).

TAIL, GILL-COVEB, TONGUE, AND JAWS.

and are early in the season warmed by the sun's rays, the
sea-trout will run during the first week in June ; but in
some of the smaller glacier-fed rivers their ascent takes
place at a later date.

The size of the sea-trout has great variety upon
different Norwegian rivers ; the ordinary weight will be

Salmonidas of Norway. 85

from about 2 to 6 lbs. ; but upon many rivers, especially
those running into tbe Nord fjord, they grow to an
immense size ; 1 0 lbs. is no uncommon weight, and each
season will reveal fish of this size up to 16 lbs., or even
more.

The size and character of various rivers in Norway
combine to make them suitable for the requirements of sea-
trout or salmon, and frequently both species are found in
one river, yet it does not follow that they will thrive
equally well in a single water ; indeed, facts seem to
suggest the contrary.

Eivers prolific in salmon of great weight are not always
remarkable for the size of tbe sea-trout, and those which
produce the largest sea-trout are not the most celebrated
for salmon of vast proportions ; hence it would appear that
although sea-trout can thrive fairly well in large salmon
rivers, the smaller ones would seem more favourable to
their existence and spawning operations.

I have found sea-trout in the smaller rivers at the
commencement of June, but in the larger rivers I have
not noted their arrival until about three weeks later
than that of the salmon.

The sea-trout appear to run up the rivers in schools
for a certain distance from the mouth, and then they
gradually separate and seek the tributaries, which they will
penetrate so far as the water will allow.

86

Angling Travels in Norway.

I have frequently met the first run of these fish
when casting clown to the tail of a salmon-pool sub-
siding into thin water running over a gravelly bottom.
There is no mistaking the sea-trout's style of play,
and the fun is fast and furious as one after another
attacks the angler's fly ; nevertheless, should this sport

MALFORMED HEAD OF SEA-TROUT, 9 LBS. (J LIFE-SIZE).

be acceptable, the game should be kept up, as by to-
morrow there is no knowing where they may be; and,
instead of meeting them in shoals, the angler may very
easily pick up but one or two now and again in various

pools.

In pools near the tideway these fish may be met

Salmonidas of Norway. 87

running up with each tide, and, consequently, they are
to be found with greater certainty.

The sea-trout of from 10 to 16 lbs. in weight is a
remarkably handsome fish, and game to a degree; yet
I take it that there are few anglers who would not prefer
to kill a salmon of the same size, or even less, and
although I am not of the number, there can be little
doubt that the flesh of the salmon is more highly
esteemed than that of the sea-trout ; so, from all points
of view, Salmo trutta has to be content with second place.

The sea-trout, like the salmon, seeks the upper
pools of rivers, the tributaries, or the lakes for breeding
purposes, but within a couple of weeks of his entrance
does not so entirely disdain the angler's lure, for I have
killed them frequently with the fly in proximity to the
borders of lakes, or upon shallow water surrounding
islands, etc.

I have fished many small rivers much frequented by
sea-trout, but neither in these, nor in the larger ones,
have I seen or killed the herling (the grilse of the
sea-trout), and I believe that these fish, bred in those
rivers, spend their grilse stage of existence in the fjords,
or, maybe, even in the sea itself.

The size and natural habits of the sea-trout allows
and induces him to penetrate far up into the country,
and he may be found at the present day in lakes many

88 Angling Travels in Norway.

miles distant from the fjord, from which connection has
been severed by landslips of ages past.

His form and colour, alas ! are no more, but the
peculiarities incidental to his race yet remain by which
his species can be identified, and some history be gleaned
of the district he now inhabits.

GILL-COVER AND TAIL OF HEliLINO, .J LB. Q LIFE- SIZE).

The annexed sketches pertaining to the sea-trout 1
made from Norwegian fish ; but those of the herling
I took from a fish caught in the Dumfriesshire Esk.

Bull-trout (Salmo eriox ; Norsk, Graa hrret).

Shape. — Head, clumsy and coarse ; body, bulky and
inelegant.

Scales. — Of the brightness of fresh-cut lead ; not
lustrous.

Colour. — Back, dark green, shading lighter to white
flanks and belly, but of a leaden shade throughout.

Marking. — Freely marked with black spots rather

Salmonidas of Norway.

89

square in shape, and without regard to medial line. Some
fish have no spots below medial line. Before first visit
to sea spotted with black and red marks.

Gill-covers. — Round in outline and irregular, especially
in males. Freely spotted.

Teeth. — Upper jaw, two rows.
Under jaw, one row.
Vomer, one row.
Tongue, two rows.

s> a

BULL-TROUT, J LB. (§ LIFE-SIZE).

Fins. — Dorsal, brownish green, blotched with black.
Adipose, slate, tipped with orange.
Pectoral, ventral, anal, before first visit to sea,
orange ; afterwards, slate -colour to white.
Tail. — When young, roundly forked ; square when
old ; when very old, convex. Colour, dusky slate.

The bull-trout is about the best-abused fish in Norway.

90 Angling Travels in Norway.

Every hand is against him, and, except by the caterers

of hotel or steamboat, and by the lower classes, he is

regarded simply as vermin ; indeed, by all he is treated as

such, and only those above named will either eat his flesh

in default of choicer food, or will palm him off upon their

■
guests as sea-trout or " lax."

Male, 5J lbs

^^S

G1LL-COVEHS (f LIFE-SIZE).

The bull-trout is a glutton, and partakes of all food
that comes within his reach, however coarse it may be, but
his favourite meal is of the ova of the salmon and sea-
trout ; and it is on account of his poaching habits in this
respect that neither law nor mercy is extended towards
him.

It is extremely unfortunate that his nature should lead
him into such disgrace, yet in spite of all efforts to

Salmonidze of Norway. 91

exterminate him, lie flourishes as a green bay-tree, and
laughs at his enemies.

His greedy nature causes him to boldly seize the rly
or minnow, and then he tries all he knows to shake
loose from the hook, and, if his efforts prove unavailing,
he makes as stern a fight for life as do the superior species
of Salmonidse.

Femule, 4 lbs

GILL-COVERS Q LIFE-SIZE).

The bull-trout ascends the rivers at about the same
time as the sea-trout, or even a little before, and will
continue to "run" for some weeks; then those running
up the lower waters of the rivers become few and far
between; but upon some rivers there is a considerable
autumn run, which is more unusual with the Salmonidse
in Norway.

92 Angling Travels in Norway.

They run up in shoals, and, as the water is clearing
off, are encountered in rather shallow heads of gravelly
pools.

In such situations the angler may encounter a colony
of these fish, and a merry time will be experienced, as a
bull-trout of even 4 or 5 lbs. will stream the line from
the salmon-reel as he savagely shakes his head in the
endeavour to free the hook.

He makes a stubborn fight for a few minutes, and
then will in all probability make up stream in slackish
water close to the bank, seeming as if settled, yet it is
quite possible he may still have a deal of fight left, and
may effect escape at the last moment.

It is distasteful to waste valuable time in killing these
fish, yet the salmon-angler sacrifices an hour or so with
the object of keeping down their numbers.

As the water falls these fish break up the colony and
disperse ; they then occupy swift-running streams, taking
advantage of stones which will afford them even slight
shelter.

The larger fish of this species take up their abode in
deeper pools, in which they will lie just off the edge of
the stream.

Bull-trout may be found in large numbers in thin
water just previous to the spawning season, and in some
districts the farmers and riparian proprietors destroy large

Salmonidae of Norway.

93

numbers with staves, treating them as vermin and putting
them into the salt-tub. The colour, quality, and greed
of the bull-trout are all against him, yet one cannot but
feel sorry for the treatment he receives, for he is a game
one.

Until the bull-trout first visits the sea he retains his
pink spots, and I have killed many in this stage weighing

JAWS, TONGUE, AND TAILS.

from I lb. to 1^ lb., and I am of opinion that the instinct
which prompts an early visit to the sea is not so strong
in his nature as it is in that of the salmon or sea-
trout.

I have killed fish of 1 lb. weight, strangers to salt
water, and have extracted from them a quarter of a pint
of coarse worms, some half digested, others but recently
swallowed; and, again, I have cut open a fish of this

94 Angling Travels in Norway.

weight and discovered a like quantity of grass-moths,
caked together and sprinkled with the silvery powder of
their wings.

I have met with two varieties of the adult bull-trout,
both precisely similar in all respects except as to their
marking.

The one variety has very few spots below the medial
line, and all the spots are rather far apart ; the other is
more thickly spotted, and the pattern extends a couple
of inches or so below the medial line.

The two varieties appeal to the eye at once, that with
few markings being the handsomer fish of the two, but
they are both bull-trout.

In the adult bull-trout it is frequently impos-
sible to recognize any pink or orange marking at the
edge or tip of the adipose fin, but in many cases the
colour can be readily distinguished if the fin be allowed
to dry.

I have only upon rare occasions met the kelt of these
species after the middle of June, so they probably drop
down with the break-up of the winter ice.

The annexed drawings of the bull-trout I took from
Norwegian fish.

Salmonidae of Norway. 95

Trout (Salmo fario ; Norsk, turret). (For description,

see Map.)

There is scarcely a river, stream, lake, or pond in
Norway which may not be said to contain trout differing
in average size, colour, and shape in accordance with the
characteristics of the watershed and the water they
inhabit.

Some of the fast-running salmon rivers which I have

TROUT, J LB. (3 LIFE-SIZE).

fished contain few trout, and many small lakes among the
hills are said to have sheltered no trout, until a small
stock was transferred to them from the nearest river or
lake.

In the larger rivers I have observed trout of from
6 lbs. to 8 lbs. in weight feeding at the junction of some
backwater with the main stream. These backwaters, as I
have previously mentioned, are nurseries for the young
of several species of Salmonidae, and for this reason are

96 Angling Travels in Norway.

frequently selected as abiding places by the Salmo fario
of large dimensions.

In these situations he can obtain an unlimited supply
of solid food, of which his proportions and condition give
evidence ; he grows and thickens in much the same style
as the Thames trout, and much resembles this fish in

Upper.

Lower.

>

Jib.
Q life-size).

JAWS, TONGPE, AND GILL-COVER.

appearance and in wariness. These large trout, however,
appear to require a change of diet, and towards the end
of June, or at the beginning of July, will drop down into
the main stream to a distance of fifty to one hundred
yards in order to partake of winged food, which is more
abundantly brought within their reach by the breeze and
stream of the river.

While thus engaged they take up positions below

Salmonidas of Norway. 97

the roughest portion of the pool, and when they have
risen I have frequently been near enough to determine

»

their species.

They are exceedingly wary, and, although I have spent

*. hours in the endeavour to kill them, I have only upon a

single occasion succeeded in hooking one, and fortunately

killed him, upon an ordinary small March In-own. He

weighed 7 lbs., and was a very fine fish.

Previous to landing him I was certain of his species,
and the peculiar swirl and swish of the trout's rise when
feeding is different to that of either salmon, sea-trout, or
bull-trout.

Taking them in their order of merit, the next best
trout I have killed were those captured in fast-running,
gravel-bottomed pools of rivers scarcely one hundred yards
above the outlet into the lake.

These fish ranged from 1 lb. to 3 lbs. in weight, and
by the middle of July were in splendid condition, both
in respect of colour and proportion, in great contrast to
those in the rock-bound pools scarce fifty yards above,
which were as long as eels and brown as berries.

The fine-conditioned yellow trout I have only killed
in such situations as above described ; they give excellent
sport, but are most disappointing when brought to table,
the colour of the flesh being but a yellowish pink, and
they cut up none too crisply.

0

to

Jk •

A.

98 Angling Travels in Norway.

The brown trout I have killed by the hundreds in
rivers, and pools of rivers, whose beds have embraced every
composition, flooded either by the product of glacier, or
spring water mixed with melted snow.

The colouring and condition of these fish will naturally
be in accordance with the surroundings. Some are light in
colour and round in outline, others are of dusky hue, lank,
and apparently ill-fed.

It is said that " beauty is but skin-deep," and these
long, dusky trout well illustrate the proverb, for although
they appear of such condition that would prompt their
return to the water, in reality they are in the perfect
stage of their existence. They have conformed to the
exigencies of the occasion, and, what is more, have thriven
under difficulties. They fight as lions, and when cut open
their flesh is of the colour of pink blotting-paper, with a
layer of fat between the flakes.

I have killed trout in chains of lakes connected by rivers
of small and medium size which are fed for some miles by
springs and snow-water, then at a point the melted water
of a glacier may augment the stream, and impart to it, for
a few miles, that peculiar greenish tint.

Above the influx of the glacier- water the trout have
been from 2 lb. to 2 lbs. or more apiece, but in this
greenish-coloured water the fish became very scarce, and
only weighing about 4 lb. each ; but further down, as the

Salmonidze of Norway. 99

water again brightened, the number and size of the trout
increased.

Many Norwegian lakes contain the species of lake-
trout richly marked with pink spots, each surrounded with
a yellow halo or ring. They are much more handsome
fish than the other two species above mentioned, and are
greater in depth from dorsal fin to the belly. I have
killed them chiefly of from 2 lbs. to 4 lbs. in weight. I
have it upon the authority of Mr. Fleetwood Sandeman
that, in some lakes which we have fished together, this
species existed some years ago in much greater numbers,
but they appear to have been ousted by other species,
which have proportionately increased ; with these I shall
attempt to deal later on.

The annexed drawings of the trout I took from Nor-
wegian fish.

Char (Norsk, Eme).

I have killed these fish with fly, spoon and minnow,

in lakes and in lake-like expansions of rivers, from I lb. to

li lbs. in weight.

The following is a description of the fish : —

Body. — The upper two-thirds is grey, shaded darker

from the medial line up to the root of the dorsal fin, and

spotted with white.

ioo Angling Travels in Norway.

The lowest one-third portion of the body, including
the belly, is coloured a bright orange-red.

The medial line appears as if formed of a series of
stitches running diagonally but parallel to each other.

Gill-covers. — Almost free of indentations, and in out-
line a perfect oval.

Fins. — Dorsal : Dark grey.

Adipose : Grey, faintly tinged with orange

Pectoral : Orange to red.

Neutral and anal : Bright red, lowest rays pure

white.
( 'audal : Dark orange.

Teeth. — Upper jaw : two rows.
Lower jaw : one row.
Tongue : two rows.
The char is a most elegantly-shaped fish
from nose to tail points.

Ska-Char (Norsk, S^-rkte).

These fish are found in the rivers and lakes of Nord-
land and further north ; they run up to 3 lbs. and 4 lbs.,
and are handsome sporting fish. When recently from the
sea their sides are of a light orange pink, which grows more
brilliant with their sojourn in fresh water. They spawn
in the lakes or deep pools, and will feed even under a
brilliant sun.

Salmonida? of Norway. 101

In other respects the description of this fish is the
same as that of the Char.

Grayling (Salmo thymallus).

The fish are found in Norway, but are more plentiful
in Sweden. I have never gone out with the special
purpose of killing them, but those I have killed are of
the ordinary description as found in Great Britain, with
no especial peculiarities. They run from 1 lb. to 3 lbs.,
and even more, in weight.

CHAPTER XL

TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN TROUT AND SMOLT.

I have heard anglers of experience declare a fish of the
Salmo species to be a sea-trout, because they were nearly
certain that he was neither a salmon nor a bull-trout, and
although the said anglers had fished for nearly a score of
years, neither of them could name the characteristic points
of the fish.

When such lack of knowledge exists among matured
anglers, it is no wonder that the trout-fisher, unaccustomed
to salmon rivers, should experience difficulty in distin-
guishing between small trout and smolt, and as this disa-
bility may possibly lead to trouble, as well as being the
cause of the destruction of immature fish, it is advisable
that he be acquainted with the characteristics of both
species.

Most of us can recall instances of our own hesitation
in the expression of a definite opinion upon the subject,
and probably few of us at one time or another have not

Trout v. Smolt. 103

unintentionally retained sniolts, until practice and the
application of the several tests have enabled us to deter-
mine the species at a glance.

A difficulty we have to contend with in the identifi-
cation of Salmonidse lies in the fact that those of a kind
vary one from another, and the task becomes more arduous
when it so happens that the variations in two specimens of
different species tend in the direction of each other's normal
characteristics. For instance, if a trout be light in colour,
and the finger-marks on the sides of the smolt happen to
be very indistinct, the result is an unusual resemblance
between the two.

It should be understood that, although the following
characteristics are generally correct, instances are of common
occurrence in which fish do not clearly illustrate some one
or more of them — in which case the further tests must be
applied until the question is decided.

To the trained eye a considerable difference exists
between the shape and outline of trout and smolt, for
while that of the latter is elegance itself, the trout is of
more clumsy build, particularly as regards the head,
jaw, and gill-cover, and his outline is more or less
lumpy.

When frequenting streams running fast over gravelly
beds, the trout may be as bright in colour as the smolt,
especially early in the season, just prior to the smolt

104 Angling Travels in Norway.

migration, for lie is not as yet, so to say, in full
plumage.

Again, the experienced angler will generally recognize
the smolt as soon as hooked by the continuous wriggles
made in the effort to escape, whereas under like pre-
dicament the trout's resistance is more staid and
stubborn.

One word of caution — When about to fish a salmon -
river for trout, the novice is generally informed that he
can readily distinguish between them and smolts by the
bars or finger-marks which run across the sides of the
latter, by which in many districts they have acquired the
name of " brandling."

This, however, is by no means a sure test, as young
trout frequently retain these bars, although not of such
vivid colour as in the smolt. On the other hand, the
bars upon a well-grown smolt may have become so
indistinct that they do not catch the eye until viewed
in a certain light, and this is more especially the case
with the smolt which has existed for two years in the
parr stage.

The more certain characteristics of the two species
are : —

In Trout, the spots are distributed over the flanks
without regard to the medial line.

In Smolt, there are few, if any, spots on the body

Trout v. Smolt. , 105

below the medial line, with the exception of a few
immediately behind the gill-covers.

In Smolt, the gill-covers are spotted without regard to
the medial line on the body.

In Trout, the adipose fin is marked at the tip with
a spot ranging from orange to pink.

In Smolt, the adipose fin is of slate colour and
unspotted.

In Trout, the dorsal fin is spotted or blotched.

In Smolt, the dorsal fin is plain colour.

In Trout, the lowest ray of the anal fin is marked
with a white line.

In Smolt, there is no white line.

In Trout, the pectoral and ventral fins are of orange
colour, and brightest at the tips.

In Smolt, the pectoral and ventral fins are yellowish in
colour.

In Trout, the outline of the gill-cover is angular and
irregular.

In Smolt, the outline of the gill-cover is oval and
regular.

In Trout, the scales are firmly attached.

In Smolt, the scales are easily detached, and will
come off in handling:.

CHAPTER XII.

TACKLE FOR NORWAY.

The angler who is accustomed to fish the large rivers of
Scotland and England would not find much amiss with
his tackle for use in Norway, but, as will have been
gathered from the previous chapters, Norwegian rivers
have their peculiarities, and consequently suitable tackle
should be selected.

Anglers have their own ideas and preferences as
regards tackle, and it is here unnecessary to argue upon
the subject, so I will only describe the shape and make
of the articles which have given satisfactory results,
leaving the individual to modify in accordance with his
personal ideas and comfort.

Wading-trousers and their attendant gear should be
provided, for although the particular river which a man
goes out to fish may not require them, he may meet with
invitations to fish elsewhere, or may take a higher beat
of his own river, and if he have them he is independent.

Durham Ranger

Sandeman No. 11

For Patterns vide Appendix.

LLANOVER.

Mintem Bros.litK.

Tackle for Norway. 107

A stout waterproof coat, reaching down to the ankles,
should be included in the kit, for the rain often comes
down incessantly, or in very heavy showers, and in
this mountainous country, where the drops fall as large
as a sixpence, one can be wetted through within ten
minutes. India-rubber waterproofs are lighter than oil-
skins, but they are not so serviceable, as they tear more
easily. I prefer oilskins for rough work, and one can
use them as tarpaulins upon occasion without harming
them.

Perhaps the best system of waterproof clothing,
especially for boat-work, is a skirt to buckle round the
waist, and to reach down to the ankle, and a coat to
reach down to the knees, the whole surmounted with a
sou'-wester, or felt hat sufficiently wide of brim when
turned down to conduct the wet clear of the coat-
collar ; and the coat comes in handy for use with
waders.

Even during the summer months all descriptions of
weather may be encountered in Norway, and it would
be most unwise not to include in the kit warm winter-
clothing.

The valleys are frequently confined by ranges of hills
or mountains several thousand feet high, and whatever
may be the direction of the wind aloft, its influence
is such that upon the level of the river the current of

i

1 08 Angling Travels in Norway.

air travels directly either up or down stream ; in point
of fact, one exists in a perpetual draught.

Thus, should the wind yeer a few points aloft, it is

OLE AND I.

<

'.

•

possible that in the valley it may chop completely round,
and incidentally cause a trying change of temperature.
In the forenoon, the breeze wafted from one direction may

■

* i

t*

BRANSTY.

Minter-n. Bros lith.

Tackle for Norway. 109

be soft and balmy, then, with little warning, it may chop
round and bring an icy blast from snow-covered mountains,
a change unwelcome and even dangerous. The natives
well appreciate the sudden changes of climate, and rarely
are unprovided with warm neck and chest clothing while
engaged in fishing — -or even while following ordinary
occupations. This steady and continuous draught is far
more trying than an ordinary open breeze, and whether it
course up or down stream, opposes with much force the
angler's line, and a powerful rod is absolutely necessary to
make a good cast.

The Rod. — The cpuestion of the make, length, and
weight of the rod in fly-fishing for salmon must be left
to the taste of the angler, who should best know his own
capabilities. He generally thinks he knows his own
abilities, but in my humble opinion he frequently under-
rates them.

For the purpose of illustration, my height is 5 feet
9l inches, and weight 11 stone, and I use a 20-ft. Castle-
connell all day long without the slightest inconvenience.
I am inclined to think that it is not so much the rod that
tires the angler as the want of knowledge and method of
wielding it.

Many anglers want to do all the work themselves,
whereas I am sure that if they would only give the rod
a chance we should hear less of those heavy 18-ft. rods, etc.

no Angling Travels in Norway.

For fishing small rivers and for boat-work, an 18 -ft.
rod may answer the purpose, and it may be argued that a
certain make of rod of this length can cast as long a
line as may be required. Well and good, perhaps it can —
but that is only half of the story. In the first place, for
continuous long casting, I prefer to cast easily with a
20-ft. than cast at the top of my form with an
18 -ft. ; and, in the second place, it should be noted
that the longer rod enables the angler to hang the fly
better over his fish, and this is no mean consideration
in fishing rapid rivers, where the bait is swept quickly
away ; and, thirdly, a big rod gives more control over
fish in heavy water, although the cast terminate with
a yard of single-gut.

For harling and casting from the reel, a 15-ft. rod
is a good weapon, and handy in the boat. I use a rod
for these purposes composed of lower joints of male
ljamboo cane and the top of greenheart. For casting
from the reel a stiff rod is requisite, and this serves
well for harling, as the top does not swing about, but
keeps the bait steady in the water, which to my mind is
advantageous, as the boat gives plenty of motion.

Tlie Reel should be of 5 inches diameter, and contain
100 yards of dressed line, and beneath it 50 yards of
backing, while for fishing such rivers as the Tana, the
line should be 200 yards in all.

SAGHOUG.

Mintem Bros. litK.

Tackle for Norway. 1 1 1

I use salmon reels, with check of double strength, which
requires special construction ; but the mechanism is simple.
Messrs. Hardy Brothers make them for me, and I find
that the extra power is of great importance in any
description of salmon angling.

For sea-trout, the rod as used in Great Britain serves
well, and for trout fishing, a 12-ft. fly -rod and 10-ft.
trolling-rod will be handy, with reels and lines to match
them.

Casts. — For salmon, will be required of treble- gut
throughout, and others, of two yards treble and one yard
single, and sometimes even three yards of single-gut. For
sea-trout and trout, single-gut casts are best.

Treble and single gut traces should be provided for
harling and trolling (fitted, of course, with swivels), or steel
wire traces in their place.

I always use casts composed of two yards treble and
one yard single gut, with No. 5/0 flies and under, while
for No. 6/0, and above, I use treble-gut casts — not on
account of the fish or water, but only on account of the
weight of the fly, for I think the best single-gut is prac-
tically as strong as the ordinary treble ; but a heavy fly,
especially if it be dressed on an eyed-hook, is apt to neck
the extremity of the cast.

Flies. — My experience is that Norwegian salmon are
very free takers, and I do not find that they are very

ii2 Angling Travels in Norway.

particular as to flies ; most of the usual standard patterns
kill well, such as the Jock Scott, Durham Ranger, Popham,
Black-Dose, Black Doctor, Silver Doctor, Silver Grey,
and the Llanover, of which, by-the-by, there are several
dressings, but I usually fish with my own patterns, as given
in " By Hook and by Crook," * and I have no reason to
change. The sizes should be from No. 7/0 to No. 2/0.
For sea-trout, the ordinary patterns suffice, and the same
dressed upon smaller hooks are better for trout than
our English trout-flies, which are too plain in colour, and
too small in size.

Red-bodied flies, with tinsel rib, and black body with
tinsel, are about the best killers, and a bit of red in the
tail is a distinct advantage.

Baits. — For salmon, spoons, 3 inches to 1 inch, both
heavy and light. Phantoms, blue, brown, and silver ; 4
inches to 2 inches. Devons, the same sizes.

Prawns and tackle are useful, as salmon and grilse will
take them and nothing else at times, especially in low
water ; and I find that the " Sandeman Prawn Tackle "
rarely misses ; in fact, it was my Norwegian experiences
which perfected it.

For sea-trout, bull-trout, and trout, smaller baits of the

* The best dressings of my patterns of Salmon Flies are obtainable
of F. M. Walbran, New Station Street, Leeds, who keeps several sizes
in stock.

GULA.

Mixitem Bros . Jitti .

Tackle for Norway. 113

above varieties are requisite ; and I have found the 2-in.
silver phantom a real good killer in lakes, and the older
he was the better he killed.

Leads of different weights are necessary in harling,
and those with wires like corkscrews at either end are
the easiest to change.

Intelligent leading contributes to success, and I always
like to get well doiun to my fish.

It is not possible to purchase reliable tackle in Norway,
so the angler should be well provided, as also with spare
rings and materials for tackle mending, including wax,
varnish, silk, flax thread, hooks, triangles, split-rings, etc.

The annexed sketches are of flies which I have proved
to be excellent killers, assisted by the very best single or
treble gut.

A I.I. SIXES AND SEVENS.

CHAPTER XIII.

HARLING AND BOAT-ANGLING.

Harling and angling from a boat are generally regarded
as inferior classes of sport, as compared to bank or wading-
fishing, yet they are the only practical methods by which
certain pools, or even some entire rivers, can be fished,
barring the use of the otter ; and they provide many with
the means of sport who, either by physical disability or
by advanced age, are unequal to the exertion of a day's
bank angling.

I am not certain that those of us who can wield with
ease an 18-ft. or 20-ft. rod do not now and again
welcome a harling pool, especially when fishing a river
which entails continued long casting ; but no matter what
comparative value we attach to harling, of a certainty it
is no fool's work, and, like all other branches of angling,
it must be conducted with intelligence and system,
consequently the art possesses many details demanding
consideration.

•

Harling and Boat-angling. 115

In casting from the bank or bed of a river, the angler
can make certain of covering every foot of water within
his reach ; but not so the harler, unless he and his com-
panion on the thwart be workmen of the first class.

Angling in combination, which boat-work affords, can
only be enjoyed in the' same degree by oarsman and angler
if they both be equally good, or equally bad, at their work ;
and I would rather not fish than be obliged to contend
with the vagaries of an incompetent oarsman, while I must
confess that it is no treat to row for a bad angler.

A good oarsman gets sick of working for a bad or
inattentive angler, just as a good dog wearies of working
for a bad shot. Neither man nor dog can compensate for
the shortcomings of his companion.

In boat-fishing, be it casting or harling, the oarsman's
work is of every bit as great importance, and requires as
much skill, as that of the angler, and I would as soon row
the boat as fish — or, perhaps, I should say, hold the rod,
for, indeed, the oarsman is as much fishing as the man
who grasps the rod.

No episode in angling gives one more pleasure than
when, rowing the boat, a fish takes the angler's fly at the
exact spot which one has previously indicated as a "smittle
shop." Such happy result does not happen as frequently
as could be desired; yet, when it does, great is the
reward.

n6 Angling Travels in Norway.

I propose to divide my remarks upon harling under
two heads — " Rowing the Boat " and " Angling," and will,
in the first place, venture a few hints upon the former.

Harling — Rowing the Boat.

In harling, as in all other modes of angling, it is of
primary importance to cover the water systematically ;
and in the first place, the boat should be rowed sufficiently
high up the pool to allow the flies or baits to be arranged
in working order some few yards above the lie of the fish ;
then it should be rowed across from bank to bank, dropping
down a yard or so at each beat, until the pool ends.

It is a very common fault with oarsmen to harl a pool
too quickly, or to take too much new water in at each
beat ; but, when it is possible to hold the boat, no more
than four to five feet should intervene between each drift ;
and, to make certain of this, the oarsman should keep his
eye on some landmark of either stone, tree, or projection
upon the bank, as, after having fished a pool, it is most
unsatisfactory to feel that half the water has been
missed.

To row a boat for harling or casting, the oarsman must
be continually " at her," no matter how slow the pace of
the stream. It is impossible to keep a boat steady if any
length of time be allowed between the strokes, as in that
case she is certain to " run off," and the operation of

Harling and Boat-angling. 117

putting her straight entirely upsets steady angling. To
" keep dipping " is the maxim.

The angle at which the boat is held against the stream
is also of great importance.

It is obvious that the craft offers the least resistance
when heading straight up stream ; and it follows that if
she be held at an angle against it, increased power will
be requisite to hold her up ; and the speed at which she
travels from bank to bank will be much increased, in
all probability to the detriment of good angling.

I have frequently found myself flying across the river
for no earthly reason than my boatman's ignorance, and
my patience has been well-nigh exhausted in the endeavour
to induce him to take it more quietly, and I have found
a period of some days necessary to break him thoroughly
of the habit, as, unconsciously, he will now and again
revert to his former style.

There are, doubtless, many good native boatmen, but,
as far as my experience goes, the majority of them are
indifferent performers, and some are very bad, although
not worse than many I have had to contend with in
Great Britain, and as the knowledge of angling matters
which Norwegian boatmen possess has been acquired from
British sportsmen and others, their incapacity in a measure
reflects upon ourselves.

The handling of a pleasure-boat is far from being a

1 1 8 Angling Travels in Norway.

matter of general knowledge, and the art of working a
craft for angling purposes is still more rarely practised.

It is of but little use to complain of a man's rowing
unless one can give a practical demonstration, as otherwise
he is apt to argue with himself, " I should like to see him
do it better."

It is uninteresting work to harl a pool which affords
little cover, and, in consequence, the fish may lie any-
where ; it is much better sport when the bed contains well-
defined resting-places for fish, and in such situations the
expert oarsman can display his ability and knowledge of
the water. It is a treat to watch a man so work his boat
that the lure swings temptingly across each well-known
shelter with as much precision as if the catch were being
fished from the bank. Such fine art in harling can
only be appreciated by one who knows the water, and
who, like the oarsman, has killed fish in it.

The pace at which I have been raced across from side
to side has compelled me to imagine that my boatman
was of opinion that the salmon delights to rush after his
food ; but that he was not in reality of this belief I have
afterwards ascertained ; he was merely acting by force
of thoughtless habit. I prefer to harl quite slowly, and
only to quicken pace should the shallowness of the pool
oblige me to do so, in order to keep the bait from fouling
the river-bed ; but moderation should be observed, for

Hading and Boat-angling. 119

inasmuch as in a given stream the lateral exposure of the
bait will be about equal to that of the boat, it follows that
a wider expanse of bait will be exhibited to the fish when
the boat travels fast across the river. But this fact does
not enter largely into my calculations, as I take other
precautions to bring the lure well within their range of
vision.

FIVE MINUTES' REST.

Until he is broken of the habit, the boatman delights
in running the craft hard aground, especially if one has
a fish on, and one's back is turned shorewards ; he does
this from thoughtlessness, and not with the intention of
shooting one into the bottom of the boat, yet the system
has no merit. I have fished with some men who would

120 Angling Travels in Norway.

have been first-class in a boat had they possessed the gift
to appreciate the " set " of the stream, but somehow or
another they have not had it in them, and, although one
may have repeatedly instructed them how to head the
boat, they never grasp the situation. A really good
boatman must be a good oarsman, a good waterman, an
intelligent observer of the habits of fish and the water
they inhabit, and he must be fond of the sport. It
is somewhat rare to find such a combination in an
individual, thus first-class boatmen are scarce.

Harling — Angling.

In the first part of this chapter I have endeavoured
to describe the difficulties with which the rower of the
boat has to contend, and it is essential that the angler
should assist him by good and systematic work, otherwise
the skill of the oarsman will avail little or nothing.

The angler, in the first place, decides upon the number
of rods he intends to employ, and then rigs them out
with lines, casts, baits, etc.; the oarsman next rows him
to the neck of the pool, and holds the boat until the baits
are let out to the desired length.

The pace of the stream, the depth of water, and the
weight of the bait are the three factors which determine
the length of line to be fished when harling, and it is
of the greatest importance that this length should not,

Harling and Boat-angling. i2i

without good reason, be increased when fishing a pool, to
avoid the possibility of missing even a yard of water.

If the lines be maintained at one length, the oarsman,
if proficient, can cover the pool foot by foot, but when
they are continually being altered this is almost an
impossibility.

When a man whom I am rowing frequently alters the
length of his line in casting or in harling it disgusts
me with the business, and if unaware that his procedure
resulted from ignorance or want of thought, I would row
straight ashore ; hence, when the rod-work falls to my
share, I behave to my oarsman as I would have him
behave to me.

The angler himself is perhaps the best judge of the
number of rods he can employ at one time when harling.
Personally, I use two in fishing a medium-sized pool, and
three in larger waters. When using three rods at a time,
the usual plan is to put one out pointing astern, and the
remaining two, one at each side of the boat, which are
kept steady in notches cut for the purpose in the edge
of the counter.

Some anglers place a weight upon the line at the
bottom of the boat, which strikes the fish upon seizing
the bait ; others trust to the check of the reel ; but I prefer
to make certain of driving the hooks home, and for the
purpose have a rail about two feet in length, fastened to

122 Angling Travels in Norway.

the flooring-boards of the boat, with space between it and
the flooring to admit the butt of the rod.

I then place the rod at the desired angle (about 45°),
resting in the notch in the counter, and the butt under
the rail, and turn the reel over until the handle is in
contact with the flooring.

I now thrust the butt further under the rail, at the
same time maintaining the reel in position, until the
rod is jambed fast enough to keep steady, and by this
adjustment I accurately determine with what force the
fish will strike himself.

I always adopt this system with reels having checks
of ordinary strength, and have never met with disaster
by breakage, while the fish are generally well hooked,
but I admit the necessity of some little delicacy in the
manipulation, and of late I have had my reels made
with double strength of check, which is by itself
sufficient to strike a fish.

When harling with a Nottingham reel, it will be found
more convenient to fix the rod in the position described
above, with the revolving side itself against the flooring,
as the handles are generally too short and set too near the
centre of the reel to be serviceable for this purpose.

To avoid counting the number of yards of line to be
released from the reel at each harl, I attach a piece of
waxed silk to each line at about twenty-five yards from

Harling and Boat-angling. 123

the extremity, and cut off the ends, so that about an inch
remains ; this saves a deal of time and trouble, and is
more precise than guess-work.

When harling with three rods, I usually let out a
different length of line from each — say rod No. 1 — 25
yards, rod No. 2—26 yards, and rod No. 3—27 yards.
Thus, at each beat, the baits, if hanging straight down
stream, would enclose six feet of water, but, by the lateral
course of the boat, the distance between the first and last
bait is reduced.

If the boat be well rowed, every fish will be at least
twice covered by this system, and if the oarsman be less
expert, he will be more unlikely to miss water than if the
lines were all of a length.

It is no certainty that a fish catches sight of every
bait which passes more or less near his head, and, again,
a fish does not necessarily go for each bait he sees, so it
is well to afford him every opportunity.

Fish often rest at the very tail of a pool, right on the
head of the next, so it is advisable not to reel up before
the very last moment. I have killed many fish by the
observance of this practice.

It may be said that, as a general rule, the Norsk
boatman rows a boat for angling in the manner he has
been taught by British anglers, and, upon the whole, does
fairly well ; yet many of us like to fish in our own ways,

124 Angling Travels in Norway.

and must, accordingly, instruct our companions on the
thwart.

A common fault with rowers is to let the boat slip
down too fast, and to obviate this it is, in the first place,
essential that the weight, size, and construction of the
craft be suitable for the work in hand ; then the boatman
must sit down to his task, and if one-man power be not
sufficient, two hands must be employed ; but the boat
must be held up so that the pool can be fished literally
foot by foot.

It is a very general habit among boatmen when harling
to switch the craft sharply round when turning near the
bank to commence the next beat.

This procedure is suggested partly by anxiety to
keep the bait clear of the bottom, and in slow-running
pools it has advantages ; but, unless when absolutely
necessary, I much prefer to have the boat held up before
the turn, so that the bait may hang straight down stream
before the next beat be commenced, as by this means the
line is first upon a curve, then it hangs straight, and then
becomes again curved in the opposite direction, whereas,
if the boat be switched sharply round, the line for a
considerable period is in the form of a semi-circle, or, in
other words, greatly bagged, a situation always to be
avoided in angling.

When rowing the boat for an angler casting a pool,

Harling and Boat-angling. 125

the oarsman, in addition to taking his bearings from
objects upon the banks, in order to regulate the speed
of his descent, should gauge his lateral position in the
stream by breaks and sets upon the surface, or by pro-
jections or landmarks lower down, and this portion of
his work requires strict attention, so that water may not
be scamped over, or even entirely missed.

When a fish is hooked while harling with more than
one rod, it is not uncommon to row the boat immediately
to shore and allow the baits remaining free to fall upon
the river's bed until the boatman can reel them up ;
but to reel up the temporarily unemployed lines previous
to running the boat to land is a more sporting procedure,
and is in itself a pretty phase of angling. This system
may cause a slight delay, but I object to my lines and
baits being on the bottom, and take little pleasure in
killing fish in careless or flukey fashion.

When harler and angler fish well and systematically
together they will not miss many fish ; otherwise, it is
but mere chance that they effect captures.

When harling with two rods, one displaying a fly
and the other a spoon or minnow, I generally hold the
fly rod in my hands, in the ordinary manner, and the
second rod, showing spoon or minnow, I lay down in
the boat upon the opposite side, or I lay the rod down
and pull from the reel about a yard of line, which I hold

126 Angling Travels in Norway.

in the fingers of the hand which grasps the fly rod at
or below its reel.

The moment I feel a fish take the minnow or spoon,
I draw the line smartly back and strike hard, and whether
the fish be on or off, I have the satisfaction of knowing
that I have done my best to drive the hooks home.
When fishing with compound tackle, for a change, I
occasionally adopt another system — a very simple one.
I lay the two rods down in the bottom of the boat,
pointing in different directions, and I hold a line in each
hand, and strike hard as soon as I feel a touch.

I have been told that this system is more dangerous
to the hands than to the fish, but I have not found it
so, for I notice that a salmon, upon being hooked, requires
about a second to appreciate the situation, which affords
the angler ample time to grasp the rod, but if the
angler be not very " quick on his fish," he may lose this
second, and perhaps had better not practise this system.

The baits should be carefully laid upon the water,
and not thrown in anyhow, for obvious reasons.

" I THINK WE'VE MET BEFORE, DOtTOU.'

CHAPTER XIV.

UPON RENTING AND LETTING SALMON RIVERS.

Letters appear from time to time in the public press
from anglers who, for some reason or another, are dis-
satisfied with the sport they have obtained as lessees
or sub-lessees of Norwegian salmon rivers, and who con-
vey the idea that they have been misled from the outset
as to the worth of the fishery, and have in consequence
been induced to pay far too high a rent. Under these
circumstances the lessor or sub-lessor, if he be a Nor-
wegian, is generally styled an " agent," or a " middleman,"
with whom, in future transactions, the complainant advises
the angling public to deal with extreme caution, and
generally concludes with some well-intended advice of
more or less value.

It is somewhat interesting to note that, when nego-
tiating for the fishery, the angler was pleased to avail
himself of the services of the so-called "agent" or
" middleman," so it is to be presumed that at that time

•

128 Angling Travels in Norway.

he saw nothing reprehensible in the practice of speculation
in fisheries, or surely he would not have encouraged it,
even to the extent of a single year's rent ; but, at the
termination of his tenancy, he suddenly discovers that
the renting of angling water for gain is a practice to
be severely condemned.

That there are plenty of British subjects at the present
moment, as regards fisheries, in precisely the same situation
as the Norwegian " middleman " is a fact that appears
to be conveniently ignored, nor are the terms " agent "
and " middleman " applied to them.

It is of little consequence whether the renting of
fisheries for the purpose of making a profit in some form
or another be approved or decried, for wherever there
be a subject for speculation, there will always be some
ready to enter the lists. Some profess to distinguish a
vast difference between speculation in a fishery and in
other sporting, or non-sporting, properties, but I confess
that the distinction is too subtle for my understanding,
and I see no reason why angling water should be placed
upon a sacred pedestal.

In the majority of cases the angling tenant, be he
a British or Norwegian subject, in the first instance rents
a river with the purpose of fishing it himself during at
least some portion of the season ; then the question arises,
what shall he do with it for the remainder ?

Renting and Letting Salmon Rivers. 129

1. Shall he debit himself with a fair proportion of
the rent and charge his sub-tenant with the balance ?

2. Shall he charge his sub-tenant such a sum as will
partially or entirely relieve him of rent during his selected
portion of the season ?

3. Shall he charge his sub-tenant such a sum as will
give him his own portion of the season free of rent, and,
over and above that, return a profit ?

4. Or, in the event of his sub-letting the fishery for
the entire season, shall he be content to get back his
rent, or think proper to ask a sum which will show a
profit ?

I maintain that the pursuit of either course of
procedure is the business of the lessor or sub-lessor
alone, who surely has the right to fix the value of his
property.

Notwithstanding the decline in the intrinsic value of
Norwegian fisheries, no doubt there are in existence at
the present time many leases at rents under their present
market value, having yet a considerable term to run,
so it is possible for the holders to make a profit in
sub-letting, without charging above what is generally
considered a fair price in these days.

On the other hand, the farmers have asked and
obtained such rents for leases of more recent date that
a profit cannot be obtained in sub-letting unless a price

s

130 Angling Travels in Norway.

be asked in excess of what competent anglers would
consider to be their value.

Now the question arises, What is the value of a
fishery ? An extremely difficult one to answer, for it
contains so many factors. It is all very well to argue
that a moor is worth no more than a certain sum per
head of each grouse killed, or that the rent of a salmon
river shall not exceed the equivalent of a fixed sum for
each fish landed ; but of what practical use are either
of these limits so long as there are men in the world
who will exceed them, and whose incomes enable them
to attach a comparatively small value to the coin of the
realm.

It simply amounts to this : that the market value
of a fishery, like that of most commodities, is precisely
what it will feteh, and, however galling it may be, we
poorer brethren must for the time being succumb, directly
or indirectly, to those whose while it is worth to outbid
us ; and, unfortunately for us, there can be but little
doubt that angling rents, both at home and abroad,
are steadily on the rise, for the rank and file of the
noble army of anglers is being daily recruited.

The Anglo-Norwegian angler, who at one time had
Norsk rivers almost entirely to himself, has many com-
petitors, and can we be surprised that a professional or
business man, who has but one leisure month of twelve,

Renting and Letting Salmon Rivers. 131

should seek the country which will give him the greatest
certainty to enjoy his favourite sport ? And should we .
be surprised that he is prepared to pay highly for it ? Or

should we be surprised when So-and-So, of Square,

secures a fishery at twice its worth ? For does not his
name, with " his river in Norway," appear in the columns
of the Society newspapers ?

Sympathy may be readily extended to the pioneers of
angling in Norway who, when wishing to renew their
leases, find that they are asked a large increase of rent,
but it does not often occur to them to take into account
that, for a considerable portion of the expired term, they
have enjoyed their sport at a cheap rate. They have
a much more genuine grievance should they discover, at
the termination of their tenancy, that a new lease has
been granted over their heads, and that they must give
way to a new lessee, without the option of a renewal.

In these cases there appears to be a tendency on the
part of the outgoing tenant to attribute the entire blame
of his discomfiture to the new lessee, whom he generally
accuses of having gone behind his back ; but, on the other
hand, it may appear somewhat foolish to rely upon the
non-interference of strangers for the continuation of a
sporting lease.

The " old Anglo-Norsk hand " is no fool, and I venture
to suggest that it is not through inadvertence that he

132 Angling Travels in Norway.

postpones the question of renewal until sometimes too
late, but rather does he procrastinate in order to avoid
raising the rent against himself by the exhibition of
anxiety upon the subject.

I am not certain that the farmers always nurture a
superfluity of goodwill towards these lessees, who for
a number of years past have had much the best of the
bargain, and who, upon low rents, have been netting
considerable profits, either in hard cash or in free fishing
for themselves. But, be this as it may, I think a man
forestalled in a renewal of his lease should blame himself
and the lessor quite as much as the incoming tenant.

It is the custom of British anglers not to interfere
or compete with one another in sporting rights in Norway,
and the same feeling generally exists amongst Norwegians
inter se, but I doubt if the British exercise the same
consideration towards Norwegians, and 1 know of instances
in which they have behaved in precisely the manner that
they object to, if adopted by natives of Norway.

I also know of instances in which Norwegians have
attempted to undermine the good feeling which existed,
or the British tenant imagined to have existed, between
himself and riparian proprietors, sometimes with, and
sometimes without, success ; but whatever opinion we may
entertain of this conduct, it is perhaps but fair to bear
in mind that the Norwegian strives to obtain the fisheries

Renting and Letting Salmon Rivers. 133

of his native land, to which he may not unreasonably
consider he has a prior claim.

Long after British anglers have thrown up a river,
on account of the indifferent sport it afforded, I have
known Norwegians step in and take a lease, and for
several years exercise considerable self-denial in only
lightly fishing it, in order to increase the supply of fish,
which is a proof that they can, and do, act unselfishly
and as sportsmen.

I have no desire to paint the Norwegian sub-lessor
in other than true colours, but I am of opinion that
he frequently performs a very useful office, and it is no
unusual occurrence for a British angler to sub-lease a
river from some one of them for several years in
succession.

I have explained in another chapter how the quantity
of winter snow lying around the watershed of a river
determines the initial prospects of an angling season ;
and I have known British lessors to have sublet their
rivers, rather than fish themselves, when the outlook
has been indifferent. In such a case, the sub-lessor knows,
or thinks he knows, more than the general public, and
there may exist a code of honour, which would condemn
such conduct.

In the foregoing lines I have attempted to fairly
discuss some of the considerations which arise in the

134 Angling Travels in Norway.

letting and sub-letting of Norwegian rivers, and to describe
a few of the difficulties which beset the paths of lessor
and lessee.

It goes without saying that it is easier to ascertain
particulars of a fishing at home than of one abroad, for
the values of British angling rivers are almost public
property, whereas those of Scandinavian fisheries are but
known to the sportsmen who for some years past have
been in the habit of visiting the country, and many of
these, for obvious reasons, prefer to exercise a discreet
silence.

The number of rivers which in an average year afford
good or fair sport is comparatively small, and they are
mostly leased to British anglers, who find small difficulty
in sub-letting them to members of their acquaintance
when so disposed ; and these may obtain information
as to the prospects of sport ; but, fortunately for the
general angling public, there are rivers to let every year ;
but I think that, when dealing with strangers, an angler
might avail himself of the assistance of the sporting
journals more frequently than appears to be the case, as
I think an inquiry would generally be followed by valuable
information. In taking a river there are many points to
consider : —

The rent you wish to pay.

The length of water and number of pools required.

Renting and Letting Salmon Rivers. 135

The date and period you wish to fish.

Whether you require harling or fly-casting.

Whether fishing from boat or bank.

The house accommodation.

The distance from England.

The distance of the river from a market for your fish.

The average year's sport.

The average weight of the fish.
And if an angler can satisfy his desires in all these
particulars, he is extremely fortunate.

Of these ten questions the lessor and lessee together
should be able to supply answers to the first eight, but
the two last present greater difficulties, because so few
anglers keep a record of fish killed and fish lost. The
game-book affords interesting reminiscences and food for
reflection, and if a man be fishing by himself there can
be no objection to the keeping of it, but when two or
more are fishing in company, perhaps it is advisable to
dispense with a record of success and failure, for the daily
scores are apt to lead to comparison and competition,
both of which, to my mind, are detestable in sport.

The contents of a game-book are generally placed at
the disposal of a prospective lessee or sub-lessee, but they
are of comparatively little value unless details of the
season and weather, together with the proficiencies of
the rods, be added ; otherwise, an inferior angler may be

136 Angling Travels in Norway.

much disappointed should he take a river from the record
of a first-class rod ; and, again, a first-class fisherman may
be deterred by the diary of a bad angler from taking a
fishery which, in an average year, would afford him good
sport. Thus a game-book may require many notes and
explanations in order to provide a trustworthy guide to
a fishery.

Many of us anglers do not recognize the fact that
we are bad performers, and perhaps it would be more
instructive to keep a note of fish lost than one of fish
killed ; and I strongly advise indifferent anglers not to
take expensive fishings, unless they be fully prepared
to encounter disappointment. Norwegian salmon are very
free takers, and are also very free fighters.

CHAPTER XV.

PRAWN-FISHING FOR SALMON.

No matter in what esteem prawn-fishing may be held as
compared with fly and minnow fishing, it is certain that
fish are often killed by the prawn when all other lures
fail to attract. Some anglers refuse to employ either
minnow or prawn, because they will not, or because they
know not how to use them, and in consequence miss
a deal of what others consider sport.

I confess that, to my mind, the unprejudiced individual
who does not handicap himself, but practises the various
methods of salmon-angling which provide him with sport
in their right times and seasons, has much the best of the
argument, and is a better fisherman than he who can only
kill fish when the water is in perfect order. In fact, the
wisdom of persevering with a lure which for the time
being is practically useless does not appeal to me, when
a more taking device is at hand, and can be employed
without injury to those who may entertain contrary
opinions.

T

138 Angling Travels in Norway.

I11 appearance the prawn is a most enticing bait, but
it is curious to what extent its attractiveness varies in
different rivers, and in divers stages and conditions of the
water ; and, moreover, as with other baits, it is only a
certain proportion of fish in a pool that will take it ; and,
lastly, with most patterns of tackle there is the uncertainty
of securely hooking a " taking" fish.

In some rivers I have found the prawn to be well-nigh
useless, in others fish will only take it in dead low water ;
and, again, in others I have taken fish with it immediately
after a flood, when the water has been as thick as the
proverbial pea-soup.

I cannot say if the prawn be a good killer in a fly
water, as I have not tried it under such conditions.

There are at least three methods of fishing with the
prawn : (1) using it as the bait when harling ; (2) casting
it from the Nottingham reel ; and (3) letting it down from
a position above the lie of the fish.

Harling with the prawn is a very simple process, and
it is scarcely possible for the most inveterate hater of
prawn-fishing to take exception to its use in this depart-
ment, and the only point to be observed is the careful
leading of the cast.

In casting the prawn from the Nottingham reel, a
certain delicacy is requisite in handling the rod to avoid
injury to the bait, which is naturally fragile ; and I find

Prawn fishing for Salmon. 139

it advisable to allow the reel to gently pay out a little line
while the bait swings round in the water, so that the
prawn is always dropping down stream instead of being
held up against it.

Letting the prawn down to a fish is the most interesting
phase of this class of angling ; in fact, to my mind, it is
prawn-fishing proper, and should be effected with great
care and delicacy.

I find a spinning-rod, with Nottingham reel and light
silk line, dressed with stearine (as described in "By Hook
and by Crook "), the best tackle for this purpose. The
angler, from bank or boat, should let the bait at an even
pace down to the fish ; and I find the best way to do
this is to remove the check from the reel, and to allow the
line to run off between the forefinger and thumb, while
the forefinger of the other hand applies to the reel what-
ever friction may be required.

When a fish touches or takes the bait under these
conditions, it is best not to strike or check the line until
he has sailed away with a yard or two, for until he has
done so, it is most difficult to determine if he have it
between his jaws, and occasionally a fish will mess a prawn
about before he actually seizes it ; but when he carries off
a yard or two of line it may be assumed that he has the
bait between his jaws, and is carrying it down to his lair,
and then is the time to strike. When a fish runs off with

1^0 Angling Travels in Norway.

the prawn in this manner, it is
long odds on the angler land-
ing him, if he have good tackle.

I have fished with various
tackles, from which it appeared
impossible for a fish to steal the
bait, but they have beaten me
over and over again ; and it is
extraordinary how a fish can
nip a portion out of a prawn
while keeping his nose clear of
the hooks.

They will strip off the head
or the tail, or sometimes nip a
bit from the back of the head,
as cleanly as if it were done
with a pair of pincers, and it
is therefore essential that these
favourite points of attack should
be safely guarded by hooks.

It twas after considerable
experiment and attention to the
subject that I perfected the form
of tackle here illustrated, and
requested Messrs. Hardy Bros.,
of Alnwick, to make it, in order

Prawn-fishing for Salmon. 141

to meet my and others' requirements, and I am glad to
say that it has given general satisfaction. I have killed
twenty-seven fish consecu-
tively (without a miss) with
this tackle, which is good
enough for me.

The tackle looks rather
formidable and large, but,
when dressed with a prawn,
it is surprising how little of
it shows ; it has accounted
for fish up to 68 lbs. in
Norway, and many large
specimens in British rivers.

The small piece of lead
underneath keeps the prawn
swimming on an even keel,
and almost obliges the fish to
attack it in the manner con-
templated in the arrangement
of the hooks. The tackle is
made in two sizes, and the
flying triangles are knotted so
that either can be cut away
without injury to the remainder, but it should be used'
entire. The prawn is threaded with the needle, and

142 Angling Travels in Norway.

secured with silk ties, or small rubber rings, behind the
head and at root of tail, and so treated will stand a deal
of knocking about. Messrs. Hardy also supply treble and
single gut traces, and leads of my patterns, which serve
for all methods of prawning. I generally mount a few
before starting for the day, carrying them in a wide-
mouthed bottle, with the gut loops sticking out between
bong and edge of neck.

CHAPTER XVI.

TO SPLIT, CURE, AND SMOKE SALMON.

The fish to be cured, or kippered, should be laid fiat in
a cool place, until set firm, and then be split open and
cleaned so that the flesh alone remains attached to the skin.
There are two methods of splitting open a fish, either
from the back, or from the belly. The former is the neater

Fig. A.

way for an expert hand, while the latter is easier for a
novice ; but to make a neat job, a fair amount of practice
is requisite for both systems.

To split open a fish from the back, lay it on a table or
slab with its back towards you (as in Fig. A), and with a
strong, sharp kitchen knife —

144 Angling Travels in Norway.

1. Split up the lower jaw, lengthwise, from chin to
point, as indicated by 1.

2. Make a cut just behind the top corner of the gill-
cover straight down from skin to back-bone, as indicated
by 2.

3. Run the knife as close as possible along the upper
side of the backbone from 2 to root of tail, holding the
knife with point slightly inclined downwards, so that
the side bones may be severed, as indicated by 3. While

Fio. a.

performing this cut, the point of the knife should follow
the course shown by the dotted line in Fig. A, in order
to avoid piercing the gall-bladder and the intestines.

4. The top-half of the fish may now be laid back with
the hand, and a few touches with the knife should suffice
to free the intestines, which are next removed.

5. Make a cut from the under side of the fish, from the
skin upwards to the backbone, as indicated by 5 (Fig. B).
This, with the corresponding cut 2 in Fig. A, severs the
head from the shoulders.

To Split, Cure, and Smoke Salmon. 145

6. Insert the knife behind the gill-cover, and under the
backbone, and make a cut from 5 to within a few inches
of the root of the tail, taking care to remove as little flesh
as possible with the bone, as indicated by 6, in Fig. B.

7. Lift the head and backbone, and snap the latter near
the tail, and the flesh remains free of encumbrance.

8. Some smear the flesh with blood from the fish, to
impart a red colour at the finish of curing ; but whether
or no this be done, the fish should now be placed, opened
flat, in the saltpan without being washed or dried.
Distribute upon the bottom of the salting-trough four
double-handfuls of rough salt in crystals (table salt is not
so good for the purpose) : then lay the fish upon it, skin
downwards, and scatter over it four double-handfuls of salt
and, if necessary, other fish, with a layer of salt between
them, and allow them to so remain for lengths of time in
accordance with their individual weights, and the periods
over which they are to be preserved.

The following table gives approximately the periods for
salting fish : —

Weight of fish.

To keep

1 month.

2 mouths.

'■'< months.

4 months

20 lbs.

36 hours

42 hrs.

48 hrs.

54 hrs.

25 lbs.

40

,»

46 „

54 „

60 „

30 lbs.

48

,»

54 „

60 „

66 „

40 lbs.

54

,,

60 „

66 „

72 „

50 lbs.

58

is

64 „

70 „

76 „

Some prefer the addition of saltpetre, or sugar, to the

u

146 Angling Travels in Norway.

brine ; and, in such case, three tablespoonfuls per fish is
sufficient of either, and a few crushed peppercorns may be
added.

The fish, upon removal from the brine, should be trussed
with three pieces of wood, so as to keep it straightened out
for drying, and a loop should be attached at the top, as
indicated in Fig. C, by which it should be suspended in a
draughty situation in the shade until it be dry. When

Fig. C.

dry, some lay the fish flat, and pour upon it a glass
or two of cognac, and allow it to soak in ; but this, like
the use of saltpetre or sugar, is a matter of taste. The
fish can now be kept in an airy place until required for
the table, and, if it be a gaffed fish, it is advisable to
plug any rents with a stopping of tow or yarn well soaked
in brine, to prevent access to the blow-fly ; and it is as
well to examine the kippers now and again in case of
accidents. Should the fish have to be smoked, it is placed
in the smoke-house as soon as dry from the saltpan, and
smoked for four-and-twenty hours.

To Split, Cure, and Smoke Salmon. 147

Juniper is the best wood for smoking fish, and perhaps
next to it comes oak, or oak sawdust, and care must be
taken not to heat the fish in the process ; consequently,
the fire should be manipulated to produce a maximum of
smoke and a minimum of heat.

For travelling, the kippered or smoked fish should be
packed in an open crate, or between boards, not in a case,
and they should be kept in a cool, dry place.

To split a fish from the belly, clean it in the ordinary
way for cooking ; cut off the head, and cut through the
flesh close to one side of the backbone nearly unto the skin
of the back.

Now lay the flesh open, and cut out the backbone as
above described ; then truss out, etc.

A fish of 30 lbs., when salted and dried, weighs about
17 lbs., and after being smoked will, a month hence, have
lost another pound.

■

PART II.

NORWEGIAN SKETCHES.

CHAPTER XVII.

SURENDAL.

URENDAL will always be of peculiar

interest to me, for in the River Siirna,

from which the valley derives its

name, I was entered to Norwegian

angling.

For the space of five and twenty
years previous to my visit to the waters of Norway,
my line had been cast in hard places throughout the
United Kingdom and the Peninsula, commencing with
the leathery -mouthed chub of the Thames ; then the
trout of Test, Itchen, Thames, Wye, etc. ; next the
salmon of the Tay, the Galway river, the Blackwater,
the Esk, Nith, Annan, Eden, Shannon, and many other
streams, lakes, and rivers.

I have no inclination to depreciate the pleasure or value

Surendal. 149

of angling in the above or any other waters of the United
Kingdom, because I am certain that each river or loch, no
matter where it may be situated, possesses peculiarities
which teaches invaluable lessons to the angler who en-
deavours to exercise intelligence in the pursuit of sport ;
yet I fancy many older hands than I am at the game
might experience a strange thrill as they should approach
a field of operations promising a class of sport superior to
that hitherto encountered. By the phrase " superior class
of sport," I mean only to imply a greater quantity of
free-rising spring fish existing in rapid rivers.

With what satisfaction and anticipation of pleasure does
the angler shake off the dust of travel and leisurely unpack
his rod-box in some obscure Norwegian valley !

The worries of travel are relegated to the past — the
discomforts of steamers are forgotten as the angler quietly
settles down for a short term of ease and freedom from the
hurry and bustle of the busy world. Human natures are
indeed differently constituted. Some folk look forward to
an annual sojourn in comparative, or even complete, solitude,
surrounded by Nature's handiwork, as the treat of the
year ; others are only happy when rushing from one point
to another — first a voyage by boat, next a railway journey,
and a night passed at some foss-side inn, to be succeeded
the following day by a drive, a view of a glacier, and so
on ad infinitum. Well, chaqu'un (I son godt, and, indeed,

150 Angling Travels in Norway.

fortunate it be that Norway provides opportunities and
space for all.

Our foreign neighbours are wont to say that we take
our pleasures sadly ; but I would rather opine that the
tourist takes his pains joyfully, for, in spite of an incessant
course of unpacking, and strange quarters, he has ever a
smile upon his countenance.

At five o'clock of a fine spring evening, in early June,
our vessel heaves-to among the rocky islands which support
the wood-built town of Christiansund.

The buildings, wharf-like, spring from the very water ;
the town is tranquil, and its people rest idly about the
water's edge — for it is Sunday, and all is closed except the
Custom House, whither we repair to clear our belongings
ere consigning them and ourselves to the little steamboat
which will convey us up the inland fjord to the mouth of
the Siirna.

Whilst discharging our duties the juvenile natives, with
kindly feeling, pluck whisps of fresh green herbage, and
place them in the crates which contain our stock of goslings,
whose appreciation of the dainty is their benefactor's
reward.

As Christiansund fades to view, we go below to enjoy
the excellent repast our host provides — a meal, indeed,
excellent of itself, but enhanced by comparison with our
food of the few previous days ; and barely had we time

Siirendal. 153

to observe the divers and oyster-catchers upon our journey
up the fjord ere we lay alongside the little quay of Siiren-
dalsoren, the village at the estuary of the Siirna.

We were yet some eight miles from our destination,
but as our host stepped upon the quay he was welcomed
by his neighbours of Giila, who, with hat in hand, empha-
sized the pleasure of renewing their acquaintance.

Courtesies were mutually exchanged, and, having dis-
tributed ourselves and our impedimenta over our host's
carrioles and carts, we sped away to his estate in
Giila.

We crossed the river by a bridge which had been
completed since our host's previous visit, and here, at so
late an hour as midnight, the country-folk turned out in
full strength to give expression of their thanks for the
kind assistance he had rendered towards the erection of
the structure.

A curious sight it was for a stranger to witness —
many scores of men, women, and children arrayed in
Sunday best in daylight at 12 a.m. Amidst mutual
salutations and echoing cheers we at length pursued our
route, and arrived at Giila about 1 a.m. fully prepared for
a night's repose.

The sea-route to Christiansiind, via Stavanger, Bergen,
and Molde, is almost entirely conducted through the
smooth water of the fjords, or passages of varying width

154 Angling Travels in Norway.

formed by the mainland and rocky islands which gird
the coast.

These stern and, for the most part, sterile piles of
granite are characteristic, and in many places grand,
notably the peak of Horneln ; yet the seaboard after a
while becomes monotonous, and the sylvan growth which
clothes its inland arms affords welcome relief to the eye.

As we approach the interior, the newly unfolded leaves
of the silver-birch, the yellow needles of the pine-shoots,
and the fresh verdure of the juniper are in harmony with
the emerald green of the fjord- side pastures — indeed, it is
springtime, and Nature rejoices that she may discard her
snowy weeds.

The ebbing tide borders the fjord-edge with a golden
girdle of foliage of the sea, whose fragrance refreshes the
mind, as the morning breeze brings health and strength.

Restored by the night's repose, I threw open my
casement to welcome the delights of a perfect summer
morn — meadows of brilliant herbage serve as foreground
to the view, in the middle distance the stately river winds
her course, and the yet snow-capped mountains form a
fitting background to one of Nature's simple and perfect
pictures.

The stern outline, in this rarefied atmosphere, stood
out sharp and clean against the clear blue sky, and I
hastened to gain the open, unfettered by roof or wall.

Surendal. 155

I have heard many anglers who have visited Norway
for a series of years declare that, regardless of the sport
experienced during their visits, it is " the life " they
enjoy — and the enjoyment appears to increase in propor-
tion to the number of their annual visits — it is the charm
of the country.

The season which I attempt to describe proved to be
a late one, and although a few odd fish fell victims to our
party early on, it was not before a couple of weeks
that a considerable run of fish took place ; but time
passed pleasantly as we made acquaintance with the
neighbourhood and our native companions in sport-
while hosts of thrushes, blackbirds, and redwings held
evening chorus upon the hillside.

This mountain scenery was entrancing under summer
sun and azure sky, but such was not its grandest mood,
for as within a few short hours the climate changed, and
the lowlands were shrouded in rain-mists, while the snow-
wreaths swirled on high, Nature, as a wild beast who
knows not restraint, became magnificent in her fiercest
temper.

From the commencement of the month of June fine
summer weather may not unreasonably be expected, but
the elements obey no fixed laws, and, as upon the occasion
of my first visit to the country, the weather during the
summer months may be wild, cold, and stormy.

■

156 Angling Travels in Norway.

For well-nigh six weeks of my stay in Siirendal,
cold winds, attended by rain and hail, prevailed, and, in
consequence, the river at times was in such state of flood
as to prohibit angling, and the temperature necessitated
our warmest clothing.

The valley of the Siirna is occupied by a chain of
small farms, and saw-mills are situated upon its tribu-
taries, while at a distance of every five or six miles hamlets
are established.

My host's dwelling-houses and farm-buildings of them-
selves constituted a hamlet, and we lived precisely as if in
England for the greater part of our visit, as the weather
was such as to permit of angling during daytime.

The idea is prevalent that in bright weather it is
advisable to delay angling operations until the sun be off
the water, and no doubt in many pools this precaution
is necessary for sport, but in cold weather I think the
day-angler will have the best of the argument, as fish
rise badly upon cold evenings, but in seasons when the
days are sunny and the nights are warm, the better plan is
to leave sufficient undisturbed water for the evening's work.

The lowest beat of the Siirna is of little use for salmon-
angling, as fish run straight through it, but it is fairly
good for sea-trout, which, however, do not run to any
great size upon this river ; the largest we killed ran from
2 lbs. to 3 lbs. We fished the beat next above this, a

Surendal. 157

stretch of six to seven miles, which is essentially hading
water, as, with the exception of a few short casts, the river
is of such width, and the fish so few and far between, that
by any other method half a day would be required to
fish a single pool, and this is more or less the situation
in all the big and medium-size rivers of Norway. Above
this beat are three others much better adapted for casting
the fly, either from boat or bank, but, being further from
the sea, the fish, from what I could gather, do not take
as freely, and those fishing the beat next above us sorely
complained of the necessity in many pools of helping the
fly round on account of the slack stream ; yet in most
seasons more fish would probably be killed in beats
Nos. 2 and 3 than in Nos. 1, 4, and 5.

We divided our water into three sections, fishing them
in rotation, and working fairly hard whenever there was
half a chance. I killed in a period of seven weeks 420 lbs.
of salmon, and about 100 lbs. of bull-trout, sea-trout, etc. ;
and we made the total 660 lbs. of salmon and 150 lbs. of
other Salmonidse.

Two of us were upon our first visit to the river, and
our host had not fished it for two or three years, so I
imagine, had we been better anglers, and more acquainted
with it, we should have made finer practice.

The largest fish we killed was a cock of 30 lbs., which
fell to my rod, and on July 23 I killed three fish, 17 lbs.,

158 Angling Travels in Norway.

15 lbs., and 14 lbs., which was the best day's work for
one rod during the season, both for number and total
weight.

In no particular of make or shape, excepting some
slight local peculiarity, can I detect any difference between
the British and Scandinavian salmon.

In previous years fish over 40 lbs. in weight have
been taken by rod in this water, but, with the exception
of one, which was lost by a member of our party, I think
that of 30 lbs. was the heaviest we hooked.

At one time we had on the stone slab outside the
house two fish of 28 lbs. each, and a third of 26 lbs.,
but the smallest was killed the day after the others.

One of these 28-lb. fish was of excellent proportions,
and was only excelled in this respect by a hen of 26 lbs.,
which I killed on June 21, than which I have never seen
a prettier. Her length was 42 inches, and her girth
21 inches, and, taking them all round, the fish of the
Siirna would lose nothing by comparison with those of
other rivers in Europe.

In the month of June we landed two kelts, a cock
of 12 lbs. and a hen of 13 lbs., in all probability being
about the last to drop down from the uppermost spawning
beat, for we saw no others.

This beat, as I have explained above, is but a few
miles from the fjord, so it was not surprising that many

Siirendal. 159

of our fish were ornamented with sea-lice, yet these
parasites are not very numerous upon fish which have
ascended thirty or more miles of fjord, and I imagine
they become detached as the water becomes less salt
towards the top of these inland arms of the sea.

The grilse run from 4 lbs. to 6 lbs. and the first we
killed upon July 25th, the larger ones being frequently
marked by nets. Upon several occasions I witnessed
what was to me a novelty, viz. salmon running up in
bright sunshine during the midday hours.

They travelled two or three together, at a pace of
about two miles an hour, and as they traversed the
gravelly shallows, I could trace their movements for a
considerable distance.

I also frequently observed fish jumping upon the
stream tops after having negotiated the rapid water
below, and fish lying in pools would jump with a slight
rise of water; otherwise, those settled down rarely showed
themselves. At this I was not surprised, for in most
rivers of my acquaintance the fish which have been for
some days in the pool are those which mostly "put up,"
but here the fish merely took short rests en passant.

Upon July 16, the Siirna was dead low, so to fill
up time we went by road and boat to Boeverdal, situated
upon the far side of a promontory to the north of
Siirendalsoren. The river there drains a considerable

160 Angling Travels in Norway.

tract of country, but is nigh worthless for salmon angling,
as its gradient is so steep that it quickly runs down,
leaving mere trout pools, and to make matters worse
the river frequently divides into two or more channels.

Upon our return to Siirendal, the river was dead low,
so upon July 19 we set out for Interdalen, which we
reached in the evening, after a fifteen-mile drive to the
fjord, which we rowed across, then drove about twenty
miles, and concluded with a two-mile walk from Ncerdal
by a rough footway to our destination, our kit being
transported by pack-horse.

Roughly speaking, Interdalen is situated between
Siirendal and Sundal, and the approach from the latter
direction is far the shorter of the two.

For the last fifteen or twenty miles of our journey a
huge pepperbox-shaped mountain of rock had stared
us in the face, one of those exasperating beacons which
appear to sheer further off the nearer you approach them,
as if to show their contempt for the puny means of
transport which in their country are at man's command.

At the foot of this rocky hill was situated our
destination — an inn, recently built by the proprietor
with the assistance of the Norwegian Tourist Club.

At Ncerdal we had been informed that two parties of
tourists had preceded us, so we were not surprised to
find the inn fully occupied, and ourselves left with the

Surendal. 161

choice of retracing our steps to Ncerdal or making the
best of a shake-down in a dairy-house.

We decided to avail ourselves of the latter accom-
modation, and the dairy-maids, who usually occupied the
quarters, obligingly cleared out and distributed them-
selves amongst their friends.

The view from the Tourist Inn is remarkably fine. A
little river courses down the fjelds upon the left hand,
and partly supplies the two lakes which form the fore-
ground of the picture ; the middle distance consists of
grassy, undulating slopes, interspersed with masses of
broken rock, which lead aloft to mountains of 5000
feet high, including the pepperbox-shaped one I have
previously mentioned, upon whose flat summit some
enterprising individual has erected a cairn of stones at
no little risk, I should imagine, of breaking his neck.

Leading away to the right, and almost facing the
inn, a fine glacier takes up the sky-line, and, in obedience
to the sun's command, sends forth its substance to dash
and foam in countless fosses to add the charm of falling-
water to the view. The right-hand corner of the picture
is supplied by forests of trees and enormous piles of
granite, which descend to the lake's margin. Such is
the view of Interdalen.

The lake would appear to have been brought into
existence by the blocking up of the lower end of this

y

1 62 Angling Travels in Norway.

portion of the valley by some terrific break-up and fall of
many myriads of tons of rock from the mountains upon
either side, and in this manner it suddenly terminates,
the overflow making a succession of falls and pools until,
several hundred feet below, it subsides into an orderly
little river, which, after a course of ten miles or more,
descends by a series of fosses, then again becomes a
river, and, after a short course, flows into the fjord.

The grand crash which instituted the lake, and
filled in some miles of valley with blocks of granite,
each many tons in weight, must have been a spectacle
worth witnessing — from a distance.

These masses of stone in all shapes and sizes, partly
clothed with cushions of growing and decayed mosses,
extending from the lake end to the river below were
by no means easy to traverse, and being plentifully
interspersed with timber, provided sufficient occupation
for an angler with rod in hand.

Upon the first morning of our visit we rowed to
the lower end of the lake, and by climbing over or
creeping under these obstacles, we contrived to reach
the first pool, situated 150 feet below the lake, no
cool task under a baking *sun, with a rod in each hand
and a bag on one's back, and as it did not appear to
contain many fish, I descended a similar bit of country
to the next basin, The water entered, or rather fell,

Surendal. 163

into the pool upon the right hand, and flowed across
to the left ; then, turned by the rock-bound margin, it
sped away at a right angle and quitted the pool at
the lower end, having traversed three-fourths of its
circumference.

I waded out a couple of yards, and seated myself
upon a sloping, crested boulder, and, by ramming my
heels into a couple of indentations upon the surface,
kept myself from sliding into the water six feet below.

I had not left England provided for this class of
sport, and had to make the best of a lot of old flies
which I found in an almost discarded book. They were
mostly quite rotten, but with them I either lost or
landed a trout at nearly every cast ; in fact, it took
me longer to rearrange my tackle than to hook the fish.

I sent the lad who accompanied me to fetch my
companion from the pool above, and together we killed
51 trout weighing about 21 lbs. (they being of from
3 lb. to 4 lb. in weight), and after about an hour and
a half of this fun, we retraced our steps to the inn.
I do not know how many pools of a similar description
there may be below, but I should imagine there are
a few, judging from the height we were above the
little river below.

We killed most of the trout with flies of lake-size,
dressed with red body and tinsel rib, with wings of

164 Angling Travels in Norway.

the teal, a pretty good all-round fly for Norwegian
trout fishing ; but I make uo doubt that auy other
pattern would have served as well.

The lad stood amazed at the pace we killed them,
and the people of the inn had never previously seen
such execution ; indeed, 1 should not be surprised if
the trout had never seen an artificial fly before our
visit.

That evening, two rooms at the inn became vacant,
so we shifted our quarters from the daily, and upon
the next day set out to fish the stream which fed the
uppermost lake.

The innkeeper informed us that the higher we should
go up stream the larger we should find the trout, so
we walked oft' in a bee line to strike the river a mile
or so up-bank, but as we only landed a few fish of
about ] lb. weight apiece, we faced about and fished
to the mouth with no better result.

Just above where the stream emptied into the lake,
a wall of rock rose sheer upon either side to a height
of little less than 20 feet; then came a channel about
18 yards wide by 50 long, bounded upon both banks
by dense thickets of shrubs growing to the height of
a man.

I chanced to see what appeared as a nice quiet rise
of a fair-sized trout, and forcing my way through the

Siirendal. 165

bushes I cast and killed a nice fish of £ lb., and
shortly had upon the bank half a dozen of about the
same weight. I next moved up to the neck, and cast
from the summit of the rocky wall, pulling a few extra
yards from the reel while the fly was in the air, and
thus managed to kill a good many more, despite the
difficulty of landing them, getting altogether 25 trout
scaling just upon 15 lbs., all in fair condition, but
they would have been better for another fortnight's law.

This was evidently the best ground, for lower down
my companion killed but 12 fish of not such good
weight, and thus it was clear that the larger fish had
drawn up from the lake to feed upon the flies sailing
down the river's neck, and, as is generally the case
when fish are rising well, the smaller ones kept at a
respectful distance.

Thus the innkeeper had laid us on to an entirely
false scent, and this little bit of sport, such as it was,
we might easily have missed by reason of the bushes
shutting out all view of the river.

The next day we returned to Siirendal, having
enjoyed a pleasant trip, and I think that the angler
who does not object to kill plenty of small fish in
exceedingly fine country, might do worse than go to
Interdalen.

The river which runs from the base of the rocky

I

1 66 Angling Travels in Norway.

falls to the foss above the fjord is of a milky colour,
derived from the glacier-water which feeds it, and
upon this account is not worth fishing. We killed in
it merely half a dozen trout averaging four to the
pound.

We returned to the Siirna in time to avail ourselves
of the weekly close time for nets in the fjord, and
during the next few days landed several nice fish ;
then, as the river was low, we planned to visit some
lakes eight or more miles away amongst the sseters
on the fjelds.

We started off soon after 10 a.m. with attendants
and three horses, which conveyed a couple of tents,
cooking apparatus, provisions and kit, having previously
sent up two boats, for without such few Norwegian
lakes can be properly fished.

We were nearly two hours making the ascent of
the cliff, which rose sheer within a stone's throw of
the house, and after a long, hot march through fine
country and hosts of fiies, we arrived at the largest
lake about 6 p.m., and while the men were engaged in
pitching the tents and getting the camp ship-shape,
we put off in the boats with the hope of getting a
little fresh fish for supper.

The lake was as smooth as glass, yet within an hour
or so, we collected seventeen trout of sorts weighing

Surendal. 167

12 lbs., all but one falling victims to the minnow or
spoon ; but it was a sultry evening, and the fish rose
badly.

With excellent appetites, we returned to find our
camp, situated near the brink of the lake, beside a rocky
burn, one of many which drained the surrounding fjelds,
and charged this natural reservoir with their peat-stained
waters.

I have never seen a more deeply-tinted water, for,
while bathing, one's legs appeared of the colour of old
ale, when but a foot below the surface.

The lake was about 1 J miles long, and varied in width
from 200 to 500 yards. The shore-line was irregular, and
for the most part deeply fringed with trees and shrubs ;
similarly ornamented were the many small islands, at
irregular intervals, piercing the surface, and affording
breeding places for the water-fowl frequenting the lake
for that purpose.

The bottom of the basin was composed of slabs of
rock and small, tile-like pieces of stone, which in many
places around the shore were laid with the regularity of
the slater's hand, and at odd places of the bank beds
of rushes flourished ; but, except at the top narrow end,
I observed little growth of weed.

The lake is situated at about the centre of the pro-
montory, which extends to the fjord, between Surendal

1 68 Angling Travels in Norway.

and Bceverdal, and is about eight miles from both, over-
flowing by a small stream which runs into the river
draining Bceverdal.

This country is well-wooded, and almost uninhabited,
except by the occupants of some sseters in summer time,
and shelters a few bears, which generally descend into
Siirendal for a little fresh mutton after hibernation.

Seated upon a stone slab, in the drift of the fire's
smoke, in the endeavour to keep the mosquitoes at bay,
we did justice to a capital repast, and later on retired
to our bed tent. Our faces upon the morrow bore
evidence of the attentions of the tuneful insects, and after
a swim in the lake's tepid water, we proceeded to break-
fast, my pal remarking, " Now, if we were in St. Peters-
burg, we should be selecting our food from fish swimming
in a glass-sided tank ! " Hinting that if he took his
pleasure that way, he could be easily indulged here, I
set to work to construct a fish-pond, with the assistance
of all hands, from whose finger-tips the skin was speedily
removed in lifting the heavy stones. The masonry com-
pleted, by directing the rills we so controlled the entire
stream, that we could make it course through the inter-
stices of our walls, or could divert any portion of it in
the event of a fresh, and for the comfort of its future
inmates, we provided shelter from the light and sun by
erecting leafy branches around it.

Surendal. 169

We then put out to fish, and the trout rising fairly
well, we soon had thirty or more from I lb. to 1 lb. in
weight, keeping them alive in canvas buckets during
the intervals between our visits to the pond.

In the afternoon we again fished for a while, and by
the evening had a stock of fifty upon which to draw
at meal-times, thus securing a supply of fresh fish at a
moment's notice ; and, fortunately, they having mostly
been lightly hooked, we only had one fatal case.

It was interesting to watch the fish heading up against
stream, while securing the atoms of food which entered
the pond.

When we diverted a portion of the stream above, there
was a tremendous commotion amongst them as they
essayed to escape, thinking, no doubt, there was a possi-
bility of being left high and dry.

As a slight rain set in at evening, we took the pre-
caution to open a sluice above, and when we cleaned our
fish for breakfast next morning, we found they contained
a deal of food, which the rise of six inches of water had
swept down from the ravine.

Within our visit of three days we landed the best
part of a hundred trout, by merely fishing at intervals.
We saw several ducks and divers with their broods, and
a few May-flies, which were rather less in size than the
British insect. In the lake we found no less than four

170 Angling Travels in Norway.

species of trout ; the brown-trout, the lake-trout, with
pink spots and yellow halo, the land-locked sea-trout, and
the land-locked bull-trout.

We only killed three lake-trout, the largest scaling
ll lbs. ; of brown -trout and bull-trout there were a few ;
but the land-locked sea-trout was the principal inhabitant
of the lake, and he proved beyond all doubt that the
stream formed by the overflow, although now inaccessible,
had in previous ages been open for the passage of fish.
Many of these fish were short of teeth upon the vomer,
but in others the double row was distinct, whereas the
three other species had but a single row.

At no time did there appear much feed upon the lake,
and in appearance the sea-trout were in worse condition
than the others, being of a dusky-brown colour, and
elongated in form. But this proved to be a delusion,
for, although they had lost class, upon being opened, their
flesh was nearly as deep in colour as pink blotting-paper,
with curd between the flakes, affording excellent food.

After existing a day or two in the running water of
our pond, they became much brighter in colour, but
darkened again when killed. Neither of the other three
species were worth eating, as their flesh was pale and
soft.

Mr. Fleetwood Sandeman, who has visited the lake
upon many occasions in previous years, is of opinion that

Siirendal. 171

the trout with pink spots and yellow halo, probably the
original stationary occupant, had vastly decreased in
numbers and- size, while the reverse was the case with
the land-locked sea-trout.

We found the best fishing-ground to be situated
between two islands, about the middle of the lake, where
the water was not deep.

One of us killed twenty-five trout while rowing to
and fro over this portion, and immediately afterwards
another of the party killed ten others in it. We named
it the Dogger Bank. The sea-trout were most determined
fish, for even when pricked they would follow up the
minnow and attack it again and again.

Upon the second day of our visit, the farm people
from the valley below brought up their cattle to the
sseters around the lake, and as we left, upon the fourth
day, they were busy cutting the hay grass. We packed
up our traps, and taking it easy over the fjelds, arrived
in Siirendal, punctually to take advantage of the weekly
close-time for netting in the fjord.

Within the next few days we killed a fish or two
and some grilse, but it was evident that nothing much
would be done without rain, for the river was spun out.

Upon the last day of our visit, the beginning of
August, a rise of a few inches of water gave us a chance
of three fish, but not one did we land.

172 Angling Travels in Norway.

The mergansers, clucks, fieldfares, redwings and red-
shanks, having launched their progeny upon the world,
had left for pastures new. Our time was run out, and
so was our tobacco, so upon the morrow we bade adieu
to our companions in sport, and as we rowed down the
river en route to the fjord, each pool recalled to memory
the details of success or failure in combat with the salar
of Siirendal.

CHAPTEE XVIII.

VADS^TH AND SVARDAL.

At the commencement of July, Tom and I had almost
decided to fish some of the lakes and rivers in the west
of Scotland for sea-trout, when we, by mere chance,
heard of some water to let in Norway, which, from a
somewhat meagre description, promised superior sport
with Salmo trutta, and the chance of a few salar.

Upon the following day we interviewed the lessee,
and found that we were fellow-members of the Fly-
Fisher's Club, which of itself was sufficient introduction,
and very little time sufficed to arrange details which gave
us the water for the season, and which, from start to
finish, proved satisfactory to all parties.

The lessee gave us all the information he had gathered
during a couple of days' angling in the locality the
previous year, which had resulted in a fish of about 20 lbs.,
and a few sea-trout of from 3 lbs. to 4 lbs. apiece. This
certainly was no brilliant prospect ; but we took the

174 Angling Travels in Norway.

fishing with our eyes open, and with the certainty of
seeing a new bit of country and water, which I confess
have for me considerable charms.

We wrote to advise the natives of our intended visit,
and upon July 8, we sailed from Newcastle to Bergen.

Early on the morning of July 10, we arrived in
Bergen, and as the boat did not leave for Floro until
midday, we spent some hours in purchasing the requisite
stores and provisions ; for, upon this occasion, we had
brought no supplies from England.

From the experiences of this and subsequent years,
I find it saves a deal of trouble to obtain supplies in
Bergen or Trondhjem, and the only provisions which I
take from England are ham or bacon, and lime-juice
cordial, which I find wholesome to take now and again
where vegetables are scarce, which is generally the case
in the country.

If the angler knows his destination some time ahead,
it is a good plan to send some seeds of lettuce, etc., by
post in advance, so that by the time of his arrival they
may be fit to pull, and he can sow a second crop. Green
food of this description is a great comfort, especially if
the summer be one of continuous heat. We left Bergen
at midday, and arrived at Floro shortly before 10 p.m.

We had barely landed our baggage when a boat pulled
up to the pier, and one of its occupants, upon ascertaining

Vadsaeth and Svardal. 175

our identity, informed me that they had rowed down the
fjord to take us back.

We had been instructed that from Floro to Eikefjord
was a journey of but three hours, so we had intended
to proceed at once ; but to this the men were not very
agreeable, urging that as the tide would be against us
all the way, we had better put up in Fiord for the
night.

Our knowledge of the Norwegian language was at
that time extremely limited, and as we had been positively
instructed as to the length of the journey, it did not
occur to us to put the cpuestion to our guides, so cal-
culating that with an hour's rest, and our assistance, if
necessary, in rowing, we should make Eikefjord by about
2 a.m., we adhered to our original intention to proceed
without loss of time.

We despatched one of the men to procure a few bottles
of beer ; however, he could only get lemonade, and giving
the men a drink of that, and a little of the whisky from
a bottle given me at the last moment in Newcastle, we
got them into a fairly good humour, and at about 10.30
p.m. started for the head of the fjord.

The night was fine but chilly, and after a while Tom
rolled himself up in coats and fell asleep on the top of
the baggage, while I took a turn at rowing, chiefly to
keep myself awake, for I did not care to leave myself

176 Angling Travels in Norway.

entirely in the hands of strangers, especially, as in this
instance, the crew was neither too willing nor expert.

From the start the boat had leaked so fast that one
hand had been incessantly at work with a bowl at the
stern ; but as it transpired that she had been laid up for
five months, we thought that the timbers would gradually
swell.

Until it became dark at midnight this row up the
fjord was enjoyable ; then, for an hour before the first
dawn of day, the air became rather more dank than was
agreeable ; but, as it was fairly stiff work to row against
the strong ebb, I kept warm and awake.

At 2 a.m. I imagined we should be nearing our
destination at the head of this circuitous fjord, and
thought I might inquire upon the subject without the
exhibition of indecent haste; but I was somewhat sur-
prised when, in reply to my question, the chief of the
gang answered, " When we come to yonder mountain we
shall be half-way."

The "yonder mountain" appeared to terminate the
fjord at a distance of about two miles a-head of us ;
however, it proved not to do so. When arrived there,
I ordered the boat to land for a short rest.

We stretched our legs on the seaweed-covered rocks,
and refreshed ourselves with bread and dried herring,
washed down with a nip of neat whisky, for there was

•

Vadsaeth and Svardal. 177

no fresh water at hand, and within a quarter of an hour
we were again afloat.

The breaking day, and now warmer atmosphere,
cheered us up, and we rowed steadily on until 6 a.m.,
when the hamlet and church of Eikefjord came into view
about five miles distant.

The boat now suddenly commenced to let in water
at a pace that no bailing could keep under, and it was
evident that the leak must be plugged.

The fjord was at this point more than a mile in width,
and the rocky margins so abrupt that landing was im-
possible ; but, by piling up the baggage in the bow, we
managed to lift her stern and discovered a hole as big
as a snipe's egg, which took some minutes to plug.
By the time we got her put to rights a strong and
squally wind had sprung up right in our teeth, which
completely disconcerted our half-hearted crew, who,
upon their own authority, gave up rowing, and hoisted
the sail.

The ordinary fjord boat, such as we occupied, has
merely two or three inches of keel, and has no pretensions
to beat to windward, and the sail is only of use in running
before the wind ; yet it is difficult to tell how clever a
man may be in a boat, so I allowed them to set sail with
the almost inevitable consequence that we made a lot
of lee-way in a couple of beats.

2 A

178 Angling Travels in Norway.

The men appeared perfectly satisfied with this graceful
retreat, and evidently preferred it to forging ahead with
the oars ; but I was getting tired of the business, and
a couple of squalls which were within an ace of consigning
ourselves and baggage to the bottom of the fjord deter-
mined me to order the sail to be lowered.

The men feigned not to understand, so we ourselves
lowered the sheet, and as soon as it was stowed, I ordered
three men to row, and myself took the bow oar on the
outside, so that I could row the boat's head into shore
whenever I desired.

I got her to within a few yards of the shore in com-
parative shelter, and, determined to give them a good
sweating, I kept rowing her head round, so that they
were obliged to exert themselves to prevent us running
ashore, and thus we travelled about four miles to Eike-
fjord, and all of us were pretty well done up. But, had
I not exercised such tactics, we should probably have
drifted about the fjord for many hours.

The church clock struck seven as we ran the boat
ashore, and we thus completed a far from agreeable
uight's work, and were pleased in paying off two of
the sulkiest individuals it has been my misfortune to
meet.

I am glad to say that neither before nor since
have I experienced such unpleasantness with Norwegian

Vadsaeth and Svardal.

179

boatmen ; but I take it that there exist in all countries
all sorts of men, and that what has occurred once may
happen again.

As we faced towards the direction by which we had
arrived, a delightful fjord-view met our gaze. In this
sheltered corner there was merely a ripple upon the water,

EIKEFJORD, 7 A.M.

and although the outline of the hills and mountains which
surrounded the fjord stood out sharp and well-defined,
the entire scene was mellowed by the early morning haze,
which foretells of heat to come, and provides the picture
with "feeling" and "atmosphere."

Here was a grand opportunity for the artist's brush,
and regretfully I did my best with the camera.

i8o Angling Travels in Norway.

We had been informed that our fishing station was
situated at the head of the fjord, and that there we
should find our quarters ; but here again our informa-
tion was at fault, for it appeared that an hour or two's
tramp over a broken and mountainous country lay yet
before us in order to reach Vadsseth Lake, which is
connected with Svardal Lake by the river we intended
to fish.

We had one man remaining with us, a native of
Vadsseth, who was to be our attendant during our visit
to the district, and him we despatched in search of con-
veyances for our kit and supplies. After an hour's
absence in the direction of some farm buildings he returned,
with two ponies and sleighs, there being no other vehicles
in the district, for the simple reason that no carriage with
wheels would be of the slightest service over the country
we had to traverse.

We secured our traps on the sleighs, and away we
went. How the packages survived the journey it is im-
possible to tell, for they flew about on the sleighs in all
directions, and, in the descent of the hill, were as frequently
before the ponies as behind them.

After a hot tramp, we arrived close to the border of
Vadsseth Lake, and our guide offered to procure us break-
fast at his house close by, which offer we gladly accepted,
for it was now past 9 a.m., and our previous meal had

Vadsasth and Svardal. 181

been enjoyed on the fjord steamer at 2 p.m. the previous
afternoon.

It was exactly two hours after our arrival that we sat
clown to a repast of eggs, bread, and coffee, the natives
having occupied the interval in running about all over
the country-side collecting the food and table requisites.
That interval, we both agreed, was not the most pleasant
of our existence, but it is best to allow the people to have
their own way in these little matters.

An incident, though trifling in itself, was not without
humour, especially as we had existed for some hours
without a laugh. A good lady having laid the table, and
supplied us with food and coffee, was then utterly at
a loss to know where to locate herself. First she stationed
herself in such proximity to my right elbow that I was
unable to lift my arm ; not satisfied with this position,
she proceeded to pay Tom a similar attention.

We moved not a muscle, nor dared to glance at each
other. However, she seemed to think she was not yet in
quite the right position, so, taking up a chair, with difficulty
she managed to squeeze it in between our two, and
inserted herself upon it.

The three of us, thus crowded together in about one-
fourth the space of the table, would have afforded a
touching picture, and we were much relieved in more
ways than one when the good lady was enticed away in

1 82 Angling Travels in Norway.

quest of more coffee, giving us the opportunity to shift
our seats further apart.

Our friend, the lessee, at the time of taking the fishing,
had arranged for the use of a house at Svardal during his
intended visit, and had also agreed to employ our present
attendant, whom we will call Johann, at the wage of Kr.2
per day, should he require assistance.

The usual wage of a boatman is about Kr.3 per day
in the fashionable rivers of the country, but, further afield,
Kr.2 J is about the figure, and in the up-country districts
Kr.2 is good pay.

Details, written by a Norwegian of the district, had
been handed to us with the lease of the fishing, and when
writing from London advising our arrival, we had ex-
pressed our intention of carrying out the arrangements,
which we naturally concluded would be satisfactory to
all parties.

After breakfast, our attendant and temporary host,
Johann, endeavoured to persuade us to remain at his
house in place of putting up at Svardal, as arranged in
our programme.

The accommodation he offered consisted of a room with
one small bed, and a sitting-room, both of which were
scantily furnished, and had very recently been smeared
with inferior green paint.

The family were determined if possible to detain us

Vadsaeth and Svardal.

183

(a month's rent is a considerable item in those parts), and,
as the last means of persuasion, they declared that they
had gone to considerable expense to prepare the quarters
at the request of our friend, the lessee.

I felt certain that this was a mere invention of

VADS.ETH LAKE.

Johann's, and we made up our minds, in the first place,
to inspect the house at Svardal, so ordered the boat to
convey us and our belongings down the lake, telling
Johann that if the house did not suit us, we would return
to his.

I have, upon many occasions, put up with much

v.

184 Angling Travels in Norway.

worse accommodation, and no doubt we could have
managed well enough there, but it did not appear to be
a convenient situation for the fishing, and they showed
such anxiety to fix us up before giving us an oppor-
tunity to see Svardal that we felt sure it was advisable
to proceed.

OUTLET OF VADS.2ETH LAKE.

When Johann and his family saw that our plans
were fixed, it was clear from their expressions that
they thought we should not return, which encouraged
the idea that the accommodation at Svardal might be
superior.

After a few hours' rest we led the sleighs down to
the water-side, and, having stowed the luggage on board,

Vadsaeth and Svardal. 185

we rowed to the lower end of the lake under an azure sky

and a baking hot sun.

The lake of Vadsseth is surrounded by mountainous
country of rock, clothed now and again with scrub and
birch trees. The rock rises sheer from the water-edge,
and no road exists until where the Svardal river runs out
of the lake, consequently the only means of conveyance
is by water.

In less than an hour we ran the boat ashore, at the
point where the lake discharges itself into the small river
connecting it with Svardal Lake, and, stepping ashore,
I walked to the hamlet and interviewed the farmer who
owned our future residence, he at the time being busy
making hay.

It was at once evident that, to suit his scheme, the
crafty Johann had withheld from the farmer all notice
of our arrival, and we found the house somewhat in a
state of disorder.

As a matter of fact, we paid a good deal too high
a rent ; but, in passing down the water, I had formed the
idea that our stay would be of but short duration, and as
we must necessarily put them to a good deal of trouble
to prepare the house, I was not very particular about the
terms.

At the small hotels and inns up-country, the price

for board and lodgings is about Kr.4 per head a day,

2b

1 86 Angling Travels in Norway.

and for a few weeks together they are glad to take
visitors for less.

For a house to accommodate three or four persons,
Kr.20 to Kr.25 per week is ample rent, and in private
houses, where one lives with the family, Kr.3 per day
includes board and lodging.

In the farmhouses up-country they can rarely provide
beyond bread, butter, milk, eggs, and coffee, and for these,
with attendance, it is the best plan to arrange a daily
charge per head— say about Kr.l in addition to the rent.

The country-folks rarely indulge in meat beyond dried
mutton, which they eat uncooked ; but it is generally
possible to purchase a sheep for Kr.l 3 to Kr.l 4, which,
however, it may take a day or two to procure from the
feeding grounds upon the fjelds. All other provisions
must be taken up by the traveller, except in situations
where reindeer exist.

I retraced my steps to the boat, and we soon had
our kit on a hay-cart and conveyed to our new domicile ;
then, having arranged for a meal, we unpacked, and got
into a change of clothes after our twenty-four hours'
journey, preparatory to the evening fishing.

The situation of the hamlet of Svardal is most pic-
turesque ; its houses and farm buildings nestle together
upon a few acres of rich land, through which the river
connecting Vadsseth and Svardal Lake winds its way.

Vadsasth and Svardal. 187

The banks of the river are well timbered with birch
and pine, and the hay-grass and cereals flourish in this
humid basin, and are ripened by the intense heat which
beats straight down, and is reflected by the rocky walls
which almost surround the dale, while the remnant of last
winter's snow yet remains upon the mountain summits,
as if to bear witness that the sun does not always shine
in Svardal.

In fine summer weather it can be very hot in Svardal ;
for, situated as it were in the bottom of a teacup, the heat
cannot easily escape, and is reflected by the rocky walls
around.

The crops were both rich and abundant, apparently
well-grown in a humid atmosphere and excellent land ;
and under such circumstances our landlord, who was the
largest landowner, was said to be a man of means.

The house was comfortable enough, and, not being
encumbered with carpets or curtains, was fairly cool. The
furniture included tables, chairs, and beds — or, rather,
boxes without lids. The bedrooms were very small, and
the beds were unfortunately made of proportions to suit
the size of the rooms, instead of the length of the sleeper,
and being but about four feet long, it was necessary to
roll one's self up into a ball in order to rest upon the
moss-stuffed mattresses and pillows which furnished
them,

1 88 Angling Travels in Norway.

Before starting to fish, I thought it advisable to draw
Johann's attention to the clause in the agreement which
fixed his pay at Kr.2 per day ; and it was well that I did
so, for at the mention of this sum he disdainfully tossed
up his head and said that the amount was entirely in-
sufficient, adding that an Englishman whom he had

VADS.ETH BIVER.

accompanied when trout-fishing two or three years before
had paid him Kr.6 a day.

I surmised that this was an invention prompted by my
ready agreement to our landlord's demand for rent ; but,
as I did not intend to argue about it, I paid him for his
services, and told him we should no longer require them.

Vadsasth and Svardal. 189

At about seven o'clock the sun was off the water, as
we set out to fish the river which connects the lakes of
Vadsseth and Svardal.

Our original information had been to the effect that
the date of our departure would be well suited for the
angling season in this district ; but Johann had stated,
when we met him at Floro, that we were a month too
late, and our experiences proved him to be fairly
correct.

The stream which connected the two lakes was about
I2 miles in length, and upon the first evening we only
killed a lot of trout of from }2 lb. to 2 lbs. apiece,
and two or three sea-trout ; so we made up our minds
that we had no chance of a salmon, as the river was
too small then to be the temporary abode of running
fish.

The trout in this rapid stream fought well, as also did
the sea-trout, which ran from 1 lb. to 3 lbs. apiece, afford-
ing good sport with small rods ; yet this was not exactly
what we sought.

There were many pretty bits of scenery along the
river, and, situated at one of the little fosses, was the
inevitable salmon-trap, which, during our tenancy, was
not working.

Another day we tried our best in Svardal Lake, with
a like result ; and to all intents and purposes our sport,

190 Angling Travels in Norway.

for the best part of a week, consisted of evening trout-
fishing in the river, with an occasional sea-trout.

The morning after our arrival we were surprised to
find Johann still in Svardal, and as the night's reflection
had induced him to offer his services upon reasonable
terms, he accompanied us each day.

HBiKz_L-~

• ■

WF'"

%J?

MB^^^^^^^^

HEAD OF VADH/ETH LAKE.

The next day we trolled to the top end of Vadsseth
Lake in quest of bigger game, but killed nothing through-
out its entire length but trout and a few ill-conditioned
bull-trout, and then proceeded to try the small river
which ran in at the head, but killed merely trout of
smaller size than those in the river below.

The scenery was very fine at this upper end of the

Vadsaeth and Svardal.

191

lake, but the going was excessively bad, as the rocks were
steep and their surface extremely slippery ; and I found
it best to dispense with boots, for in many places a slip
would have entailed a ducking.

Johann now proposed that we should try a small river
about six miles away in the fjelds, which, he said, con-

SVARDAL FJELDS.

tained trout of a length equal to a pound or so in
weight.

We completed a stiff climb under a very hot sun, and
found ourselves among the Svardal sseters and a couple
of streams which sheltered a lot of small trout, running
about four to the pound, and not until then did Johann
admit that he had not previously visited the sseters, and

192 Angling Travels in Norway.

that his information had consequently been derived from
hearsay alone.

The Norwegian sseter consists of grass-land, and,
maybe, an acre or two under cultivation, and upon it
is constructed a small dwelling-house of rough make,
to shelter the farm hands who repair thither to graze the
cattle after the hay and grain harvests have been garnered
in the valley.

Each sseter is generally provided with a shed for
storing hay, which is either left there, in case of emer-
gency, or, later on, sent down the valley on pack-horses,
or lowered by means of a fixed wire.

The sseters are frequently many miles distant from
the villages to which they belong, and the milk is sent
down daily, or twice or thrice a week, according to
circumstances.

Beyond the few provisions we had brought with us,
our food consisted of fish, eggs, bread and butter. Of meat
there was none, but had we prolonged our stay, we could
have procured a sheep from the ijelds. However, we did
well enough on this diet, assisted by the bottled beer we
had brought from Bergen.

We remained at Svardal rather more than a week ; and
upon the last night, the farmers asked permission to net
the lake, in order to prove that it contained salmon, etc.

Nets were put out over night at three likely angles of

Vadsaeth and Svardal. 193

the lake, and upon the following morning, the men brought
in two salmon of about 1 8 lbs. each, and three sea-trout of
about 6 lbs. each, all of them being very dark in colour,
probably having been up from four to six weeks.

As is frequently the case in rock-bound rivers, the trout
here were far from being beauties in appearance, yet for
all that were in fair condition ; but those found in the
gravelly pools, notably the lowest, which flows into Svardal
Lake, were as fine in condition and colour as could be
desired.

The natives appeared to be all of the same grasping
disposition, apparently resolved to obtain as much as
possible from strangers upon their first visit, heedless if
this policy should result in no future visits to their
district. While I was fishing a decrepit old woman,
whose rags would have disgraced a scarecrow, approached
me and, unsolicited, proposed to bring some multe-berries
(cloudberries) on the morrow.

True to her word, she appeared at the lake-side upon
the next day, and produced about a pint and a half of
berries, half of which were unripe. I took the wild fruit
and tendered her 50 ore (6§d.), which was beyond their
value.

To my surprise, she declared the payment to be in-
sufficient, and held the coin at arm's length towards me.

I recovered the coin, at the same time placing the

2c

194 Angling Travels in Norway.

berries on the bank, and shoved my boat from shore ; then
she altered her mind upon the subject ; but, as I neither
wanted the fruit or to be bothered about it, I did not
grant the privilege usually extended to the fair sex.

While perusing the map and steamer time-table, I, by
chance, found a much easier and shorter route between
Svardal and Floro than that by which we had arrived, viz.
via Hopen, a small hamlet situated within an hour's row
of the top of the fjord which receives the lake's discharge
by means of the little river Osen.

The steamer plied once a week, and, as she was due
upon the following day, we decided to take advantage of
the opportunity.

Johann had repeatedly solicited a written testimonial
as to his abilities, but as we had failed to discover them,
we had hitherto adroitly evaded the question ; but now,
as we intimated our intention to depart, he again urged
the request with much importunity.

I wrote out a very fair description of his talents ; but,
after a night's study of the document, he returned it to
me, remarking that it was " not much of a testimonial," in
which I quite agreed, at the same time refusing to make
any alteration, as I did not think it fair to mislead
future visitors to the district. Early the next day, we
rowed down Svardal lake, through heavy rain, taking a
cart in a second boat, and, when we reached the head of

Vadsaeth and Svardal. 197

the Osen river, we transferred our baggage to the wheels,
and walked along the road, which for the most part runs
in view of the river, until we came to the fjord, a distance
of perhaps a mile and a half.

The river was now quite small, and I should imagine
that even in a big water there would be little difficulty in
casting from bank to bank. The river is let upon lease,
and we were informed that upon the first day of that
season the lessee had killed ten fish, and seven upon the
second day ; after that it appeared that little sport had
been obtained, and I should class the Osen as one of those
small rivers which, except upon very rainy seasons, soon
run out.

I make no doubt that at intervals in a wet season
a few salmon might be obtained now and again, also a
good number of sea-trout, altogether affording sufficient
sport to amuse an angler who does not want to fish during
every hour of the day, and has other occupations to fill
up the spare time ; but I should imagine that a man who
visits Norway solely for the purpose of angling would, in
the majority of seasons, soon tire of the Osen ; yet what
suits one may not please another, and in what manner a
sportsman is to make out his time is best left to the
individual.

An hour's row brought us to Hopen, and I had barely
time to take a couple of views before the whistle announced

198 Angling Travels in Norway.

the arrival of the fjord boat. Tom proceeded to convey
our kit alongside, while I took a picture of the scene, and,
in so doing, nearly missed the boat, which would have
entailed a week's stay in the pretty but uninteresting
Hopen.

We arrived at Floro by 4 p.m., expecting to be
obliged to wait at the inn for the Bergen boat, which
should leave in the early morning hours. But in this we
were most agreeably disappointed, for, within a few
minutes of our arrival, the boat en route from Trondhjem
to Bergen entered the fjord, being many hours late, and
to her we transferred our goods, which, with ourselves and
a cargo of salted herrings, were duly landed on the quay
at Bergen by 3 o'clock the next morning.

The aroma emitted by the boats which carry salted fish
defies description, and the captains say it is impossible to
prevent it, for the barrels all leak, and the leakage settling
in the bottom of the ship, gives forth an odour which
cannot be dispelled by pumping or disinfectants. The
cabins and saloons are generally aft, to economize room for
cargo, and the consequence is that, when against a head-
wind, the perfume aft is more easily imagined than enjoyed.

The decks also are generally covered with barrels and
bundles of dried fish, so on deck and below the fragrance
is somewhat similar, and can hardly be relished, even by
an acquired taste.

CHAPTER XIX.

VOSS AND THE EVANGER RIVER.

It was towards the end of July that two anglers, depressed
in spirits, found themselves stranded in Bergen with
nothing to do, and two weeks to do it in — a somewhat
melancholy situation.

We proceeded to the Norge Hotel for breakfast, and
then made for Mr. Beyer's establishment in the Strand-
gaden, thinking he would be the most likely to assist us
in our dilemma.

At the time I handed my card to one of the assistants,
Mr. Beyer and I were strangers to one another, except by
name ; but, during the brief interval at my disposal, it was
evident, by the easy manner in which the staff of both sexes
went about their work, that the skipper possessed a mind,
officers, and crew competent to tackle the many details of
a large and varied business.

The general absence of class distinction, which is one of
the characteristics of the Norwegian people, appears in its

200 Angling Travels in Norway.

happiest phase in the relationship between employer and
employee. Each appears to recognize that both are doing
for the other what neither can perform for himself ; there
is no obligation upon either side. Much the same feeling
exists as between purveyor and purchaser, and I confess
that my small requirements are more pleasantly obtained
under such conditions than in countries Where it is the
habit of the seller to cringe and fawn in proportion to
the means or titles of his various customers. The
Norwegian, from the highest to the lowest in social
position, is by nature a gentleman, and is very rarely
a snob.

I was appointed spokesman, and discovered Mr. Beyer
seated at a desk bristling with correspondence, and, after a
few minutes' conversation, we had arranged to take his
water upon the Evanger river for a couple of weeks upon
his usual terms, which, from the little I knew of it,
seemed fair enough.

I do not know why, but hitherto I had certainly been
under the impression that my new waterlord's occupation
chiefly consisted in the sub-letting of rivers, but the first
few minutes spent in his establishment were sufficient to
disabuse me of this idea, for it was patent that his tourist
agency and general business must render him independent
of any small profit in other directions ; and my surmise
was correct, for he informed me that he was the lessee of

Voss and the Evanger River. 201

but two rivers, or, rather, portions of the Evanger and
the Forde, both small fisheries, upon which any profit that
could be made must be small.

In taking a river of a lessee, I should never think of
asking him the rent he pays, for I consider that no business
of mine ; I take or leave it, and, if the former, there but
remains for me to pay the rent, and fish it or not, as I
may determine, and when my tenancy has expired, the
contract is completed. Upon the present occasion, how-
ever, Mr. Beyer volunteered the information, which was
accidentally corroborated during my tenancy, that the
rent he asks is identical with that he pays for the water,
plus a small sum which covers the amount of expendi-
ture necessary to provide boats and maintain them
in repair ; he, however, reserves a few days at the com-
mencement of the season, and all the Sundays, to
himself, thus taking out in angling a profit of about
ten or twelve per cent., according to my calculations,
and, as he remarked to me, I do not consider that
excessive, considering the trouble and risk in obtaining
tenants.

As a general rule, in Norway the Sunday commences

at 6 p.m. on Saturday, and ends at 6 p.m. on Sunday,

during which period it is not the custom to fish ; but in

this district the observance of the Sabbath is not kept by

the natives as regards angling.

2d

202 Angling Travels in Norway.

The Evanger river is about eight miles long, and is the
uppermost portion of a waterway, consisting of rivers,
small lakes, and fjords, which emanates from Vossevangen
lake, and, after a course of about eighteen miles, runs into
a fjord proper, a short distance north of Bergen. The
Evanger river thus runs out of Vossevangen lake, and it
terminates at Evanger village.

VOSSEVANGEN LAKE.

It is a most convenient river for British anglers, for
by steamer from England to Bergen, and thence by four
hours' rail, it can be reached within forty-eight hours
from either Newcastle or Hull. There is an hotel at
Evanger, which is rather over a mile below our last

Voss and the Evanger River. 203

pool, and there is also an hotel at Biilken, the next
railway station, situated within a few minutes' walk of

LILANDS HOTEL, BULKEN.

the topmost pool. The latter hostelry stands at a con-
siderable elevation, at the lower end of Vossevangen

204 Angling Travels in Norway.

lake, of which it commands a fine view in the direction
of Vossevangen, a distance of about seven miles by road,
rail, or water.

The watershed of the Evanger is composed of moun-
tainous and fjeld country, lying in a most exposed position,
and is usually visited by more than the average snowfall
during winter and the early spring months, as compared
with other parts of the country ; and, in consequence,
there is generally a good supply to maintain the river in
angling trim for several weeks from about the middle of
June.

It entirely depends upon the weather during June and
July how long the stock of snow will hold out, but I
may say that, from about the end of the third week of
July until the end of the season, the ascent of fish is
regulated by the rainfall.

I have fished in a season when the stock of winter snow
upon the hills was so great as to have lasted for the best
part of two months, with intermittent spells of hot and
cool weather ; but this pleasant prospect was entirely upset
by the rays of a baking sun, which flooded the river for
four weeks, and then left it so low, that there could be no
rise of water without rain.

Upon another occasion I commenced fishing the
river when the snow had departed, and there was
no chance of sport without rain ; but, fortunately, rain

Voss and the Evanger River. 205

came, and we did fairly well ; in fact, in Norway as

elsewhen

weather.

elsewhere, there is no accounting for the vagaries of

THE VOSS NATIONAL COSTCME.

The contributions from the watershed fall into the
lake, becoming clarified in their passage, and issue

206 Angling Travels in Norway.

forth into the river as clear as crystal even when in
flood.

At the present time the Evanger river is, by different
tenancies, divided into four portions, the first and third
being those I have fished. The second and fourth I only
know by having walked down them ; but, by the method
the tenants employ in fishing them, I should imagine
they are essentially harling waters, and yield a fair number
of fish, which are chiefly obtained in the lower water
during the early part of the season.

1 have now cleared the way to deal with the first and
third portions. The upper water for the first quarter of
a mile of its course is merely a useless rapid, unfishable
except in very low water, but a fish or two have been killed
in it ; below this ravine the railway crosses the stream, and
the river at once widens out into a large pool. a couple
of hundred yards long, ornamented by foliage upon both
banks. The stream enters the pool with such force that
for a considerable distance the water swirls and surges
in such cpueer fashion as to render it impossible for fish
and angler alike ; but, later on, it subsides into orderly
behaviour, and runs from deep to shallow, affording
comfortable resting places for fish, and terminates in a
swiftly-running head, a favourite resort for those who
have ascended the rough water below and the fair-sized
foss beyond it.

A SALMON-TRAP.

Voss and the Evanger River. 209

This foss extends from bank to bank, and in it, upon
the left-hand side, is a salmon-trap, which, however, from
what I know, does not exact heavy toll, and its victims
are not the property of Mr. Beyer.

Immediately below the foss an island divides the
stream, the left-hand branch being that by which the
running fish ascend ; then the streams again combine to
make one long, wide pool, which stretches out into a wide,
lake-like expanse, in which, however, fish are occasionally
killed upon the stream side of an island situated in its
midst. After about half a mile the lake-water is con-
tracted, and a pool is formed which nearly always contains
fish, and lower down, between high banks, is another deep,
straight pool, ending in a formidable pass and rapid.
This was our upper water, and, with the exception of a
few short casts, either from boat or bank on the top
pool, is entirely harling water — and, in my opinion, had-
ing water of the most uninteresting description — for the
stream is sluggish, and in many places the boat must be
rowed at right angles to it in order to prevent the bait
grounding. Yet I am told that several fish have been
killed in it with the fly in a single day, but this was
late in the season after rain.

I take little interest in fishing the water, and for
that reason may not have done it justice, and I know
it is a favourite abode for big fish, as my companions

2 E

210 Angling Travels in Norway.

lost three in it, all between forty and fifty pounds'
weight.

From this water a charming view meets the angler's
gaze in whichever direction he may turn. In the lake-like

expanse there are many char, running to about half a
pound apiece. ■

We walk by beat No. 2 in the other tenancy, and,
entering by a gate, we gain the end of the first pool
of our lower water, and here we find our boatman ready
to row us up to the top of the pool, a distance of 150
yards, or perhaps more.

At a certain stage of the water a small portion can

Voss and the Evanger River. 211

be fished by wading from the bank ; but practically it is
a harling pool, although the lays of the fish are so well
known in all heights of water that it can be well cast
from the boat if the angler so desires ; yet, for all that, I
consider harling the best method of fishing it.

I have used the word " harling," but, although this is
the method I employ in fishing this pool, it does not to
my mind correctly describe it, for there is a vast difference
between fishing an expanse of water, where fish lie here,
there, and everywhere, and fishing such a pool as this
where, to the initiated, the position of fish is closely
defined at various stages of the water. I harl this pool
because, by this means, the fly or bait is so presented best
to the fish, and not in order to cover a wide piece of
water with economy of time and labour.

The fly is better presented by harling in this and
suehdike pools, because the water is of such depth
and strength that it would be almost impossible to
bring it within range of the fish even by casting a
very long line.

Below this pool (which generally harbours big fish
early in the season) comes a short one, and then a length
of swift broken water, which is not of much good ; but I
have killed several fish in it.

Then comes a pool to be cast from the bank, and in
a lowish water it is a pretty good draw.

212 Angling Travels in Norway.

Below this is more broken water, and then an island
divides the river into two streams. The fish pass up by
the right-hand corner, and now and again one is killed
in it.

Now, two hundred yards of broken water gradually
subside into about one hundred yards of fast-running
stream. This, to my mind, is the best and most sport-
ing pool upon the two waters, and I reproduce an
article upon it which I contributed to Beyers Weekly
News : —

"SALMON ANGLING.

"The Saghoug Pool, Evanger River.

" About midway between the stations of Evanger and
Biilken, upon the Vossevangen Railway, the passenger, if
he be not too much absorbed in the study of ' Beyer's
Norse and English Words and Phrases,' will observe that
the river is spanned by a. light suspension bridge, which
would appear to have been erected at this particular spot
in order that certain death might be the fate of any
being who, by accident or design, should fall overboard,
for sui'ely not even the best of swimmers could live
through that boulder-bestrewn rapid. In contrast to this
torrent, the river for the space of nigh upon one hundred
yards above the bridge runs smoothly along with but

Voss and the Evanger River. 215

slightly ruffled surface, although au observer from the
bridge would not fail to notice that the gradient is sharp
and steep. This is the ' Saghoug ' Pool.

" Even if there were no rapid below, it would be
almost unnatural for a salmon not to rest here awhile,
as it were at some comfortable riverside inn, but the
fatigue and labour in ascending the torrent render
repose doubly welcome, with the consequence that
during the angling season the half-way house is always
tenanted.

" The occupants of this pool, however, acquire peculiar
habits during their term of residence, the most annoying
of which is that if they touch or miss the fly they rarely
come a second time.

"Upon the right-hand side of the pool, a stage has
been erected to facilitate casting, but in a big water it
is best to cast first of all from land above the structure,
in case fish should lie high up in the stream, and, under
such circumstances, the stage is an inconvenience, if
nothing more.

" One day I was so casting above the stage. The
fly swung round, and was just about hanging plumb,
when about two feet of solid back, crowned with a dorsal
fin, pierced the surface, and raised a pretty swirl. Instinc-
tively I struck hard, and found the fly as fast as if it
had been in the middle of a hayrick. My 20-ft. Castle-

216 Angling Travels in Norway.

conuell is a fairly overpowering weapon, and makes short
work of small fry of 20 lbs. or so, but here was evidently
a foe worthy of its steel.

THE STAGE AT SAGUOVG.

" My gut an(l Ay were D°th tried friends, so doubling
up the rod I gave it him hot for a quarter of an hour,
while he amused himself in exploring the middle and top
portions of the pool, until, getting weary, he adopted the

"

Voss and the Evanger River. 217

tactics always to be dreaded here, i.e. making down
stream for the rapid.

" I was now standing at the extreme end of the
platform, with fifty yards of line out and a big fish
pulling his hardest at the end of it, assisted by a heavy
stream.

" It was a case of ' pull, devil ; pull, baker,' and as I
was speculating which portion of my tackle would give
way first, to my delight the fish gave a bit, and hauling
hard, step by step, I regained the top of the platform,
and reeled the fish up to close quarters. It was im-
possible to net the fish (I am using a net this year
in place of a gaff) from the stage, so I again took
to the land above, and got him a good way up, when,
to my disgust, down he ran, giving me all to do over
again.

" Three times I held him with all my strength at that
rapid neck, and got him fairly spun out, then hauled
him up by sheer force to the top of the stage, and by
getting into the water over my knees contrived to bring
him alongside a sloping, grassy bank where the landing-
net claimed him for its own.

" He was indeed a fine cock fish in prime condition,
and scaled 36 lbs., and took three-quarters of an hour
to kill.

" The dry boarding of the stage and the weight of the

2f

2i 8 Angling Travels in Norway.

fish made it hard to keep from slipping, and although I
have fished salmon for five and twenty years, this is the
only fish who has got me real warm and just a bit done
at the finish. The next time you give me a fish, Oh !
Saghoug, kindly order him a trifle smaller."

An angler visiting this pool for the first time might
think it one of the easiest in the world to fish, and
it is as far as concerns the casting. It is true there are
some trees near behind from where one casts when the
water is big, and lower down the hay-racks (fences upon
which hay is dried) stand high upon the rising bank
behind, and they have unnecessarily long uprights. I
have seen several casts and flies broken in them, but prin-
cipally through bad casting or right-hand fishing, for if
the pool be cast left-handed, as it should be, i.e. with the
left hand uppermost, there is no reason why the obstacles
should interfere, and the angler must merely place his fly
lightly on the water with & perfectly straight line ; in fact,
he should make an ordinary cast until he arrives at the
end of the platform, when a very long and good cast will
occasionally give a fish. A few casts can also be made
from the bank below the platform, but only small
fish lie there, close in ; and although, as far as one's
chance there is concerned, it would be preferable to
fish it before casting firm the platform, I usually

Voss and the Evanger River. 219

take it last, not caring to run the risk of disturbing
the pool for the chance of a little fish of 12 lbs. to
14 lbs.

After the cast is made comes the chief difficulty, for
the line must be kept perfectly tight in the stream
until it comes round to the bank-edge. If this be not

SAQHOUQ POOL.

done the fish come up, and, although you may strike the
instant you see a swirl or a dorsal ray, he has let go, and
you are much too late. It is always worth while to watch
a man fish this pool, as you either see sport or fish behave
as above. I have seen men miss several fish within a few
minutes all on account of slack line, although at the time

220 Angling Travels in Norway.

they did not so account for it, for turning round to me
they have said, " Well, I couldn't have been quicker than
that," the truth of the matter being that, fishing as they
were, they could by no possibility be quick on to the fish,
and in reality they did not strike very quickly, for I had
seen the fish taking for the best part of a second before
they struck.

This may seem rather close work, but it is essential
for success in this pool. I made a rare mess of it before
I became well acquainted with its requirements, but,
acting as I have attempted to describe, the angler should
seldom miss his fish.

Fish sometimes may be seen rising within a cast of
the left-hand side of the pool, about half-way down ; also
at the top, off a high gravel bank above ; but I have come
to the conclusion that these are running fish, for I have
rarely seen them in any but a flood water, and, although
I have made it a business to fish both these casts every
day, I have never even had a touch, and I think the pool
from the left-hand bank facing down-stream is practically
worthless for angling purposes.

At the foot of the pool there are a few yards of rough
water, which break into a rapid nearly half a mile long,
and until this year a fish once in it was lost, as there is
a light suspension bridge crossing the river, which made
it impossible to follow down the bank, but during last

Voss and the Evanger River. 221

winter a path has been made, and the angler can now
follow his fish.

As in most pools ending in a rapid, the fish, when
hooked here, usually try to go down at some stage of the
fight, and to prevent this the angler has two courses
open, either to never allow him to run from the very start,
or to let him run on the chance of his hesitating (which
they usually do), before going down the rapid, and then
to haul him up by main force, or with slight tension to
"kid" him up a bit before taking him hard by the
head.

I have killed them all ways, and am uncertain which
is the best, but at the commencement of the season, with
treble-gut, I generally hold them hard, and never give a
foot of line. In this manner I killed with single-gut *
a fish of 24 lbs. in seven minutes, and another of 18 lbs.
in three minutes, counting from the time of hooking until
they were on the bank ; and so thoroughly killed were
they by this severe treatment that, when alongside,
they were quiet as logs ; but I doubt if one could
do this with a rod much less powerful than a 20-ft. Castle-
connell.

I am not in the habit of taking the time upon hooking
a fish, as I attach no importance to the timing system,

* Cast of two yards treble anil one yard single gut supplied by
F. M. Walbran at is. per cast.

222 Angling Travels in Norway.

but in these two instances I had consulted my watch
previous to fishing the pool, because I made it a rule not
to commence before a certain time, and both these fish
were hooked within the first four casts.

Below this pool come two bits of bankside casting, one
upon either side, and these often give a fish or two. They
are formed by stonework thrown out into the stream,
affording resting water for fish, and since my first season
on the river, Mr. Beyer, at my suggestion and at con-
siderable cost, has constructed many more attractive
halting-places.

Next comes a fine, big pool lying between two streams,
into which the river is divided, and this always holds fish
when the water is in order — very large ones at the
beginning of the season. Upon the right-hand side a
heavy stream runs against the stone wall built to pre-
serve the road, and just beyond this stream — or, I might
say, rapid — is a small cast which generally holds a fish in a
big water. It is a long and very difficult cast from the
road, as the rapid at the angler's side of the pool so
soon sweeps away the fly — so quickly, indeed, that it is
almost a fluke if one hooks a fish. I have seen several
rises at the fly, but in every instance has he missed it,
although upon a single occasion I did not miss him, for,
striking very quickly, I foul-hooked him just under the
jaw, although I did not know it at the time.

Voss and the Evanger River. 223

I had a terrible time with this fish — over a hundred
yards of line out, up to my middle in water, and passing
the rod round trees, but I killed him half a mile lower
down. He weighed 23 lbs. Since then I always fish

TWO HOL'Bfc' trultT IX SAGHOUG.

this little bit in the boat from the other side, as I consider
nothing but a succession of flukes gave me the fish.

This little cast is but the prelude to fishing the pool
proper, for the stream upon the left-hand side of the
river is that which forms the resting-place of most

224 Angling Travels in Norway.

fish after ascending the rapid water below. Situated
between these two streams is a deep pool of horse-shoe
form running over a clean gravel bed, and the left-hand
side of this shelter is much frequented by large fish for
the first few weeks of the season, and by smaller ones
later on.

This pool can be fished by casting from the boat or
by harling, and the. angler is certain to enjoy some fine
sport in it.

It is a difficult pool to manage a boat in, and the
angler should keep upon close terms with his fish, or he
may get broken in the rocks further down.

We have now arrived at the last pool, which is not
a good one, and I do not trouble it when there is a chance
elsewhere ; but, all the same, we have killed fish in it each
season by harling.

Below here the waters are in other tenancies, including
the Bolstad river. I believe the fishing is all harling, and
while passing by I have never seen any other system
employed. Then comes a lot of fjord water, succeeded
by a river-like portion, which, before its junction with the
fjord proper, is trapped and netted in every conceivable
way, and the fish are said to run straight through it.

I went down one day, and only saw a seal diligently
fishing the best pool, but the farmers get a good number
of fish out of it.

Voss and the Evanger River. 225

With fair usage the Evanger should keep up a good
head of salmon, for it is water eminently suited to their
requirements, and there are fine breeding places both in
the river and in Vossevangen Lake, while, in addition to
this, it shelters few vermin in the shape of bull-trout
and trout, so much so that if your hook touches any-
thing it is long odds on it being a salmon.

The big fish mostly run up in the heavy waters of
the earlier part of the season, and grand sport they
give.

I have had magnificent struggles with them, and it is
best to be pretty smart all round when thus meeting
them upon their favourite battle-ground. What a fine
sight is a fresh-run springer of 30 lbs. or more when,
securely hooked, he jumps clear of rapid water to the
height of several feet, sending the spray flying in all
directions as he falls, and, to one's delight, the line again
tightens !

I have known more than twenty big fish to have been

lost by breakages in this water alone during the first

month of the season, and this sets one thinking how often

a 30-lb. to 40-lb. fish may have been hooked and lost

during his career. I fancy many of them have considerable

experience in breaking tackle, judging from the very

artful devices they employ seriatim in their attempts for

freedom.

2g

226 Angling Travels in Norway.

Iu fishing the Evanger for the first two or three
weeks of the season I think the best plan is to treat
every fish you hook as a big one until you see him,
and you probably will not be far out in your calcu-
lations.

They are apt to deceive you as to their size for some
time, as many of these big ones do not exert themselves
until you think your time has arrived, then they go off
as fresh as kittens, and get the first run of you. This very
often means a hundred yards' rush and a dive amongst
rocks, followed by a breakage, unless you are alert and
have a rod and tackle of sufficient strength to hold their
heads up. Dee and Usk tackle is of no use here, as a
friend of mine ascertained to his cost.

The Evanger fish, in anything like a good water, are
very free takers, but if they touch the fly, or even miss it,
they rarely come a second time ; and it is always necessary
to study the light, or glare, upon each pool, for the water
is clear as crystal.

The valley of the Evanger is narrow, and the approaches
to the river banks are generally abrupt and void of weeds
and reeds, so few water fowl frequent it in the breeding
season. I have now and again observed a few widgeon
race overhead, and for several successive nights I watched
an osprey visit one of the lake-like portions, but beyond
that I have only seen the usual small waterside-frequenting

Voss and the Evanger River. 227

birds, and, all things considered, I would just as soon be
without them upon a salmon river, for, although it is
amusing to watch their movements while resting, I can
well dispense with them while fishing, for I am weak
enough to allow them to distract my attention from the
more serious business in hand.

|lJl«,

~ JbIbJ

B^^?J

HBPB^--

i

RIVER AT HEAD OF VOSSEVANGEN LAKE.

I bear no malice against the waterhen, which nearly
makes me jump out of my few senses as she scuttles out
of the bank-side of a British river within a few yards of
my feet, as I wade some pool which fishes best without
an artificial ripple, for I suppose I should have made
sufficient noise to have afforded her advice of my

228 Angling Travels in Norway.

approach, nor do I bear a grudge against the rowdy
fieldfare, for, in pointing out the situation of her nest,
she takes me into confidence ; but for the merganser,
the redshank, and the sandpiper I have not the same
regard, for they always seem to imagine that the sole
aim and purpose of my existence is to harm them
and theirs !

I imagine that during the nesting season they mistake
me for the ornithologist in quest of " clutches," either for
collection, sale, or exchange, for they take endless pains
and waste a deal of time to entice me from their nests or
young.

To my mind the most aggravating of these is the little
sandpiper, who, as I stroll from pool to pool, entirely
unmindful of her existence, thinks it necessary to run and
flutter in my path with one wing half outspread and
drooping towards the ground.

I suppose she classes me with egg-lifters and four-
footed vermin, but I would prefer her to know I am fully
aware that if she were suffering from an injured pinion
she would probably be lying low in the scrub and not
parading her infirmity before my very eyes. What
annoys me most in her performance is that, when she
considers that I have been misled sufficiently far from
her domicile, she suddenly forgets the part she has been
playing, and Hies back sound in wind and limb, as if

Voss and the Evanger River. 229

to show me how good an actress upon occasion she
can be.

I met one sensible sandpiper in my life, who took
my measure correctly at the first glance. She evidently
decided I was no ornithologist, and took no further notice
of me, simply going about her own business.

While there were but two eggs in the nest, after my
second approach, she would remain looking me straight
in the face, and behaved in the same manner until the
complement of eggs were hatched out. Her nest was
situated in a thin bush about four feet from the ground,
unusually high according to my experience. The following
spring I looked out for my little friend, but the winter's
wear had destroyed the lodging of her old home, and I saw
her not.

The white wagtail is also a silly bird, for when she hops
up from that crevice among the granite blocks which holds
her nest she remains still for a few seconds, and preens
herself. She is clever to stand still for a while, for, if
in search of her eggs, the very last place I should hunt
would be the chink near her, but in preening herself she
tells a tale, and distinctly gives herself away.

In certain years there are a great quantity of lemings
all along the river-side, and I have frequently seen them
swim across the pools at dusk. They are plucky little
beasts when cornered, as if you put forward the butt end

230 Angling Travels in Norway.

of your rod they will squat upon their hind quarters and
attempt to bite it. I have been told that bull-trout have

F08S AT VOSSEVANC.ES.

been taken with lemings inside them, but I cannot vouch
for this, The leming does not make an annual appearance

Voss and the Evanger River. 231

all over the country, but crops up now and again in
different parts at an interval of every few years. It is
said that they permit no obstacle to divert them in their
line of march, and that, rather than be turned aside by
fjord or sea, they take to the water and court a watery
grave. This is rather a romantic theory, and I know not
if it be correct.

Any one looking at the third beat of the Evanger
river would probably say it were an easy river to fish,
and so it is, but it is astonishing how many fish are
lost in it; and, putting aside the fact of their size and
the roughness of the streams and river bed, I think this
is chiefly the result of letting them get too far away when
it is easy to follow them up on land or in the boat. The
farmer, who takes the post of gillie in this beat, was at
first most averse to drop down to the fish, and, in con-
sequence, I lost many more than I liked. He seemed to
think, when a fish showed an inclination to descend into
an awkward place, that .we could best thwart his intention
by keeping from fifty to seventy yards above him ; but,
in time, I managed to disabuse him of this idea, and we
have since had little to complain of, and he now manages
a boat uncommonly well, and knows every inch of the
water. When, at the commencement of the season, one
loses a fish it does not appear of much importance, for
there are many other opportunities in store, but losses

2^2 Angling Travels in Norway.

may easily tottle up to an alarming total in the course
of a few weeks, and how one regrets those accidents or
1 (hinders when small waters suggest the season's close !

To best fish this river I think the angler should use
as big and powerful a rod as he can comfortably wield — a
reel with strong check (mine has double the resistance of
those in general use, and was made specially for me by
Hardy Bros., of Alnwick), to hold 150 yards of line, of
suitable weight for the rod. At the beginning of the
season he will require the best treble-gut casts and traces,
and the single-gut he uses later on should be of the
best and strongest quality.

He should be provided with flies of sizes from 7/0 to
3/0, spoons of from l'» inches to 2^ inches, and phantoms
of from 3 inches to 4j inches, the brown soleskin pattern
being as good, if not better, than any others for this water.
All other tackle he may leave at home. Upon the first
beat I am told that in low water fish have been killed
with prawn, but I speak not from experience.

About fifteen miles from Biilken Station, the little
river Dale rises, and, after a course of a few miles, falls
into the fjord. This river is rented by a party of Nor-
wegian sportsmen, who were kind enough to entertain me
with the best of rural hospitality.

The river is small, but contains salmon up to 20 lbs.,
and many sea-trout, for which it is in reality more suitable ;

Voss and the Evanger River. 233

but, as one of these friends said to me, " Salmon seem to be
like men — some like big houses, others like small." And I
thought there was much truth in the remark.

This river has the reputation of having sheltered a
fair number of fish iu past years, and the woollen-mills
erected later are credited with having much reduced their
numbers. To make matters worse, the stream at the mouth
has split up into two divisions, thus curtailing the oppor-
tunities for fish to enter.

The lessees are devising a scheme to re-unite the
streams, and filters have been constructed to receive the
mill-wash, so they hope that with time the stock of fish
will increase. I trust and think it will do so.

Here is an instance of the perseverance of the salmon
in ascending a multiplicity of steep pools, each providing a
resting place of merely a few cubic feet ; and here, as else-
where, it would appear that Salmo salar will ascend to
great heights when he knows, as in this case, that the
supply of aerated water throughout winter will be sufficient
to provide him with a home.

To give some idea of what sport may be obtained in
the Evanger — Two rods fished beats Nos. 1 and 3 for the
first five weeks in a recent season, when the conditions
were such that few fish were in the upper water — at all
events, we only saw one. These rods either fished the lower
water (portion No. 3) upon alternate days, or both fished

2 H

234 Angling Travels in Norway.

daily by cutting it into two short beats. One rod killed
400 lbs. of salmon and 20 lbs. of grilse ; the other rod
killed 72 lbs. of salmon and 24 lbs. of grilse ; and the
rods fishing on the Sundays killed 87 lbs. of salmon —
altogether 559 lbs., and 44 lbs. of grilse.

By breakages, or by the hook getting free, the 400-lb.
rod lost four good fish ; by similar accidents the 72-lb.
rod lost sixteen fish — two very large ones ; and the
87-lb. rod lost a few ; so, with better luck, or more skill,
the total could have been much improved.

For the last five weeks of the season two other rods
killed just on 200 lbs. of salmon, thus bringing the total
to 779 lbs. of salmon, and 44 lbs. of grilse ; in all, 823
lbs., principally killed in the lower beat and in a bad
season.

The man to whom I sublet the fishing for the latter half
of the season I have never met, the arrangements having
been conducted by correspondence ; but, for all that, I know
by his letters that he is a thorough good sportsman. At
my request he wrote to tell me how they were getting
on, and concluded by saying, "If we had been good
anglers, and had possessed any previous knowledge of
Norwegian rivers in general, and of the Evanger in par-
ticular, I am sure we should have done much better.'
This is the class of angler I wish to meet, and the kind
of man I like to fish with.

Voss and the Evanger River. 235

All that an angler can hope for is that a fish will take
the lure ; and, if he do so, all further responsibility rests
with the rod-holder. He alone is answerable for the hand-
ling, the tackle, and the gaffing, or netting. It is no
excuse to say that a fish did so and so ; that the tackle
should not have given way, or that the gaffer should have
done, or should not have done, something else ; for the
rod-holder is, or ought to be, the commander-in-chief, and
should mistake occur, he ought to accept the blame— on
account of inefficiency upon his part, of ignorance or
carelessness in the selection of tackle, or for not having
sufficiently instructed his attendant.

This may appear a severe doctrine, but it is one that
I apply to myself ; and the longer I fish the more correct
does it seem, for seldom is it when I cannot blame myself
for mismanagement of a fish lost.

<«3W

CHAPTER XX.

NORDLAND.

[RUISING about at the close of July
I found myself in Bergen, for the
purpose of taking the boat for
Trondhjem on the morrow, en
route for Bod% to fish the Salten
river, by arrangement with a
friend who had not yet visited Saltdalen.

I was glad to find that a new restaurant had been
opened in Bergen, for I am sure that any competition
which may tend to improve the food and living in Bergen,
and throughout western Norway, should be encouraged, as
in the towns the hotels are mostly bad as regards sanitary
arrangements, while as to provisions, the meat is of most
inferior quality, and beyond a distance of a few miles from
the coast, the only fish one gets is the everlasting "lax,"
and vegetables they scarcely take the trouble to grow.
The country-folk are ignorant to a degree as to the

Nordland. 237

management of the kitchen garden, and are perfectly
content so long as they have plenty of grease (smor) of
any sort to eat, which, with the exclusion of all fresh air
from their dwellings, provides them with their delightfully
oily complexions, and fosters sickness in their midst.

The idiotic raptures in which tourists indulge who visit
the country but for a week or two have imbued the krone-
scenting Norsk country-hotel-keeper with the notion that
he has merely to stand by and receive toll for the privilege
of viewing his native fosses, fjelds, and fjords, and give as
little as possible in return for five or more krone a day.

In many places where the blood, of the British coinage
has been but once tasted, the natives are grasping and
extortionate to a degree, and will not scruple to demand
double the correct remuneration.

The proprietors of small inns are pleasant enough, so
long as no question arises which affects their pockets ; but,
should a mistake occur, which is invariably in their favour
— for instance, a bottle of wine or a few bottles of beer —
then the highly-extolled Norsk will fight for a krone or
two as does a lioness for her cubs.

The question of penge is apt to expose the weak points
of the lower-class provincial Norsk, and, unless one is
prepared to be fleeced, this wastes a deal of one's time.

I make no doubt the provincial Norsk is all very well
in his way, and, in the aggregate, neither better nor worse

238 Angling Travels in Norway.

than most Europeans, but I fail to see the necessity of
lauding him to the skies.

The " steam-yacht " system is putting him in a terrible
fright, for it severely threatens to destroy the tourist
harvest, as its votaries spend little or no money in travel-
ling inland or at hotels, and " mine host " professes in-
ability to understand why preference is shown for the
system.

I have taken pains to make them understand that
their inferior food and stuffy hotels, combined with the
extortion practised when possible by many with whom
the tourist is brought into contact, have created the yacht-
ing trips, and that they have only themselves to thank ;
while as regards angling visitors to the country, their native
greed for netting in the fjords and rivers is fast ruining
sport, and, as British anglers are tiring of getting a few
fish for big rents, the result will follow that Norway will
cease to derive benefit from British sportsmen and tourists,
and her people will revert to the ignorance and impecuni-
osity which are so peculiarly their own.

In a country which, to a great extent, is comprised
of sea-coast, it is only natural that the fishing population
should be in a large majority, and a proof of this is to
be found in the repeal of the law passed three years ago,
providing an additional day of close-time per week for
netting salmon, etc., in the fjords and rivers, yet this law

Nordland. 239

was repealed by the same Parliament which passed the
measure, showing that in Norway, as in other countries,
it is possible that the welfare of an industry may be sub-
servient to the requirements of party politics.

At eleven o'clock on a Thursday night I bade adieu
to a party of English and Norwegian friends, and left
Bergen by the Norclstjernen, en route for Trondhjem.

I had early in the day engaged a double cabin for
myself and an old friend, who should join the boat at
Moldoen upon the morrow, but I was consigned to a berth
in a cabin for four persons, for no particular reason that
I could discover ; but the ways of Damphshib people are
peculiar, and I have long since ceased to reason with
sea-people of any nationality.

At ten o'clock on Friday morning we lay oft' Moldoen,
and I observed a large boat making from the shore, and
in it stood, in the midst of a pile of gun- and rod-cases,
a tall individual in an enormous straw hat, holding in one
hand a pair of long boots, and in the other a setter by
his cord.

My friend, " the old hand," as I usually call him,
stepped noiselessly on board in his Loerdal shoes, and
greeted me with the remark, " Well, I didn't know you
were going to take me to the North Pole to fish ! "

The arrangement for our meeting had been made some
months previously when fishing together in England, and

240 Angling Travels in Norway.

we thus met without much discussion upou the subject
beyond that contained in a few lines by post. However,
we soon fell to comparing notes as to the sport we had
experienced during the previous portion of the season
upon our several rivers, and discovered that we both had
suffered from the same complaint, viz. that for a month
or more we had been flooded out by the effect of the
continued hot sun upon the vast quantity of snow
bequeathed by the previous winter.

We soon settled down, consoling ourselves with the
idea that at any rate we were about to see a new bit of
country, whatever the sport might be.

In the early morning we put in at ChristiansQnd for
an hour or so, and then proceeded on our way to
Trondhjem. About midway between these two sea-ports
we had to pull up on account of a heated bearing, and
during the delay the purser hailed a small fishing-boat,
and purchased eight rod fish of about two or three
pounds apiece for a krone the lot.

The fish had been caught by hand-line, and upon
asking the men why the eyes of some of the fish were
projecting half an inch from the head, and covered with
a glass-like film, they said that such fish had been
captured in water of 100 fathoms or more deep, and that
this was invariably the case under similar circumstances.

We arrived at Trondhjem at 5 p.m. on Saturday,

Nordland. 241

and having placed our baggage on board the steamer
Vesteraalen, to leave on the morrow, we adjourned to
the H6tel d'Angleterre, and passed the hour before
" a/tens " in purchasing a few stores at Kjelsberg's, the
local provision dealer and grocer, who speaks English
and provides all ordinary requisites.

The Hotel d'Angleterre is a fairly good house, but
" the old hand," who, by-the-by, has sixteen years' ex-
perience of the country, took exception to the charge
of Kr.1.40 in our bill for lights, a distinctly modern
charge.

The old capital, Trondhjem, compares favourably with
Bergen in design and cleanliness. The streets are laid
out on the parallel and right-angle system, and are very
wide, to prevent a general flare-up in the event of fire.
The town must have gained in importance since the
construction of the railway, as my friend states that at
the time of his first visit grass was growing in the streets.

At eight o'clock the following morning, Sunday, we
left for Bodfc} by the particularly neat and clean little
steamboat, the Vesteraalen, and met as fellow-passengers
an Englishman and his wife, who were proceeding to
shoot rype (willow grouse), with the assistance of a team
of spaniels, and estimated their bag at 2000 brace. They
had rented the shooting for some years, and paid their
annual visit after fishing a river near Trondhjem, which

2 1

242 Angling Travels in Norway.

they incidentally stated yielded about 1000 lbs. in an
average year. The rocky hills and mountains rising from
the fjords in the neighbourhood of Trondhjem are mostly
round in form, and give the sterile coast an undulating
appearance ; but this entirely changes as Bod^ is ap-
proached, for a series of clustering mountains cleave the
sky with their peaks and crags, which in shape resemble
the teeth of a saw, and the entire coast assumes a sterner

SALTEN FJORD.

aspect ; in fact, Nordland differs greatly from more
southern Norway. I suppose either the Glacial Period or
the Gulf Stream is the reason — they are held accountable
for many such peculiarities.

We arrived at Bod^ at 1 p.m. Monday, and were
surprised to find so many vessels in the roads ; but, in
addition to the large fishing fleet, it appears that all

Nordland. 2\%

steamers plying between north and south touch at Bodfy.
Thus with steamers, fishing-smacks, and a multitude of
small craft, the town is a fairly busy place, and looked
both lively and picturesque as the bright sun played upon
it and the rugged mountain heights with which the
anchorage is surrounded.

Our delay was short in Bod^, but upon the return
journey I was detained there unavoidably for thirty hours,
and from various sources obtained much information re-
specting the fishing industry carried on there, and in the
neighbouring Lofoten Islands.

The Grand Hotel is so but in name ; however, it is
now being rebuilt, and the proprietor is very civil, and
speaks English.

Bod^ is a very cold place in winter, as a deal of snow
falls, and it is swept by cold winds, which pile drifts
halfway up the houses ; and I under-
stand this is the case with most of
the coast towns and villages in Nord-
land.

There is a very old church a few
miles out of Bod^, and a fine view,
extending to the Lofoten Islands, can
be obtained by ascending a hill a lady of lofotex.
within about two miles of the town. Both are well
worth a visit.

244 Angling Travels in Norway.

Bod^j is the business centre of an enormous trade in
fish, chiefly herring and cod, which are sent to England,
Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Italy ; the herrings being
salted and packed in barrels, and the codfish are dried.
This trade brings a large number of merchants and
travellers to the town, and the requirements of the
population of fishermen have, of course, to be supplied.

In Nordland during the winter months little more
than five hours of daylight is enjoyed, but the Northern
Lights are of such brilliance that by them it is even
possible to read.

The herring fishery should commence about the first
of July, but this year they are very late in putting in
their appearance, and they were not expected, under those
circumstances, to arrive before September, the consequence
being that the men and boats have been idle for a couple
of months. The best and fattest fish will only keep a
few months when salted, but those of inferior quality will
last a year.

I learnt that the small herrings realize from Kr.2 to
Kr.8 per barrel early in the season, but later on the fish of
good size and quality sell from Kr. 10 to Kr.16 per barrel,
and that at any price under Kr.2 per barrel they do not
pay for the getting, and such are mostly disposed of to
an English guano manufacturing company near Bod^j.

The herring fishing lasts pretty well all through the

Nordland. 245

winter until the cod fishing commences in the Lofotens
in February, and continues for about two to three
months.

During this period about 25,000 to 30,000 men
and from 5000 to 6000 boats are employed in the
fishery, which are controlled by many local laws. For
instance, they are not allowed to fish when they like,
but a bell rings as the signal for the boats to put off;
then splash they all go into the water in one unbroken
line, as if they were starting for a race.

The boats used for this fishing are of the Nordland
pattern, and are of such shape that when capsized by
accident they will float bottom upwards and enable
their late occupants to sit upon them.

The tackle used for cod fishing is as follows : — A
long line is floated at regular intervals and buoyed at
each extremity, and from this line are suspended a
number of other lines of about from four to five fathoms
in length, and each of these lines is armed with a
weighted double hook.

The fishermen fill their boats, and continue to fish
until they have caught so many more as, when tied
together, they can tow to land.

In the summer and autumn months a large quantity
of coal-fish is also caught in this district. This fish
is good food when fresh, but is mostly dried and

246 Angling Travels in Norway.

forwarded to foreign markets, and, as it is of inferior
quality, finds its way chiefly to Italy, where, apparently,
they appreciate a cheap article.

At various small fishing stations between Bod^ and
Trondhjem we collected large numbers of herrings packed
in barrels, but these were mostly fish of inferior quality
which had remained in the fjords since the previous

A NORSK "HERRING-SMACK

season, and consequently were much inferior to those
coming straight from feeding in the open sea.

Upon our arrival at Bod^ we at once transferred
our baggage to the fjord steamer, which should sail
in the afternoon for Rognan, at the head of the Sal ten
Fjord, and then called upon Mr. Jentoft, the British
Vice-Consul, and agent for all the steamers, who kindly

Nordland. 247

sent one of his assistants to aid us in the purchase
of a few provisions.

My " old hand " considers he is wise in the matter
of food, so I left the catering to him. He purchased
at Walkimton's shop coffee, sugar, and a few other
necessaries, not forgetting a case of the native bj, and
then proceeded to other shops to procure meat, bread,
etc. I entered the butcher's shop, and found him
triumphant at having successfully negotiated for a lump
of the hock part of a leg of beef. I ventured to
inquire if he intended to purchase soup-meat, and was
immediately suppressed with the reply, "You don't
want to buy bone, do you ? " I guessed that the
subject was more tender than the meat, so said no more.
He said he was sure we should get nothing in the
valley, so laid in a stock of cheese, butter, etc. ; in
fact, with the exception of the ^1 and beef, he carefully
selected such articles which we could have procured
of much better quality up-country. However, he knew
not that at the time.

Most people I have met have little fads about food.
I must confess to a weakness for marmalade, and my
" old hand " cannot exist without cayenne pepper and
onions, so we purchased a supply of each and ordered
the lot to be sent on board the fjord boat, and repaired
to the Grand Hotel for midday.

248 Angling Travels in Norway.

Upon an expedition such as this it is scarcely fair
to dictate to one's partner as to his choice of provisions,
but I believe that upon future occasions I should feel
it but consistent with a sense of duty to emphatically
bar onions, for the simple reason that a single knife
is used to prepare all articles for the pot, and the
consequence is that the same flavour will be apparent
in all your food, not that I am unduly prejudiced
against the succulent bulb, but I think it possible, now
and again, to dispense with its attractions.

After a good middag we repaired to the fjord boat
and paid the boatman for bringing the pet provisions on
board, and away we sailed at 3 p.m. on Monday for
what we understood at the time to be a journey of
six hours to Eognan, but here our calculations were
much at fault, for although the distance direct is only
about seventy miles, the boat crosses and re-crosses the
fjord so many times for the collection and delivery of
the mails, passengers, and goods, that she only arrives
at Rognan at 6 a.m. the following morning.

The boat was crowded, and as the atmosphere of
the saloon bore the true Norsk flavour, we decided to
pass the night in the smoking-saloon, a chamber of
about 9 feet by 6 feet.

For many miles the fjord is bordered by prosperous-
looking farms, and we learnt that the land was good and

Nordland. 249

the rainfall usually sufficient. The little creeks were
occupied by fishing-smacks waiting for the unpunctual
herring, whose appearance was also anticipated by shoals
of porpoises which sported in all directions.

At a distance of something less than twenty miles
from Bod^ the fjord suddenly narrows, and for the
length of about half a mile or so is little more than
200 yards in width. Through this narrow channel the
forty miles of fjord above is refreshed with every
tide, and the entrance and exit of such an enormous
volume of water creates an immense whirlpool of hall
a mile in length ; and so great is the force of its
currents and surging eddies that vessels are unable to
ascend the passage for the space of two hours before
and after high tide. I was told that the German
Emperor's yacht essayed the feat some two or three
years ago, but had to abandon the task, and was for-
tunate to escape unharmed.

The fjord boat departs from Bod^ to suit the tide
at the "Saltstrom," as it is named, consequently pas-
sengers by her do not see the whirlpool at its best ;
but I advise any one having spare time in Bod^ to
devote half a day to view it at high tide. It is re-
nowned throughout Nordland, and is said to be more
powerful than the celebrated whirlpool of the Lofotens ;
and I have seen nothing which conveys more forcibly

2 K

250 Angling Travels in Norway.

to the mind the vast power of water under partial
restraint.

For the best part of 100 yards from each side of
the fjord the water seethes in countless, ever-shifting
whirlpools, which meet in the centre of the passage ;
but at favourable states of the tide there is a centre

course which is comparatively calm upon the surface.
Yet the steamer rolls as if upon an Atlautic swell, and
her contortions are felt in a peculiar manner by those
standing on deck, as with her engines at full speed she
does no more than two miles an hour, and it appears
difficult to keep her straight.

At five a.m. Tuesday morning the boat stopped, and

Nordland. 251

upon gaining the deck not a soul was about. Lighters
came alongside, and I ascertained we were off Rognan,
and that the navigators of our boat were making the
most of a couple of hours' rest.

As from deck I viewed the entrance of Saltdalen
at Rognan, the valley appeared to be of about two
miles in width, hemmed in upon both sides with birch
and pine-clad hills, which reached inland as far as
the eye could see. The river ran into the fjord upon
the left hand ; then came a tall-spired church, and
from that point to the right-hand extremity a belt of
pine trees is drawn up in line as if to repulse the in-
vader ; and these are fronted by rows of substantially
built boat-houses, which extend to the strand, and
house the nets and tackle of the fishing-boats, which
now ride idly in the bay, expecting the arrival of the
herring.

Upon conveying our baggage to land the case of
provisions was missing, and no key was attached to the
\l case, which was rather a severe blow to my " old
hand." However, we placed the kit upon carts, and
adjourned to what is facetiously described as the Hotel
of Rognan, where we procured a very fair breakfast, then
wired about the presumably lost case, called upon Herr
Norman, the Landsman of the district, and then proceeded
by road to Siindby, a distance of about four miles, where

252 Angling Travels in Norway.

we intended to remain a few days to fish the last seven
miles of the river.

Arrived at Sundby, the Enke Larsen descended from
hay gathering upon the hill side, and accorded us lodging
in her house, situated within a stone's throw of the river ;
then we unpacked our kit, and, having arranged for a
meal of some sort, we started off to assist the pot with
our rods.

The ^1 case was broken open without much ceremony,
and amongst the bottles we discovered the stores which
should have been in a separate case ; this put rather a
different complexion to the menu of our middag, and
restored my " old hand" to his habitual composure.

In a couple of hours we killed a few sea-trout, one
of 4 lbs., which immediately fell into the pot ; then we
dined, and set off to fish what we were told were the
best pools of the lower water ; but only killed about
25 lbs. of sea-trout, ranging from 2 lbs. to 4 lbs. a
piece.

That evening there was a slight rise in the river, and
the following day we killed a grilse of 5 lbs., and about
20 lbs. of sea-trout, three or four scaling about 4 lbs.
each. Thus in a day and a half our bag merely consisted
of one grilse, 5 lbs., sea-trout about 40 lbs., one bull-
trout, one brown-trout, and one sea-char of about £ lb.
Our boatman told us that harling with compound tackle

Mai> or Salter River .

Salt en Rive/i -— — — -

RlMD MAVd rwz ftfVEft

&«£ from RognantoBerghu/nces about
Quarters obtainable at © zoMUes

fSutit/e/ma.

IJlIminding j
Tommerdat

ZanOerues
Tver noes

Berghulnocs®

Hamt'os

Nordland.

255

was the best game here ; however, wc killed these fish
mostly by casting the 11)'.

A day and a half was quite sufficient of this class
of sport, and we came to the conclusion that there were
no salmon in this lowest beat, and, moreover, that there
was little prospect of any without rain, for although the

GRILSE, SEA-TROUT, BULL-TROUT, TROUT, AND SEA-CHAR.

river was big enough in all conscience, the natives con-
sidered it very low, and that a big rise in the water would
be necessary to wean the fish from the attractions of the
herrings in the fjord ; so we decided to push on early next
morning to Storjord, situated at the head of the top
beat of the river, and about twenty miles from Sundby.
From the fjord to Storjord is about twenty-four miles,

256 Angling Travels in Norway.

and for angling purposes this is divided into three and
a half beats, the three lower beats being of about seven
miles each, and the Storjord, or top beat, consists of about
three and a half miles, with which goes about three or
more miles of the Junkerdal river, to which the Salten
changes its name at Storjord.

Fashions in ladies' dress even penetrate Saltdalen, for
the little pkje who drove our cart sported a dress of a
shade of heliotrope, which I believe was the fashion in
England not so long ago, and more remarkable still
were the sleeves of her bodice (or blouse, I believe, is
now the correct term), which were pulled out from
shoulder to elbow in quite the up-to-date pattern.
Fashion truly appears to travel faster than most things
to Saltdalen.

As we were packing up our traps the inevitable old
man of the hamlet turned up and indulged in the usual
idiotic remarks, and, what was a greater nuisance, a letter
from Landsman Norman to say that the Forstassistent
at Storjord regretted his inability to entertain us before
Saturday, two days hence, as in the mean while he
expected a visit from the Finance Minister of Sweden.

This rather upset our arrangements. However, we
decided to proceed to Berghiilnses, four miles short of
Storjord, and take our chance of quarters there.

The country does not run to carrioles, so we engaged

Nordland. 257

two carts to convey ourselves and the baggage we
required, leaviug the heavy thiugs with Euke Larsen.

The road was rough but sound for about ten miles,
but, after fording the river at Alminding, it became little
more than a track for a few miles, until at Nordnajs we
struck the new road, which eventually is to be extended
to the Swedish frontier.

At Alminding there is a ferry establishment, with large
and small boats to convey passengers, carrioles, and
horses, and I strongly advise travellers to have their
kit, etc., taken over in one of these in all states of the
water, but the horses and carrioles can ford the stream
easily when the river is low.

At the time of our visit the river was fordable, and
the driver of the foremost cart, through sheer obstinacy,
gave the contents of the vehicle a ducking.

Fortunately, the load consisted of cases and packages,
which were little harmed, but it was merely a piece of
luck that he was not driving the cart which contained
clothing, dry plates, and cameras.

Upon such occasions it is unwise to trust to the
natives, as they do not quite appreciate to what extent
one's kit may suffer from a wetting, as they possess little
which would hurt by such treatment.

After crossing the river we drove three or four miles
through wooded avenues, and then halted to enjoy a

2 L

258 Angling Travels in Norway.

luxurious middag of Dutch cheese, rye bread, and ^1,
while the ponies grazed aloug the roadside.

From Rusaanes the new road was very loose and
heavy, and, as one of our unshod little beasts was getting
footsore, we had to tramp it for the remainder of the
journc)f. The country people will not shoe their ponies
until the last moment, and not even then if they can
avoid it.

Arrived at Bergkiilnses, we found that the hamlet
consisted of merely a couple of farms situated across the
river. They were invisible to us, but half an hour's
shouting and whistling produced a wild-looking individual
in a boat, who, however, could not put us up, as his rooms
were engaged for travellers expected that night. So, in
preference to lodging in a hayshed, we decided to push on
to Storjord, where at the worst we were sure to obtain
as good quarters.

The farms at Berghiilnses are situated about a mile
from the river upon the opposite side to the road, and
are approached by a very rough route ; indeed, it is
merely a track, mostly uphill, leading to a plateau of
cultivated land.

From Berghiilnses to Storjord the road runs through
forests of birch and pine trees, which clothe the hills
upon either side of the river, and snow-crowned Olfjeld,
5500 feet high, serves as a background for every view.

Nordland. 259

An artist could find material for a picture at every
turn of the road, but the landscapes would much resemble
one another.

We suddenly turned from the main road into a
track through the pine forest, and, with half a mile's
jolting, were shot into Storjord, which, like most of
the hamlets along this valley, would lie difficult of
discovery to the uninitiated.

We questioned the only farmer in the place about
putting us up for a couple of nights, but as from him
we could only extract a meaningless grin, we tried our
luck with his old lady, who asked if a single room
leading out of the dairy would do for us.

The apartment was redolent with the odour of sour
milk ; but, as the " old hand " suggested, we could
soon smoke that out, and we thanked the old lady
for her proffered hospitality ; but, previous to un-
loading our kit, we thought it advisable to visit the
Forstassistent, who, they informed us, lived close at
hand.

We were fortunate to find him at home, and more
fortunate to find that he could put us up, for the
Swedish Minister had unexpectedly changed his route ;
so, making matters right with our friends at the farm,
we dismissed our carts, paying the men Kr.6 each, that
being the charge from Rognan to Storjord, a distance

260 Angling Travels in Norway.

of twenty-four English miles, and we then prepared to
settle down.

The only living thing we had seen upon the road,
excepting the fieldfare, was a large hawk, named in
Norwegian the mouse-hawk.

THE FOBSTASSISTEXT'a HOUSE.

Our host, Herr C. Nieuwejaar, held the Government
appointment of Forstassistent over a large district, for
which he had qualified some sixteen years ago by
several years' study of forestry in German}', and lived,
with his wife and family, in a comfortable house and
farm offices built for him by the Government, and it did
not take us long to discover that we were extremely
fortunate as regarded our quarters and entertainment.

Nordland. 261

His house stands within a few yards of the river,
a portion of which he has the right to fish, but he
only kills very few fish in a season, as his duties take
him far afield.

He is a sportsman according to his native lights,
and kills rype with his Storjord-made gun, which cost
Kr.54 and weighs 11 lb., so at all events he got plenty
of metal for his money. The weapon, like his fishing-
tackle, is of peculiar make and shape.

He speaks English, French, and German, which
is a good deal more than we could do with a com-
bined effort, and is no mean performer on the
piano and flute ; in fact, he is just the man one
would have expected not to meet at Storjord. I am
exceedingly obliged to him for much information
concerning the district, and for his general kindness
and courtesy.

Saltdalen derives its name from some salt mines,
which formerly existed near the fjord, from which it
extends (including Junkerdal) to the Swedish frontier,
a distance near upon fifty miles, but from Storjord to
the nearest point of the frontier is only about fifteen
miles.

The climate of Nordland throughout autumn and
winter is colder and more severe than that of more
southern Norway, and at Storjord for months together

262 Angling Travels in Norway.

during winter they experience from 20 to 33 degrees
Fahrenheit of frost, with a metre of snow in the valleys ;
but there is no wind, or the place would be uninhabitable.

As in all northern districts, here travelling is easier
in winter than in summer, for upon long, wooden
runners (ski) a man can reel off the twenty-four miles
to Rognan within four hours. There is also considerable
sleigh traffic during winter, and, amongst other com-
modities, large quantities of coffee are imported from
the nearest Swedish town, more than 150 miles distant,
which pays no duty, as the Government apparently
does not consider it worth while to incur the enormous
cost of maintaining Custom House officers along its
lengthy frontier.

Of goats there are plenty, but the climate at the
head of the valley is too rigorous to encourage sheep-
breeding, although lower down the valley they are
bred and can be purchased of the farmers at about Kr.13
a head.

About Junkerdal wild raspberries, currants, and many
other small berries beloved by birds grow in profusion,
and the multebcer is common on the fjelds. Potatoes
and peas are cultivated in the gardens, all being ripe
by the middle of August.

Throughout summer time the mosquito makes music
in the air, showing no distinct preference for the bedroom

Nordland. 263

or the country-side ; the cleg alights noiselessly upon
your hand, and immediately attends to business, now
and again relieved from duty by the angry wasp.

Very few elk have been seen in the neighbourhood
within the last dozen years, but bears are more numerous,
as from three to five are killed each winter.

Wolves penetrate from Sweden, and do a deal of
damage amongst the herds of goats and sheep, but
fortunately they are not abundant.

The capercailzie I have seen within a few yards of
the house ; rype, ptarmigan, black-game, woodcock, and
snipe may be found during summer within a few hours'
walk of the river, and of course during winter low
down in the valley, and the hare is an all-year-round
inhabitant, but to the best of my knowledge this valley,
and the hills which Hank it, afford but indifferent sport
for the gun.

Better and, I believe, really first-class rype shooting
can be obtained on the borders of Sweden, where at the
first frontier station of Merkenses quarters are obtainable,
but it is advisable not to attempt it until a few nights
of frost have cut down the mosquitos.

Most of the shooting-ground about Storjord is Govern-
ment property, and in order to pursue and kill game a
licence is requisite from Christiania, otherwise a fine of
Kr.200 is likely to be incurred. The Government reward

264 Angling Travels in Norway.

for killing wild animals, etc., is as follows :— For a bear,
Kr.40 ; for wolf, Kr.20 ; for fox, Kr.4 ; for eagle, Kr.2 ;
but our friend would have the first two bounties reversed,
as he considers the wolf does far more damage than the
bear. Until the last year a pair of large eagles were in
the habit of nesting in the crags above Storjord, but
I believe they succumbed to a Lapp hunter.

I saw some Lapps in Bodis;, who herd their deer and
exist within a few hours' walk of the northern part of
Saltdalen, but do not descend into the valley except to
purchase provisions and dispose of their meat.

At the present time it is estimated that there are
between 1500 and 2000 Lapps in Nordland, but they are
rapidly decreasing in numbers, and a few years hence
will have died out altogether, or will have retreated to
Finmarken.

They live in tents made of canvas, which in winter
they pitch upon the snow, and for flooring they use dried
branches of silver-birch gathered in summer. They crowd
into these tents with their dogs, and thus keep themselves
warm, while the aroma of the atmosphere quite defies
description.

In summer they are dressed in garments made of
blanket or of cotton cloth, and in winter the reindeer
provides them with raiment.

Their food consists of reindeer meat and cheese made

Nordland. 265

from the deer's milk, but the milk itself they do not drink,
neither do they eat bread, vegetables, or salt, except a
little of the last commodity in their coffee, which is
practically their only beverage while upon the fjelds and
mountains.

Their dogs are perfectly trained to herd the deer, and
as the womemfolk do all the small work, the male Lapp
does scarcely anything beyond the market business and
hunting and trapping the wild inhabitants of his district,
either to dispose of as food or for their skins and the
Government rewards.

In the summer they breakfast at leisure, then repair
to the nearest glacier or snow-mountain, upon which they
recline during the heat of the day, thus taking advantage
of the cool atmosphere, free from the flies, which infest
the fjelds.

Upon their visits to the valleys for supplies, and to
sell their meat, they always endeavour to obtain brandy
and tobacco. The production of the cognac bottle is the
prelude to all transactions, and the Lapp prefers to beg
rather than to buy.

The meat of a tame deer weighs from 50 lbs. to 60 lbs.
Eng., and is worth from Kr.25 to Kr.30.

The Lapps hunt the bear, the wolf, the brown and the
black fox (the skin of the latter being most valuable), and
they trap the smaller game.

266 Angling Travels in Norway.

Of recent years a Lapp has been known to kill in the
neighbourhood of Storjord five bears and many wolves
in a season. The bears are captured in the springtime,
and the wolves they hunt when the snow is deep and soft,
for in this the beast sinks, while the Lapp on his long
wooden runners (ski) runs him down and kills him with
a stick.

Knowing the Forstassistent to be a Government official,
the Lapps frequently request him to address his chiefs on
their behalf upon many subjects, and during their visits
iu winter, in common humanity, he is obliged to give
them shelter in some outhouse against the intense cold
of night.

Lapp names are not uncommon in the district — for
instance, the Viskis, the name of a tributary of the Lons
river, a tributary of the Salten ; and about the valley
one occasionally meets with specimens of humanity whose
appearances testify to a cross between Norsk and Lapp
blood.

In the vicinity of this valley the natives apply them-
selves assiduously to the capture of rype, etc., when they
are easiest to get — viz. in the winter, for then the birds
descend into the valleys for food and shelter, and, by
reason of the temperature, they can be safely despatched
to foreign markets.

The favourite method to trap the rype is by building a

■

Nordland. 267

long wall of timber and branches, in which small passages
are constructed at intervals, each being fitted with a
snare upon the draw-noose principle, and the black-game
they secure in a more wholesale fashion, for these birds
flock together and bury themselves under the snow, leaving
a vent for air at the top, over which the sporting native
spreads a net and scares the birds into it.

The Forstassistent tells me that in this district there
exists a long-standing aversion to the woodcock and snipe
as articles of food, and, as he does not share in the general
opinion, he gets whatever there may be of this class of
shooting pretty much to himself.

As regards sport upon the Salten and Junkerdal rivers,
we killed very little beyond sea-trout, although there were
two spates of a couple of feet apiece during our stay, yet
perhaps I may venture to describe the rivers from an
angling point of view.

Within a short space of time it is always a matter
of considerable difficulty in any country to ascertain the
sport a river affords in an average year, as the country
people do not value sport by the same standard as does
the angler, and it is also frequently to their interests
to imagine that the fish in a river are both larger and
more numerous than they would appear to be to one
unprejudiced.

In Norway, or, at all events, in its more unfrequented

268 Angling Travels in Norway.

parts, this difficulty is somewhat enhanced, as it is often
the custom to bestow the term " Lax " (Salmo salar) upon
sea-trout.

In nine cases out of ten the distinction between the
two species is known, and I think the term " Lax " is
applied thus generally for these reasons, that for eating
purposes in their homes the two fish are of equal value,
and the people are so little educated in the sport of
angling that they see no difference in this respect between
a 10-lb. salmon and a 10-lb. sea-trout. I am speaking
of districts practically beyond the range of markets, and
it should be noted that the Norwegians in the country
always put fish into the salt-tub, for they so prefer them
to fresh fish.

It amounts to this — that the farmers fish, shoot, and
trap for the pot alone, except it be for reward ; and,
inasmuch as your attendant or boatman is often one of
this class, the reasons he adduces to account for the
absence of fish are frequently more ingenious than
correct, his principal object being, in their united interests,
to retain the angler as long as possible in the district.
I do not mean to say that the above is always the case,
for I have met several men who have told me in a
straightforward manner the truth about a river, but I
have more frequently derived this information after I have
discovered it for myself, and, so to say, the game was up.

Nordland.

269

However, from my own knowledge of the river from
source to fjord, from what I know has been killed in it
for the last four years, from information of what was
done in it ten years ago, and from the information I have
received as to how the farmers treated it in the interval

Jl'NKERDAL.

while it was unlet, I think I can give a fair description
of it, and the sport it is likely to render for some few
years to come.

The Junkerdal and Salten rivers together run a course
of near upon twenty-eight miles. The Junkerdal river
is in reality a rocky torrent. About three miles above
Storjord there is a kind of pool ; there are no others in

270 Angling Travels in Norway.

the river, but there are hundreds of little runs in which
fish can and no doubt do spawn. I have seen both
salmon and sea-trout in them far advanced by August 10,
but they will not take fly or minnow.

I merely tried them for experiment, as there is no
sport in hooking fish in such places ; in fact, I write oft*
the Junkerdal as practically useless for angling purposes,
but valuable as a nursery.

The Lons river, which joins the Junkerdal at Storjord,
may be dismissed, as it is very shallow, and sea-char
alone frequent it.

We have now from Storjord to Rognan to deal with,
a distance of about twenty-three miles, and I should
reduce this by the distance of about five miles, from near
Drage to Rognan, leaving a distance of about eighteen
miles for angling.

I write off the five miles between about Drage and
Rognan, as there the river is very wide, and the pools,
such as they are, being very small, offer little inducement
for fish to rest. They are not what I call salmon pools,
and are the best portion of a mile apart.

The Sal ten river from Storjord may be described as
a wide, sweeping river, running over a gravel bottom,
which is continually shifting, and, roughly speaking, in
accordance with my ideas, there frequently is no more
than one pool in each three-quarters of a mile.

Nordland. 271

Every now and again, one side or the other of the
river is bounded by rock, in such situations are the
pools, but the water frequently rushes in with such
volume and speed that three-fourths of the pool is in
a boil, and only a few yards remain near the bank, or at
the tail, where fish can rest.

The Vasboten Lake discharges itself by a small river
of the same name into the Salten river at Evansgaard,
and in a big water good sport may be had with sea-
trout and sea-char in both river and lake. It is scarcely
necessary to describe the pools individually, as they are so
similar.

The Salten comes down of a milky colour in a flood
from the Junkerdal and the washings from its own banks,
which form a grey deposit upon the bottom for its entire
length.

If I had to fish the river I should bestow my atten-
tion chiefly upon the casting-water included between the
Brse Pool, near Drage, and the Berghulnses Pool, and, to
cut it still further down, I should take from the Brae
Pool to Nordnses, distances respectively of about fifteen
miles and eight miles.

At the present time salmon in the Salten, I imagine,
are few and far between. The river is far too big for
interesting fly-casting, and I take it that harling is the
most practical method of fishing it ; at all events, I

2J2 Angling Travels in Norway.

cannot fish vast expanses of almost untenanted water by
casting the fly. With a well-stocked river there would
be more encouragement so to do.

I calculate that the fish run up in an average year
between the middle of June and August 1, and if three
rods over the best portion were to kill twenty fish
in five weeks, I should say that sport was what they
might expect. I should have a boat at each of the
pools between Drage and Nordnses, and walk from one
pool to the other, as the labour and expense of cartiDg
would be great, and it is a nuisance drifting down useless
water.

The gradient of the Salten is steep, and as the bed
is composed of gravel, with no small fosses or rocky falls
to make pools, the bed is constantly changing.

From reliable information the Salten has not been
even a fair salmon river for the last fifteen years, and
I very much doubt, if left to its own devices, it ever
would become one, at all events not for a number of
years ; and it would always require to be fished in the
manner I have described in order to cover the fish lying
scattered all over the water.

The Salten has more the cut of a sea-trout river, and
I think that any one laying himself out for this sport
would have a good time.

July and August should be the best months for

Nordland. 273

sea-trout, which run to 6 lbs. or more, and many are of
4 lbs. and 5 lbs. weight ; but the large fish run up pretty
early, about the middle of July.

Some of these fish run right up to the Junker dal, but
many of them branch off from the main stream, and run
through the Vasboten river to spawn in the lake.

I should opine — in fact, I know — that the Salten is a
very good river for sea-trout, and should suit those who
like to kill fish in a big river with spoon, minnow, and fly ;
while, when in order, the Vasboten river yields a capital
bit of fishing.

There are many sea-char (a fish I have not met with
south of Nordland) in the rivers, and good sport may be
had with them in Vasboten Lake, in which they take even
while the sun shines brightly.

We found the people of the valley mostly obliging,
and anxious to assist us in every way, but of fishing they
know next to nothing, and the men who rowed the boats
harled very badly, and possessed not the slightest know-
ledge of how a boat should be managed for an angler

O DO

casting the fly.

As is the case with most rivers, I was told that, in
times gone hy, the Salten was rich in salmon, but, taking
it in its present form, it would require a very large stock
of fish to make a decent show, and the only plan to
accomplish this within ten or more years would be to

2n

274 Angling Travels in Norway.

establish a large hatchery, then I think decent sport might
be enjoyed by those whom it pleases to harl a large river ;
but, by reason of the natural disadvantages which I con-
sider the river to possess, a much larger stock in proportion
would have to be annually bred than would be the case
in a river more suited by nature to the habits of Sahno
salar.

Fish ascending a river coloured with grey marl get
tinted with it, and I should think it very doubtful if
they appreciate the decoration ; but in the Salten river this
scarcely applies to the sea-trout which ascend the Vasboten
river, as it is but a short distance from the fjord, and the
fish soon lose the colouring matter in clear water.

I should roughly estimate that two or three good
anglers would, in an average season upon the Salten
river and its tributaries, kill the best part of 300 lbs. of
salmon, and 700 lbs. to 800 lbs. of sea-trout, bull-trout,
sea-char, and trout, the bulk of which would be sea-
trout. They might easily make a better bag.

During the intervals when the river has been unlet
the indiscriminate and greedy netting by the farmers has
evidently much reduced the stock of salmon ; and if any
one should essay the task of restocking the river, he should
make the farmers pay heavily for their greed, and take
care of himself as regards drawing up a lease.

I descended the river from Storjord to the fjord by a

Nordland. 275

raft, constructed by the kind orders of the Forstassisteut,
who did everything in his power to make our visit en-
joyable ; and I must say he succeeded admirably.

Saying good-bye, and wishing him a speedy realization
of his expectations to promotion to an Inspectorship, I
stepped on board the raft, which dashed into the first rapid
amidst a roar of dynamite, exploded for my benefit on
shore.

The raft was constructed of ten pine logs of 22 feet
each, lashed to cross-pieces with ropes of twisted birch
boughs, and was sufficient to support four persons, a lot
of luggage, and three large cases of empties, which served
as seats to keep us clear of the water, which continually
swept the raft from stem to stern. The logs, having
intervals of about two inches between them, allowed the
deck to quickly clear itself of water while negotiating the
many rapids of the first ten miles. She was steered by an
oar at each end, and although the journey, perhaps, might
not suit nervous dispositions, she was so steady, even in
the rapids, that a glass of liquid placed upon the cases
would not have been upset, thanks to the skill of the
steersmen.

The native footgear in the valley, except during winter,
when they wear fur or reindeer skin, is the Lapp boot.
The piece of leather which forms the sole is gathered up
all round, and covers the foot, leaving uncovered a tongue-

276 Angling Travels in Norway.

shaped space in the top ; into this space a second piece of
leather is sewn. The boots reach to about six inches above
the ankle, and are folded and secured by a thong which
connects two eyelet holes, one upon each side of the instep.
In continuation of this thong, or lace, is about a yard and
a half of webbing, which is wound round the top of the
boot and the trousers, thus serving as a watertight legging.
The boots are frequently soled and heeled with two pieces
of single leather, and are so much larger than the size of
the wearer's feet as will admit of a light all-round lining
of fine hay. They are first-class boots, and a dressing
composed of oil and tar renders them waterproof, but
they are rather slippery footgear, when the fjelds are wet
with much rain.

From Bod^ to Bergen we touched at thirty different
places, and during the earlier portion of the journey those
who delight in sunsets had a grand time.

Once a week there is a quick service from Bergen to
Hammerfest, which, at the time I write of, sailed from
the former port on Thursday nights. The mail and pas-
sengers wait a night in Trondhjem, and continue the
following morning by the "Vesteracden" steamer, which,
being heavily subsidized by the Post Office, carries only
passengers, mails, and parcels between Trondhjem and
Hammerfest, and vice versa.

Thus from Trondhjem to Hammerfest the traveller can

Nordland. 277

be free from the odour of the dried or salted fish with
which all other boats are loaded, but from Troudhjem
southwards he cau scarcely escape it.

For the northern portion of the journey there is not
much difficulty in obtaining a two-berth cabin to one's
self, but from Christiansund it is another matter, as from
there the boats commence to fill up.

Most of the North Cape tourists apparently travel by
the yachting steamers, as we only met two British subjects
in the boats north of Christiansund.

From my short experience I certainly prefer Nordland
to more southern Norway, but, as I have attempted to
explain, it has its drawbacks and inconveniences apart
from the length of the journey, which occupies about a
week from London to Bod^ and a day or so more upon
the return journey.

In Nordland the country-folk are glad to furnish one
with lodging (which generally means a bedroom and
sitting-room), cooking, and bread, etc., for about Kr.1.50
a head per day ; or, if they are in a position to do so, will
lodge and board one Kr.2i to Kr.3 a day, and I dare say
it might be done for less, especially for any length of time.
The charge for boatmen is Kr.2 to Kr.2i per day.

Norwegian food, taking it all round, is of poor quality,
and I think I may safely predict a reduction in weight
as the result of a couple of months' sojourn in the north

278 Angling Travels in Norway.

country, or, to put it in auother way, the food is filling
at the price, but it has not much " stay " in it.

Under the kind auspices of the steward, 1 enjoyed a
two-berthed cabin all the way back — or rather, I should
say, as far as Molde, where the ship was full up — and by
chance there came on board a nice little Lofotenske pige,
quite the prettiest of her race, whom I had met a few
weeks earlier in the season.

The ways of Norwegian ladies are somewhat uncon-
ventional en voyage, and I have met them travelling in
parties and singly without escort, but it is the mode of
the country, especially in the north, where every courtesy
is extended to them. Upon the occasion of our first
meeting I took the Lofotenske pige out fishing for a little
while upon two or three occasions ; she knew nof> a word
of English, but when she hooked a fish she used to amuse
me, as, turning round, she would say, " Yay veel, vhat
dou say, trag dee sool oot af heem ? " And, no mistake,
she did.

I should not forget to mention that within a few hours
of Bod^ there is a new place for tourists, but as yet it is
only visited by the Norwegians of Nordland, and, conse-
quently, there would be no annoyance by the objectionable
class of British tourist, who seems to be now neglecting
his favourite Isle of Man for the fjords.

Sulitjelma is about twelve hours by boat up a fjord

Nordland. 279

a little north of BocNs|, thence up a series of lakes by boat,
and then by a short length of railway through particularly
fine scenery. There is good accommodation.

The shortest way to get from England to Nordland
would be by direct steamer from Newcastle or Hull to
Trondhjem, arriving there in time to leave by the " Vester-
aalen " at eight a.m. Sunday.

In Nordland they make most palatable sweets with
all the lowland and fjeld berries, the favourite form being
a jelly, but instead of using gelatine or grain they employ
a little potato meal, and this is their only dish which
appears to me worthy of imitation.

" My old hand," more fortunate than I, prolonged his
stay at Storjord, and has informed me that the rype
shooting in that immediate neighbourhood was disap-
pointing. So it would appear that it does not become
good until the top of the Junkerdal, towards Mercanses,
the first Swedish frontier station.

Herr Landmark, the Inspector of Norwegian Fisheries,
has published his latest report, which ends with the year
1890. British anglers are rightly of opinion that the
Fishery Inspector has the interest of the Salmonidae at
heart ; he, however, takes a more sanguine view of the
Salten river than I can do, and reference is made to a
salmon hatchery upon its banks, which does not now exist.

There are so many proprietors of fishing rights upon

2 So Angling Travels in Norway.

this river that if each obtains but a small sum in rent,
say £1 or so per annum, the total must amount to what,
in my opinion, is much beyond its present value as a
salmon fishery.

Herr Landmark and others interested in the welfare of
the salmon fisheries of Norway are anxious that her rivers
should be rented by anglers, as thereby the nets are
bought off and the number of spawning fish increased,
and this is effected, in most instances, at a profit to the
riparian proprietors.

A large majority of the rivers are fished by sportsmen
of the British Isles ; and to the rents paid by them may
be chiefly attributed any improvement which may take
place in the freshwater fisheries of Norway.

APPENDIX.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE SALMON-FISHERY LAWS
OF NORWAY.

The chief provisions of the new Salmon Fisheries Act areas follows : —

1. It is forbidden to fish for salmon or sea-trout in the sea from
August 26th to April 14th, or on rivers or lakes from August 26th to
April 30th ; but rod fishing is permitted to September 14th — all dates
inclusive (§ 1).

2. From September 1st to April 14th, both inclusive, it is illegal to
sell, to expose for sale, to buy, or to receive salmon or sea-trout. But
this clause does not apply to receiving, by way of present, salmon
caught by rod and line not later than the 1 4th of .September (§ 2).

3. From 6 o'clock on Saturday evening till 6 o'clock on Monday
evening it is forbidden to use any appliance for catching salmon or sea-
trout, or to let any appliance remain in the water so as to catch such
fish or to interfere with their free run. But this clause does not apply
to fishing with rod and line (§ 3).

4. On the petition of County Councils (the " Amtsformandskab "),
the Crown may, by royal ordinance, extend the weekly close time for bag-
nets or similar nets on the sea, and for any appliance used for catching
salmon or sea-trout on the rivers or lakes, save rod and line(§ 4).

5. Nets for catching salmon or sea-trout must have a width in the
mesh of not less than 5-8 centimetres from knot to knot, when wet
(§5).

6. The interspaces between the bars of fishing-traps must be not
less than 5*8 centimetres wide (§ 6).

7. Salmon or sea-trout which may have been caught in nets with
smaller meshes than 5-8 centimetres from knot to knot, or by turning
off the water, must be returned to the water, unless the length of the
fish exceeds, if salmon, 55 centimetres, or, if sea-trout, 40 centimetres
(=15-72 in.) (§8).

2 o

282 Appendix.

8. It is forbidden to place trimmers in such portions of a water-
course as are frequented by salmon (§ 10).

9. It is unlawful to use appliances on such a watercourse as afore-
said which are of such a nature as would catch young fish of less than
21 centimetres ( = 8-27 in.) in length (§ 11).

10. It is illegal to place any fixed net or any other fixed engine at
a less distance from the midstream-line than | of the breadth of the
river. And if such nets or engines are placed on opposite sides of the
river within a distance, along the course of the river, of 100 metres
( = 109-4 yards), it is illegal to place any of them nearer to the midstream-
line than i of the said breadths (§§ 12-14, cfr. § 19).

11. Within a distance of 100 metres (=109-4 yards) from any fixed
net or other fixed engine with a leader, placed on a river frequented by
salmon, it is unlawful to use any drift-net or seine (§ 16, cfr. § 19).

12. When petitioned by County Councils (the " Amtsformandskab"),
the Crown is empowered to fix, by royal ordinance, a stretch at the
mouth of a river, within which the use of seines, or bag-nets, or hang-
nets, or similar nets, is illegal (§ 17).

13. On the petition of County Councils (the " Amtsformandskab "),
the Crown is empowered to prohibit or to limit, by royal ordinance, the
use of drift-nets on fjords and rivers frequented by salmon (§ 18).

14. On such portions of a river, including lakes, as are frequented
by salmon or sea-trout it is unlawful to use leisters, spears or similar
appliances for catching fish. It is illegal to use such appliances for
catching salmon or sea-trout in the sea (§ 20).

15. It is unlawful to use any explosive or poisonous stuff for catch-
ing fish in rivers (§ 22).

16. On the petition of County Councils (the " Amtsformandskab "),
the Crown is empowered to grant local dispensations from most of the
prohibitive sections of the Act (§ 23).

17. Contraventions of the aliove-mentioned provisions are punish-
able by fines from Kr.10 to Kr.oOO, and the fish caught, or bought,
or sold, or exposed for sale, or its value, and, in some instances, the nets
or traps used are forfeited (§ 25).

18. The Act further introduces a new and more efficient system for
enforcing the provision of the Act (§§ 27-33).

Appendix. 283

PATTERNS OF SALMON FLIES.
(A Plate facing Chapter XII )

Saxdemax No. 1.

Tag : Gold thread, purple silk.

Tail : Golden pheasant topping.

Butt : Black ostrich harl.

Body: Jointed in three divisions of equal length of yellow, orange,
and red silk ; gold tinsel from butt to head.

Hackle : In three joints — yellow, orange, and red.

Shoulder-hackle : Black hackle red at points.

Wings : Mottled brown turkey, grey turjtey, golden pheasant tail,
dark mallard, four narrow slips blue-dyed swan, two broad slips dun
turkey, four fibres peacock harl.

Sandeman No. 2.

Tag : Gold tinsel thread and yellow silk.
Tail : Golden pheasant topping.
Butt : Black ostrich harl.

Body : One-third orange floss silk, two -thirds dark blue silk and
gold tinsel.

Hackle and shoulder-hackle : Blue-dyed cock's.
Wings: Light mallard, brown mottled turkey, golden pheasant
tail, gallina, yellow-dyed swan.
Topping: Golden pheasant.

Saxdexiax No. 3.

Tag : Silver tinsel.
Tail : Yellow floss silk.
Body : Pale blue silk, silver tinsel.
Hackle : Pale blue.
Shoulder-hackle : Reddish brown.

Wings : Light mallard, golden pheasant tail, a few fibres of yellow-
dyed swan, two sprigs of golden pheasant rump.

284 Appendix.

Sandejian No. 7.

Tag : Gold tinsel.

Tail : Whisp of orange pig's wool.

Body: Lower half orauge pig's wool, upper half brown pig's wool,
gold tinsel.

Hackle and shoulder-hackle : Brown.

Wings: Under, dark mallard: upper, brown or dun turkey;
whitish at tips.

Sandejian No. 11.

Tag : Gold tinsel.

Tail: Yellow floss silk.

Body: Three turns orange pig's wool, remainder blaek pig's wool,
gold tinsel.

Hackle and shoulder-hackle: Light rod brown.

Wings: Golden pheasant tail, bustard, grey turkey, white and red-
dyed swan, two wide slips of glead hawk, or brown turkey.

INDEX.

Anglinu rights, 40
Angling season, 8, 18, 1!)

IS

liouts, 50-5!, 177

Ufylo, 230

ltavedal, 159, 168

liull-trout, 88-04, 157, 170, 252

Char, 00, 100, 210

Christiansuud, 150

Climate, 16-18

Close-time, 30, 31

Clothing, 17, 18

Coal-fish, 245

Country-folk, 46-40, 150, 181, 103, 104,

237, 268, 273
Cure and smoke salmon, to, 143-147

E

Eikefjord, 175, 170
Evanger river, 190-235

F

Fish-passes, 27

Fjclds, 171, 101

Fjords, 28, 31, 32, 36, 150, 154, 176

Forstassistent, 260, 261

Foss, 209

Glacier, 08

Government rewards, 201
Grayling, 101
Grilse, 65, 150, 252

II

Harliug, 115-126, 138, 211

Hay-racks, 218

Herling, 87, 88

Herring, 244

Hopeu, 197

Hotels, 185, 100, 203, 236, 241, 243

Houses, 182, 187

Iuterdalen, 160-165

J
Juukerdalen, 269, 270

K

Kelts, 33, 66, 158

Lakes, 14, 39-42, 71, 166-171, 185, 273
Lapps, 264-266, 275, 276
Legislature, 30, 46, 238
Leming, 220, 230

286

Index.

M
Marking fish, 70, 72-75, 78-82

N

Nets, 28-38
Nordland, 230-280

Ovu, 03, 72, 90

Parr, 04

Pine-logs, 33

Pollution, 233

Prawning, 137-142

Prosecution, 32

Provisions, 174, 186, 102, 230, 241, 247

Pylorics, 00

K

Itaft, 275

lleindeer, 265

Rent, house, 185, 277

Renting rivers, 127, 130

Rivers, 8, 21-27, 52, 148, 180, 200, 232,

236, 266, 267, 270
Rod fish, 240
Rype, 263, 279

S

Salter, 42, 171, 192

Salmon, 10, 57-82, 157-159, 217, 221,
222, 225, 232, 233

Salmon-fishery laws, 30. See also

Appendix.
Salnionida;, 24, 25, 27, 28, 31, 54-101
Saltdalen, 236-280
Saltstromcn, 250
Sea-anchor, 53
Sea-char, 100, 101, 252
Sea-louse, 68, 159
Sea-trout, 82-88, 157, 170, 252
Sleigh, 180, 184, 262
Smolt, 64-60, 102-105
Snow, 11, 18,23,201
Steamers, 150, 198
Sunday, 201
Siirendalen, 148-172
Svardalen, 173-198

T

Tackle, 100-113, 140, 103, 232
Tapeworm, 08
Temperature, 13, 74
Traps, 28-38
Trondhjcm, 241

Trout, 95-99, 102-105, 103-165, 169, 189,
193

Vadsseth, 173-198
Valleys, 107
Voss, 199-235

W

Wages, 182, 188

Year in Norway, the, 10-15

fKINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON ANO BECCLES.

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