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feet or more in height. The turbulent waves of the North Atlantic and
Arctic Oceans, hurled against the coast for thousands of years, have
steadily worn into the land and thus formed these remarkable fjords; or
perhaps after they were begun by volcanic or glacial action, the wearing
of the waters has gradually brought about their present condition. The
coast of Sweden, on the other hand, is formed by the Baltic Sea and the
Gulf of Bothnia, both of which are inland waters, and though there are
many islands on the Swedish coast, there are no fjords worthy of
mention. Notwithstanding that the extreme length of Norway, from north
to south, is hardly twelve hundred miles, yet so numerous and extensive
are these peculiar arms of the sea, that its coast-line is estimated to
measure over three thousand miles, which gives to these deep indentures
altogether a length of eighteen hundred miles.

The peninsula known as Scandinavia is composed of Norway, Sweden, and a
small portion of the Russian possessions in the northeast. This division
of country supports a population of little less than seven millions, and
contains in round numbers three hundred thousand square miles. The
mountains of this section of the globe are mostly of primitive rock,
presenting as near as possible the same form as when they were first
solidified, standing forth as tangible evidence of the great antiquity
of this region.

In her course northward the steamer, upon which we embarked at
Troendhjem, winds in and out among the many islands and fjords, touching
occasionally at small settlements on the mainland to discharge light
freight and to land or to take an occasional passenger. The few persons
who come from the little cluster of houses, which are not sufficient in
number to be called a village, are found to be of more than ordinary
intelligence, and many of them speak English fluently. Even in these
sparsely inhabited regions education is provided for by what is termed
the "ambulatory system"; that is, one able teacher instructs the youth
of three or four neighboring districts, meeting the convenience of all
by suitable variations regarding time and place in holding school
sessions.

There is but one day in the year when the phenomenon of the midnight sun
can be seen at the imaginary line which we designate as the Arctic
Circle, a point in the watery waste or on the land, twenty-three degrees
and twenty-eight minutes from the North Pole; but by saili