ng some three
hundred miles further northward, to the North Cape, the projecting point
of the extreme north of Norway, it may be observed under favorable
circumstances--that is, when not obscured by clouds--for over two
months, dating from the middle of May. Soon after entering the Arctic
Circle, fourteen hundred and eight geographical miles from the North
Pole, a singularly formed island is observed, called by the natives
Hestmandoe, or Horseman's Island,--a rocky and mountainous formation of
some two thousand feet in height, more or less. On approaching the
island from the west, by aid of the imagination one can discern the
colossal figure of a horseman wrapped in his cloak and mounted upon a
charger. The island forms a well-known landmark for seamen navigating
the coast. It is believed that the summit has never been reached by
human feet.

We touch on our way at the little fishing-village of Bodoee. Louis
Philippe lived here for a brief period when travelling as an exile under
the name of Mueller, and visitors are shown the room which he occupied.
It is the chief town of Nordland, and has fifteen hundred inhabitants.
After leaving Bodoee the course of the steamer is directly across the
Vestfjord to the group of the Lofoden Islands. Owing to the remarkable
clearness of the atmosphere as seen from Bodoee, they appear to be about
fifteen or twenty miles away on the edge of the horizon, though the real
distance is about fifty. The play of light and shade is here so
different from that of lower latitudes that distances are very
deceptive.

A little to the westward of the steamer's course in coming from the
mainland lies the famous whirlpool known as the Maelstroem, the subject
of many a romantic and wild conjecture which lives in the memory of us
all. At certain stages of the wind and tide a fierce eddy is formed here
which is somewhat dangerous for small boats to cross, but the presumed
risk to vessels of the size of the coasting-craft usually employed here,
is an error. At some stages of the tide it is difficult to even detect
the exact spot which is at other times so disturbed. Thus we find that
another legend of the credulous past has but a very thin substratum of
fact for its foundation. The tragedies recorded in connection with the
Venetian Bridge of Sighs are proven to be without reliable foundation;
the episode of Tell and the apple is not historical, but a poetical
fabrication; and now we know that neither ship