d
always be green in our memories. Thence to Kongsberg we had fast
stations and civilised people; the country was open, well settled, and
cultivated, the scenery pleasant and picturesque, and, except the
insufferable heat and dust, we could complain of nothing.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

TELLEMARK AND THE RIUKAN FOSS.

Kongsberg, where we arrived on the 26th of August, is celebrated for its
extensive silver mines, which were first opened by Christian IV in 1624,
and are now worked by the Government. They are doubtless interesting to
mineralogists; but we did not visit them. The guide-book says, "The
principal entrance to the mines is through a level nearly two English
miles in length; from this level you descend by thirty-eight
perpendicular ladders, of the average length of five fathoms each, a
very fatiguing task, and then find yourself at the bottom of the shaft,
and are rewarded by the sight of the veins of native silver"--not a bit
of which, after all, are you allowed to put into your pocket. Thank you!
I prefer remaining above ground, and was content with having in my
possession smelted specimens of the ore, stamped with the head of Oscar
I.

The goal of our journey was the Riukan Foss, which lies in Upper
Tellemark, on the south-eastern edge of the great plateau of the
Hardanger Fjeld. This cascade disputes with the Voring Foss the
supremacy of the thousand waterfalls of Norway. There are several ways
from Kongsberg thither; and in our ignorance of the country, we
suffered ourselves to be guided by the landlord of our hotel. Let no
traveller follow our example! The road he recommended was almost
impassable for carrioles, and miserably supplied with horses, while that
through Hitterdal, by which we returned, is broad, smooth, and
excellent. We left on the morning after our arrival, taking a road which
led up the valley of the Lauven for some distance, and then struck
westward through the hills to a little station called Moen. Here, as the
place was rarely visited by travellers, the people were simple, honest,
and friendly. Horses could not be had in less than two hours; and my
postillion, an intelligent fellow far gone in consumption, proposed
taking the same horse to the next station, fifteen miles further. He
accepted my offer of increased pay; but another, who appeared to be the
owner of the horses, refused, demanding more than double the usual
rates. "How is it?" said I, "that you were willing to bring us