ory of a crown-prince of Sweden, Christian Augustus; the
other to Count Hermann Wenel Jarlsberg.

JOURNEY TO DELEMARKEN.

All I had hitherto seen in Norway had gratified me so much, that I could
not resist the temptation of a journey to the wildly romantic regions of
Delemarken. I was indeed told that it would be a difficult undertaking
for a female, alone and almost entirely ignorant of the language, to make
her way through the peasantry. But I found no one to accompany me, and
was determined to go; so I trusted to fate, and went alone.

According to the inquires I had instituted in respect to this journey, I
anticipated that my greatest difficulties would arise from the absence of
all institutions for the speedy and comfortable progress of travellers.
One is forced to possess a carriage, and to hire horses at every station.
It is sometimes possible to hire a vehicle, but this generally consists
only of a miserable peasant's cart. I hired, therefore, a carriol for
the whole journey, and a horse to the next station, the townlet of
Drammen, distant about twenty-four miles.

On the 25th August, at three o'clock in the afternoon, I left
Christiania, squeezed myself into my carriage, and, following the example
of Norwegian dames, I seized the reins. I drove as if I had been used to
it from infancy. I turned right and left, and my horse galloped and
trotted gaily on.

The road to Drammen is exquisite, and would afford rich subjects for an
artist. All the beauties of nature are here combined in most perfect
harmony. The richness and variety of the scenery are almost oppressive,
and would be an inexhaustible subject for the painter. The vegetation is
much richer than I had hoped to find it so far north; every hill, every
rock, is shaded by verdant foliage; the green of the meadows was of
incomparable freshness; the grass was intermingled with flowers and
herbs, and the corn-fields bent under their golden weight.

I have been in many countries, and have seen beautiful districts; I have
been in Switzerland, in Tyrol, in Italy, and in Salzburg; but I never saw
such peculiarly beautiful scenery as I found here: the sea every where
intruding and following us to Drammen; here forming a lovely lake on
which boats were rocking, there a stream rushing through hills and
meadows; and then again, the splendid expanse dotted with proud
three-masters and with countless islets. After a five hours' ride
through rich valle