Читать книгу Tent life with English Gipsies in Norway - Hubert Smith - Страница 12

Table of Contents

“Free as the winds that through the forest rush—

Wild as the flowers that by the way-side blush.

Children of nature wandering to and fro,

Man knows not whence ye come, nor where ye go.

Like foreign weeds cast up on western strands,

Which stormy waves have borne from unknown lands;

Like murmuring shells to fancy’s ear that tell

The mystic secrets of their ocean cell.”

The Gipsies. Dean Stanley’s Prize Poem.

MARINER’S LIFE—THE EVASIVE ANSWER—A TRUE PRESENTIMENT—THE KING OF SWEDEN AND NORWAY—THE BEAUTIFUL FJORD—GIPSY MUSIC—A CUSTOM-HOUSE DIFFICULTY—ANOTHER FREEMASON—APPROPRIATE VERSES—CHRISTIANIA—HORSE MONEY—17, STORE STRANDGADE.

The stewards were excellent. One had been shipwrecked several times. “Rough work in winter, sir. Most on the line get lost. At Hull most of the young men who go to sea are drowned.” Not very encouraging information, thought we, but such are the chances of a seaman’s life. Having sent our gipsies to bed, we retired ourselves. About twelve o’clock our first doze was disturbed by a noise in our cabin. Looking round, we saw the bagman with a bottle in his hand. He was taking Lamplough’s pyretic saline, which he strongly recommended for headache, or to set you right after drinking. After taking his draught, he disappeared into his berth. Our thermometer was 66°, with both port-holes open.

We were recommended to look out for beautiful scenery, at about seven o’clock the next morning. When we went on deck, at an early hour, the weather was damp and cloudy.

Some time afterwards we had a chat on deck, with our fellow-passenger the barrister. He was going to Christiania, and from thence by the coast steamer to the North Cape. The coast excursion is a very pleasing one. Our fellow-passenger was full of anecdotes and information. Mr. T., after examining our gipsy, Noah, had said to the barrister, “I find that the gentleman’s name is Harper.” “You are quite in error, I can assure you,” said the barrister, “the gipsies have only been cramming you.” Mr. T. appeared much astonished, and we said it was only what he could expect; and, although not done intentionally, it was not exactly the right way to acquire information; and any one doing so would not get much for their trouble. We had risen at four o’clock. Our portly fellow-passenger, was also up soon after, and wishing us good-bye, descended with his portmanteau into a boat, and left the steamer. This he did to save time, not wishing to go to Christiania. We found afterwards that a young Norwegian in the second cabin, would have gladly availed himself of the same boat. He had been absent eight years from his home, and friends, and was anxious to see them as soon as possible.

When he afterwards arrived at Christiania, he said, “I have a dread, that I shall hear some bad news.” After a short absence from the steamer, he again returned. His worst fears were but too true, and he sat down, and cried very much. Such are the melancholy scenes of life, meeting us at every turn, and sadly remind us, of the short existence of all things in this world.

The early morning was rather damp and wet. The passengers were up in good time. Our gipsies we found as gay and sprightly, as they had been before ill, and prostrate. Mr. T. still seemed delighted with our expedition, and visited from time to time our gipsies, with his friend, whom we took for his brother. We mustered well at breakfast, under the presidency, of our polite captain. When we had finished, and returned on deck, our title to be recognised as an accepted mason, after a very rigid and searching ordeal, was at length acknowledged, by Monsieur le Chevalier, who was exceedingly particular.

From various circumstances, we had not been lately to our lodge in London. We still retained pleasant reminiscences of former visits, and especially of our reception, at those Lodges we once visited in Paris, with our old friend the Chevalier M.18 His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway is now one of the most distinguished masons in Europe. May he long hold the proud position, of being a monarch, whose power rests upon the affections, of a free, and noble-hearted people.19

The conversation at breakfast, was lively and animated. Most of the passengers were in good spirits, and seemed delighted with the bright anticipations, of their approaching wanderings, over fjeld and fjord. Even the Birmingham bagman was better, and we noticed him, at some distance from us, feeding his beard, in a most reckless manner with egg.

What a delightful scene presented itself after breakfast! From the steamer’s deck, we gazed on the beautiful fjord, calm and glistening in the sun. The cloudy morning was now changed—all was lovely, and filled the heart with a dreamy sensation of pleasure. Rocky shores, wooded islands, secluded maisonettes, and dark pine woods, extended as far as the eye could reach, into the boundless distance of endless woodland—one eternity of nature, which reminded us of the stanza:—

“There is a pleasure in the pathless woods;

There is a rapture on the lonely shore;

There is society where none intrudes

By the deep sea, and music in its roar.”

Soon after breakfast Mr. T. came to us, and said, “I have asked your young man to play his violin, and he very properly says he cannot do so, without your permission.” Mr. T. was anxious to hear them play; we therefore at once gave our consent. Noah came for one of the Regent Street tambourines, then in our cabin, and in a very short time the gay sounds of violin and tambourine, were heard in the Christiania Fjord. Our gipsies were grouped below the fore-deck, the sun was shining. The travellers and sailors seemed much amused. “Why you are travelling with your band!” said some of the passengers. Nor shall we forget the tall form of our gipsy, Noah, with his hat placed jauntily on one side his head, as he rattled the tambourine, with a verve, and feeling which only one, of wild, strong passions can do. Mr. T. came up. “I like your idea very much,” said he; “and I suppose that young gipsy girl, will cook for you. I admire her boots; they are something like boots. What a difference,” whispered he, as a genteel, ladylike passenger, passed near, whose small, thin, elaborately-worked, fashionable boots, with high heels, and small rosettes, just above the toes, certainly did not appear, fitted to promote, the elasticity of the footstep, or comfort of the wearer, among the Norwegian fjelds and fjords.

Then we had much speculation as to the astonishment of the Norwegian people, when they saw our donkeys. We were informed that the Chevalier’s father, had once possessed the only donkey in Norway. This animal had long since been dead, and Norway had been left without a single donkey in all the land. Some said we ought to make a charge for exhibiting them to the peasantry, and an animated discussion took place, as to the amount of duty to be paid, before they could be landed. One said it would be the same as upon horses; another said that the duty could not be the same as upon horses, and they would have nothing to pay. Some passengers expressed an opinion, that they would have to pass a law in the Storthing, to assess the amount of duty, before we could possibly land them, and it might cost us 20l. to get them through.

As we approached Christiania, and our voyage was nearly over, we had our account to discharge with the stewards. Our gipsies cost quite a fortune. If they had been ill at first, their appetites must have been ravenous, towards the close of the voyage. The steward had been told, to let them have everything they wanted to eat, and to drink; we could not, therefore, say much, so settled the bill. Both stewards, hoped we should come back in the same vessel, and took some trouble to give us the dates of sailing, from Christiansand. It was then our intention to take the steamer from Christiansand, at the end of the summer.

We met with another freemason on the morning we landed at Christiania, whom we believe was chief engineer—a very stout-built man, with a kind, amiable disposition, whose every word rang, of open-heartedness, and benevolence. He had a jolly, merry wife, and a French poodle dog, which, of course, begged, and was as intelligent, as those animals usually are. We became very good friends. Before we landed he gave us a newspaper, containing some verses, which, if we remember right, were written by some man going to be hung. Unfortunately, we have mislaid the gift. Our friend said the verses had struck his wife, and himself, as being most appropriate to the wanderings of ourself, and the young people. They wished us all success, which we sincerely reciprocated.

In the second cabin there was also a sea captain, and his wife, from Australia—very kind people to our gipsies; in fact, we could not help feeling, some tinge of regret, that we were so soon to leave. Yet we were on the threshold of camp life. We were about to continue our former wanderings. The thread broken elsewhere, was to be resumed in Norway. We must admit, that the allurements of fresh scenes of nomadic life, softened our separation, and gave us new hopes for the approaching campaign.

Our baggage was mounted on deck, as we approached Christiania. Very soon we had the city of Christiania in full view, with the King’s palace, and castle of Agershuus.20 We could scarcely account for the feeling, but Christiania seemed to wear a pleasant, homelike aspect, which we liked. It was probably eleven o’clock when the steamer arrived. A number of the inhabitants had arrived on the pier. Mr. Bennett was there. Time had favoured him, for he looked stronger, and we might say younger, than when we were last at Christiania. One of the first incidents before landing was a solicitation for horse-money. It seems to be a kind of payment customary for the benefit of the sailors; and it was hoped that the donkeys, although not horses, would still entitle the sailors to its payment. We had enjoyed such a pleasant voyage, and were in such good temper, with all on board, that we did not raise any objection to the remuneration.

What a quaint, foreign-looking court-yard you enter as you seek Mr. Bennett. Numbers of carrioles are crowded together at the end of the court, ready for distant journeys. Then you ascend some steps, to a wooden balcony, and enter his suite of rooms. One large room is completely full of Norwegian silver relics—tankards, belts of a past age, carvings, paintings, engravings, photographs of Norwegian scenery, maps, books, and all sorts of articles, illustrative of the manners, and customs of the Norwegians, of ancient and modern time. We seem to have wandered into a dream-land of ancient sagas, and ten to one you meet other spirits who are doing the same.

Mr. Bennett, the presiding genius of the place, had probably ceased to be astonished at any mode of travelling an Englishman might adopt. Williams had landed with his knapsack, which resulted in an interesting work, having the additional value, of giving a correct entry, of the expenses of his expedition. MacGregor came en route to Sweden, with his canoe, and wrote another interesting work. Now an Englishman comes with gipsies and donkeys! What next?21 The worthy English consul, and chargé-d’affaires, who so well represents our country, was absent from Christiania, but we were introduced to his son. When he heard of our retinue, grave doubts as to our safety, apparently crossed his mind. He seemed to think it improbable, we should return to our friends. It could scarcely be expected, that Mr. Bennett could advise us, upon the best camping grounds, but we must ever feel grateful remembrance to him, for the trouble he took, to pass our things through the Custom-house, and forward those left behind to Eidsvold.

The cicerone provided for us by the Chevalier, dined with us at the Victoria Hotel, Raadhuusgaden. The day was lovely. We found some of our fellow-passengers, already seated at the table d’hôte. -