Читать книгу Tent life with English Gipsies in Norway - Hubert Smith - Страница 6

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“The best books are records of the writer’s own experiences of what he himself has seen or known, or—best of all—has done. The writing then becomes naturally concrete, perspicuous, a mirror of the fact; and whether it be a book for the world and for ages, or for nations and generations, there is this common to them all, that they are genuine records of genuine things, and throw light on the subject.”—N. P. Willis.

NORWAY—OUR GIPSY TENT—TENT FITTINGS—COOKING APPARATUS—COMMISSARIAT—GIPSIES’ TENT—BAGAGE DE LUXE—WEIGHT OF BAGGAGE—TRANSIT—DONKEYS—OUR PARTY—ESMERALDA.

The picturesque and lovely scenes of Norway offered many inducements for our campaign. The peculiar advantages of tent life would enable us to wander in its wildest Dals. Its beautiful fjelds, fjords, and fosses could be seen at our ease. We might bivouac in the silent forest; we could sleep in its lonely glens, and wander in its deepest recesses, independent of the chance accommodation of the “gjœstgiver-gaard,” or the more doubtful comfort of the mountain “sœter.” The result of a former visit had not been without its practical utility, and the tent carried the day.

In previous travels we had used many kinds of tents, including Mr. Whymper’s very useful Alpine Tent. For this campaign we had a new one made, such as gipsies use. All experience inclined us to adopt this form of tent as the most comfortable.6 It was made by gipsies, whom we had often befriended in our search after gipsy lore—and who now no longer regarded us with distrust, as belonging to the kairengroes (house-dwellers). When it was completed, my people declared it was the best they had ever seen. A stout back pole, with strong pliable raniers or rods, fitted into it, and a cover made of two pairs of light gray blankets, of strong but fine texture, sewn together, with a broad edging of scarlet bocking, gave it an appearance which the gipsies declared to be perfection.

The interior fittings of our tent were not neglected. One of Edgington’s waterproofs costing twenty-five shillings, was laid on the ground as a substratum. A handsome carpet, of strong but light material and warm colouring, was cut to the size of the tent as usually pitched, and then neatly bound with scarlet braid by my housekeeper, who made nearly everything used for the expedition. When the carpet was placed on the waterproof rug, it formed an excellent floor to the tent. Our large railway-rug, which had been with us all round the world, was still serviceable. An extra rug for use if necessary, and two air pillows covered with scarlet flannel, completed the bed accommodation. A blue partition-curtain, with broad yellow braid artistically elaborated in zigzag pattern, to be suspended à volonté from the tent raniers for privacy and seclusion, left nothing more to be desired. We had not yet sunk so low in effeminacy as to use beds, though there are instances of gipsies in England who have descended to that melancholy state.

It was necessary that our batterie de cuisine should be as simple as possible. In the first place we had our kettle prop which had done duty in camp life in the previous year. A kettle prop is a stout bar of iron bent at one end so as to have a projecting portion for hanging the kettle upon to boil water. The other end of the prop is sharpened so as to make holes in the ground to fix the tent raniers or rods into. (The three stakes joined together at the top, with a large witch’s caldron suspended over the fire, as seen in many representations of gipsy life, have now passed away with the gipsies’ scarlet cloaks once so fashionable.) We had our large fish kettle for boiling anything; our tin can for boiling and making tea for four persons; two larger tin cans for boiling or fetching milk or water, all with lids; two large zinc bowls; four smaller soup bowls, fitting one within the other; a round tin with lid to hold three pounds of butter; a quart tin can with handle; two sets of tin pannikins, four each set, fitting one within the other;7 eight pewter plates; seven knives and six forks; eight spoons; a tin salt box; a tin pepper box; a sardine box opener; a frying pan, with handle to remove; a tin box containing the exact measure of tea for four persons. This was very useful, not only for economy, but in wet weather—the box, being filled in the tent, could be carried in the hand—in readiness for the boiling water. A Russian lamp; a small axe; two tin boxes of wax lucifer matches, and eight small cloths for cleaning, completed our service de ménage. All the articles enumerated could be conveniently put into the fish-kettle, except the two large cans, the two large bowls, the pewter plates, the frying-pan, and one or two other articles. These were all placed at one end of a bag called the kettle-bag, tied in the middle; our bags of tea and sugar, &c., for present use, being placed at the other end, ready to be slung over the donkey for transit.8

Our commissariat was selected with a care commensurate to the requirements of the expedition and of the four hungry voyageurs to be fed.

Our provisions were procured at Hudson Brothers, Ludgate Hill, London (with whom we had before had dealings), and were all we could desire for quality. Our purchase included 28lbs. of Australian meat (costing 7½d. per lb.)—which for the first time, we ventured, with some hesitation, to take—two hams, some bacon, a dozen boxes of sardines, 2 cheeses, a number of jars of Liebig’s essence of meat, some tins of potted meats, 2 tins of biscuits—some of which were college biscuits—rice, oat-meal, pea flour, beans, &c.; which, together with 12lbs. of tea from Messrs. Phillips, King William Street, in small bags of 3lbs. each, were placed in a large stout “pocket” as far as space would allow, and then packed in a wooden case, and forwarded to the care of Messrs. Wilson & Co., Hull, ready for the steamer. The weight of the provisions when sent, was 150lbs. These articles, with 30lbs. of sugar in six small bags of 5lbs. each, which we had before forwarded to Hull, completed our stock of provisions for the expedition.

The gipsies brought their own tent rods; we found blankets for the tent cover. The gipsies’ tent cover is formed of two blankets, fastened with pin thorns over their tent frame of raniers or rods. They had for use one of Edgington’s waterproofs and two double blankets.

We also took a railway rug ornamented with foxes’ heads, which we often used with the aid of our Alpine stocks, as a balk to keep off the wind, and to close in the space between our tents when we required more room or shelter. We had, besides, a very large but exceedingly light waterproof sheeting, purchased from Edmiston, made to loop over our tents, so as to enlarge them considerably and protect us from heavy rain. The blanket covers of our tents were not waterproof; and this waterproof sheeting, which only weighed 4½ lbs., was invaluable. When we were resting during the day, it effectually protected our provisions, baggage, and ourselves from the heavy showers of rain which sometimes occurred during our wanderings.

Our additional baggage consisted of one salmon rod, three trout rods, four Alpine stocks, two long ropes for tethering the animals, a fishing basket, a tin box with padlock, a musical box, a moderate allowance of clothes, a small tin of blacking with brushes, hair brushes and combs, soap, towels, pocket mirrors, writing-case, maps, stout straps, books (guide books and others), fishing tackle, &c., two courier bags with locks, and a plaid haversack, which contained a small case of medicaments for use when we were beyond all chance of medical advice—for, although fresh air is peculiarly health-giving, there were times and seasons when we had to officiate as the “cushty drabengro” (good doctor) of the party. We had also in this plaid bag a silver-mounted glass flask of imposing appearance, which was kept filled with Brændeviin, to be poured out into a thick-set, solid-looking drinking glass, that had been purchased, once upon a time, at Épernay, in France; it was fitted to stand the hard usage of this world, even to receiving libations of brændeviin instead of champagne. The glass is still unbroken, and ready to do duty in another campaign; and when we look at it, our brain becomes puzzled as to the number of bold Norwegians whose lips it has touched as they quaffed its contents to gamle Norge.

The weight of baggage is given in the following divisions:—

The kettle and articles packed into it weighed 10½ lbs.; bowls and pewter plates, packed separately, 6¾ lbs.; the frying pan, 3½ lbs.; our boiling can for making tea for our party, four in number, 1¼ lbs.; our large boiling can, for a larger number than four persons, weighed 1¾ lbs.; the large iron kettle-prop, 6 lbs. 6 ozs., making the total weight of cooking apparatus and service de ménage, 30 lbs. 2 ozs.

The tent rods and pole weighed 14½ lbs.; the tent blanket, cover, and partition-curtain, 17½ lbs.; large waterproof siphonia cover, 4½ lbs.; small spade to dig trenches round tent in wet weather, 1 lb. 15 ozs.; total weight, 38 lbs. 7 ozs.

One of Edgington’s waterproof rugs, the tent carpet, two rugs, and two air-pillows, weighed, together, 20 lbs.

Our large tent and fittings, with cooking apparatus and service de ménage, therefore weighed 88 lbs. 9 ozs.; and with books, fishing-rods, clothes, the provisions, and other baggage, made a total of about 360 lbs. weight, which allowed 120 lbs. for each donkey to carry.

The method of transit for baggage of all kinds, that impediment to rapid movement, required careful consideration. We had 360 lbs. weight of baggage to carry across the sea, to take with us through the valleys of Norway, to convey over mountains, and rugged paths, across rivers and shaky wooden bridges. The kind of animal suited to our expedition had also to be considered; ponies and mules had their claims. Excellent ponies might be purchased in Norway upon our arrival, but then we had the risk of delay. If we took mules they were oftentimes vicious and troublesome. At last we commissioned a gipsy to purchase three strong donkeys, to be specially selected for the purpose. It is said in one of Dickens’s works, that no one ever saw a dead donkey or a dead postboy—and this inspired additional hope that the animals would survive the journey. We had no reason to regret our choice. Donkeys will endure want of food better than even mules or horses; they are patient, quiet, and tractable; they soon take to the camp, and seldom stray far. The weight would be about 120 lbs. each, decreasing as they progressed on their journey. A strong donkey has been known to carry for a short distance, 4 cwt., but this is exceptional; 200 lbs. for a journey on good roads they can manage without difficulty; for rough mountain roads and paths, this load ought to be reduced to less than 100 lbs. Donkeys were much valued in early times; and in New South Wales they were recently more expensive than horses. Fortunately our gipsy was able to procure them at a moderate rate; and in a short time I was the possessor—to use gipsy language—of three “cushty merles” (good donkeys). They were to travel with the gipsies’ camp until we were ready to start, and so become used to camp-life. Very good ones they were:9

Content with the thistle they tramped o’er the road,

And never repined at the weight of the load.

It was necessary for the success of the expedition, that the party should be composed of not less than four; but one who had before accompanied our wanderings, was unable to come. Our preparations were partly made, and his loss as a fellow compagnon de voyage was irreparable. Skilful in designing and making a tent, full of resource in camp life, never without an expedient to overcome a difficulty, a sketcher from nature, cheerful under all exposure, temperate in all his pleasures, ever ready with his song and guitar; at eveningtide, by the flickering embers of the camp fire, by the silent lake, or in the mountain cwm, or lonely glen—his loss was indeed to be regretted. His lithe figure, and luxuriant raven-black hair, shading in heavy tresses his ample forehead, jet-black eyes, and thoughtful countenance bronzed by exposure, strongly resembled the true gipsy type. By other gipsies whom we had chanced to meet, he had been thought of better gipsy blood than our own gipsy people.

Our right hand seemed gone. As we lounged into the gipsies’ camp, there was no sun to illumine our way to the north. The party must be made up to four; but no other friend would venture on the exposure of a camp life in a foreign country. The romantic scenery, the novelty and charm of a nomadic life in nature’s wildest scenes, completely failed to allure them from their comfortable homes.

So the party was to be made up to four. The Rye was not to go without a sufficient escort to take care of him. Tall Noah would pitch the tents and pack the animals. Esmeralda, as the forlorn hope, would do all the cooking, and undertake the arrangements of the tent, which our friend had beforetime done with our joint assistance. Zacharia, the “boshomengro” (violin-player), would again obtain water, and make the fire. They would each have one animal under their charge. With this arrangement we were obliged to content ourselves. Esmeralda, who was nearly sixteen years old, was tall, spare, and active, and wonderfully strong for her age. She had dark hair, and eyes full of fathomless fire. Zacharia had certain nervous misgivings about being chopped up by a bear in his tent some night; tigers and lions were also inquired after; but, all being settled, there was no flinching, and our gipsies were ready on the day named.