CHAP. National Prejudices. are strong: they entertain a certain degree of contempt towards the Swedes, and hold the Danes in utter aversion. Whenever Sweden became a subject of conversation, at this time, it was the prevailing opinion that its Government was going to ruin; because every thing belonging to it was said to be in an unsettled state. A thing prohibited one day was permitted on the next; and a general want of stability characterized all the measures of the young king, Gustavus. The Swedes are more industrious than the Norwegians; but the country is so poor, that little can be effected by industry. The population, too, is very small. The province of Dalecarlia is better peopled than any other, but it is not equal to the support of its inhabitants. The consequence of this is, that the Dalecarlians migrate in search of employment, and are found scattered almost all over Sweden. Gustavus had made every effort, but in vain, to restore the exchange to its due level. With regard to the Danes, the sort of feeling in which they are held by the Norwegians may be shewn by expressions similar to those applied sentiments of freedom, which burst forth from one end of the country to the other; "Dög vaagne vi vel op engang, Og bryde Lanker, Baand og Twang!” V. by the Swedes to the same people, and com- CHAP. monly used in Trönijem; such as, "A true Danish trick!"-"Nobody but a Dane would have done this!"-" If a Dane travel to Vienna, and back to Copenhagen, he fancies himself the wisest man in the world:"-and many of the like satirical sayings. There are other sayings, in this part of Norway, somewhat characteristic of the country and its inhabitants. When a lady is pregnant, they address her with this friendly salutation, "God resa til Röråås!—a good journey to Röråås!" which cannot be explained without knowing that the road to Röråås, having been always difficult, and exposing the traveller to disastrous accidents, was formerly considered as a dangerous expedition for the inhabitants. Another saying, which is heard north of Trönÿjem, is remarkable for the circumstances of reciprocity it involves between the people of two different and distant countries: it is an expression of anger: "Go to Blocksberg!" by which is meant, Go to the devil! the peasants maintaining that the devil dances every night with the witches upon Blocksberg, a mountain in Germany. Mr. Horneman, of Trönijem, had the curiosity, when he was in Germany, to visit Blocksberg; having so often heard the expression in his own country: to his great surprise, V. CHAP. he found that the German peasants, by a reciprocal expression, say, "Go to Hekkelfield!" which is a mountain in Norway: and when he asked them if the witches danced on Blocksberg, they replied, "No, not on Blocksberg; but they dance furiously on Hekkelfield." Lake Route to North Cape. A little to the north of Trönijem is the Lake Törgvillan, described by the inhabitants as exhibiting the most beautiful prospects that can be imagined. Its islands are so numerous, that the peasants say it has as many as there are days in the year. These islands, besides its numerous peninsulas, are covered with trees. Some of the finest and most cultivated parts of Norway lie to the north of Trönÿjem: we were assured that cottages and cultivated land occur in the whole distance from Trönijem to North Cape. This journey was undertaken by Von Buch, who has published a very interesting account of it'. In winter, it must be performed in sledges: in summer, on horseback, and occasionally in boats. The Post is conveyed, by this route, four times in each year. The Duke de Chartres, son of the Duke of Orléans, followed the same route, during his travels in the north (1) See his Journey from Trönÿem to Alten, as published in the Sixth Chapter of his Travels, p. 116. Lond. 1815. of Scandinavia; which verifies the accounts we heard of him in Lapland. He came to Trönijem with a French Count, of the name of Montjoye. (2) The subsequent fate of Montjoye has been related by Dr. Adam Neale, in the interesting volume now published of his "Travels through Germany, Poland, Moldavia, and Turkey."—" This accomplished man,” says Dr. Neale, "whose real name, I have since learned, was Montjoye, passed himself upon the British Government as the German Count Froberg, and under that title had the address to procure himself the appointment of Colonel to a regiment, which he was to raise in the Albanian and Christian provinces of Turkey. For this purpose he had em. ployed crimps at Venice, Trieste, Galatz, and various places near the Turkish frontier; while he himself resided at Constantinople, and directed their manœuvres. The most unprincipled deceit and falsehood were employed to obtain recruits; many of whom were sent to him at Constantinople, then transferred to the Prince's Islands, and from time to time forwarded to their head-quarters at Malta. Finding themselves deceived, the regiment mutinied, murdered some of their officers, and blew up one of the Maltese forts. A court-martial was assembled afterwards at Sicily, by Sir John Moore, to investigate the grievances complained of by the survivors: when it appeared, in evidence, that most of the privates were young men of good families in their own country, who had been enticed to enter as ensigns and captains, and, on arriving at Malta, had been forced to do duty as privates. Sir John Moore disbanded the regiment, and sent back the men to their own country. Count Froberg was then at the Russian head-quarters; and finding his conduct detected, and being indebted 30,000l. to Government, he deserted to the French; but being afterwards surrounded, in a village, by a troop of Cossacks, he placed his back to a wall, and, sword in hand, sold his life as dearly as he could, being literally cut to pieces. This singular man had visited every country in Europe, from Gibraltar to the banks of the Frozen Ocean, whither he had accompanied the present Duke of Orléans, and had traversed all North America. He had an extraordinary facility in acquiring languages, speaking, with the utmost fluency, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English, German, French, Latin, and Sclavonian. His amiable manners, and his talents for conversation, his perfect good-breeding and delicacy of tact, rendered him a welcome guest at all the diplomatic tables of Pera. It is not without much surprise, mingled with deep regret, that his acquaintances were apprised of the fate which occasioned so dreadful a termination of his career." Neale's Travels, p. 233, 234. Lond. 1818. CHAP. V. CHAP. V. The Prince took the name of Möller, from Switzerland, and the Count that of Froberg. When they arrived afterwards in Stockholm, they made themselves known to the inhabitants of Trönijem by writing to the General-Commandant, and acknowledging their rank. It was then recollected, that when the young prince was at Trönÿjem, a warm partisan of the French republicans had said to him one evening at supper, "Can there be a greater miscreant than the Duke of Orléans?" and, receiving no answer, also added, "Do you not think him a rascal?" It may be so, said the Prince, in a tremulous tone of voice; which was noticed by all present; and they observed that he sighed deeply; but, until his real name was known, the cause remained a mystery. We shall now add a few desultory remarks, made from our Notes, without attending to any other order in their arrangement than that in which they occur. The vessels most used by the coasters have a large square sail, in the management of which they are very skilful ; and sometimes, when freighted with fish, piled half-mast high, they will venture not only to North Cape, but to the more distant shores of Scotland, and almost to Iceland. For large vessels, the situation of Trönÿem is not so good |