tended to mitigate the jolting
of the road. We chose double cars on iron springs, which we found _not
too easy_: they were like old-fashioned, worn-out, and very shabby
English gigs. The posting is under government regulation, and is performed
by sure-footed ponies kept by the farmers, who are obliged to supply them
under any circumstances after having had notice. A _forbud_ is sent
on with printed notices filled up with the time at which the traveller
expects to arrive at each station. This _avant-courier_ is often a
little boy, and sometimes, to save the expense of a horse, for which the
traveller has paid, he is sent on foot. On one occasion we met a young
girl, with bare feat, who had walked sixteen miles with notice papers, as
our _forbud_. Now away goes the traveller, accompanied by a man, or
more often a boy, or it may be a little girl, to bring back the pony. They
run by the side, but down hills always seat themselves behind on the
luggage as best they can. The traveller drives himself, and the little
horses are so brisk that, whatever the state of the road may be, they run
down the mountains as fast as they can clatter, and so sure-footed that
they are scarcely ever known to fall; but a person of weak nerves has no
business to be the rider.

From Christiansand to Stavanger is about 200 miles, which took us four
days. Our road lay occasionally over a wild and stony heath by the sea,
sometimes along the river-banks, lakes, or fiords, but more often among
and upon the high and rugged rocks; the passing of some of which is, I
think, more difficult than crossing the Alps between Switzerland and
Italy.--(_letter of 8 mo. 3._)

On the way towards Stavanger John Yeardley had a public meeting at
Flekkefiord, the first time such a meeting had been held in the place. It
was "a good time," and so well attended that the town-hall could not
contain nearly all who came together.

Immediately on arriving at Stavanger, the Friends commenced visiting the
families of the Friends in the town and on the adjacent islands; and on
the next First-day held a meeting about eleven miles up one of the fiords,
to which so many flocked from all directions that they were obliged to
assemble in the open air:--

It was, says J.Y., a lovely sight to see so many clean-dressed peasants,
in their mountain costume, with a seriousness in their countenances which
indicated that a motive better than curiosity had brought them together. I
was re