which breaks from the side of the
mountain, about half a mile beyond the town. I was solicited to join
them; but my passion for sight-seeing was rather obscured by the
passion of hunger and thirst. At such times I am practical enough to
prefer a good supper to the best waterfall in the world. Waterfalls
can be postponed. Hunger must be promptly satisfied. Thirst makes one
dry. A distant view of falling water is a poor substitute for a glass
of good ale. There is no fear that any ordinary cataract will run
itself out before morning.

This was my first experience of a post station, and very pleasant I
found it. The inns of Norway are plain, cheap, and comfortable; not
very elegant in appearance, but as good in all respects as a plain
traveler could desire. I had a capital supper at Lillehammer,
consisting of beefsteak, eggs, bread, butter, and coffee--enough to
satisfy any reasonable man. The rooms are clean, the beds and bedding
neat and comfortable, and the charge for supper, lodging, and
breakfast not exceeding an average of about fifty cents. At some of
the interior stations I was charged only about twenty-five cents, and
in no instance was I imposed upon. The inn-keepers are so generally
obliging and good-natured that there is very little difficulty in
getting along with them. A few words always sufficed to make my wants
understood, and the greatest kindness and alacrity were invariably
shown in supplying them. But I anticipate my journey.

After a pleasant night's rest I arose bright and early; and here,
being for the first time thrown completely upon my own resources in
the way of language, was obliged to have recourse to my vocabulary to
get at the means of asking for breakfast and a horse and cariole.
Fancy a lean and hungry man standing before a substantial landlord,
trying to spell out a breakfast from his book in some such way as
this:

"Jeg vil Spise [I will eat]!"

"Ya, min Herr!" the landlord politely answers.

"Jeg vil Frokost [I will breakfast]!"

"Ya, min Herr;" and the landlord runs off into a perfect labyrinth of
birds, fish, eggs, beefsteak, hot cakes, and other luxuries, which the
inexperienced traveler is vainly attempting to follow up in his book.
In despair, he at length calls out,

"Ja! Ja!--that's all right! any thing you say, my fine old gentleman!"

At which the landlord scratches his head, for he doesn't understand
precisely what you have selected. Now you take your book, and explai