them seemed surprised that a
Californian should be traveling through a distant land like Norway
merely for amusement, and few seemed to be entirely satisfied when I
assured them, in answer to their questions, that I was not very rich;
that I was neither a merchant, nor a speculator, nor the owner of gold
mines, but simply an indifferent artist making sketches of their
country for pastime. French, German, and English artists they could
believe in, for they saw plenty of them in the wilds of Norway every
summer; but what use would such a poor business be in California, they
said, where every man could make a thousand dollars a day digging for
gold? I even fancied they looked at my rough and dusty costume as if
they thought it concealed a glittering uniform, such as the rich men
of my country must naturally wear when they go abroad to visit foreign
lands. It was impossible to convince them that I was not extravagantly
wealthy. On any other point there might be room for doubt, but the
pertinacity with which they insisted upon that afforded me much
amusement; and since I could not dispel the illusion, it generally
cost me a few extra shillings when I had any thing to pay to avoid the
stigma of meanness. Not that my extraordinary wealth ever gave them a
plea for imposition or extortion. Such an idea never entered their
heads. On the contrary, their main purpose seemed to be to show every
possible kindness to the distinguished stranger; and more than once,
at some of the post-stations, I had to remind them of things which
they had omitted in the charge. For this very reason I was in a
measure compelled to be rather more profuse than travelers usually
are, so that the state from which I have the honor to hail owes me a
considerable amount of money by this time for the handsome manner in
which I have sustained its reputation. At some of the stopping-places
on the road, where I obtained lodgings for the night, it was not
uncommon to find intelligent and educated families of cultivated
manners. Education of late years has made considerable progress in
Norway; and the rising generation, owing to the facilities afforded by
the excellent school system established throughout the country, but
especially in the principal towns, will not be in any respect behind
the times, so far as regards intellectual progress. It is the
simplicity and honesty of these good people, however, that form their
principal and most charming characteristic. To