The morning was windy, Noah’s tent was almost blown over. Our breakfast consisted of tea and bread and butter. Esmeralda was not well; Zachariah was still afflicted with a churie (gip., shut-knife) monomania. Two days’ inactivity, and extra good living, was evidently plunging our gipsies, into the depths of biliousness. It was in vain we had dosed Zachariah with brimstone and treacle, until he was a qualified inmate for Dotheboys’ Hall, and a fortnight with Wackford Squeers, would have done him an immense amount of good. Noah was always lively. A few hours’ rapid movement would restore all.
With all their waywardness, and restlessness of spirit, we had the elements for rapid action, and a physical energy, with which to push through any obstacle. Veblungsnœs, it was determined, should be our Ultima Thule, and striking our tents on Monday morning, we should seek new scenes in the wild Norwegian fjelds. Still wandering south--still on our homewards route, our little band of hardy nomads, would have to brace themselves to fresh exertion. What a vast expanse of mountain, glen and forest lay before us, which we must traverse, before we again reached the sea.
At half-past nine o’clock Esmeralda was ready to accompany me to Veblungsnœs. She looked well in her blue dress, plaid braid, and silver buttons, and her heavy boots were blacked and shining, specially for the visit. As we entered the avenue of trees all was quiet and repose. A Sunday in England could not have been more calm, and free from busy turmoil and bustle. The town of Veblungsnœs seemed to have a perpetual Sunday, for it was the same on week days; there was nothing dull, or dreary about the place, yet there was nothing to see in it; it possessed an indefinable charm, arising out of its attempt at nothing. We left it as we found it, to be remembered with pleasure.
Esmeralda had been promised to see the telegraphic apparatus. Our word to our gipsies was always relied upon by them; if it was said to them, it was done. Mr. L. was ready to receive us, and the apparatus was explained, and Esmeralda was electrified. With a present of a quantity of strawberries from Mr. L. she departed for our camp, whilst Mr. L. arranged for our departure in a boat to see the “Heen Kirke,” on the Isfjord.