Up The Baltic; Or, Young America in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark

by Oliver Optic

  CHAPTER VIII.

  THE SIGHTS OF CHRISTIANIA AND OTHER MATTERS.

  As there was in Christiania much to be seen that needed explanation,the students were required to keep together, and several guides fromthe hotel were obtained, to conduct the party to the various objectsof interest in the city. A walk through some of the principal streetsbrought them to the new Parliament house, which is called the_Storthingsbyggningen_. It is a fine building, but with nothingremarkable about it. In the lower house, the students seatedthemselves in the chairs of the members, and Mr. Mapps took thespeaker's desk.

  "Christiania was founded in 1624, on the site of the ancient city ofOsloe, which was destroyed by fire. It is the residence of the kingduring his sojourn in Norway, and the new palace, which you saw on thehill, was completed for his use in 1848. The city, as you have seen,is regularly laid out, and the buildings are either of brick or stone.Formerly the dwellings were of wood, but the frequent fires caused theadoption of a law that no more wooden buildings should be erectedwithin the precincts of the city. The place has considerable commerce,and now contains nearly sixty thousand inhabitants.

  "A street here is called a _gade_, and you observe that the street andits name form one word, as Carl-Johansgade, or Charles John Street;Kongensgade, or King Street; Kirkegaden, or Church Street. The sameword is used in German.

  "The money of Norway is different from that of Sweden or Denmark. Thespecie dollar, which is generally called a 'specie,' is the unit, andcontains five marks of twenty-four skillings each. A specie, or_specie-daler_, as it is written, is worth about one dollar and eightcents of our money. It is near enough for our purpose to say that amark is twenty-two cents, and a skilling one cent. The coins incirculation are the mark, the two, the four, and the twelve skillingpiece. Species and half species are coined, but paper money isgenerally used for large sums, each denomination being printed on aparticular colored paper.

  "It is probable that the French system of weights and measures willsoon be introduced in Sweden and Norway; but now a Norwegian _pund_ isone and one tenth pounds avoirdupois; a _fod_ is twelve and twohundredths inches; and a _kande_ is three and three tenths pints."

  Mr. Mapps descended from the rostrum, and after the party had lookedat the chamber of the upper house, and other apartments, they walkedto the king's palace--the first royal dwelling which most of thestudents ever saw. They passed through the throne room, the courtsaloon, the dining room, and other rooms, and some of them concludedthat royalty was not half so splendid as they had supposed. But Norwayis a poor country compared with many others in Europe, and it is apity that she ever thought it necessary to spend a million and a halfof dollars in a weak attempt to imitate the grandeur of other realms.There was nothing in the palace to astonish even our youngrepublicans, though the rooms of the queen, on the first floor, werepretty and prettily furnished. The building, which is a great,overgrown structure, without symmetry or elegance, is in a beautifulsituation, and surrounded by pleasant grounds, well laid out, fromwhich a fine view of the city and fjord is obtained.

  Connected with the university are several museums and cabinets, whichare open to the public, and well worth a visit, though they do notcompare with those of the great cities of Europe. The party walkedthrough all these rooms, one of which contained a small collection ofnorthern antiquities. From the university the students went to a kindof garden, which is a weak imitation of "Tivoli," in Copenhagen,containing promenades, concert room, a small opera house, and adrinking saloon. The castle of Agershuus, on a hill at the southernside of the city, was next visited. Its guns command the harbor, andit is regarded as a place of great strength, for it has successfullyresisted several sieges. Climbing a long flight of steps, the partyreached the ramparts, which are laid out in walks, and are muchresorted to by the citizens, as they command a lovely view of thefjord and the surrounding country. A portion of the castle is used asa prison, and the convicts work in gangs about the premises.

  "This was Robin Hood's prison--wasn't it, Mr. Mapps?" asked Lincoln,who had an inquiring mind, after he had enjoyed the prospect from theramparts for a while.

  "I think not," replied the instructor. "Hoeyland, sometimes called theRobin Hood, but, I think, more properly the Baron Trenck, of Norway,was sentenced to imprisonment for life in this castle."

  "What for?" inquired Norwood.

  "For robbery and other crimes. Like Robin Hood and Mike Martin, herobbed the rich and gave to the poor, which none of you should believemakes the crime any less wicked; especially as he did not scruple touse violence in accomplishing his purpose. For some small theft he wasshut up in this prison; but while the overseer was at church, Hoeylandbroke into his room, stole some of his clothes, and quietly walked outof the castle and out of the town. He was recaptured, but repeatedlymade his escape. Though he was heavily ironed, this precaution wasfound to be useless, and he was placed in solitary confinement in thelowest room of the citadel, where he was kept securely for severalyears. One evening his jailer told him that he could never get out ofthis room, and that he might as well promise not to attempt such animpossible feat; but Hoeyland replied that it was the turnkey's duty tokeep him in prison if he could, and his to get out if it werepossible. The next day the prisoner was missing, and the means of hisescape were not at first apparent; but on further examination it wasfound that he had cut through the thick plank flooring of his cell,under the bed, and tunnelled under the wall into the yard of theprison. He had replaced the planks when he left, and passing over theramparts without difficulty, dropped into the ditch, and departedwithout bidding any one good by. All attempts to find him wereunsuccessful, and it was believed that he had left the country.

  "A year afterwards the National Bank of Norway was robbed of sixtythousand _specie-dalers_, in the most adroit and skilful manner, evenwithout leaving any marks of violence on the iron box in which themoney was kept. Not long after this occurrence, in the person of aprisoner who had been committed to the castle for a petty theft, theofficers recognized Hoeyland. He was considerate enough to inform theauthorities that his late escape had been effected, after three yearsof patient labor, with no other tool than a nail, while others slept.As a portion of his ill-gotten wealth was concealed in the mountains,he had the means of making friends in Christiania, where he had hiddenhimself. Making the acquaintance of the bank watchman, he cunninglyobtained wax impressions of the key-holes of the locks on themoney-chest, by which he made keys, opened the box, took the money,and locked it after him. But, like all other evil-doers, he came togrief at last. Though he was a skilful carver in wood and stone, hewas not allowed to have tools, of which he made a bad use, and he wascompelled to amuse himself by knitting socks on wooden pins. Unable toescape again, and not having the patience to exist without somethingto do, in utter despair he committed suicide in his prison."

  After the visit to the fortress, the boys were allowed to walk aboutthe city at their own pleasure; and a few of the officers went withMr. Lowington and the doctor to the establishment of Mr. Bennett, anEnglishman, who fitted out travellers intending to journey in theinterior with carioles and all the other requisites. His rooms werestored with books and Norwegian curiosities and antiquities. In thecourt-yard of the house was a large number of second-hand carioles,which are the sole vehicles used for crossing the country. Atraveller, wishing to go to Trondhjem or Bergen, would purchase thecariole in Christiania, and when he had done with it, dispose of it atthe other end of his route, horses between being supplied according tolaw at the post stations on the road. Travellers coming from Trondhjemor Bergen sell their vehicles to Mr. Bennett. In his rooms areminiature models of the cariole for sale, which visitors purchase asa memento of their tour; as those who climb Pilatus and Rhigi, inSwitzerland, buy an alpenstock on which are printed the names of themountains they have ascended with its help.

  The principal and his companions walked up to the Victoria Hotel, andinquired for Captain Kendall. He had just returned from a ride, andwhile the waiter
was taking Mr. Lowington's card to him, Peakspresented himself in the court-yard.

  "Can't find him, sir," said the boatswain, touching his hat.

  "He must be somewhere in the city."

  "This man has toted me all over the town, but we can't hear a word ofhim. He wore the uniform of the ship, and people can't tell onestudent from another."

  "I am confident he has not left the city."

  "Perhaps he has," replied Peaks, as the servant returned, followed byCaptain Kendall.

  "Have you lost anything or anybody?" asked Paul, laughing, after hehad saluted the principal.

  "Yes, we have lost a student; an English boy we shipped atChristiansand. Have you seen him?"

  "Yes, sir; his room is No. 32--next to mine," replied Paul, stilllaughing, as though he were much amused.

  He was much amused; and that others may sympathize with him, let thereader return to Clyde Blacklock, who had shut himself up in his roomto await the arrival of his mother. He had not been in the house tenminutes before he began to be impatient and disgusted with hisself-imposed confinement. He examined himself carefully in thelooking-glass, and was satisfied that his new clothes disguised himfrom his late shipmates, and also from those whom he had met on boardof the Orlando. Certainly they had wrought a very great change inhis appearance, and with the round-top hat on, which was entirelydifferent from anything he had worn before, even his mother would notrecognize him, unless they came near enough together to enable her toscrutinize his features. Of course none of the people from thesquadron would come to the hotel, and he had not yet been called uponto register his name.

  He unlocked his door, and went into the long entry which opened intothe court-yard. It was stupid to stay alone in his chamber. It wassome relief even to promenade the hall, for one so nervous as he wasat this time. If any of the Orlando's passengers came near him, hecould retreat into his room. He walked up and down several times, butthis soon became stale amusement.

  "Who's in the next room to mine?" he asked, as one of the waiterspassed him in his promenade.

  "Gentleman and lady from America, sir," replied the man; "an uncommonhandsome young woman, sir."

  Before the waiter could further express his opinion of the guests inNo. 31, Paul Kendall came out of the room, and, seeing the servant,ordered a carriage to be ready in half an hour.

  "Is there much to see in this place, sir?" asked Clyde, politely.

  "Not much, I think," replied Paul.

  "I dare say you are going into the interior, sir."

  "Not far."

  "There is fine fishing there," persisted Clyde.

  "So I am told; but I haven't much time to spend in such sport, and Iam afraid my wife would not enjoy it as well as I should. Do you go tothe interior?"

  "Yes, sir; I intend to do so when my mother and sister arrive. Mymother goes a-fishing with me."

  "Does she, indeed? You are from England, I suppose," added Paul, whosuspected that the young man was one of those lonesome travellerseager to make a friend, and actually suffering from the want of one.

  "Yes; Mockhill Manor, New Forest, Hampshire."

  "Are you travelling alone?" asked Paul, who was full of sympathy forthe apparent loneliness of the young man.

  "I am alone just now, but I expect my mother and sister fromChristiansand to-night," replied Clyde.

  "Can I do anything for you?" inquired Paul, who, after thisexplanation, did not regard the young gentleman's situation as sohopeless.

  In his own travels he had himself experienced that sense of lonelinesswhich is a decided misery, and had met others afflicted with it. Fromthe manner of Clyde, he concluded he had an attack of it, and hedesired to alleviate his sufferings; but if the young man's friendswere coming that night, his case could not be desperate.

  "No, sir; I don't know that you can. I thought, as your room is nextto mine, we might make it jolly for each other. You are an American,sir, the waiter says."

  "Yes, I am," laughed Paul.

  "But you don't talk through the nose."

  "Don't I? Well, I don't perceive that you do, either."

  "I'm not a Jonathan," protested Clyde. "I dare say you are a finegentleman, but I can't say that of all the Americans."

  "Can't you? Well, I'm sorry for them. Can you say it of all theEnglishmen?"

  "Yes, sir; I think I can of all we meet travelling. The Americans arebig bullies. I settled accounts with one of them this very day,"chuckled Clyde.

  "Ah! did you, indeed?"

  "I think some of them know what it is to bully and insult anEnglishman by this time," added Clyde, rubbing his hands, as hethought of poor Peaks, floundering in the waters of the Fjord."Perhaps you've heard of that American Academy ship that came intoChristiania to-day."

  "Yes, I have heard of her," answered Paul, curiously.

  "I saw her first at Christiansand, and went on board of her with mymother and sister. I liked the looks of her, and fancied the youngchaps on board of her were having a nice time. I wanted to ship inher, and I did so; but I was never among such a set of tyrants in thewhole course of my life."

  "Then you joined the ship," replied Paul, who had heard of the newaddition to the Young America's crew, but had not seen him.

  "I'm blamed if I didn't; but before my mother left the ship, a bigbully of a boatswain insulted me, and I changed my mind. Yet the headmaster persuaded my mother to let him keep me in the ship, and I'mblamed if she didn't leave me there."

  "Left you there," added Paul, when Clyde paused, apparently to givehis auditor the opportunity to express his sympathy for hisunfortunate situation.

  "Yes, sir; she left me there, and she won't hear the last of it forone year," replied Clyde, shaking his head. "It was a mean trick, andI'll pay her for it."

  "Probably she did it for the best," suggested Paul, disgusted with theassurance, and especially with the want of respect for his motherwhich the youth manifested, though he was anxious to hear theconclusion of his story.

  "I don't care what she did it for; it was a scurvy trick. I told herI wouldn't stay in the ship, any how, and she permitted the bigboatswain to hold me while she went ashore in a boat. But I knewmyself, if my mother didn't know me, and I determined not to stay inher three days; and I didn't," chuckled Clyde, as he thought of whathe called his own cleverness.

  "What did you do?" asked Paul, deeply interested.

  "I was willing to bide my time, and so I hauled sheets, and luffed,and tacked, and all that sort of thing, till we got to Christiania.When I was pulling the main boom, or something of that kind,--I don'tjust know what it was now,--one of the fellows in gold bands insultedme."

  "What did he say to you?"

  "He ordered me to be silent, and another nob did the same thing. Ioffered to fight them both, and I would have liked to show them whatan English boy's fist is made of; but the cowards set the boatswain onme again. I would have licked him if he had fought fair; but he caughtme foul, and I could do nothing. I meant to be even with that bigboatswain, and I think I am," said Clyde, rubbing his hands again withdelight, and laughing heartily when he thought of his brilliantachievement.

  "Well, what did you do?"

  "I just waited till the ship got to Christiania; and then, when allthe students were at dinner, I found the big boatswain sitting on abeam that runs out over the water--I forget what they call the beam,but it's at the bow of the ship."

  "The bowsprit," suggested Paul.

  "No; I know the bowsprit. It wasn't that. There was another beam likeit on the other side."

  "O, the cat-head!"

  "That's just it. Well, I went up to the big boatswain, and asked himto look at a ship,--or a 'mofferdite brig, he called it. He looked,and I just gave him a push, which dropped him off the cat's head intothe bay," continued Clyde, who told his story with many a chuckle andmany a laugh, seeming to enjoy it hugely himself, in spite of the wantof sympathy on the part of his listener.

  "You pushed him overboard!" exclaimed Paul.

&nb
sp; "That I did, and did it handsomely, too. He never knew what hurt himtill he struck the water. He swam for the bow, and I dropped into aboat, and came ashore. I saw him climb up to the deck, but I was outof his way then. Wasn't that cleverly done?"

  "Rather," replied Paul, concealing his indignation.

  "I think it was very cleverly done," added Clyde, annoyed at thecoolness of his companion. "You couldn't have done it better yourself,sir."

  "I don't think I could," replied Paul, dryly. "And you expect yourmother this evening."

  "Yes; and she shall take my name off the books of the ship."

  "Perhaps she will not."

  "O, but she will. Then the two nobs that insulted me on the ship shallhear from me."

  "What do you intend to do with them?"

  "I'll whip them both; if I don't my name isn't Clyde Blacklock!"

  "But they will take you back to the ship before your mother arrives."

  "I dare say they will, if they see me; but I don't intend to go out ofthe hotel till my mother comes. I shall stay in my room, or near it,the rest of the day."

  The conversation was interrupted by the appearance of Mrs. Kendall,who had been preparing for a ride about the city. Paul conducted herto the carriage, satisfied that the new scholar could be found whenwanted. During their excursion he told his wife the adventures ofClyde.

  "But what a simpleton he was to tell you these things!" added Grace.

  "He did not suspect me of knowing anything about the ship. He is oneof those fellows, who, having done what he regards as a good thing,cannot help boasting of it. He considers himself a first-class hero."

  When Paul returned from the ride, he found Clyde still walking aboutthe hall, as uneasy as a fish out of water.

  "Did you see anything of the Academy ship, sir?" asked he, after Mrs.Kendall had gone to her room.

  "I saw her at anchor in the harbor, and all her people are walkingabout the town," replied Paul.

  "I've kept clear of them so far; but I want to catch the two fellowswith the gold bands."

  "Perhaps some of them will catch you."

  "Not they! I'm too cunning for clumsy fellows like them."

  "I see you are," laughed Paul, amused at the assurance of the youngBriton.

  "If I see them, I'll settle the Alabama claims with them on my ownaccount. But you ought to have seen the big boatswain floundering inthe water, sir."

  "No doubt it was very funny."

  "It was, indeed," added Clyde, as the waiter appeared, and handed acard to Captain Kendall.

  "In the court yard, sir," said the servant; and Paul followed the manto the place where the visitors were waiting.

  Peaks, as dry, clean, and good-natured as ever, was talking to Mr.Lowington. Paul could not help laughing as he thought of theconfidence which Clyde had reposed in him, and that the fugitive hadvoluntarily, and without any precautions, told his adventures to onewho really belonged to the fleet.

  "He has told me all about it," said Paul.

  "Told you?" exclaimed Mr. Lowington.

  "Yes, sir; how he pushed Peaks overboard, and then ran away," laughedPaul. "I don't often wear my uniform on shore, for my wife thinks itattracts too much attention; so that he did not suspect me of anyconnection with the fleet."

  "But where is he now?" asked the principal.

  "I left him in the hall only a moment since."

  "Show me his room, my hearty," said Peaks to the waiter.

  "Call a carriage," added Mr. Lowington. "He will make a disturbance inthe streets."

  The servant led the way to the room of Clyde, followed by the rest ofthe party. All were rather anxious to see the clever Briton, who haddone such wonders of valor and cunning, captured.

  But Clyde had a pair of eyes, and, withal, a pair of ears. Fromthe hall where he promenaded were several doors opening into thecourt-yard. Perhaps the youth had a Yankee's curiosity to see whocalled upon his new acquaintance, and he went to one of these doors.He saw Paul walk up to the principal, and shake hands with him. Therewas the big boatswain too, and there were two of the nobs with thegold bands. It was evident enough to Clyde, then, that he had made ablunder in relating his exploits to a stranger. But the battle was notlost yet. His chamber was on the ground floor, and had a window whichopened into Dronningensgaden. Without losing another instant, heopened the window, and dropped out into the street. He did not evenwait to take the bundle which contained his ship's uniform.

  When Peaks entered the chamber, the bird had flown, and the openwindow indicated the means by which he had escaped; but Clyde hadseveral minutes the start of his pursuers, and had made good use ofhis time. The boatswain dropped out of the window, followed by Norwoodand Lincoln, while the principal and the doctor went round by thedoors as the more dignified means of egress. Peaks went one way, andthe two lieutenants the other way.

  Clyde, fearful that haste might look suspicious, walked a shortdistance, till he came to a building on which was a sign, _Hotel duNord_, and which appeared to be under repairs. He stepped in at theopen door, and went up stairs. Men were at work in some of the rooms;but he avoided them, and appeared to be looking over the building. Atlast he came to an open window on the street from which he hadentered. He looked out, and in the distance saw his pursuers runningrapidly in opposite directions. After he had remained in the hotelabout an hour, he ventured to leave, and walked very cautiously up thestreet. Feeling the need of an overcoat, he entered a store, andpurchased one, which still further disguised him, so that if he metany of his late shipmates, they would be still less likely torecognize him. He walked till he came to a carriage stand; where,entering a vehicle, he pointed in the direction he wished to go, whichwas towards the king's palace. When the driver stopped at the gate, hepointed towards the hills in the rear of the city. The Norwegianlooked astonished, and could not understand him.

  "I want to go out of town."

  The driver drove his horse to the other side of the street, and haileda short, stout man, who was passing at the time.

  "Do you want a guide, sir?" asked the stranger.

  "Yes," promptly replied Clyde.

  "Where do wish to go?"

  "Over there," replied Clyde, pointing again in the direction he wishedto go.

  "To Sandviken?"

  "Yes; that's the place," added the youth, who did not care where hewent, if he could only get out of the city.

  "It is more than eight miles," suggested the guide.

  "I don't care if it is eighty; that's where I want to go. Are you a_commissionaire_?"

  "Yes. I belong to the Victoria Hotel."

  "All right; jump in."

  The man made a bargain with the driver, and in a few moments Clyde wason his way to Sandviken, confident that he had escaped any furtherpursuit. He had already come to the conclusion not to see his motheruntil after the Young America had left Christiania.

  In the mean time, Peaks had given up the chase. Paul assured theprincipal that Clyde would come back as soon as his mother arrived.Mr. Lowington did not care to have the new scholar see his motheragain if he was to be a student in the Academy; but as Clyde could notbe found, there appeared to be no alternative.

  In a couple of hours, the fugitive reached Sandviken, where heinformed his astonished guide that he intended to proceed toChristiansand by land. His courier was willing to go with him so longas he was paid; and as Clyde had plenty of money, and disbursed itfreely, there was no difficulty. Though the next day was Sunday, theyoung traveller continued his journey, and on Monday afternoon arrivedat Apalstoe, at the head of one of the inland lakes, where he intendedto sleep; but the station-house was full. Clyde was tired, and did notfeel like going any farther. While he was sending his courier to lookup a bed for him, about a dozen boys wearing the uniform of theAcademy ship flashed upon his view. He was astonished and alarmed. Hesuspected that this party had been sent to the interior to head himoff. He was determined not to be an easy victim.

  One of the party had a good-sized sal
mon in his hand, which indicatedthat they had been a-fishing.

  They took no notice of him, though they could not help seeing him, andClyde took courage from this circumstance.

  The fishing squad was composed of the crew of the second cutter--theunfortunates who had been run down by the steamer.