They have not been in possession of the estate many years;
and their predecessor lived near the town, introducing a degree of
profligacy of manners which has been ruinous to the inhabitants in
every respect, their fortunes not being equal to the prevailing
extravagance.
What little I have seen of the manners of the people does not please
me so well as those of Tonsberg. I am forewarned that I shall find
them still more cunning and fraudulent as I advance towards the
westward, in proportion as traffic takes place of agriculture, for
their towns are built on naked rocks, the streets are narrow
bridges, and the inhabitants are all seafaring men, or owners of
ships, who keep shops.
The inn I was at in Laurvig this journey was not the same that I was
at before. It is a good one - the people civil, and the
accommodations decent. They seem to be better provided in Sweden;
but in justice I ought to add that they charge more extravagantly.
My bill at Tonsberg was also much higher than I had paid in Sweden,
and much higher than it ought to have been where provision is so
cheap. Indeed, they seem to consider foreigners as strangers whom
they shall never see again, and may fairly pluck. And the
inhabitants of the western coast, isolated, as it were, regard those
of the east almost as strangers. Each town in that quarter seems to
be a great family, suspicious of every other, allowing none to cheat
them but themselves; and, right or wrong, they support one another
in the face of justice.
On this journey I was fortunate enough to have one companion with
more enlarged views than the generality of his countrymen, who spoke
English tolerably.
I was informed that we might still advance a mile and a quarter in
our cabrioles; afterwards there was no choice, but of a single horse
and wretched path, or a boat, the usual mode of travelling.
We therefore sent our baggage forward in the boat, and followed
rather slowly, for the road was rocky and sandy. We passed,
however, through several beech groves, which still delighted me by
the freshness of their light green foliage, and the elegance of
their assemblage, forming retreats to veil without obscuring the
sun.
I was surprised, at approaching the water, to find a little cluster
of houses pleasantly situated, and an excellent inn. I could have
wished to have remained there all night; but as the wind was fair,
and the evening fine, I was afraid to trust to the wind - the
uncertain wind of to-morrow. We therefore left Helgeraac
immediately with the declining sun.
