Diary of Caroline Sophie Marie Frederikke Nicoline v. Moth Klee
Caroline Moth-Klee’s Diary of an adventurous 1840 vacation in Norway with her husband Frederik Alexander Klee, Frederik’s mother, and other relatives, 1840
In 1840, the year of the Norwegian vacation, Caroline v Moth Klee turned 28 and Frederik Klee turned 34 . We don't have pictures of either of them from that time, so I'm inserting a photo from a time when they were obviously a good deal older.
The original diary was copied by Joergen Bang, MD (Senior). and his wife, Kamma, and recently translated into English by Jill Klee, 2006 . The many names of people and places mentioned are difficult to follow, so I don't recommend trying to remember them all. The text also seems to be a bit contradictory in a few places. In some instances I let the contradictions remain, rather than risk adding to the inaccuracies.
Introduction: Caroline Klee’s Diary describes her 1840 journey in Norway in the company of her husband Frederik AG Klee and his mother, Elisabeth Fabritius Klee. The diary previously belonged to Mrs. Elise Klee Bang, (wife of Bernhard Bang) when they lived in the Landbohøyskole in Copenhagen. Elise was the daughter of the Diary's author.
On the first page there is a note from the original “translators” Jørgen and Kamma Bang, with their remarks regarding a number of the people who are named in the diary. They have inserted page numbers at intervals corresponding to the pages in the diary.
Who are the major family members mentioned on the trip?
Caroline Sophie Frederikke Marie Nicoline Klee born Moth (1812 - 1884) was married 8th July 1837 in “Frederiks Church” in Copenhagen (which is now, since 1901, called Christian’s church) to Frederik Alexander Gottlieb Klee (1808 - 1864). Frederik Klee was a Councellor, Bachelor of Laws, head of the audit department of the Post Office.
“Mother” in the letters is Frederik Klee’s mother: Anna Elisabeth Fabritius Klee , (married) Major Heinrich Gottlieb Klee. {Wilhelm and Rikke Fabritius are the children of Urban Wohlert Fabritius (brother of Anna Elisabeth Klee and? ?Keilau).Karen, Frederikke, Hans and Lauritz Fabritius are the children of Urban Wohlert Fabritius and? Ingier (daughter of Fru Ingier of Maastad and the sister of Fru Bugge). The families Borchsenius and Stenersen are descendants of Catherine Elizabeth Fabritius m. Rath, aunt of Anna Elizabeth f. m. Klee and Urban Wohlert Fabricius.} I think this part of the genealogy is contradictory and confusing, but I don't have the necessary information to correct it. GDKlee
Ida R b. Hagerup is the daughter of Ulrikke Hagerup (b. Steffens and sister of Prof.Heinrich Steffens (their grandmother was born Bang) and Casper Peter Hagerup, who was on the Town Council and who later became a judge in Hedemarken in Norway.
Caroline doesn’t explain why they took the trip at that time. At first I surmised that it was an unusual honeymoon trip, but my guess was wrong, because Caroline and Frederik had been married three years earlier on July 8, 1837. So this trip simply looks like a family adventure. Norway was far more rustic and picturesque than Denmark in those days. Norway had been under Danish rule for hundreds of years, but broke away around the turn of the 19th century. Norway formed a union with Sweden about 25 years before this trip. The reader will be able to tell that despite the political separation, there were still many strong personal ties between the Danes and Norwegians.
They traveled with a small group that included Frederik’s mother, Anna Elisabeth Fabritius Klee and visited many Norwegians along the way. Frederik was 31 years old at the time and Caroline turned 28 on July 14 of that year. Part of the time, the group included Frederik’s cousins (on his mother’s side) Vilhelm and Rikke Fabritius, who apparently lived in Norway. The trip seems to have lasted over three weeks. It began on June 12. Her last diary entry (that we have) was on July 1, while they were still in Norway.
Gerald D'Arcy Klee, Webmaster
_____________________________________________________
Caroline’s Diary:
We boarded Prinds (Prince) Carl on June 12th in fine weather. There were about 30 passengers. The journey to Helsingør went very well. We spent most of the time on deck, walking and enjoying ourselves with the view of the lovely Danish coast. When we came out into the Kattegat the current and the lurching of the ship increased. Most of the passengers were by now seasick and were lying around in the saloon. I went down to the cabin and was once again sea-sick when I reached it. I lay down in the berth and there I stayed until it stopped again. Next morning at 12 o'clock we reached Gothenborg where the Prinds Carl lay to for about 2 hours, during which time we went on land on a little steam boat called Vadmanl, together with several other passengers, and we used the time so well that we were able to see several of the roads in the town, which were straight and pretty. We went into the Cathedral, which was very beautiful, in marble with gilded hearts and we saw the very beautiful chapel which lay at the foot of a high hill. By the way, the Swedish coast is very naked. We came back to the Prinds Carl in time, and then ate dinner at the “table d'hote” which was very enjoyable, among our fellow passengers were the Chancellor of State Gjerløv, the Danish General Consul in Christiania with 2 daughters, lovely girls, we talked a lot with them. Their father had traveled a great deal, and was very lively and entertaining but very quick-tempered. There was also a German family and a Mrs. Fibiger from Copenhagen with 6 children. After the meal we stayed on deck. In the course of the evening we reached the North Sea (or Skagerak as they call it) when it began to blow very hard. Klee and I stood far forward and looked at the white foam around the steamer and talked a bit to the mate, Lieut. Falsen, who said that we would reach Fredricksvaern early next morning. That is where we must leave Prinds Carl, which did not sail any further, and go on board the Constitution. We didn't like this very much, as we had been told that it wasn't as nice on the latter ship. It was then so cold that we couldn't stay on the deck. We went into the saloon, where most of the people lay and vomited; not a very nice sight. I had a cup of tea together with mother - it was nasty, and later made me very ill. I got down to my berth but first had to "pay tribute to Neptune". I lay with all my clothes on because I was afraid that we would have to leave the ship so early next morning that I would not be able to put them on. I was rocked terribly hard and heard the waves splash against the bunk. By the way I was alone in the ladies' cabin, as all the others had avoided it because of the dreadful movement. Mother sat in a chair in the saloon all night; Trine Møller was also there. Klee was in the Gentleman's Cabin for a couple of hours, but got up early and went onto the deck, where I met him together with a few other passengers. It was very cold and rough.
At about 6 o'clock we reached Fredricksvaerk, where we had to leave the Prinds Carl with all our belongings. When we got on board Constitution we met a number of passengers there who had come from Christianssand. It was not at all comfortable in the cabins so we couldn't stay for any length of time, but we got together in a corner of the saloon with our lunch basket, where we stole the time to enjoy a bit of lunch, not that it was really forbidden, but it made us uncomfortable to let others seeing us eating. Afterwards we sat up on the deck to catch the first glimpse of Norway as we were sailing up one of the fjords.
The first we saw were many huge granite boulders on both sides, completely naked, known as the Skjaer. These didn't give us a very pleasant impression of what we were to see in Norway, but as we gradually moved forward along the fjord it looked more beautiful. There was now color in the granite hills and they became higher. We passed many small towns along the fjord, and from these places more passengers came aboard. I will name some of the places as well as I can remember them: Larvig, Sand, Val1ön with its salt-work, which lay out in the Fjord Holmestrand, Horton, {in both these places there were very beautiful, very high hills, at least we thought that they were, with very lovely vegetation) Moss and Dröbaeck. In Moss we took more passengers on board, among them a Miss Heiberg, who was from mother's family, who came with a Consul Burchard who wanted to collect his two daughters who had been with us on the Steamer from Kjøbh. We talked to her and they ate at the table d'hote. There were a lot of Englishmen aboard; one of them was even polite enough to let the ladies go first when they sat in front of him. The last place we stopped at was Dröbaeck, where Miss Heiberg and her company left the ship. From there we went on to Christiania. The whole way was extremely lovely. When we approached Christiania we saw many lovely summer houses which were placed up on the hills, called Løkker. A new castle which is being built in the town itself also looks very nice from out in the fjord -- the town lies around the end of the fjord. The old fortress, Agershus, which was built by Christian the Fourth, lies on the north side of the part of the city where the newest buildings are to be found. About 7 on Saturday evening we arrived in Christiania. Boats arrived to carry the passengers onto the land.
The luggage came later and we had to spend the first 1/2 hour in the Customs house. The Toldvaesenet (Customs) is much stricter here -- every innocent bag or box has to be looked through before you get permission to take them into the country. In our case a couple of boxes and bags, which mother had brought with her, delayed us, so we saw Vilhelm F. lying in a boat and waiting until we could come into it, because you couldn't come up onto the steam ship by yourself.
After we said a friendly farewell to most of the passengers we went down into the boat, where Vilhelm was obviously very happy to meet us. On the quay there was Pastor Stenersen with his wife, who had come in from the country, and Professor Bugge, with whom we were to stay. We were welcomed kindly, and we went all together to Bugge's house, or rather the Latin School where he lived, which was very close to the Customs House. We didn't look neat enough to make our appearance in the town -- the wind had curled our hair and the sun burnt our faces so we looked like mulattos, which was actually the case. Mrs. Bugge was not there, as we had already been told, but there was a Miss Hausmann in the house. She was the housekeeper, and she helped us with our clothes, after which we all met at an oval table in front of a sofa and drank tea, and told about our fate with the steam boat. Our clothes should now be examined in the Customs House. Klee then took the keys and Professor Bugge was kind enough to accompany him to make sure that there was nothing to be inspected too closely. We did not have any real contraband apart from a couple of porcelain dolls; but it was exactly these that the customs officer had found. But luckily he thought that he had torn one of them, which wasn't the case, and therefore we got them back without any trouble. In Trine's case there were a pair of old family portraits, which they had also been nasty about, as the frames were new, but in the end everything was alright and when the Professor and Klee came back we laughed at their stories. Later the Professor's brother arrived. He was Rector in Trondhjem but had lived for a couple of years in Christiania. He was a very amusing man. In the evening we ate sandwiches and drank red-currant wine -- our host was extremely obliging. We went to bed early, as they thought we were tired, which was quite true. Mother, Trine and I lay upstairs in a very large room, and Klee was downstairs.
Trine and I slept together and slept quite wonderfully that night. Next morning we were given tea and coffee in our room and then we put on our best clothes, of silk and with flowers on our cloaks, as we were going calling. Trine Stenersen arrived at 11 o'clock and we went visiting. The first place was to the Head of Bureau Borchsenius, who had a very beautiful wife, who was unfortunately always sick. We were treated to chocolate and cakes, but we didn't see their children as the older girl was at school and the younger at her grandparents in Plogstad and their little son was at the Stenersens. The 2nd visit was to an artist, Helms and his daughter, who was married to one of the Ingier's -- Vilhelm's stepmother -- Mrs. Bugge's brother. Here we agreed that the wife was very neat and the husband extremely friendly. We were given jam and cake, which was probably home-baked and to me didn't taste very nice.
The visits took up all the morning until we had to eat lunch at exactly 2 o'clock for the sake of the Professor, as he was a very punctual and diligent man. He is the Chancellor of the Latin school, which is an old building with extremely large rooms, like those in an old castle -- from our rooms there was a splendid view of Egeberg Bagge (Hill?) on the other side of the fjord. After dinner, which was made up of sweet soup and roast veal with potatoes, which here are still very good, we went out again with Trine Stenersen and Vilhelm. We now walked on the Aggerhus ramparts which really look a bit like our Castelsvoldand. From there the view over the town and the nearby fells was splendid. We also went onto the inner ramparts of the castle, and looked out through the cage in which the Norwegian master-thief Ole Høiland had been confined -- but he broke out, actually by digging himself under the ground. We also went down into the underground chamber, which could be used if there should be a siege. From there we went to Stenersen's lodgings, where we drank tea and rested a bit, as we were so tired from walking on the pavements, and then we went home to the Bugges and had supper. No-one was there but Vilhelm.
Next morning at about one o'clock (it was Tuesday the 16th of June) we went to Plogstad, after we had eaten lunch and drunk chocolate. When we left, Bugge was extremely friendly and invited us to stay with him again when we came back to Christiania. We all four of us sat together in a chaise and Vilhelm and the coachman, and at times Klee, for most of the time sat on top of the baggage. There were constantly back streets which went up and down, naturally higher than I had ever seen before. Even before we started I felt very afraid of the drive, but when I saw that the horses were so steady and the coach was equipped so that it could get up the steepest places, having a fork under the coach, my fears completely disappeared. And the joy at seeing the beautiful countryside was all that was left. Especially the first part of it was extremely beautiful - we saw the long fjord in the background and later we came to the second small river and past an island in another. We stopped to eat twice on our way -- the first time we ate bread and butter which we had taken with us, together with wine and milk. At the second place (we) met Klee's cousin Rikke and a Miss Thalia Heide, a niece of an elderly housekeeper of Plogstad called Miss Heide, they were in a gig rather like ours but lower, in which Klee and I were driven the rest of the way, which was not very far. The distance between Christiania and Plogstad was about 5 Danish miles. Finally we reached our goal, Plogstad, which is a very lovely place, which I will describe later. First I will tell you about the people. On the steps in front where the carriage stopped there were strewed yellow flowers and branches, something that they do here, and all of the servants from the house stood there to welcome us in the most beautiful way. It would be natural that they would be happy to see all the others, but even I, as a stranger, was welcomed such that I truly felt that that I was at home; I was at once called "Du" ("you" as a close member of the family) and by my given name, without my having to ask them to do so. The Chancellor kissed me when he met and said that I looked very much like his darling Christine Ingier, which is something others have told me. This naturally made me happy for it meant that I could flatter myself that I was a favorite of his. He was not tall or fat, with an intelligent and at the same time sincere expression in his clear eyes, quite grey-haired but still very quick and vigorous. I think he is about 66 years old. His manners were indescribably charming towards everybody, and also amusing; he makes me think of the old patriarchs when I look at him. His wife, Mrs. Borchenius, is a small but very nice person who is very weak, and one who in just these days had a cold, but she had got up to greet us. She has an intelligent face and is very conversable, very refined and has read a lot. In every way she is an extremely thoughtful and rational wife. The housekeeper is an old, but very good-natured, cheerful and quick person. Her name is Heide. Her niece is visiting at this time, a not very young, but a quite nice girl. Miss Schumacher, the Counsellor's niece, is not very pretty but quite good-natured. And now comes the best at last -- Rikke, Vilhelm's sister, she is an extremely charming girl, 25 years old, cheerfulness and liveliness itself, an open face with gentle blue eyes rather like Gyrithe Monrad but somewhat bigger. She is also very good in the house. Miss Heide, Schumacher and this Rikke take turns with the housekeeping. There are also the 2 clerks, the one of them, Christoffersen, is fat and big and cheerful; the other, Erlandsen is a very small and quiet person. When we arrived we first drank tea and sat and became acquainted. There was a Captain Ingier, a cheerful man. When we arrived he found out that I looked like his sister. In the evening we had roast veal and afterwards pudding and drank wine. Mrs. B. was obliged to go to bed, but the Counsellor was a very kindly host. I sat between Klee and Captain Ingier.
Wednesday 17th June. Klee and I have been given a very fine bedroom. It was covered with wood inside, alternate boards were painted red and white. The bedroom contained one large bed with terrible celadon-green chintz around a white carpet. The washstand was a large, pretty bedside table with a round mirror on top, white curtains made of broad-striped damask, which were in two pairs of curtains, and apart from these 4 nice tabourets. We slept extremely well here, Mother and Trine slept on the floor above, each in her bed with a white curtain.
On the next morning we went straight into the lounge and drank tea or coffee, dressed in traveling clothes, as our clothes did not arrive until later. When they arrived we changed clothes and ate lunch and then walked round the garden, which was beautifully shadowed. There was a skittle alley, a seesaw or balancing pole to walk on, but I found that I was still very clumsy. It rained so we sat and sewed a bit in the lounge and ate lunch at 2 o'clock; towards evening we went for a very short walk as it was very windy and then ate the evening meal and went to bed at 11 o'clock.
Thursday 18 June. It was beautiful weather. After we got up, Vilhelm, Frederik, Trine and I walked on Oxenfjeld -- it was a lovely place. It was strange for us Danes to see these huge grey stones with fir trees on them and to walk on the rocky ground. In the afternoon we had a visit from Maastad, consisting of Vilhelm's stepmother with her 4 children, 2 older girls, Karen and Frederikke, and 2 nice small boys, Hans and Laurenzius. Karen is the oldest, she was been brought up by her grandmother, Mrs. Ingier at Maastad, and has apparently received a good education. She is a bit taller than I am, but has a beautiful figure and a lovely face. All are good-natured, she is engaged to a theological Candidate, Essendrop, an extremely ugly person, but he is said to be good and kind, as they tell me. Frederikke, the youngest, is a lot smaller than her sister but really beautiful, with a very white skin and lovely color. We immediately became "dus" (friends). The mother
was also friendly but looked old and was not very pretty. When we had taken tea all the younger people went out into a nearby wood called Harpelløkke where there were balancing poles and a swing-board, which anyone who wished could be swung round at a gallop. Frederik and Rikke were the smartest. Afterwards we others played different games, which were very enjoyable, and then we went home to Plogstad, where supper awaited us. That evening we had some delicious lobster, fish-cakes and baked mackerel, all cold, with bread and butter, and we drank punch. After the meal we went up to the large drawing room, which is 5 windows long and 2 across each end. There were sofas and mirrors and marble consoles, not to mention a large table and a big, lovely chandelier. The younger Miss Heide and Rikke sang a few songs -- both had really lovely voices, and then we waltzed round a bit and the other visitors left shortly after 11 o'clock.
Friday 19th. After we had taken tea Klee, Rikke and I went for a walk, the first we saw were the 4 horses which were out grazing and which were so tame that they ran after Rikke as she usually brought them bread; then we went into the woods and sat down between the trees and had a serious talk about Rikke's earlier life, which revealed that behind her happy facade she hid a sad soul. We did not get back before 10 o'clock which was the usual lunch time. Afterwards we met in the drawing room with our work-clothes. I sewed a bobbinet under-collar. Mrs. Borchsenius is now on her feet and walking around in the house and a little in the garden. Afterwards Klee, Vilhelm, Rikke and I played skittles. I have never played this before, so I was not very good at it, but sometimes I was able (by luck) to knock over 5, and that was a fine thing. After having tea at a bout 6 o'clock all of the younger people went for a lovely walk to Ranbydalen. From there you could see the mountains all along one side. They looked very high to me; Klee went up to the highest parts. Afterwards we went home, where there waited porridge (this was the first time we were served this) and there was barley porridge which we dipped in cream. That evening one of the office clerks came in. He was called Bohn and was just back from a business trip. He was a very fat man, and not very handsome. We were now 12 at the table. At about 11 o'clock we went to bed. It was surprising how light it was here; by the time we got to bed we could still see everything we needed to, and at this time of the year it is never darker at night.
Saturday 20th. After tea and breakfast, Trine, Thalia, Heide, Vilhelm, who during the previous night had been hunting and shot 2 hares, together with Klee and me, went down to a very small brook to find some fish, called trout.. Klee could only catch one of them, and the rest of us couldn't catch any. Trine Møller and I had luckily taken books with us, and managed to do some reading. In the afternoon, while all the others slept, Klee and I walked the short way into Oxxenfjaeld, but met a bull on the way which roared so terribly loud that it made me so frightened that I sat on the other side of a fence until I could come down from the back so it couldn't see me. Klee had with him a big whip in case the bull tried to come. When this adventure was happily over we went home for coffee, and as it had begun to rain we took turns at reading a book (Henriette Temple, translated from English). Mrs. B reads very well. I also found time to draw a border for a band, which I intend to embroider. The rain stopped later in the evening and we went for a long walk. When we got back there was again porridge, this time with wheat.
Sunday 21st. We were all wearing our best clothes to go to church, to Ollensager church, which is about 1 mile away (English). There had been heavy rain during the night, but now it seemed to be better. (Here are another 2 people who lived in the house, who I haven't described, the sister of the Councillor, an almost 80-year old woman, Mrs. Lassen, who was apoplectic and was only able to lie down or sit, but who has all her facilities intact. She is a happy and kind soul, who is very happy when people visit her. She has a little room upstairs, and everyone calls her Mother Lassen. The other one is quite the opposite; she is a sweet 6-year old girl Rikke Borchsenius, a daughter of the Councillor, she is clever and, like everyone here, very kind). I only wish that we could stay here longer, it's so nice. The journey to the church ran smoothly, we filled 2 full carriages. Klee drove one of them and the other was a mail coach. It was quite a long way to go. The church was built of wood, with a pointed tower, painted red on the outside but with naked planks inside. Mrs. B. was with us in the church. I find her more and more beautiful. Essendrop gave the lesson and it was very easy to follow and good. The B’s had a pew at an angle to the pulpit. Rikke's parents are buried in the churchyard in Ollensager, and she had brought 2 wreaths to put on their graves, and was very affected. When we got home we met a strange man, a Birch from Christiania, a young, very handsome person as they would say in Danish. The men played skittles after the meal. We only got "rødgrød" (a kind of thickened red fruit juice); it tasted very nice. On Sundays they drank wine at lunchtime and did not eat rødgrød in the evening. This is a change from the daily way of life -- we had some lovely fish, chopped fish, such as mackerel, salmon and a nice fish called sej (coalfish), which tasted rather like whiting. The Head of Office's little son, Lauritz, who was in the Stenersen's house and is 10 years old, came with another 12-year-old boy to visit on Sunday morning, together with a Miss Mathilde Lassen, Moer Lassen's daughter. The weather was very nice so we spent most of our time in the garden where we swung and balanced -- the see-saw was made so that 2 people could sit behind each other. There was also a pair of stilts, which the cleverest could walk on. I was not among them, because they were very tall. Vilhelm was even able to dance Hamborger (???? a dance ????) on the stilts. (Today he has strained his leg so he has had to lie quietly). Later in the evening we went up into the big saloon and both the two song-birds, Rikke and Thalia, sang, and Mr. Birch also did a bit of singing. After the evening meal Birch left with his little Cariol, and Miss Lassen also excused herself.
Monday 22th June. There was fine weather in the morning, and at about 12 o'clock the young people, together with Mother and Mrs. B. (who by the way has great problems walking) all went down the road to Uranienborg, a place close to Plogstad, which the Councillor had himself built for his son the Head of the Office, but which now was used by the principal. This is higher than Plogstad, so the view was much more beautiful, but the rooms are smaller and not painted. The garden was lovely with a lot of good fruit trees. On our way home it began to rain so I ran ahead towards home, as I was wearing thin shoes, and was happy to arrive fit and well. The others arrived before the rain got worse, but in the afternoon it increased.
We should have visited Mrs. Ingier in Maastad in the afternoon, but we sent our respects, and the rains had got worse. After coffee Mrs. B. suggested that we should play lotto to amuse the young boys who had to go home early in the evening. Both Trine and I were afraid, but it worked out better than I had expected -- it was far more amusing than our lotto game. You had to play for higher amounts both with both cards and dice. I finished with a prize of 20 Norwegian skilling -- maybe it was this that made me reconcile myself to the game. Lensman (lord lieutenant) Bøhn, one of Mrs. Lassen's sons-in-law, arrived at tea-time. He was a cheerful man (as they say here). The Councillor has not been very well in these days, and he is therefore rather quiet. You see a lot of poor people here, they look far more wretched than those we see, and the Councillor never lets any of them leave without at least giving them something to eat. The people who live here tell us that they are much better off than most others, but in general their food is not very good, with less meat than we have. The servants here are all very friendly, but it is very amusing to hear them speak. They mostly have a singing speech and when they are talking quickly it isn't possible to understand them, especially Budeien or the milk-maid. She asked me yesterday whether our babies suckled like those which are called ducklings here (I have found it difficult to find out just what she means!!). And the coachman told us on the road from Christiania that we must think that we were in another world, when we praised the country-side.
Tuesday 23rd. In the morning the weather was cold and rather rainy, so we didn't go out. We went over to see the loom, where the maid had a tablecloth in damask pattern, with very lovely rosettes, that looked very artificial. The pattern was one of Rikke's -- she knows a lot about all sorts of domestic duties. I just wish that she was happier. In the afternoon we went to see Maarstad; Mrs. B. was with us together with her granddaughter the little Frederikke and Vilhelm and Rikke. We took the chaise and one gig. It was about 4 miles away; the road was really lovely. The farm, which belonged to Mrs. Ingier, the mother of Vilhelm's stepmother and Mrs. Bugge, is an old-fashioned building with an outside gallery, which was very useful especially when it rains, because it was possible to take the air without getting wet. The rooms were papered and the outside walls were painted white. Close to it there was another new building which belonged to Captain Ingier, the son of the old lady; this was very lovely, with lofty rooms, which were as yet neither painted inside or outside. The staircase and the floors, on the other hand, were painted, and the first was very elegant. Upstairs there are 2 rooms, which had been used twice by the Norwegian King on his journeys to and from Christiania. In the first room there were several copperplate prints, one of them was of the War in Lübaek, which Carl Johan (King of Norway and Sweden) had himself presented to Captain Ingier, and there were also both his own portrait and also those of the Queen - who is ugly, and the Crown Prince and Princess. The King seems to be admired by all who have seen him. He is said to be very charming; the last time he was to leave Ingier, as the place is called, he asked to speak to the Mistress. When she came she saw that the King had a whole pile of paper money in his hand, she was afraid that he expected to pay for his stay at Ingier, but she was soon relieved when the interpreter explained that what the King was asking was that she distributed 60 riks-dollars between the young girls who had sung and tossed flowers in front of him, not for her own use, but to be handed out to the poor; so that it was received with great good will. The hostess, one of Miss Molzau's sisters, is a very dainty woman with 3 children, 1 girl and 2 boys; the youngest is quite lovely but extremely naughty. There is a house tutor at Essendrop who has taught both Vilhelm's younger brothers to read. When we came to Maastad we were first given tea and yeast cakes; later when we arrived at Ingier there was sour red-currant wine and cakes, and when we returned to Maastad, another snack, consisting of open sandwiches and red-currant wine. And a bit later mulled claret and finally the table was laid and we were served warm roast beef with sauce and potatoes, and finally cream puffs with cream and once again wine, or "skrup" as they called it. One of Mrs. Ingier's sons, who is the priest in Gjerdrum, came round. He invited us to dinner on Friday and to stay overnight at his house, so that we could see something of them. It was about 7 km away in another parish. This clergyman was very interested in Klee. His sister told me that he was in love with him, but that was no problem for me. Vilhelm's mother was then living with this brother, together with his daughter Frederikke, who is a sweet girl. She is rather modest and childish, just like the older Rikke, and later on both the girls played the piano and sang together, which was very nice. The weather was unpleasant, so we couldn't spend much time outside -- on the farm here they burnt tar-barrels, I think in our honor. It looked like a big torch. We arrived home at a bout 12 o'clock, and went to bed.
24th. The weather has been even more unsettled, with wind and rain as if it was November. To try to keep warm Klee, Rikke and I went out to Oxenfjaeld, up and down the hill, and we were rewarded by feeling warm and glad when we got home. After the meal we had an amusing time, as Rikke and the older Miss Heide tried to teach me to walk on stilts. I just couldn't hold my balance, and all of us laughed until we got pains in our stomachs. Later I began to manage it, and could move a short way by myself. In the afternoon the Dean Boisen came to Ollensagen with his wife; they were both elderly people. The Dean had spent 20 years in Copenhagen, and was very happy to hear about Denmark. They were friendly and good-natured, and we were invited to visit them on Thursday afternoon, as they were shortly to leave for the Baths in Eidsvold for their health. We had also plans to visit this, and I will describe it later. They left early; later we played with a game with a bolt and a long bat, which they call "whipping the sea". Trine Møller got a nasty lump on her forehead, which is not unusual, as the bolt and bat are thrown forward such that it hits one of the players. We got to bed at about 11 o'clock, and by that time I could see how people enjoyed themselves walking on stilts, as it was St. Hans Day.
Thursday 25th. We were late getting up, it was very cold. After breakfast we went for a walk to warm us up, to the hills in Ranbydalen, which is the highest hill in the area; it was a lovely walk, I wish that everyone at home could take a walk there. They are so very different from those at home, and yet everyone says that they are the least attractive in the area. Vilhelm was with us, together with his hunting dog and gun, but they didn't find any hares, only a grouse. One of these lovely birds flew up from its nest just in front of us, and when we looked there 5 eggs in the nest. Vilhelm expected that the bird would soon return to the nest, and he would shoot it. He waited for a time nearby and told us that we should be very still, but no grouse appeared and we went on with our walk up and down the hill, sometimes on rough tracks, where there were lovely flowers in the wood, so fine and beautiful, and the softest moss. There were also ants running around, these were very big. There was talk about a walk to Ringarige, which I had looked forward to; I think it will happen fairly soon.
In the afternoon we drove down to Ollenager Praestegaard to visit Prost Boisen's family. There was Mrs. B. and little Frederikke and also Vilhelm; poor Rikke had to stay at home; we used the chaise and a gig. The parsonage is built just like Plogstad, but not painted so beautifully inside. There are a large number of copperplate engravings and paintings. One of the best is from somewhere in Bergen where the Priest had lived. It showed astonishingly high, naked mountains with snow on the mountains in the background where the snow never melts, and a waterfall in the foreground. It was a very wild nature, which we will never see however far we journey as it is only to be found in the regions of Bergen and Trondhjem. We were welcomed very warmly by the Priest and his family. The old Priest has a son who is a very handsome man, who is his father's chaplain. He is married to one of Captain Ingiers wife's sisters-in-law, a Miss Molzau, a handsome woman who seems to be rather weak. They have a delightful baby, a 9-month-old boy, who is his Grandfather's pride and joy, and they also have a 5-year-old nephew, really a small giant for his age. Here in the north there are still living giants, as you can see in this child. They have also an unmarried daughter at home, a very blond and very educated girl. Both she and her brother, the young priest, are very musical, but she didn't want to be heard and the brother was hoarse, so it was ________[missing a page]
…………………….buildings which are called polebuilt, which are used to house their corn and feed. To protect them from insects they are built on poles. There are mainly black sheep here, and black cats. The horses are smaller than ours but stronger and safer. They have to be strong enough to pull up their burdens on the clay soil, especially when it has just rained, as then it is very slippery. Our arrival at Gjerdrum was very welcoming. Our host was an extremely kind little man, with a big stomach and thin legs -- I think I have described him before. The housekeeper is extremely fat, with no notch around her waist. She seemed hardly able to walk because of her fatness (although I have seen another woman who was nearly the same size as her that was Miss Ostenfeld). The Rectory, a red-colored building, was high up, so that you had a lovely view towards the far-off mountains, which seemed to be a blue color.
As soon as we arrived we were shown in to the living-room, where the sun was shining pleasantly round on a mirror with a green border. The rooms are all simple, and not painted. At once we were given red-currant wine and good "raadskager" (Translator’s note: I can't find what this is - but probably a local form for "small cakes".) Later we went out into the garden, which is a short way from the house. It was very nice, placed well for the sun, so that everything thrived -- though there are no cherries to find in the area. After walking through the garden there was a "Scene in the Milking Shed" where everyone, really all of us, regardless of how many we were, that is all the Ingiers, the Priest Boisens and we from Plogstad, stormed in to eat sweet or sour milk from the churns. It was difficult to find enough room, so there was a lot of pushing and shoving and laughing until there was a shower of rain which made us go over into the house. We waited for lunch -- we were so many, mostly women, that they had to use a second long table. First there was mackerel with sauce, then roast lamb with potatoes (which were so old that they tasted very nice) and finally cream with puff pastry and red-wine. We spent a long time at the table, where it was very amusing and interesting. After the coffee, which is served slightly later here, we sat for a time out on the steps of the balcony, where there were benches. The young Mrs. Ingier and Mrs. Bojsen, her sister, were both very neat, and the young Priest was very cheerful and amusing. After tea there was a great deal of discussion backwards and forwards on whether to go for a walk. The older people did not wish to go, as it was still wet after the rain. It was a lovely walk, up and down the hills, which are very close together here. In many places there were benches, and as soon as we sat down punch was poured into cups of both the ladies and gentlemen. We had with us a small boy who carried a tea-kettle with punch. When we got down to the river we saw some men who were cutting down fir trees, as there was to be planting there later, after the grass had been burnt, and the ashes became very good manure. It was really a sorry sight to see the proud trees falling before the axe.
On that walk we saw in front of us an extremely high mountain called Hexebjaerg, and on the other side there was one which was in Miøsen. The Priest, who was making himself very friendly to us Danish ladies, loaned me his walking stick to help me when I went down the hills. Finally we went home to the vicarage with pouring wet shoes and hems of our dresses, so that we had to change our shoes and try to dry our dresses. Shortly afterwards we enjoyed our supper, and afterwards all the guests left except for the four of us Danes and Vilhelm and Rikke. Mother, Frederik and I slept in one room. I thought I heard that Vilhelm, Trine and Rikke would sleep in the other room -- but I did them wrong. Vilhelm went in with the Priest, and Rikke and Trine slept together.
Løverdagen, 27th June. We began by drinking coffee and tea, which was the usual, but what was unusual was that at lunch, at about 11 o'clock, we were given "flødegrød" (cream porridge-literally cream grits) which is a very rich food, which tastes wonderful but is very filling. After this lunch we sat in the wagons and were driven round about in Böigden to see the most beautiful places. The first place we visited was the farm called Røgstad, which was originally the dower house designed for the widow, but which is now the home of peasants. The wife had wonderful teeth and lovely eyes. Everything was very nice, there was a loom at work and we saw several types of cloth, which she had woven herself, such as a cloak with special embroidery (Spartler) in wool and cotton. After we had rested a while and drunk some milk, the younger people went over some high hills which were very beautiful, while the older people drove downhill, where there was a great number of woods, which were rather like those in Zealand except that the hills here are much higher. Here Rikke rode on an unbroken horse, often in places which made the rest of us very anxious. We came to a high hill where there was a monument for Christian Krogh, a very simple wooden structure which gave his name and the dates of his birth and death. This man had been a true friend of Norway, by insisting that it should hold onto its constitution, when many were working to destroy or restrict it. He had been born on the place of this monument, it is called Niitteberg, and here B’s (??????) also lived many years ago. We went in to visit the farmers who lived there now. In the room we found a young girl at her loom -- this was the same everywhere here, there is a lot of cottage industry and still they are poor in spite of their many years of working. She showed us her pattern book with many lovely patterns, and a couple of scarves which she had woven. People like these are more useful than us, with our fine work. In the same room there was a rather strange bed, or rather two beds each for two people who slept with their heads against one another and made do with one wooden canopy, which if necessary can give place to a couple of people. This is a social bed, just as the toilets were in Plogstad, where up to 5 people could use them at once, and they are always kept so clean. There were always twigs of spruce on the floor and on St. Hans there were yellow flowers and twigs around on the walls, where the pictures are hung. In fact there is a great amount of twigs on the stairs, the entrance and the kitchen.
At Nitteberg we were given coffee, but we had to wait for this for 2 hours, as it rained, and when we finally got it, it was difficult, especially for me, as I felt it was going to come up again because there was no bread with it, which is always served with coffee in the middle of the day. But I was lucky and went into the kitchen and there I got hold of some bread and butter, which helped. After that, we thanked them heartily for the lovely coffee -- Villien was good and thanked them on our behalf. The rain was hanging over our heads, but happily we managed to reach Gjerdrum without getting wet. Here we took dinner which included, amongst other things, a very nice fish, called "gjøer", which is like pike but not quite as firm in the flesh, which was cooked with a sour sauce and potatoes. After the meal, at which our host kept drinking everyone's "skål" (which is Danish for a toast) we all went to sleep and after a long time we drank coffee and tea. After that we were asked many times to stay another day, but we said "goodbye" and all of us got into the wagon. The priest, his sister, Vilhelm's stepmother, and her youngest daughter Frederikke followed us down to the river, which was on their way. When we got to the hills by the river Trine and I got out of the wagon to go down. The Priest immediately gave us his hand and helped us very carefully first to go down and then up again, as the post-wagon which we were riding in was difficult to get into, but the Priest helped us so carefully and gave us in the end a little friendly puff from behind. We arrived happy and whole at Plogstad at about 10.30 in the evening, and we were gladly received there when we arrived. Trine Stenersen and her brother had arrived the same evening from Christiania -- her husband couldn't come until later in the week. They are all lovely people; Trine S is a very beautiful wife.
Sunday 28th June. The weather was unsettled as is usual at this time of the year. A Mr. Schmidt came to visit, to see the Stenersens in the house. He is a Theologian and has a lovely song voice; he sang for us in the evening. Otherwise there was nothing unusual --we played on the swings for a time after the meal and towards evening we went for a short walk to Oxenfjaeld. A letter arrived from Doctor B in Hedemark where he asked that all of us should visit him in this week, as he has to go to training, and it was decided that we would meet him on Wednesday. The head of the bureau, who left at 5 o'clock in the morning for Christiania, is very serious and quiet. I can see that he is very proud of his children and he is said to be a very nice person.
Monday 29th June. In the morning the weather was very nice, but I didn't have time to go out as I had to wash and iron some things for the trip to Hedemark, and later in the morning it started raining and there was thunder. Trine Stenersen is staying until tomorrow, she then has to go back home. How I like her, so forthright, sensible and well-educated, and how good the relationship between the parents and the children are. In the morning someone read a bit of "Hanna", which was enjoyed, but shortly after there was a disturbance. In the afternoon Klee and Vilhelm drove out to visit Sheriff Bøhn, who is a friend of Vilhelm. The weather was terribly bad; it got worse towards evening and it is now very wet, so that it is hardly possible to take a walk.
I have forgotten to tell you that during our visit to Gjerdrum we also saw our host's church, which was extremely nasty and old, but where there is, in the cellars under the church there, the body of Dean Hjort, which has been there for more than 150 years and which is said not to have been embalmed. We saw the Dean when the lid was taken off the coffin; all the funeral clothes were still quite stiff and his face was quite visible. His hands were folded across his breast. It is strange that the body could have lain there so long without decay. Even the sheet which was moved to one side so that we could see him was in one piece without falling apart.
Tuesday 30th June. In the morning, for the first time, we sat outside in the garden and sewed for about an hour. It was lovely, and Klee read Hanna aloud; everyone was interested.
Around lunch-time the Raeders came. She was previously Ida Hagerup and her husband, who is an attorney and who has only one hand (in his childhood his right hand withered away, because an older sister scalded it in boiling soup) -- he is very good at using his left hand and keeps a glove on the right so that it isn't something one is aware of. He is a very agreeable person. I can't tell you any more about him, but on the trip in Hedemark we will be seeing him quite often, as he lives about 7 or 8 km away from Dr. Boc., and they have asked us to visit them. I find that Ida has changed enormously, and she feels the same about me. 13 years can completely change people -- she has grown fat, and she tells me that that she was two small daughters, and Reeder, who has been married previously, has a little boy. They are said to have plenty of money, so they have a comfortable life. After we had eaten lunch and drunk coffee they left; they had come from Christiania and went on to Hedemarken. The weather today has been the best for a long time, and after tea-time I asked whether we should take a walk in the neighborhood. Trine Stenersen has also left recently. She will meet us when we come back from Hedemarken. That journey will take more than 8 days, beginning from tomorrow.
Wednesday 1st July. Last evening we went on a lovely trip over the fjaelds to Randbydal. We pushed ourselves through the fir trees and junipers, and when we reached the highest point we relaxed on some moss. Occasionally we found strawberries which were almost ripe; they were very sweet. Today the weather began with heavy rain, but now I hope that it will clear up before 3 o'clock as we were to get on with our journey. Mrs. B., mother, Frederik, and I in the chaise pulled by 3 horses, and Vilhelm and Trine M. in a gig. It kept raining until just before we got into the chaise. Later there was a pause, but later again there were showers. We had not been long on our way before Mrs. B. discovered that she had lost a silver sugar bowl, which she had given to her son. Vilhelm was then sent back to the house to bring it, and it was therefore not before 1 hour later that we reached the first change at the inn called Renholt. Here we went into a room in the guest-house and emptied our picnic basket, and we drank tea. It was 7 o'clock when we arrived there and about 1 hour later we left again. It was so wet that you couldn't put your foot down onto the ground. From there we drove past Eidsvold, where there was a small water-fall with a mill. The road was really pretty, especially the last part on the way to Minde, an inn which lies near Miøsen. We stayed there until the following morning.