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From Gutvik tlie steamer steers towards the island of Torgen
with the *Torghatten (‘market hat1), one of the most famous
islands of the Nordland, situated in 65°24’ N. latitude. It resembles
a hat, about 800 ft. in height, floating on the sea , and is pierced
about halfway up, from N.E. to S.W., by an aperture known as
Hullet (formed by the ‘Hestmand’s arrow; see the legend above
mentioned), through which, in passing between the island and the
mainland, the passenger can see the sky on the other side. The
height of this curious natural tunnel at the E. entrance, according
to Prof, ftfohris measurements , is about 62 ft., in the middle
203 ft., and at the 4V. end 246 ft. The sides are flat at most
places, nearly perpendicular, and here and there look as if they
had been artificially chiselled. ‘At the entrances are huge heaps
of rocky rubble (Ur), but in the cavern itself there are but few
blocks of rock. The view of the sea with its countless islands and
rocks, seen from this gigantic telescope, is indescribably beautiful
and impressive’. (Fi&e, ‘Kiisten u. Meer Norwegens’; Gotha, 1860,
with two views of the island. See also Friis, ‘Kong Oscar II’s Reise ;
Kristiania, 1874.) On the island is Gaarden Torget (good quarters),
near which are a burial-place and a few reminiscences of
antiquity. The tourist-steamers afford their passengers an opportunity
of landing to inspect the rock-tunnel, to which the steamboat
company has made a path from the landing-place. Passengers by
mail-steamer who intend to visit the island must disembark at
Sømnæs, by which they lose several days (comp. p. 230).
38 Kil. (24l/2 Engl. M.) Semnces, a charmingly situated place,
to the S.E. of the Torghatten, with smiling meadows and
cornfields. Thence we steer through the Brønøsund to —
10 Kil. (6 Engl. M.) Brønø (65°28’), which boasts of a pastor,
a doctor, and a telegraph-office. The telegraph is of great importance
to the natives. On the arrival of aLSildstim, or shoal of herrings, they
frequently have to telegraph for extra supplies of salt and barrels,
which are then sent by steamers chartered for the purpose. On the
shore are often seen the isolated cottages of the Strandsiddere, who
live exclusively by fishing. Inland settlers are called Opsiddere
or Nysiddere by way of contrast. The steamboat ‘Torghatten’
maintains regular communication between Brene and the
surrounding islands and coast villages (comp. Communicationer, No. 287).
A visit may be paid from Brønø to the grand Yelfjord, on which the
steamer ‘Torghatten’ plies twice weekly (Communicationer, No. 237),
touching at Røre, Eidet-Sæterland (at the entrance to the Skilleboln, at the end of
which there is a quarry of excellent bluish-white marble), Ncevernaes, and
Hegge (good quarters at the landkandler’s), near the church of Nettvik. —
In the Tidingdal, one of the innermost branches of the Velfjord, which is
there called the Store Bjørga, the valley ascending from the fjord
suddenly rises to a height of 433 ft., and over this terrace is precipitated the
Tidingdalsfos in a single leap. — From the Velfjord to the N. diverge the
Oksfjord and the Storfjord, two long and wild creeks, which may also
be explored from Saltbu. — From Bjørgeøren, at the end of the Store
Bjørga, a fatiguing mountain-route crosses to Hortskarmo in the Sr.enings-
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