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38
THROUGH NORWAY WITII A KNAPSACK.
where there are many fiords to cross, it is the most
convenient vehicle, as it can be easily put into a boat. It
is simply a light car, the body shaped rather gracefully,
like the bow of a boat with the keel planed off, or a
college-cap with the square trencher cut off, then
inverted and cut in half cross-wise by the ears. There are
two long, thin shafts, with two wheels at one end and a
pony at the other. The prow-shaped car is placed upon
the shafts (with its bows backwards, of course), between
the wheels and the pony. One person can just sit
in the half-bowl; he disposes of his legs as he may,
either arranging them horizontally on the shafts, or
dangling them in the small space between his seat and
the pony’s tail, or otherwise, as his ingenuity may
suggest. His centre of gravity is situated over a point
about one-third the distance between the axle and the
bearing of the harness; and therefore the pony
supports about one-third of his weight on horizontal
ground, the elasticity of the shafts serving as a
spring. His luggage is placed on a flat board, nailed
to the shafts over or a little behind the wheels. A
small boy, who has to take the horse back to the
station, usually stands upon this board, or the luggage,
and these to some extent counterpoise the weight of the
traveller and diminish the pressure on the pony’s back.
Enthusiastic Englishmen usually purchase a carriole
at Christiania, and add considerably to their travelling
griefs thereby. Carrioles, or something of the sort,
may be hired wherever there are roads for them to run
upon, at the rate of one farthing per English mile,
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