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FALSE ALARM.
195
unites them. Even this was some miles to the westward,
down a steep stony slope, then through a wilderness
of bog, and across a wide pool-like stream about three
feet deep and soft at the bottom. After this I found, still
farther to the east, a little valley forming an outlet to
the easternmost of the two lakes. This, according to
my map, or the reading I then made of the map, should
lead at once to the Vaage Vand, and nearly to Skeaker.
I pushed on at a rapid pace, over rough boulders with
deep holes between, with the object not only of speed,
but of drying my clothes, which were wet to the
shoulders; for the crossing of the stream was half
wading, half swimming, and I had great difficulty in
keeping my knapsack above water. Another motive to
exertion was the pang of hunger, for being now about
four o’clock in the afternoon the idea of dinner-time
was irresistibly suggested.
Durine; this walk I had an adventure or two. At one
time, while admiring the utter desolation of the whole
district, and concluding that hereabouts must be the
summer home of the few remaining bears and wolves
that occasionally visit the farmers of the Romsdal, a
huge beast sprung up at my feet so suddenly, and with
such fearful rustle, that all the bones of my skeleton
seemed loosened in their fleshy imbed ment by the start
I made. It was not a bear, however, but merely a huge
capercailzie, or " cock of the mountain," or " horse of the
woods," as it is called. According to the usual accounts
of this bird, it is so wild and wary that the sportsman
has great difficulty in approaching it; but this started so
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