zenith, which becomes the centre from which
flickering beams radiate, being in form like
the beams of a gigantic dome. Across these
there is a horizontal current of light
constantly fluctuating, now bright, now
completely vanished, sometimes two such currents
cross each other's path, producing rainbow
tints; but otherwise it is all colourless as
moonshine. It is a fact, with rare exceptions,
that the aurora will come out to play only on
moonlight nights; and it plays, as might be
supposed, very seldom in the southern quarter
of the heavens. In mild weather it is
considered by the Norwegians to foretell rain,
and in cold weather snow.

Delightful as the exercise of sledging is in
Norway, it must be still more so in Russia, or
any country where one may glide along
without finding much inequality of hill and
dale. In Norway one may judge of this in
some degree by the ease and rapidity with
which the sledge flies over the smooth surface
of the frozen rivers, which in winter become
high-roads. Fences are broken down, and
gates taken off their hinges, to make a way of
getting to the river, and thereby saving a
circuitous route up and down hill. In places
where, from a neighbouring fall or other
causes, the ice is not firm enough to be
trustworthy, a winter bridge is thrown across,
formed of trees cut into equal lengths, laid
horizontally, while others placed longitudinally
at each side bind them together. So it
floats like a bridge of boats till the ice binds
it fast in its position.

Those who are not driving, but making their
way on foot, have also a means of getting over
the ground very speedily in the shape of a
miniature sledge, called a kœlke. A kœlke suited
to the use of an adult is about two feet long,
by about fifteen inches broad. It is merely a
flat board placed on two large wooden skates
sheathed with iron, and is furnished with a
rope in front by way of a handle. These
little sledges are so light as easily to be pulled
up hill or along level ground; but as soon as
the owner reaches a declivity, he seats himself
on his kœlke, and darts down with railway
speed, pulling against the rope, and steering
with his foot. The kœlkes are in constant
requisition; children drag them up the
steepest places for the mere fun of flying
down again; while the man who has a load
to carry finds it convenient frequently to
place it on his kœlke. In slippery weather,
especially, when it is impossible to descend the
hills with anything like despatch, they are
particularly handy, for the roads are in the
best state for them. Often after a thaw
followed by a frost without snow, it is almost
impossible to keep one's footing, without iron
spikes, which are strapped over the boots
round the instep and ankle. Skates are not
much used, for the ice is not so suitable for
skating as in England. It is made rough
with traffic, and becomes very soon covered
with snow.

A far more useful and general winter
amusement, is provided by the skier or snow-
shoes. Those used in Norway are more
simple in their construction than those which
we are accustomed to see brought from North
America. They consist merely of a strip of
wood, three inches in breadth, and from four
to six feet long, pointed and turned up after
the fashion of a skate in front. Across the
middle is a strap of twisted twigs, which fits
over the instep of the wearer, in the same way
as the tie of a clog. The feet are slipped in,
a long stick or pole gives the first impetus,
and afterwards is used for steering; then away
flies the traveller, descending the hills as
swiftly as he could descend them with the
kœlkes, and over level ground a great deal
better. One sees the two little furrows
left by them as their track, on rocks and
steeps, otherwise inaccessible, and along
the ice and snow of rivers, in a straight,
unswerving line, which vouches for the speed at
which they have been journeying. Men
shooting down a hill, seen at some little
distance, look much more like birds than
human creatures.

This kind of exercise has not always been a
pastime only; there were, formerly, regiments
who were exercised on snow shoes, both in
Norway and Sweden, and they were in active
service during the war between the two
countries in the beginning of this century.
It was, I believe, in the winter of 1812-13,
that a detachment of this battalion, belonging
to the Swedish service, crossed the frontier,
and seizing on a Norwegian peasant, compelled
him, by threats of violence, to be their guide
to some outposts of his own countrymen
whom they were ordered to surprise. He
consented, but being a true patriot, and
perceiving that they were quite ignorant of the
course they ought to take, he determined to
mislead them. Seizing a torch, he desired
them to follow, and shot off on his snow-shoes,
leading them over rock and fell in a contrary
direction, while they, not suspecting treachery,
implicitly followed his lead.

Presently, they arrived at the brink of a
precipice, over which he threw his torch, and
at the same time dashing off his snow-shoes,
buried himself in the snow. The soldiers,
beguiled by the descent of the torch, their
leading star, concluded that they were only at
the summit of a declivity, not steeper than
others which they had already passed, and,
hindered by the darkness from perceiving the
manœuvre of their guide, did not hesitate
in their career. So they were all shot over
the precipice, and met their death among the
rocks below.

LAST HOMES.

WE are all born, and we all wish to be
buried—not quite at present—that point is
settled. But it still remains an open question
how and where, we are to be disposed of by-