IV. CONVEYANCES.
xxt
in which the traveller enters his orders and records his complaints if
he has any to make. Travellers are entitled to proceed in the order
in which their names are entered in this book.
On the great thoroughfares through Telemarken (R. 5), the
Valders (R. 8), and the Gudbrandsdal (R. 9) it is often found
more convenient to hire a carriage (Vogn, Kaleschvogn, or Landau;
or a Trille, i. e. an open four-wheeler) and horses for the whole
route, in order to avoid delays at the over-tasked stations. In this
case there is no restriction as to the amount of luggage accompany-
ing the traveller (comp. p. xxiii). Carriages may be obtained on ap¬
plication at any of the Tourist Offices (p. xiv). — On some of the
long overland routes Messrs. Thos. Cook & Son (p. xiv) have pro-
vided landaus, carioles, and stolkjaerres of a more comfortable de-
scription and better found than the ordinary vehicles of the country.
The ordinary vehicles supplied at the skyds-stations are the
Stolkjmrre (a light cart with seats for two persons), and the lighter
and swifter Kariol (a light gig for one person). The latter is now
rarely used on the main routes. The luggage is strapped or roped
behind the traveller, on the top of it the Skydsgut (or simply Gut ;
the girl who sometimes takes his place is called Jente) takes his
seat, and the traveller usually takes the reins (Temmer) himself.
If he does so he will be responsible for any accident, but not if he
allows the 'Gut' to drive from behind. For very bulky or heavy
luggage additional vehicles must be engaged. — As a rule about
8-9 Kil. (5-5V2 Engl. M.), or less in hilly districts, may be covered
in an hour. It is difflcult to calculate very closely the time likely
to be occupied by skyds-journeys, but an attempt to do so has been
made in the account of some of our routes, and the Editor hopes,
with the courteous assistance of travellers, to be able to extend the
system to ali the main routes. Speaking generally, about 70-80 Kil.
(40-50 Engl. M.) may be accomplished in a day, but journeys of
that length are, of course, fatiguing. The long strings of vehicles
that are frequently seen converging upon the more frequented spots
and favourite hotels, especially towards evening, should be avoided
on account of the dust. For a similar reason it is considered 'bad
form' for one carriage to overtake another, unless the difference of
pace is very considerable. The horses, or rather ponies, are often
overdriven by foreigners. As the average charge of 2-Sd. per Engl.
mile is a very inadequate remuneration to the Skydspligtige, or
peasants who are bound to supply the horses, it is unfair on this
account also to overdrive them. A frequent inscription in the skyds
stations is ' Vcer god mod hesten (i.e. be good to the horse), and
travellers who obey this injunction will receive a good character
from the 'Gut' at the successive stations and will in consequence
be more cheerfully and quickly served. In every case the traveller
in Norway will flnd his account more in politeness and civility than
in anything approaching a dictatorial manner.
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