The travels of Bengalis in the past
Sumana Dam
(Continued from the last part)
In this part, the relevant countries are Norway, Sweden.
On July 22, 1886, the author Romesh Chunder Dutt went on a trip to Norway and Sweden with some friends, traveling from London. They reached the port of Hull by rail from London and then sailed towards Norway via the North Sea by steamer.
Until 10:30 PM on July 24, the author sat on the deck of the steamer reading a book, as there was still plenty of sunlight. The next morning, after a brief stop at the small port of Ålesund, the steamer set off again. A cold northern wind blew, and by noon, they arrived at the picturesque town of Kristiansund. True to Norway's characteristic, the houses were clean, beautiful, and made of wood. In the evening, the steamer arrived at Drøbak. From there, they boarded a new steamer heading towards North Cape. Even though it was late at night, the steamer departed with daylight still present (Norway is known as the land of the midnight sun). The cold breeze from the Arctic Ocean added to the atmosphere, while the day was cloudy and foggy. Countless islands and fjords appeared on either side of the steamer. Most of the land here is barren, with little agricultural activity in some areas. Cod and herring are the only fish caught here, and they are Norway's main exports. In the afternoon, they disembarked at a small island named Torghatten, where they had milk and lemonade. The Seven Sisters of Alstahaug, seven tall peaks, rose above the sea, with their snowy tips veiled in mist. At midnight that day, the author crossed the Arctic Circle and reached the polar regions. In the morning, they enjoyed clear, sunny weather. Passing through the city of Bodø, they marveled at the islands along Norway's northwest coast as they reached Raftsundet. They saw breathtaking mountains, valleys, and fjords. While observing the glaciers and the beautiful ice-capped peaks, they went to sleep at 10 PM, still under the sunlight on the mountains.
The next day, the steamer docked at Tromsø, where they explored on foot. They had now reached Norway's Lapland, a region once inhabited only by the Lap people. The Laplanders are short in stature, wearing clothing made of reindeer hide. They build small huts from birch bark and grass, with a hole in the roof to let in light and let out smoke. Children are tied in leather swings inside these huts, unable to move their arms and legs except for their faces. The Laplanders' cheekbones are high, and their only possession is reindeer. They now sell bone spoons, knives, and leather bags and shoes to travelers. The author observed fur and skins from Arctic animals, such as stuffed bears, polar wolves, white foxes, whales, sharks, walruses, eagles, and seagulls, being sold on the streets of Tromsø.
After leaving Tromsø in the evening, the steamer continued its journey. The next day, the author arrived in Hammerfest, the northernmost city in the world, where there are only a few huts and a church. In winter, it is covered in snow, and sleds are the only mode of transport. Fishing and fish processing are the main activities there. After leaving Hammerfest, the steamer passed by a place called Birds Rock, where they saw countless seagulls. When the steamer fired its cannon, the birds flew in a circular motion, looking like clouds in the sky. They had never seen so many birds in one place before.
Two hours later, the steamer arrived at North Cape. North Cape rises directly 1,000 feet above the sea. This is the end of Europe. The next stretch of the Arctic Ocean, heading further north, has been seen by no human before (Norwegian explorers first reached the North Pole in 1926). The steamer turned southward for its return journey. After Hammerfest, they arrived at the Lingøya Fjord, where the sea water had entered the land about 30-40 miles, forming a beautiful lake with steep cliffs on both sides. Some areas had mountains rising up to 3,000-4,000 feet, and in some places, the stones had moved back to form valleys. Small waterfalls gathered from all sides, and enormous blocks of ice lay in the depressions. Silver waterfalls cascaded down the mountainsides, and glaciers slowly moved down, almost imperceptibly. They spent the whole night admiring these diverse, natural views.
As they passed Tromsø and the Lofoten Islands, the author was struck by the ethereal beauty of the scenery illuminated by the golden light of the setting sun. At 11 PM, the sun had set, and at 2 AM, the sunrise began in the eastern sky. They then saw the largest glacier in Europe, the Svartisen Glacier, which is over 80 miles long. They walked a little on the glacier. On August 2, 1886, after an eight-day steamer journey, they arrived at the city of Trondheim.
During this trip, they had traveled from 63 degrees north latitude to 71 degrees north latitude. In Trondheim, they visited the centuries-old cathedral built over the tomb of Saint Olaf (who made Sweden independent from Norway and became Sweden's first king).
On August 3, they began their journey by rail to Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, 530 miles away. After crossing the Kjønlen mountain range on the Norway-Sweden border, they arrived at Storlin, the first Swedish town on the route. The train passed through dense green pine forests, mountain waterfalls, and scenic lakes, with only a few small wooden houses along the way. The train reached Sala, passing towns like Åre, Dalarna, and Krillbo. The landscape gradually became flatter, and they briefly stopped at Uppsala, a historic university town. They saw the ancient Gothic-style cathedral, the tomb of Gustav Vasa, the tomb and monument of scientist Carl Linnaeus, as well as the university and library. In the library, they saw ancient Gothic manuscripts written on parchment paper with gold and silver letters.
After this, they traveled by train and reached Stockholm by night. Stockholm, though not densely populated, is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The city's natural beauty is immense, with several islands located at the confluence of Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. The city is divided into northern and southern parts, called Norrmalm and Södermalm. The mainland, called Stadsholmen, along with other islands, form the city. They visited the Royal Palace, the ballroom, the gallery, the church, and the royal burial grounds. Södermalm, which is located on a high hill, offers stunning views of the Baltic Sea and the many anchored steamers. From the top, one could also see Norrmalm.
They then traveled by steamer to Gustavsberg, located in the Baltic Sea, where they admired the rural beauty and natural landscapes. The people of Sweden and Norway are described as kind, polite, cheerful, and unpretentious. Their faces did not show the arrogance of the English, and they were very helpful. In Stockholm, the author visited the Parliament, National Library, and National Museum.
Later, they sailed on the Baltic Sea and North Sea towards Gothenburg. The next day, they arrived at Lake Rosen, passing through 15 lakes and rising 150 feet. It was fascinating to see the steamer gradually rising by 10 feet each time a new lock opened and the previous one closed. Finally, they reached Lake Boren, and, passing through lakes Väddeln, Väjern, and Vänern, they arrived at the Trollhättan waterfalls. From there, they sailed down the Göta River and reached Gothenburg, a port city known for its trade. The author visited the annual fair that was being held at the time.
Their next destination was Kristiania. After crossing the river and entering the Baltic Sea, the steamer sailed to the place where the Vikings once navigated, evoking a sense of fear during this turbulent journey. (The Vikings were seafaring warriors from Scandinavia who invaded and settled parts of Europe between 800 and 1100 AD). (In 1925, Kristiania was renamed Oslo, the capital of Norway).
Finally, on August 13, the steamer arrived in Kristiania. They visited the royal palace, parliament, and university. The most important discovery for the author in Kristiania was the two Viking ships, likely from the 9th century, recently discovered in the tombs of Viking warriors. Afterward, the author returned to England by steamer.
(To be continued)
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