nable　possession；　by　the　same　udal　right　as　the　kings　wore　their　crowns；　to　be　transmitted；　under　the　same　title；　to　their　descendants　unto　all　generations。
  These　landed　proprietors　were　called　the　Bonders；　and　formed　the　chief　strength　of　the　realm。　It　was　they；　their　friends　and　servants；　or　thralls；　who　constituted　the　army。　　Without　their　consent　the　king　could　do　nothing。　On　stated　occasions　they　met　together；　in　solemn　assembly；　or　Thing；　（i。e。　Parliament；）　as　it　was　called；　for　the　transaction　of　public　business；　the　administration　of　justice；　the　allotment　of　the　scatt；　or　taxes。
  Without　a　solemn　induction　at　the　Ore　or　Great　Thing；　even　the　most　legitimately…descended　sovereign　could　not　mount　the　throne；　and　to　that　august　assembly　an　appeal　might　ever　lie　against　his　authority。
  To　these　Things；　and　to　the　Norse　invasion　that　implanted　them；　and　not　to　the　Wittenagemotts　of　the　Latinised　Saxons；　must　be　referred　the　existence　of　those　Parliaments　which　are　the　boast　of　Englishmen。
  Noiselessly　and　gradually　did　a　belief　in　liberty；　and　an　unconquerable　love　of　independence；　grow　up　among　that　simple　people。　No　feudal　despots　oppressed　the　unprotected；　for　all　were　noble　and　udal　born；　no　standing　armies　enabled　the　Crown　to　set　popular　opinion　at　defiance；　for　the　swords　of　the　Bonders　sufficed　to　guard　the　realm；　no　military　barons　usurped　an　illegitimate　authority；　for　the　nature　of　the　soil　forbade　the　erection　of　feudal　fortresses。　　Over　the　rest　of　Europe　despotism　rose　up　rank　under　the　tutelage　of　a　corrupt　religion；　while；　year　after　year；　amid　the　savage　scenery　of　its　Scandinavian　nursery；　that　great　race　was　maturing　whose　genial　heartiness　was　destined　to　invigorate　the　sickly　civilization　of　the　Saxon　with　inexhaustible　energy；　and　preserve　to　the　world；　even　in　the　nineteenth　century；　one　glorious　example　of　a　free　European　people。
  LETTER　XIII。
  COPENHAGENBERGENTHE　BLACK　DEATHSIGURDRHOMEWARDS。
  Copenhagen；　Sept。　12th；　1856。
  Our　adventures　since　the　date　of　my　last　letter　have　not　been　of　an　exciting　character。　We　had　fine　weather　and　prosperous　winds　down　the　coast；　and　stayed　a　day　at　Christiansund；　and　another　at　Bergen。　But　though　the　novelty　of　the　cruise　had　ceased　since　our　arrival　in　lower　latitudes；　there　was　always　a　certain　raciness　and　oddity　in　the　incidents　of　our　coasting　voyage；　such　aswaking　in　the　morning；　and　finding　the　schooner　brought　up　under　the　lee　of　a　wooden　house；　orriding　out　a　foul　wind　with　your　hawser　rove　through　an　iron　ring　in　the　sheer　side　of　a　mountain；which　took　from　the　comparative　flatness　of　daily　life　on　board。
  Perhaps　the　queerest　incident　was　a　visit　paid　us　at　Christiansund。　As　I　was　walking　the　deck　I　saw　a　boat　coming　off；　with　a　gentleman　on　board；　she　was　soon　alongside　the　schooner；　and　as　I　was　gazing　down　on　this　individual；　and　wondering　what　he　wanted；　I　saw　him　suddenly　lift　his　feet　lightly　over　the　gunwale　and　plunge　them　into　the　water；　boots　and　all。　After　cooling　his　heels　in　this　way　for　a　minute　or　so；　he　laid　hold　of　the　side　ropes　and　gracefully　swung　himself　on　deck。　Upon　this；　Sigurdr；　who　always　acted　interpreter　on　such　occasions；　advanced　towards　him；　and　a　colloquy　followed；　which　terminated　rather　abruptly　in　Sigurdr　walking　aft；　and　the　web…footed　stranger　ducking　down　into　his　boat　again。　It　was　not　till　some　hours　later　that　the　indignant　Sigurdr　explained　the　meaning　of　the　visit。　Although　not　a　naval　character；　this　gentleman　certainly　came　into　the　category　of　men　〃who　do　business　in　great　waters；〃　his　BUSINESS　being　to　negotiate　a　loan；　in　short；　to　ask　me　to　lend　him　100　pounds。　There　must　have　been　something　very　innocent　and　confiding　in　〃the　cut　of　our　jib〃　to　encourage　his　boarding　us　on　such　an　errand；　or　perhaps　it　was　the　old　marauding；　toll…taking　spirit　coming　out　strong　in　him：　the　politer　influences　of　the　nineteenth　century　toning　down　the　ancient　Viking　into　a　sort　of　a　cross　between　Paul　Jones　and　Jeremy　Diddler。　The　seas　which　his　ancestors　once　swept　with　their　galleys；　he　now　sweeps　with　his　telescope；　and　with　as　keen　an　eye　to　the　MAIN　chance　as　any　of　his　predecessors　displayed。　The　feet…washing　ceremony　was　evidently　a　propitiatory　homage　to　the　purity　of　my　quarter…deck。
  Bergen；　with　its　pale…faced　houses　grouped　on　the　brink　of　the　fiord；　like　invalids　at　a　German　Spa；　though　picturesque　in　its　way；　with　a　cathedral　of　its　own；　and　plenty　of　churches；　looked　rather　tame　and　spiritless　after　the　warmer　colouring　of　Throndhjem；　moreover　it　wanted　novelty　to　me；　as　I　called　in　there　two　years　ago　on　my　return　from　the　Baltic。　It　was　on　that　occasion　that　I　became　possessed　of　my　ever…to…be…lamented　infant　Walrus。
  No　one；　personally　unacquainted　with　that　〃most　delicate　monster；〃　can　have　any　idea　of　his　attaching　qualities。　I　own　that　his　figure　was　not　strictly　symmetrical；　that　he　had　a　roll　in　his　gait；　suggestive　of　heavy　seas；　that　he　would　not　have　looked　well　in　your　boudoir；　but　he　never　seemed　out　of　place　on　my　quarter…deck；　and　every　man　on　board　loved　him　as　a　brother。　With　what　a　languid　grace　he　would　wallow　and　roll　in　the　water；　when　we　chucked　him　overboard；　and　paddle　and　splash；　and　make　himself　thoroughly　cool　and　comfortable；　and　then　come　and　〃beg　to　be　taken　up；〃　like　a　fat　baby；　and　allow　the　rope　to　be　slipped　round　his　extensive　waist；　and　come　upsleek　and　drippingamong　us　again　with　a　contented　grunt；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃Well；　after　all；　there's　no　place　like　HOME！〃　How　he　would　compose　himself　to　placid　slumber　in　every　possible　inconvenient　place；　with　his　head　on　the　binnacle　（especially　when　careful　steering　was　a　matter　of　moment）；　or　across　the　companion　entrance；　or　the　cabin　skylight；　or　on　the　shaggy　back　of　〃Sailor；〃　the　Newfoundland；　who　positively　abhorred　him。　But　how　touching　it　was　to　see　him　waddle　up　and　down　the　deck　after　Mr。　Wyse；　whom　he　evidently　regarded　in　a　maternal　point　of　viewbegging　for　milk　with　the　most　expressive　snorts　and　grunts；　and　embarrassing　my　good…natured　master　by　demonstrative　appeals　to　his　fostering　offices！
  I　shall　never　forget　Mr。　Wyse's　countenance　that　day　in　Ullapool　Bay；　when　he　tried　to　command　his　feelings　sufficiently　to　acquaint　me　with　the　creature's　death；　which　he　announced　in　this　graphic　sentence；　〃Ah；　my　Lord！the　poor　thing！TOES　UP　AT　LAST！〃
  Bergen　is　not　as　neat　and　orderly　in　its　architectural　arrangements　as　Drontheim；　a　great　part　of　the　city　is　a　confused　network　of　narrow　streets　and　alleys；　much　resembling；　I　should　think；　its　early　inconveniences；　in　the　days　of　Olaf　Kyrre。　This　close　and　stifling　system　of　street　building　must　have　ensured　fatal　odds　against　the　chances　of　life　in　some　of　those　world…devastating　plagues　that　characterised　past　ages。　Bergen　was；　in　fact；　nearly　depopulated　by　that　terrible　pestilence　which；　in　1349；　ravaged　the　North　of　Europe；　and　whose　memory　is　still　preserved　under　the　name　of　〃The　Black　Death。〃
  I　have　been　tempted　to　enclose　you　a　sort　of　ballad；　which　was　composed　while　looking　on　the　very　scene　of　this　disastrous　event；　its　only　merit　consists　in　its　local　inspiration；　and　in　its　conveying　a　true　relation　of　the　manner　in　which　the　plague　entered　the　doomed　city。
  THE　BLACK　DEATH　OF　BERGEN。
  I。
  What　can　ail　the　Bergen　Burghers　　　　　　　That　they　leave　their　stoups　of　wine？　　　　Flinging　up　the　hill　like　jagers；　　　　　　　At　the　hour　they're　wont　to　dine！　　　　See；　the　shifting　groups　are　fringing　　　　　　　Rock　and　ridge　with　gay　attire；　　　　Bright　as　Northern　streamers　tinging　　　　　　　Peak　and　crag　with　fitful　fire！
  II。
  Towards　the　cliff　their　steps　are　bending；　　　　　　　Westward　turns　their　eager　gaze；　　　　Whence　a　stately　ship　ascending；　　　　　　　Slowly　cleaves　the　golden　haze。　　　　Landward　floats　the　apparition　　　　　　　〃Is　it；　CAN　it　be　the　same？〃　　　　Frantic　cries　of　recognition　　　　　　　Shout　a　long…lost　vessel's　name！
  III。
  Years　ago　had　she　departed　　　　　　　Castled　poop　and　gilded　stern；　　　　Weeping　women；　broken…hearted；　　　　　　　Long　had　waited　her　return。　　　　When　the　midnight　sun　wheeled　downwards；　　　　　　　But　to　kiss　the　ocean's　verge　　　　When　the　noonday　sun；　a　moment　　　　　　　Peeped　above　the　Wintry　surge；
  IV。
  Childless　mothers；　orphaned　daughters；　　　　　　　From　the　seaward…facing　crag；　　　　Vainly　searched　the　vacant　waters　　　　　　　For　that　unreturning　flag！　　　　But；　suspense　and　tears　are　ended；　　　　　　　Lo！　it　floats　upon　the　breeze！　　　　Ne'er　from　eager　hearts　ascended　　　　　　　Thankful　prayers　as　warm　as　these。
  V。
  See　the　good　ship　proudly　rounding　　　　　　　That　last　point　that　blocks　the　view；　　　　〃Strange！　no　answering　cheer　resounding　　　　　　　From　the　long　home…parted　crew！〃　　　　Past　the　harbour's　stony　gateway；　　　　　　　Onwards　borne　by　sucking　tides；　　　　Tho'　the　light　wind　failethstraightway　　　　　　　Into　port　she　safely　glides。
  VI。
  Swift；　as　by　good　angels　carried；　　　　　　　Right　and　left　the　news　has　spread。　　　　Wives　long　widowed…yet　scarce　married　　　　　　　Brides　that　never　hoped　to　wed；　　　　From　a　hundred　pathways　meeting　　　　　　　Crowd　along　the　narrow　quay；　　　　Maddened　by　the　hope　of　meeting　　　　　　　Those　long　counted　cast　away。
  VII。
  Soon　a　crowd　of　small　boats　flutter　　　　　　　O'er　the　interv