File:Soleberg Fall (JW Edy plate 59).jpg

On the west side of the Christiania Fiord, and nearly opposite the town of Drobak a fall of pure water is seen issuing from the top of an adjacent mountain, whose sides are covered with tall trees. In its descent, it is separated by a large rock, fringed with shrubs, into two principal, and some smaller streams: the latter, in their course, are occasionally hid from the observer by intervening trees, and reappear, with fresh beauties, until they finally repose in the Fiord beneath. The delightful murmurs of these small cascades, at the distance of a half a mile, are particularly soothing to the mmd of a spectator, and more especially so, if he be at anchor, in a still moonlight night, when they most agreeably lull him to sleep. This fall, unlike many others in Norway, which are of colossal size, and are generally surrounded with bare rocks, and stunted juniper bushes, is embosomed in tall ever-green firs, between the trunks of which, the streams in some places trickle down when occasionally expanded, giving the trees a hazy appearance, as if always growing in the water, a circumstance which adds much to the beauties of the scene. Although the Fiord is deep in this part, yet as there is good holding clay at the bottom, and as it is nearly surrounded by mountains, it is considered a safe anchoring place. The long mountain in the distance, is the island of Haoe described in Plate No. 57, forming the narrowest pass on the Fiord, and covered as the other hills are, almost entirely with firs. The ship is the Cron Princess, from Christiania, laden with timber belonging to the house of Anker ; having just weighed, she is preparing for sea. The most experienced captains never sail down the Fiord, without the assistance of a pilot. On the present occasion, this person happened to be an alderman, a title here given to the oldest, or elder man of the profession, who enjoys the post, as a tenure for life, confirmed by the court of Denmark. It passes in succession, among the aged pilots by course of seniority, and confers an absolute command over the junior ones in each district or ward. The distinction invests its possessor with a petty consequence, which he seldom forgets to assert. A shooting or fishing excursion in a boat, round the island Haoe, is particularly agreeable ; between the rocks and woods, in the narrow westward pass, the report of a gun will arouse and put on the wing, thousands of birds, of all sizes and species, from the majestic eagle, or swan, down to the wren; while the shores are literally covered with the young brood, as are the barren rocks in the water, with seals, which have their safe retreats in the cavernous recesses of the rocks. The fishes are equally numerous, and among them the lobster, crab, anchovy, the beautiful blue rock fish, the eschinus, and starfish, revolving on the bottom, where the water is not more than eight or ten fathoms, distinctly to be seen. The Haoe Fall, is on the other side of the mountain next the Fiord. I was not able to ascertain exactly its altitude, which is probably about 80 yards. It has every indication of being a spring, or fountain, as the small cascades are called in Norway. Soleberg fall, which is half the height of the former, appears to have the same origin.