No. Xl. Helgeraae. This place derives its popularity from the convenience of its ferry, boats being always in readiness for conveying passengers and goods, across the bay and skeen fiord to brevig, longsound, fredericksvaem and the places adjacent. The fare to brevig is three shillings each person, the boats mostly in use are large peter boats, of twelve or fourteen tons burthen, with a sprit sail, governed by two men and a boy. Although this bay is very spacious, it is seldom visited by ships, notwithstanding its immediate access to the skager rack, as seen in the distance of the picture. Here are many sandy beaches, (a rarity in norway) projecting into the bay, from the main land and the islands, denoting shallow water, and unsafe anchorage. On a fine summer evening, it is pleasant to observe hundreds of seals, amusing themselves in the water, on the sands, or upon the rocks, where they have all the appearance of large birds; if the beholder approach within a hundred yards of them, they plunge into the water, and disappear in company with those which swim with their heads above the surface. In consequence of the shallow water, and the occasional surf, two landing places, or bridges, have been constructed of piers, or wooden cases, filled with stones, having leading planks laid on their tops, sufficiently broad to admit carriages over them to the boats; on one of them is a warehouse. The large house on the shore, is an inn, where various refreshments may be had; before the door appear the remains of an ancient cross; the high road leads to laurvig; the distant hills which overlook it, divide part of the bay of laurvig from this bay; the more distant hills on the right, separate the skeen fiord, forming two sides of this harbour, to its opening towards brevig; its waters are salt, and so clear in calm weather, as to render it difficult at a small distance from the shore, to distinguish the rock from its reflected image. This is a place of much resort, for the sea and coast fowls. In the small inlets are the echinus, starfish, and small crabs; the bay affords the lamprey, salmon, flounders, cuttlefish, sawfish, anchovy; muscles, cockles, and sometimes the golden shark. The village consists of about forty houses, inhabited by fishermen and ferrymen; it has no trade, and contains no artizan except the boatbuilder. It is situated in a very agreeable and pleasant part of norway, embosomed in gentle hills, which are decorated by groves and patches of cultivated lands. This view was taken a little way up one of the small hills north of the village, in a path leading to the forest and some lakes, from which the huntsman with his game is supposed to be returning, while the milk-maid is going home from her cows in the valley. Date: 1800. Ferry at Helgeraae (JW Edy plate 40)
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