Letter
35 Pages
Transcription
Kjære Kramer!
Tak for sidst! Ja det blev
desværre ikke saa hyggelig
tùr for Dere, som det burde været.
Veiret gjorde jo sit – og turen
til Berg og Botnavatnet træt-
tede Eder for meget, og det
var for tidligt paa aaret, saa
udbyttet var ikke tilsvarende.
Og saa var jeg ogsaa meget ùsel-
skabelig; – jeg var lidt nervös efter
all opvasken med kredssykekassen.
Jeg skrev jo adskilligt, som nok
kan före til retslige "efterfölger",
og saken vilde aldrig gaa mig helt af
minde, – og særlig var jeg meget
ùselskabelig mod Eder den sidste
kveld i Förde, – det kom af
at saken kom paa tale igjen
mellem Øvrebö og mig, – han
var jo min forsvarer under begge
appelleringer.
Men jeg skal ikke trætte dig med
med indledninger til ùndskyldning-
historier, – dù undskylder mig nok
likevel –
Vi maatte vente længe i Förde
paa bilen, som var i stykker, men
da vi endelig kom af sted gik
det med en ulovlig fart hjem, –
dobbelt saa fort som nedover,
tiltrod for at der maatte bygges
en improviseret bro af stenheller
et steds underveis – (Chaufeùren
klaret det paa et par minutter)
Da jeg kom hjem, gik jeg straks
igang med indledning til under-
handling med eieren af Sandals-
öiene ("Øiene"), – jeg kom nemlig
i hù din frùes tvivlende ytring om,
at noget blev gjort des angaaende.
Grundeieren havde nettop gjort
undersökelser, om papirerne var ægte,
– der var nemlig tvivl om, hvorvidt
bygselfolkene virkelig havde nogen
pakter-ret ogsaa, – eller om
de mùligens selv havde skrevet
dokùmentet. – Jeg maatte derfor
vente et par dage til han fik
svar paa nogle spörgsmaal, som
han havde stillet til advokat
Leiv Wiese, – men jeg gik like lös
paa saken – dog ligesom tilfældigvis,
idet jeg foreslog ham, at vi skulde
brænde lidt brændivin sammen, –
men da maatte vi have et trygt
sted, – hvor der samtidig var rindende
vand og let adkomst med baad,
og han foreslog da selv – nede ved
elvemùndingen, – jeg fandt det selv-
fölgelig at være et ùdmærket sted,
og jeg bad ham fölge mig ind paa
Stranden, for at han kùnde faa en
liden "forsmag" paa varerne, – jeg
havde nemlig – med henblik paa
dette möde med grùndeieren, sparet
af en liden draabe af de saker, jeg
fik tak i Förde. – Vi fandt
snart ud, hvor vi skulde anlægge
brænderiet, og da viste det sig, at
vi meget let kunde gjort regning
uden vert – dù og jeg altsaa; – thi
vor kjære Ö, – hörer slett ikke
II
til bygselbrùket "Sandalsöiene"
eller "Øiene", som det til dagligt
kaldes – nei, öen er eies af
grùndeieren selv og derfor kunde
han altsaa straks disponere den,
om vi skulde til med "brænding",
– (men dette var jo ikke "hen-
sigten"); – jeg havde da allerede talt
om en mùlighed for, at jeg kjöb-
te hele bygselbrùget – for at und-
gaa naboer til et saa farlig haand-
værk, – og nù kom jeg altsaa
efterpaa ùnderveir med, at jeg
kanske kunde nöiet mig med
at kjöbe bare öen, – naar den
altsaa ikke var beheftet med
noget bygselfolk eller pakter-
pakk; men naar man har sagt A
faar man, som bekjendt, også sige B,
og jeg spùrgte ham da, hvad han
vilde have for sin grùndeiendoms-
ret til hele bygselbrùket og
öen. – Han bad mig gjöre et
bùd: – pakteren gaar nemlig haardt
paa ham for tiden og vil kjöbe
eiendommen (der er ogsaa 3–4 andre
om budet – deriblandt Olaùs altsaa)
Grùndeieren vilde nù gjerne faa
mig til at taxere brùket – jeg
mente det kùnde være værdt
ca. 7000 (det var 1000 kr. lavere
end den pris hand tidligere havde for-
langt) – Hidtil havde han
troet, at det hele var en spök
i forbindelse med "brændingen", men
nù begyndte han at föle sig frem,
om det skulde opfattes som et bùd
og spùrgte, om jeg vilde give det for
brùket, som det stod nù –
altsaa for hans grùnd eiendoms-
ret. – "Nei, sa jeg – först skal
dù löskjöbe bygselfolkenes bygsel-
ret og deres pakter-ret, og saa
skal dù faa pakteren væk til
14de april 1921 – og faa bygsel-
folkene over til Amerika inden
den tid, og forpligte dig til at
gjöre handelen om igjen, hvis
bygselfolkene kommer tilbake
fra Amerika inden 3 aar (af
hensyn til fattigvæsenet) – og ligeledes
gjöre handelen om igjen, uden tab
for mig, hvis nogen af din slegt
skùlde benytte sig af sin odelsret
og "trætte" eiendommen til sig" (ogsaa
inden 3 aar – for efter den tid begynder man
selv at faa odel) – og kan ikke "udtrættes")
"Endvidere skal dù kjöbe af bygsel-
folkene alle hùsene og de sæter-
volden med sæterhùs og fjös og
alle slaattelöer, kværnhùs og alle
fjös i udmarken." –––
Øen vilde jeg have atpaa han-
delen, – men jeg kom ikke saa
langt; – thi manden sa fra
med en gang, at dette var
ùmùligt – dette med hùsene, –
thi det var uberegneligt, hvad
de kùnde komme op i nù, –
bare hovedbygningen vilde komme
paa over 1000 Kr., og der var ialt
7–8 hùser – flere som var værdi-
fùlde (sæterhùsene), – men vilde
jeg give 7000 for "snaùe" gaarden (helt
heftefrit for bygselretten og bortfor-
paktningsretten), saa skulde han
tænke paa det til næste dag – saa
skulde vi mötes, – ja jeg vilde ogsaa be-
III
tænke mig. – Næste dag kom svar
fra sorenskriveren og fra Wiese.
Desværre var papirerne tinglæste
og i orden: – bygselfolkene hav-
de forùden bygselretten ogsaa
ret til at pagte gaarden "til
hvem de vilde".
Nù önskede jeg rigtigt, at dù
havde været her tilstede, – thi
ansvaret laa tungt paa mig,
da jeg skulde möde grùndeieren
og give et svar, – thi uden noget
bùd fra min side, vilde ikke
han indlede ùnderhandling med
bygselfolkene om at faa kjöbe
deres rettigheder: ––– han har brùgt alle sine penge til indlösning af farsgaren (det
var et beleiligt öieblik ogsaa;
thi pakteren var jùst borteist
den dag, saa der kùnde for-
handles med bygselfolkene, uden
hans indblanding, – eller uden at
bygselfolkene kunde faa anledning
til at raadföre sig med pakteren,
som selvfölgelig vilde gjöre alt,
for at forpùrre det hele.
Jeg sov ikke hele natten i
uvishet om, hvad jeg skulde
vove, – og for at vinde lidt
tid ùden at hindre Grùnd-
eieren fra ùnderhandling med
bygselfolkene, vovede jeg endelig
at gjöre grùndeieren fölgen-
de forslag:
Han (grùndeieren) kùnde byde
bygselfolkene (selvfölgelig efter lang-
varig prùtning) indtil 3000 Kr.
for alle deres rettigheder og
hùsene, sæter o.s.v. og saa
skùlde jeg tage hùsene for indtil
1500 Kr. medens bygselretten
og pakterretten skulde han be-
tale, – og saa vilde jeg have
Öen atpaa handelen. – –
Gaarden skulde da altsaa
koste mig (eller rettere os!)
8500 Kr. med alle rettigheder
hùsene sæteren og öen – (ùden
noget slags hefte). – –
Han vilde meget nödig ud med
öen (han taber jo da sin fiskeret); men
det undlod jeg nok at nævne), men
han vilde nödig ud med öen af
den grùnd, at hans forfædre altid
havde havt kværn der, og hans
bror, som har gaaet handelskolen
tænker at bygge handelsted der,
og bygge en moderne mölle,
som han kunde drive ved siden af
handelen, – – jeg foreslog ham
da, at han kunde bytte kværnfald,
og faa det, som jeg fik med gaar-
den isteden – (det som ligger ovenfor
veien, – det blev jo bare et par
skridt at gaa fra landeveien –
men sa jeg det gamle kvernhus maatte
staa) – han indvendte at "faldet"
ikke var saa godt, men gik tilslùt
med paa det (og handelstedet fik
han skaffe plads til andetsteds paa
sin egen gaard.) .
Vi blev altsaa nogenlùnde enige,
men han tvivlede paa, at han
kùnde faa hùsene for en pris ùnder
2000, paa en aùktion vil de komme
op i meget mere, troede han. –
Vi skiltes paa den maate, at han
drog i "Øiene" for at ùnderhandle
med bygselfolkene, – dette var i gaar-
aftes, og jeg har intet hört fra
ham om resùltatet, – han er
vel for optaget i dag, – (han har
havt et uheld, – en kvige af
særlig fin race, som han havde
kjöbt gik ùdfor en foss oppe
i fjeldet, og han har folk med
sig at lede i elven efter skrotten.
Ja hvad synes dù nù, har jeg
handlet klogt eller uklogt?
– der er jo endnù tid til at trække
sig tilbake, – jeg rabler disse
ord ned i hast for at höre
din mening, som dù helst bör
sende mig snarest – kanske
helst telegrafisk (adr. Vasenden
i Jölster). Det er jo ikke sikkert
at grùndeieren ogsaa kunde
komme til at betænke sig, og
saa kan det jo ogsaa hænde at
han maa betale saa meget for
husene, sæteren og rettighederne (til
bygsel og bortforpagtning) at han
ikke synes at det lönner sig; – jeg
byder iallefald ikke mere forelö-
big, – vi kan jo da heller vente
til at auktionen og lade grùnd-
eieren byde dem hùsene ind for os, – jeg
tror ikke folk vil byde meget, – naar
de veed, at grùndeieren önsker at
kjöbe dem; – men man kan jo aldrig
vide noget paa forhaand. –
Spørgsmaalet blir altsaa
bare nù, om vi skal staa ved vort
bud 8500 for det hele? – og dù
kan gjerne bare svar "ja" eller "nei"
for at folk ikke skal faa nyss i noget – af hensyn til O. og pakteren
og ifald vi skal falde af 500 kr.
eller i fornödent fald stige 500 kr.
det vil jeg overlade til dig – jeg er
dog bange vi taber chancen ved
at give et ùnderbùd: – faar pak-
teren nyss i noget, kùnde han da
byde det samme, som vort förste
bud, og da og naar vi har gaaet
nedover – har vi ikke længer nogen
forret til det förste bud, men maa
over det.
Penge behöver vi forelöbig ikke
mere af end til at löse rettigheder-
ne og hùsene, og hvor meget
det blir, veed vi altsaa ikke
endnù, men det haster heller (med udbetaling) –
ikke förend ud paa sommeren
(engang i jùli), – jeg faar vide det
en af de förste dage, og skal da
telegrafere belöbets störrelse, – –
naar dù saa til dette belöb lægger
{...} det andet, som jeg skal
sætte efterpaa i telegrammet, saa faar
dù vide det endelige belöb, som gaar-
den vil koste med rettigheder, hùse,
sæter og öen – (heftefrit altsaa) – og vi
har da atter anledning at trække os tilba-
ke, hvis det skulde overstige vort bùd nù.
Ja dù faar undskylde mit rabl, –
der er en ting, som jeg er lidt mis-
fornöiet med – nemlig kvernhùset, men
da det blir ovenfor veien, er vi sikker
paa, at det aldrig blir nogen stor
mölle, – faldet er nemlig for lidet; –
V
det blir nok bare det kvernhuset
alle dage, – og næsten alle gaarde,
som ligger ved en elv, har et eller
flere kvernhùse liggende paa sin
grùnd, – og jeg vil forlange det
infört paa papiret, at han ikke
skal have ret til at benytte vandet
til andet end kvern og slipesten kanskje ogsaa en stampe:
og kvernhùset maa ikke være större
end almindeligt brùgt i bygden,
og veien (7–8 meter) maa ikke
være kjörevei kùn gangsti, –
derved sikrer man sig mot
noget större möllebruk. –––
Det var den eneste maade, jeg kunde
faa öen fri paa, – den kommer
jo ogsaa extra til gaarden, som den
tidligere ikke har hört til, – og vi kan
overtage den straks i sommer, om
vi vil; thi pagteren har intet
med den at bestille; – men
der maa jo extrapapir til
for öens vedkommende, – da den
maa fraskrives hovedbrùket "San-
dalshaùg", som den nù ligger ùnder
–––
Grùndeieren er en ùalmindelig
kjæk kar, som nok vil gjöre
alt, hvad han kan for at faa
hùsene saa billige som muligt
til os – (jeg har intet nævnt om
dig endnù, – det kan være til
husene er udlöst, ellers kunde han
tro, at dù var saa rik, at han ikke behö-
vede at gjöre nogen anstrengelser for at
faa dem hùsene billigt.). – Han
liker ogsaa at faa mig i nærheten,
da han liker et glas, og jeg kan jo
"brænde"og lave rabarbravin, –
han har ogsaa laant mine gaards-
redskaber ofte – (drillplog felt-esse og skaal-
harv – den sidste kan faa god an-
vendelse i "Øiene"). –––
Angaaende forholdet os imellem
– dù og jeg altsaa, – faar vi ordne
det slig, at vi sælger avlingen
ved auktion hvert aar og halv-
verer indtægten og ùdgiften, (vi
maa t iallefald faa vore renter
dækket og lidt tilovers til en dram),
og spenderer vi noget paa opdyrk-
ning, foröges jo værdien, og vi kan sælge
igjen med fortjeneste, – her er altid stor
rift om gaardene, – især naar de lig-
ger saa fladt som denne, – og efter
hvad lensmanden fortæller, – har det
endnù aldrig hændt her i bygden,
at en gaard er bleven solgt billigere,
end den var kjöbt for selv om intet var
forbedret, men heller nedstyret.
Vi kommer til at bo her, tænker jeg,
og hùsene staar da til din disposition
naar dù finder for godt – kanske jeg
bygger et atteliere paa öen, hvis dù
intet har imod det. – Melk kan dù
da have rikelig fra egen gaard hele som-
meren, – om vinteren tror jeg det lönner
sig bedre at kjöbe paa gaardene om-
kring og bare have "sommer bære" kjör, –
det koster mindst tjenerhjælp, og sæte-
ren har den bedste havnegang i bygden
nedenfor "Fagrivatnet", – saa det vilde være
synd at have kjörene gaaende der som
"gjældkjyr" om sommeren, og skal man
dele dem i to halvt paa vinter og halvt
paa sommer, blir det forlidet melk bestandig.
Ja, ja alt sligt kan vi tales ved om senere.
Haaber dù forstaar mit rabl. Med de bedste
hilsener fra alle her til dig og dine Din
hengivne
Kjære ven!
Der er en stùnd til posten gaar – og jeg
vil skrive nogle ord endnù, kanske kun-
de grùndeieren komme imens, saa jeg
fik vide resùltatet af ùnderhandlingen
med "Øiafolket" (bygselfolkene) – jeg
vil nemlig nù ikke opsöke ham, men
lade ham komme til mig, – lidt poli-
tik altsaa – ––– for at faa rede
paa hans interesserthed o.s.v, – man maa
ikke forhaste sig, helst naar det virkelig
haster – han maa helst nù tro, at jeg er
ifærd med at trække mig tilbage; – blir
nù husene og rettighederne for dyre, og han
ikke kommer her paa nogle dage, – saa
kanske vi blir nödt at give ham
en liden opmùntring, – jeg har da
tænkt mig et forslag, som jeg först
vil raadföre mig med dig om: Vi
byder ham 6000 kr. for "snaùe" gaarden-
dog med öen til, – og saa paatager vi
os (gjennem en straamand) at faa udlöst
rettighederne, og saa kjöber vi hùsene
paa aùktionen; – men da skal han
paatage sig at byde dem ind for os; thi
ingen vil faa dem billigere end han, som
eier grùnden, – der er jo en mùlighed
for, at vi paa den maade kan faa eien-
dommene lige billigt, som det vi har
bùdt – (kanske endog et par hùndred kr.
billigere), men det er, som dù forstaar,
den rene "hasard"; – jeg vil ialle-
fald forlange paa forhaand, at hvis
rettighederne og hùsene blir dyre, skal
han betale 500 kr. i ùdlægget paa
dette. – Et tredje alternativ var,
om vi böd 6000 kr. for "snaùe" gaarden
og öen og saa kjöbte han sætervolden
til dette og gav os atpaa handelen, – og
saa fik han löse ind rettighederne og byde
ind hùsene paa aùktionen – og saa fik
vi paatage os at betale ham ùd hans
udlæg til disse to sidste ting, – selv-
fölgelig skal han da "prùtte" "samvittig-
lighedsfùldt og dagligt paa rettig-
hederne, indtil auktionen kommer;
da maa jo alt være ordnet med "rettig-
hederne", förend vi kan "löse" hùsene;
men hvis vort förste bud gaar i laas,
blir der jo ingen auktion af, og det
saa jeg helst, thi jeg er lidt ræd
auktioner, – det er utroligt, hvad smaa-
huser nù i den senere tid kan kom-
me op i paa auktioner her i bygden.
riktignok er det en ùvùrdelig fordel
for os, at grùndeieren byder hùsene
ind for os, – men paa den anden side
kan bygselfolkene faa sig straamænd
til at "byde op" hùsene, som de selv-
sagt ikke vil "ùnde" grùndeieren for billig
pris; – pagtereren vil selvfölgelig ogsaa
blive en haard konkùrent. –––
Ja dù synes vel jeg vrövler for
meget om saken. –––
Dere skulde absolut været her nogle
dage til baade for handelens skyld og
for naturens skyld; thi dù tror ikke
hvor overraskede vi blev ved hjemkom-
sten fra Förde, – alt var forandret
paa de 2 dagene:, skogen havde faaet
den koldgrönne friske farve, som den
faar om vaaren her, naar varmen kommer;
de to dagene havde gjort underværker –
æpletrærene (blomsterne) var næsten helt udsprùngne, og
kirsebær og plomme stod i fuld blomst,
rabarbra-bladene var blevne næsten
dobbelt saa store paa de to dagene; –
– her var motiver overalt, saa jeg vidste
ikke, hvad jeg skulde begynde paa at
male; men stekende hedt var her, og
der var kommen den kjendte vaar-sùs
i fjeldene af alle bækkene og elvene.
Nù staar æpletrærene hvide og hæggen
sner og plomme og kirsebær begynder
ogsaa at miste jomfrùdommen. –
VII
Jeg talte lidt med Engel om
vort fremtidige project – hùn
syntes, at jeg skulde flytte mine
hùse paa Myklebùst frem til
"Øiene"; – men det kom an paa
dig, svarte jeg – det vil jo koste en
del ogsaa: – Engel troede, at
dù eller særlig din frùe vilde
like bedst, om vi boede i "Øiene"
ogsaa, – da maatte vi jo ha lidt
mer hùser: – der er jo rigtig –
nok en liden stùe forùden hoved-
bygningen, – den kunde vi jo bo i,
medens dere var her; – hvis dere
önskede det, – men om vinteren er
den vel for kold, – men den kan jo
kanske repareres – jeg tör ikke nù
besigtige husene; – hovedbygningen skal
være forholdsvis nyt tömmer i og skal
være varm, – der er to rùm og en "gang",
som kùnde "afpaneles" til et sommer-
rùm eller kjökken; – med dobbel
"papping"og paneling kùnde man
ogsaa faa det til et varmt vinter-
rùm, men det blir dyrt nù, – da
pap næsten ikke er at opdrive.
Naar vi nù faar interkomùnale
biler i den nærmeste fremtid,
vil dù kùnne reise billigt fra
Vadheim til "Øiene"– – Engel og
jeg betalte 10 kroner fra Förde til
Sandalstrand, og da havde vi med
os en del pakker, og en hel del fisk, –
saa der blev beregnet en del som
kolli eller fragt gods, og da maa
det siges at være billigt; – og det
skal blive endnù billigere, siges
der; naar det interkomùnale forbùnd
kommer iorden, – dù blir jo ogsaa "op-
sidder" i distriktet og har da ret til
lavere fragt end tourister. –––
Og saa faar vi i fællesskab faa os
en liden motorbaat, – der er jo
glimrende anledning til "havn", – og
saa kùnde vi reise, hvor vi önskede
rùndt det 3 mil lange vand og
se paa vore motiver – lige ind ùnder
Jostedalsbræen (til Lùnde inderst i
Kjösnesfjorden) – eller til den
anden arm af vandet (til Skei)
og tage bil ind Stardalen lige ind-
til Jostedalsbræen paa den kant
ogsaa (til gaarden Fonn – hvor Fond
er fra), og derfra kan tages side turer
til en masse prægtige dalförer, hvor
jeg alt har tinget mig försteret til
leie af sætrer. Fra Skei er der ogsaa
bare ½ mil til Nordfjord-Förde i en vild
natur med det lange vakre Breimsvand,
hvor der gaar "bygdemotor baat" til
Breims vasenden, – derfra er kùn en
fjerdingsvei (med bil) til Gloppen (Sandene)
(en passerlig spadsertùr forresten). –––
Med kjöbet af Øiene fölger ogsaa
jagtret i Björndalen en rettighed
som W. J. Meyer "sikler" efter, – jeg
har forsögt för at skaffe ham ret der
men nù, naar jeg blir medeier der –
tror jeg helst jeg i smùg kommer til
at arbeide imod; – thi faar man en
jæger i et sligt prægtigt jagttærræn
har man snart 10 andre; thi de
andre havneberettigede blir misùndelige
og skaffer straks andre jægere ret, – selv om
de intet tjener paa det. – Fluge arbei-
der nok ihærdig paa at skaffe Meyer
jagtret der, men den ene er ræd
den anden af opsidderne, – og nù
gjælder der at styrke denne frygt.
Den kjendte jæger Sölvberg-Förde er
den eneste, som hidtil har "jaget" der,
og han siger at der er det bedste rypeterren
han har været i, – og der er mange jægere,
som forhandler med grùnd opsiddere om
jagtret, – hver af opsidderne har sine
liebhabere, saa at enighed opnaaes
VIII
forhaabentlig ikke saa snart, –
jeg skal nok "pùste til" ùenig-
hedens ild – for fredens skyld.
Nei grùndeieren kommer nok
ikke idag, – det blir "styggeveir"
ogsaa, – jeg har slig hodepine, –
der maa være elektrisitet i luften,
saa dù maa ùndskylde mit
rabl – jeg springer vist fra det
ene til det andet. –––
Vil dù gjöre mig en stor tjeneste?
Vil dù kjöbe hos nogle af de store
kartoner hos Wernöe (de store er det
eneste han har igjen), og saa lade
Didr. Andersen pakke dem ind i
den pap, som jeg sendte træsnittene
i, – kan sendes pr. skib til Förde nù da bilen gaar og saa maa dù være saa
snild at skrive mig en liste over
de træsnit, som dù har bestilling
paa – jeg maa pröve at skaffe lidt
mynt nù baade til lidt gjæld og
til at skyde til vort foretagende,
– kunde jeg bare faa tag i stipendie-
pengene – nù ja dette var en
ùforsigtig udtalelse, som ikke bör
komme videre – dù skal se
jeg begynder at blive penge-
begjærlig paa mine gamle dage.
Denne gaardhandelen interesserede
mig oprigtig talt ikke saa meget
i begyndelsen, – men nù begyn-
ner den at gaa mig som en feber
i blodet, – og jeg drömmer om
nætterne om den "hellige ö" –
"lyksalighedernes ö" med den stille
dam i midten mellem "brùsende
vande" eller rettere elve – og röken
stiger op fra den "hellige ild"
eller offerstedet eller "brænderiet",
om man vil kalde det saa, – og
ikke en levende skal komme
der andre end dù og jeg og
vore familier ingen fremmed maa
betræde stedet – (der maa nok en
mùrkant ned mod vandet – for at
hindre adgang fra baad). –––
Havde jeg tidligere vidst at öen
var særskilt eiendom, og ikke hörte
til bygselbruket, saa havde jeg sansyn-
ligvis længst kjöbt den, – nù
blir det selvfölgelig desto bedre, naar
man kan disponere omgivelserne
ogsaa, – og blir man lei af
bruget, kan man med lethed faa
sælge en parcel paa hver side
af öen og beholde et stykke igjen
paa hver side af "Deltaet."–
"Delta"-formen vil jeg ogsaa
forsöge at faa tydeligere frem ved
at minere væk nogle stener överst
og fordele elven på begge sider.
Den vil selvfölgelig altid blive störst
paa den indre side, da den har
lavere leie der. –––
Gaarden forövrigt kan selvfölgelig
drives op i den doble afkastning, men
det vil koste mange penge; – jeg
tænker vi tager det smaat i saa
henseende – forelöbig. – Vil dù gjöre
udkast til et dokument os imellem,
eller skal jeg gjöre et forslag? –
Ja vi skal iallefald aldrig blive
ùvenner om deling af udbytte eller
salg senere. Ja saa faar jeg for-
haabentlig snart et par ord
fra dig – Lev da vel saa længe
og vær dù selv og familie
hjærteligst hilset fra os alle her
Din hengivne
Translation
Dear Kramer!
It was a pleasure to see you here! Well
unfortunately it was not as nice
a visit for You, as it should have been.
The weather contributed its share – and the trip
to Berg and Botnavatnet was
too exhausting for You, and it
was too early in the year, so
the reward did not justify the effort.
And then I was also quite un-
sociable; – I was a little nervous after
the clean-up with the public health insurance.
I had written quite a lot, which may
well lead to legal “repercussions”,
and I couldn’t get the matter off
my mind, – and I was especially
unsociable towards You the last
evening in Förde, – the reason being
that the matter had come up again
[in a conversation] between Øvrebö and myself, – he
was my defense lawyer during both
the appeals.
But I shall not bore you with
with stories in an attempt to justify
myself, – You will forgive me
in any case –
We had to wait forever in Förde
for the motorcar, which had broken down, but
when we finally left we
sped home at an incredible speed, –
twice as fast as the ride down,
despite the fact that they had to build
an improvised bridge out of stone slabs
at one point along the way – (The driver
managed to do it in a matter of minutes)
When I arrived home, I immediately
began introductory nego-
tiations with the owner of Sandals-
öiene (“Øiene”), – because I
remembered your wife’s cautious remark that
something should be done in that connection.
The landowner had just made
some inquiries about whether the papers were authentic,
– it seems there was also a question, whether
the cottars actually had any
leaseholding rights, – or whether
they had possibly written the
document themselves. – I therefore had to
wait a few days until he received
an answer to a few questions, that
he had posed to the lawyer
Leiv Wiese, – but I approached the
matter just the same – though seemingly coincidentally,
as I suggested to him, that we should
brew some spirits together, –
but then we would have to have a safe
place, – where there was both running
water and that was easily accessible by boat,
and then he suggested himself – down by
the mouth of the river, – I found it of
course to be an excellent place,
and I asked him to follow me to
Stranden, so that he might have a
little “taste” of the goods, – I
had in fact – brought along
to this meeting with the landowner[,] a
little drop that I had saved of the stuff, I
had gotten hold of in Förde. – We soon
agreed, where we would set up
the brewery, and then it became clear, that
we might very easily make a deal
without an intermediary host – you and me that is; – because
our precious Island, – does not belong
II
to the cottars’ smallholding “Sandalsöiene”
or “Øiene”, as it is commonly
called – no, the island is is owned by
the landowner himself and therefore
he might in fact make use of it straightaway,
if we were to begin “brewing”,
– (but this was not “my inten-
tion”); – I had already talked
of the possibility, that I might pur-
chase the entire cottars’ smallholding – in order to a-
void having neighbours to such a dangerous occu-
pation, – and now afterwards
during the course of our conversation I said, that I
might perhaps settle with
purchasing only the island, – since it
in fact was not encumbered with
any cottars or leaseholder
villains; but, you cannot say A
as we know, without saying B,
and I then asked him, what he
would take for his landowner’s
rights to the entire cottars smallholding and
the island. – He asked me to make an
offer: – the tenant has been pushing
him hard lately and wants to purchase
the property (there are also 3–4 others
in the bidding – among them Olaùs)
The landowner then wanted
me to appraise the smallholding – I
believed it might be worth
approx. 7000 (this was 1000 kr. lower
than the price he had previously de-
manded) – Until now he had
thought, that the whole business
about “brewing” was a yarn, but
now he began to feel his way forward,
as to whether it might be perceived as an offer
and asked whether I would give that much for
the smallholding, as it stood now –
that is for his property rights as land-
owner. – “No, I said – first you
must redeem the cottars’ leaseholder
rights and their tenant rights, and then
you must have the tenant removed by
the 14th of April 1921 – make sure the cottars
have moved to America by
that time, and commit yourself to
renegotiating the transaction, if
the cottars return
from America within 3 years (due to
the poverty relief system) – and likewise
renegotiate the transaction, without loss
to me, if anyone among your relatives
should implement their allodial title
and “contest” their way to overtaking the property” (also
within 3 years – because after that time one begins
to have allodial rights oneself) – and cannot be “contested”)
“Furthermore you shall buy from the cottars
all the buildings and the the mountain
pasture with cabins and barns and
all storage sheds, mills and all
barns in outlying fields.” –––
I wished to have the Island in addition to the
transaction, – but I did not get that
far; – for the man said right
off, that this was
impossible – the question of the buildings, –
because it was impossible to know what
they would be appraised at now, –
the main house alone would come
to more than 1000 Kr., and there were a total
of 7–8 buildings – some of which were valu-
able (the mountain grazing cabins), – but if I
were willing to give 7000 for the “stripped” smallholding (not
encumbered by any cottar’s rights or leasing
out rights whatsoever), then he would
think about it until the next day – and then
we would meet, – well I also wanted to con-
III
sider the matter. – The next day the reply arrived
from the district court judge and from Wiese.
Unfortunately the documents were legally registered
and in order: – the cottars
in addition to cottar’s right also
had the right to lease out the smallholding “to
whomever they wished”.
I really wished, that you
had been present, – because
I felt the weight of the responsibility on me,
when I went to meet the landowner
with my reply, – because without any
offer on my part, he would
not initiate negotiations with
the cottars to purchase
their rights: ––– he has used all of his money to redeem his father’s farm (it
was an opportune moment as well;
because the tenant was away
that very day, so one might ne-
gotiate with the cottars, without
his interference, – or without
the cottars being able
to discuss it with the tenant,
who would of course have done everything,
to thwart the whole matter.
I did not sleep the entire night in
the uncertainty about, what I should
risk doing, – and in order to win a little
time without preventing the Land-
owner from negotiating with
the cottars, I finally dared
to present the Landowner with the follow-
ing proposal:
He (the landowner) might offer
the cottars (obviously after length-
y haggling) up to 3000 Kr.
for all their rights and
buildings, mountain cabins etc. and then
I would take the buildings for up to
1500 Kr. while he would pay for
the cottars’ rights and tenant’s
rights, – and then I would get
the island on top of the transaction. – –
The smallholding would then
cost me (or rather us!)
8500 Kr. with all of the rights
the buildings mountain grazing farm and the island – (without
any form of encumbrance). – –
He was very disinclined to sell
the island (he would of course lose his fishing rights); but
I refrained from mentioning this), but
he was reluctant to sell öen
because his ancestors had always
had a mill there, and his
brother, who had gone to trade school
plans to build a general store there,
and build a modern mill,
which he would run adjacent to
the store, – – I suggested to him
then, that he might exchange the water mill,
with the one, that I got with the small-
holding instead – (the one situated above
the road, – it would be only a few
steps to go from the country road –
however I said the old mill building would have
to remain) – he objected that “the waterfall”
was not good enough, but in the end
agreed to it (and the general store
he would find a spot for somewhere else on
his own farm.) .
We were more or less in agreement,
but he doubted, that he
might obtain the buildings for a price below
2000, at an auction they would bring
a much higher price, he thought. –
We parted with the understanding, that he
would go to “Øiene” to negotiate
with the cottars, – this was yesterday
evening, and I have not heard anything from
him about the outcome, – he is
probably too busy today, – (he has
had an accident, – a heifer of
a particularly fine breed, that he had
purchased fell over a cascade up
in the mountains, and he has people with
him searching in the river for the carcass.
Well what do you think, have I
negotiated wisely or unwisely?
– there is still time to withdraw
from the transaction, – I scribble these
words down in haste in order to hear
your opinion, which you should
send me as quickly as possible – perhaps
preferably by telegraph (adr. Vasenden
in Jölster). It is uncertain
whether the landowner will also
begin to have doubts, and
then it may also be that
he must pay so much for
the buildings, the mountain grazing farm and the rights (for
cottars and for leasing out) that he
doesn’t think it is worth it; – I
will in any case not make another offer for
now, – we can in fact wait
until au the auction and let the land-
owner make an offer for them the buildings in our stead, – I
don’t think people will bid very much, – when
they find out, that the landowner wants to
buy them; – but one can never
know in advance. –
The only question will
be, whether we shall keep to our
offer of 8500 for everything? – and you
may merely respond “yes” or “no”
so that people do not get wind of anything – with regard to O. and the tenant
and in case we shall lower [our bid] 500 kr.
or if necessary raise it by 500 kr.
that I will leave up to you – I am
nevertheless afraid that we will lose the chance by
bidding too little: – if the ten-
ant gets wind of something, he might then
bid the same as our first
bid, and then and when we have lowered
our bid – we will no longer have any
pre-emption right to the first bid, but must
bid over it.
When it comes to money we don’t for the moment
need more than what is necessary to buy up the rights
and the buildings, and how much it
will be, we obviously don’t know
yet, but there is no hurry either (to pay) –
until later in the summer
(some time in July), – I will know
any day now, and will then
telegraph the amount, – –
when you add to this amount
{...} the other, which I will
specify later in the telegram, then
you will know the final amount, that the small-
holding will cost with the rights, the buildings,
mountain grazing farm and the island– (unencumbered) – and we
still have the possibility of with-
drawing, if it might exceed our present bid.
Well you must forgive my scribbles, –
there is one thing, which I am a little dis-
satisfied with – namely the water mill, but
since it will be above the road, we can be
certain, that it will never be a large
mill, – the waterfall is too little you see; –
V
it [the present mill] will probably remain as it is
always, – and nearly all the farms,
that are situated by the river, have one or
more mills on their
property, – and I will demand to
have it in writing, that he shall
not have the right to utilise the water
for anything other than a mill and grinding stone perhaps a stamp mill as well:
and the mill must not be larger
than what is common in the village,
and the road (7–8 metres) must not
become a thoroughfare only a footpath, –
in that way one is guaranteed not
to have a larger mill production. –––
This was the only way, that I might
be able to free up the island, – it also comes
in addition to the smallholding, which it
previously did not belong to, – and we can
take it over directly this summer, if
we wish; because the tenant has no
rights to it; – but
an additional document is necessary
when it comes to the island, – as it
must be relinquished from the main farm “San-
dalshaùg”, which it is presently registered under
–––
The landowner is an exceptionally
nice chap, who will surely do
everything he can to get
the buildings as cheaply as possible
for us – (I have not mentioned anything about
you yet, – this can continue until
the buildings are redeemed, otherwise he might
believe, that you were so rich, that he did not
need to make an effort to
get them the buildings cheaply.). – He
also likes to have me nearby,
as he is partial to a drink, and I know how
to “brew” and make rhubarb wine, –
he has also borrowed my farming
tools often – (drill plough field-forge and disc-
harrow – the latter can come in
handy in “Øiene”). –––
As for the relationship between us
– you and me that is, – we can organise
it so, that we sell the crops
at an auction every year and divide
the income and expenses in two, (we
must t in any case have enough to cover our
interest rates and a little extra for a dram),
and if we spend a little on culti-
vation, we increase the value, and can sell
again at a profit, – here the farms are always
in great demand, – especially when they are situated
on such level land as this one, – and according
to what the bailiff says, – it has
never yet occurred here in the village,
that a farm was sold for less,
than it was purchased for even though nothing was
improved, but was rather neglected.
We are going to live here, I believe,
and the buildings are at your disposal
whenever you deem fit – perhaps I
will build a studio at the island, if you
don’t have anything against it. – Milk you can
have in abundance from your own farm all sum-
mer, – in winter I believe it is more
advantageous to buy from the surround-
ding farms and only have “summer” cows, –
it requires the least paid help, and the mountain
farm has the best pastures in the hamlet
below “Fagrivatnet”, – so it would be
a shame to have cows grazing that are
“unproductive” during summer, and if one should
divide them in two half in winter and half
in summer, there would be a constant shortage of milk.
Well, well, such things we can talk about later.
Hope you understand my scribbles. With best
wishes from everyone here to you and yours Your
devoted
P.S.
Dear friend!
There is time before the postman leaves – and I
wish to write a few more words, perhaps the
landowner will arrive in the meantime, so that I
might know the result of the negotiations
with the “Øia people” (the cottars) – I
do not wish to contact him now, but
allow him to come to me, – a little strate-
gising in other words – ––– in order to find out
how interested he is etc., – one must
not rush things, especially when it is really
urgent – he must rather believe, that I am
on the verge of withdrawing; – if
the buildings and rights are too expensive, and he
does not come here in the next few days, then
perhaps we will have to give him
a little encouragement, – I have
thought of a suggestion, which I first
want to consult with you about: We
offer him 6000 kr. for the “stripped” smallholding-
though including the island, – and then we commit to
(through a mediator) buying out
the rights, and then we purchase the buildings
at an auction; – but then he must
commit to making an offer for them in our stead; because
no one will get them cheaper than he, who
owns the property, – there is a possibility
that in this way we can have the pro-
perty as cheap, as what we have
offered – (perhaps even a couple of hundred kr.
cheaper), but it is, as you understand,
a complete “gamble”; – I will in
any case demand in advance, that if
the rights and the buildings turn out to be expensive, he
shall pay 500 kr. in expenditures for
this. – A third alternative was,
if we offer 6000 kr. for the “stripped” smallholding
and the island and then he purchased the mountain pasture
towards this and gave it to us in addition to the transaction, – and
then he was able to redeem the rights and bid
for the buildings at the auction – and then we
were allowed to commit to repaying his
expenditures for these last two things, – ob-
viously he shall “haggle” “scrupu-
lously and daily for the
rights, until the time of the auction;
but then everything must be [legally] in order with the
“rights”, before we can “redeem” the buildings;
but if our first offer succeeds,
then there will be no auction, and I
would prefer that, because I am a little afraid
of auctions, – it is unbelievable, what small
buildings can go for nowadays
in auctions here in the village.
admittedly it is an invaluable advantage
for us, if the landowner bids for the buildings
in our stead, – but on the other hand
the cottars can hire strawmen
to “up the bid” on the buildings, which they obvi-
ously would begrudge “giving” the landowner for a cheap
price; – the tenant would obviously also
be a hard competitor. –––
Well you probably think I am babbling ex-
cessively about the matter. –––
You should absolutely be here for a few
days both for the sake of the transaction and
for the sake of nature; you cannot believe
how surprised we were upon our re-
turn from Förde, – everything had changed
in the 2 days:, the forest had gained
that fresh cold green colour, which it
takes on in spring, when the warm weather arrives;
the two days have done wonders –
the apple trees (the blossoms) were almost completely in flower, and
the cherry and plum trees were in full bloom,
the rhubarb leaves had nearly
doubled in size in the two days; –
– there were motifs everywhere, so that I didn’t
know, what I should begin to
paint; but it was sweltering hot here, and
the familiar spring murmur had arrived
in the mountains from all the streams and rivers.
The apple trees are now in white and the bird cherry
snows and the plum and cherry trees have
also begun to lose their virginity. –
VII
I spoke a little with Engel about
our future project – she
thinks, that I should move my
house in Myklebùst over to
“Øiene”; – but that was up to
you, I replied – it would cost
a bit too: – Engel thought, that
you or especially your wife would
prefer it, if we lived in “Øiene”
as well, – then we would have to have a few
more buildings: – there is in fact –
a little cabin in addition to the main
building, – we could stay there
while you were here; – if you
wished, – but in winter it
is probably too cold, – but it’s possible
it can be repaired – I don’t dare inspect
the buildings right now; – the main building is supposed
to have new timber in it and should
be warm, – there are two rooms and a “hall”,
which might be “divided with panelling” to create a summer
room or kitchen; – with double
“paper insulation” and panelling one might
also turn it into a warm winter
room, but that would be expensive now, – when
paper insulation is nearly impossible to get hold of.
When we will have inter-municipal
motorcars in the very near future,
you will be able to travel cheaply from
Vadheim to “Øiene”– – Engel and
I paid 10 kr. from Förde to
Sandalstrand, and we even had with
us some packages, and a large supply of fish, –
so a part of it was calculated as
parcels or shipped goods, and thus it
must be considered inexpensive; – and it
will be even cheaper, they
say; when the inter-municipal union
is organised, – you will also be a “free-
holder” in the district and will therefore qualify for
lower transportation fees than tourists. –––
And then we shall together obtain
a little motor boat, – it is a
brilliant opportunity to have a “dock”, – and
then we might go, where we wished
around the 30-kilometre-long lake to
observe our motifs – all the way to below
the Jostedalsbræen glacier (to Lùnde at the head of
Kjösnesfjorden) – or to the
other arm of the lake (to Skei)
and take a motorcar through Stardalen all the way in-
to the Jostedalsbræen glacier from that direction
as well (to the Fonn farm – where Fond
is from), and from there one can make side trips
to countless glorious valleys, where
I have already reserved pre-emptive rights for myself to
rent mountain grazing farms. From Skei it is also
merely 5 kilometres to Nordfjord-Förde in untamed
nature with the long and beautiful lake Breimsvand,
where there is a “country motor boat” to
Breims vasenden, – from there it is only
two-and-a-half kilometres (by motorcar) to Gloppen (Sandene)
(a fine stroll by the way). –––
With the purchase of Øiene also comes
hunting rights in Björndalen
which W. J. Meyer “drools” over, – I
have attempted to obtain rights for him there
but now, when I become co-owner there –
I think I will prefer to clandestinely
oppose it; – because if there is one
hunter in such superb hunting grounds
one will soon have 10 more; since the
others who have grazing rights will be envious
and immediately obtain rights for additional hunters, – even though
they gain nothing from it. – Fluge is most
likely doing his utmost to obtain hunting rights for
Meyer there, but one freeholder
is afraid of the next, – and now
it is a matter of increasing that fear.
The well-known hunter Sölvberg-Förde is
the only one to date, who has “hunted” there,
and he claims it is the best grouse terrain
he has been in, – and there are many hunters,
who negotiate with land freeholders for
hunting rights, – every freeholder has his
favourites, so an agreement will
hopefully not result too soon, –
I will certainly “blow on” the fire
of disagreement – for tranquillity’s sake.
Well it is not likely the landowner
will come today, – we are expecting “bad weather”
as well, – I have such a headache, –
there must be electricity in the atmosphere,
so you must pardon my
gibberish – I jump from
one thing to another. –––
Would you do me a great favour?
Would you purchase from some of the large
printing boards from Wernöe (the large type is the
only kind he has left), and then ask
Didr. Andersen to package them in
the cardboard, that I sent the woodcuts
in, – can be sent by boat to Förde now that the motorcar is running and then you must be so
kind as to write me a list of
the woodcuts, that you have orders
for – I must try to get hold of some
money now both for some debts and
to put into our business undertaking,
– if only I could get hold of the grant
money – well that was a
careless remark, which should not
be passed on – you see
that I have begun to covet money
in my old age.
This farm transaction did not
quite honestly interest me much
in the beginning, – but now it has be-
gun to run like a fever
in my veins, – and I dream at
night about the “sacred island” –
“the blissful island” with the little
pond in the middle between the “bubbling
brook” or rather river – and the smoke
rises up from the “sacred bonfire”
or sacrificial site or “brewery”,
if one wishes to call it that, – and
not a living soul will come
there other than you and me and
our families no stranger must
place their foot in the place – (a stone wall
must be built down by the water – in order
to prevent access by boat). –––
Had I known before that the island
was a separate property, and did not belong
to the cottar smallholding, I would have pro-
bably purchased it long ago, – now
it will of course be even better, when
one has access to the surroundings
as well, – and if one becomes tired of
the smallholding, one can easily
sell an allotment on either side
of the island and then retain a tract
on either side of “The Delta.”–
“The Delta” shape I will also
attempt to make more apparent
by blasting away some stones at the top
and dividing the river onto both sides.
It will obviously always be wider
on the inner tract, since it has a
lower bed there. –––
Furthermore the smallholding can of course
be driven to yield double the returns, but
it will cost a lot of money; - I
think we should begin gradually in that
respect – for the time being. – Do you wish to make
a draft of a document between the two of us,
or shall I make a proposal? –
We shall in any case never become
foes based on the sharing of profits or
sale later on. Well I
hope to receive a few words
from you soon – Live well in the meantime
and may you and your family accept
sincere greetings from all of us here
Your devoted