Letter

Astrup, Nikolai to Kramer, Per; Kramer, Aagot
1923-01-14

Transcription:

Tor Martin Leknes

Translation:

Francesca Nichols

Page

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Transcription
Translation

Letter

Astrup, Nikolai to Kramer, Per; Kramer, Aagot
1923-01-14
ubb-ms-1808-h-02-1, MARCUS – Spesialsamlingene ved Universitetsbiblioteket i Bergen

16 Pages

Transcription: Tor Martin Leknes

Translation: Francesca Nichols

Transcription

Hotel Albert Alger Africa <14/1 23>

Kjære Kramer og Aagot!

Vi fik i dag dit brev (pr. Alicante), – og det glædet os meget

at höre fra dig. Ja det gaar vist paa et "rùs" med

posten, – jeg har sendt flere breve hjem, – Engel endnù

flere, – som er bortkomne; – jeg sendte ogsaa Kari og Arnold

en bùnke smaa albùms med billeder fra Kapri, Neapel

og Rom, – de er ogsaa bortkomne ùnderveis; postvæse-

stjæler alt, som kan have den ringeste værd (ofte stjæler

de breve, bare for frimærkernes baade brùgte og ùbrugte skyld); – saaledes

boede vi nogle dage i en araberby, som heder Croùbs –

– omtrent midt i Africa, – men ikke et eneste kort eller

brev, som jeg skrev – derfra lillejulaften er fremkommet. (I Croùbs

blev jeg ogsaa frastjaalet mit barber skelett; – det har nù

hændt mig to gange paa veien). – Jeg forstaar, at man

maa rekomandere alle breve og alt, hvad man sender

i posten. Ja nù bor vi altsaa her i Afrika og har

det ganske godt, jeg plages jo rigtignok af malariaen

– feberen er ofte slem, – men værre er bronkitten, og et

ùtaaleligt "sting", som aldrig vil give sig, – og en hoste, som

jeg aldrig har havt maken til, – den helves toùren til

Hvalöerne bragte mig en slem forkjölelse, som jeg vist

aldrig blir fri; – ogsaa dertil kom de hundredevis af

Tekst vertikalt til venstre: Hils konsùl Mohr eller frùen om dù træffer dem – jeg tror ikke det nytter at skrive 

om Engels reisepenge – de var nok iberegnede i kjöbet af billederne

myggestik, som jeg fik I Italia, og som bragte mig

denne feberen. – Engel fik aarebetændelse af den

og maatte ligg i ca. 3 ùger, – og jeg, som travede rùndt

i alle mùseer med feberen rasende i blodet, – jeg blev

en dag saa sved, ellers sveder jeg ikke siden jeg fik malariaen, at jeg trede ind i en kold stenkirke,

og satte mig paa en stenbænk og lyttede til den sövn-

dyssende katholske messe, til jeg sovnede, – og vaag-

nede med en frygtelig frost, – maatte hjem og iseng,

og saa blev det til bronkit; – heldigvis traf jeg en

snild tysktalende apotheker, som gav os god medicin

– særlig for malariaen; – men bronkitten og hosten

lader sig ikke kùrere, – jeg har hostet slik, at jeg sikkert

har holdt alle mine hotelnaboer vaakne, – og jeg

har ofte troet, at mine lùnger skùlde vrængt sig,

eller at jeg endog skulde hostet op mine "ùdödelige sjæl".

Jeg faar takke til, at asthmaen har holdt sig vække.

Men denne stadige brand for brystet med "sting" er ikke

stort bedre, thi Asthmaen har da sine hvilestùnder, hvor

jeg er helt fri; – men dette evige "pirk" irriterer i læng-

den, selv om det ikke er saa smertefuldt, som Asthmaen.

Her er imidlertid sol og sommer og blomster paa mark og

trær; saa hjælper det ikke at være her, saa hjælper intet, –

Ja her er deiligt – særig om natten, – palmelùnde midt i 

byen alle steder; – palmeblade paa flere meters længde vifter

vifter og vrænger i sölvgrönt om gaslygterne, saa at

skyggerne gaar op og ned over de hvide hùsvægge

som dönningernes skygger paa en lys havbùnd.

Gaterne gaar i zikzak opover den tildels bratte

by, og næsten alle gater er prydede med tætte rækker

af ca. 6 meter höie myrte lignende trær, som stadig

klippes; – mange gater er bare trapper, – og det er rart

at se æsler (saa overlæssede, at man kùnde tro, at

ryggen maatte gaa af), – at se dem kravle op over

de ofte meget bratte trapper. Paa siderne af disse

"trappegater" er der ofte smaa vidùnderlige parker

med tusindvis af roser og andre blomstrende trær, –

bananpalmer med ùmodne bananer – daddelpalmer

med modne dadler, som skinner saa gùlt i det

grönne – (de er næsten modne); – og i disse smaa-

parker, som ligger like bratt som trapperne, er der

cementerede spadsergange i svingninger opover, næsten

som hos mig paa Sandalstrand, – ja endog "torvegarer"

like bratte som mine; men det er ikke græs, de

er bevoksede med (eller dannede af), det er smaa kak-

tùsplanter – (som klippes), – de er saa grönne at man

kùnde tro, de var "malede" – og de har hist og her brand-

gùle blomster; – og midt i disse "torvgarer" er der af og

til "indfældt" marmorbænker med "mosaik"-prydede

ryg- og sidestykker, hvor man kan hvile sig ùnder et

træ med hængende frugt- og blomsterklaser, – (mange

trær har frugt og blomst paa samme tid), – det er svært

sjelden at se et aflövet træ, – det er da som regel af

nordisk oprindelse, – saaledes flere morel- og kirsebær-

trær, som staar med 3–4 af de sidste löv fra hösten, og samtidig har

de faaet de förste hvide blomster. Forresten er det jo vanske-

ligt at sige, hvad tid her er höst; thi hvert træ tager

sin höst, naar det finder for gidt, – saaledes er apelsin-

og mandarin frugterne endnù ikke modne; – vi blev idag

kjendt med en araber frùe, – som viste os rùndt i sin

have, hvor vi fik plùkke mandariner; – hùn ristede paa

mandarintrærne for at de bedst modne skùlde falde ned

til os. Hùn var halvaraber eller ¼ næsten fransk – og derfor sin mands gjevnbyr-

dige kone, – som kùnde gaa frit om og tale med hvem,

hùn vilde, uden at skjule sit ansigt; – de var rike folk

og havde et lidet palads med en vidùnderlig have, – rent

et lidet paradis; – til slùt viste hùn os ogsaa sine (eller

rettere sin mands) haremsdamer; – vi fik titte ind til

dem gjennem "fængselets" gitter – de sjùlte straks sine

ansigter, men da de saa, at vi ikke var arabere slog

II

de straks silken fra ansigtet; – thi det er kùn for

araberne de skjùler sine yndigheder, – en europæer maa

gjerne se deres ansigt – (ja gjerne ogsaa maven og de vakre

bryster). Vi syntes det var en ren oplevelse, – dette at

blive kjendt med en rig araberfamilie; det var ogsaa

rent tilfældigt; – thi ellers er araberne meget indeslut-

tede overfor eùropæerne, (de hùsker vel paa, at de blev jaget

ùd av Spanien, – og desuden er de særlig lidet glad i fransk-

mendene – siden krigen, som de deltog i –(uden kanske at

have faaet noget vederlag) – , de elsker derimod tyskerne,

som behandlede deres saarede soldater saa godt i fangen-

skabet, medens folket selv sùltede i Tyskland). Vi er bleven

kjendt med en hel del arabere (frugthandlere), og de

kommer altid hen til os paa gaten og hilser os med et

kraftigt haandslag og kalder os for venner; – men sligt

er jo almindeligt her; – denne oplevelse i dag derimod var

rent tilfældig; fordi vi holdt paa at forvilde os ind

i en have, – da vi hadde taget feil af en privat vei og hovedveien

En vakker araberpige kom da og förte os op gjennem en ren

labyrint af mosaikbelagte trapper og op til frùen, hvem vi

dog ikke kùnde tale stort med, da jeg kan lidet fransk.

Her paa hotellet er en spansk pige, som steller vort værelse,

men hùn taler saa fort, at jeg kommer ikke langt med min

spansk, – og naar jeg beder hende tale langsomt, blir hùn

fornærmet og siger, at hùn har det travelt, – her er ogsaa

en spansk tjener (halvspaniol), som er meget elskværdig, men

han er ogsaa "kort for hodet", naar det gjælder at tale

Tekst vertikalt til venstre: Dere har vel faaet mit usedvanligt lange "skriveprodùct" fra Italia?

langsomt; – men han blir ikke fornærmet eller uforskam-

met som piken, – han siger bare: "aa det er sligt deiligt

veir ude i dag, – Dere maa ùd at spadsere", eller, hvis det

er om kvelden, siger han – "gid dere maa faa en "meget

god nat." – Vi har truffet flere spaniere, og de er alle

meget vridne og "hovne", (stolt som en spanier siger man jo)

"at være spansk paa det" – siger man jo ogsaa, – jeg kvier

mig næsten paa at komme til Spanien. Vi blir her i

iallefald et par maaneder, – til det er overstaaet med

Engels nedkomst (og lidt længer ogsaa til hùn er helt

sterk igjen); hùn har skrevet til sin mor, at hùn vil faa (kjöpe) 

med sig hjem et indfödt barn fra Africa, – hendes mor

veed nemlig intet om "tilstanden" jeg tænker hùn forstaar spöken. Fra Cicilien (paa skib-

bet over til Africa) havde vi sterk sjögang, og hùn var da

svært syk – "ristingen" paa togene gjennem örken- og fjeldland

var heller ikke god for hende, – derfor slog vi os ned her; da

vi ikke turde reise over Middelhavet til Spanien med hende. 

Naar vi skal videre, – tænker jeg paa at leie en flyvemaskin

og flyve saa langt vest, at vi er lige syd for sydenden

af Spanien, saaa det blir kort vei over den "krappe" sjö

til Spanien. Togene her gaar med en helvedes fart, – verre

end i Amerika og Frankrige, – saa de "rister" frygtelig, – vi

havde ogsaa et togùheld paa veien: – stempelstangen, som

svinger lokomotivets hjùl spratt af i den ene ende og ned i jorden saa

toget braastansede; – og vi maatte sidde 2–3 timer midt

i örkenen; – indtil et andet tog kom og hjalp os videre. man satte et apparat paa telegraflinjen

Ørkenen er forresten ikke saa ùinteressent, som man skulde

tro; – næsten alting er rödt; röde sandfjelde med æld-

gamle ùnderlige kaktuser, hvis eiendommelige lyse grönne

farver med röde frùgter staar herligt til det röde landskab; – enkelte steder snoede der

sig ogsaa en blaa elv i dybet omgiven af bratte röde skræn-

ter, – selv sanden kan være interessent, naar den ligger

i bölger – som et störknet "Röde hav" – (den er dog ikke

alle steder röd). – Et snefjeld stikker op hist og her og

frisker synet i den brændende örkensol eller lyser om

natten i maaneskinnet i fosfor sjær. Af og til antager 

sanden ogsaa ùnderlige former, – rene sneskavler af sand-

bjerg – ; jeg vilde nödig være ùde i en sandstorm og blive

begraven ùnder et sandbjerg – eller (bare en sandhaùg var

nok), – da er det bedre at tage en flyvemaskine, – den gaar

saa höit; at den ùndgaard sandstormen. – Ja, vi har det

altsaa godt; bare det staar vel over med Engel, og jeg blir fri

bronkitten og "stinget"; – og vi saa havde penge, – vi er nemlig ganske

<"blank"> nù; – vi har faaet leiet et værelse paa en födsels-

klinik, – det staar ledigt for paakommende tilfælde, og

jeg skal faa ligge der ogsaa, – da Engel ikke kan et ord

fransk. Det blir frygtelig dyrt. – Vi har allerede kjöbt

ind barnetöi. Vi har et prægtigt værelse her paa hottellet, –

Varmt vand; saa meget vi vil brùke – (egen krane) og

vi vil beholde rùmmet, – til Engel er færdig paa klinikken.

da er det godt for hende at have rigeligt varmt vand

til barnet. Engel vil nemlig ikke være mere end höist

14 dage paa klinikken, – da det er saa dyrt der; – her er jo 

kùn private klinikker, og de har hverken stats- eller komù-

netilskùd som i Norge, – og da er det rimeligt, at det blir

dyrt, – det er ogsaa kùn de rike franskmænd (eller rettere deres

kvinder), som tager ind paa slike klinikker, – araberkvinderne

"svöber" selv sine börn – som jomfrù Maria og de andre bibel-

ske kvinder. – Disse araberne minder jo i mangt og

meget om jöderne: – deres tilhyllede kvinder. (som Re-

bekka der "tilhyllede sit ansigt, da hùn saa sin vordende Isak mand")

og deres omskjærelse, (jeg skal faa se paa en slik handling næste

uke); endvidere deres afsky for flesk, som de ikke en-

gang tör beröre og deres fodside silkekjortler, der

nesten altid er hvide, (dog har de ofte en "pùrpùr" violet silkedragt

ùnder, som viser i brystet, og naar de stikker armene ud

af kjortelens sidespalter). De gaar næsten altid barbent, 

og damerne har folderige silkebùkser, som gaar nedom kjorte-

len (som en pose: slik illustrasjon) ùndertiden gaar bukse og kjortel i et.

Mændene har vistnok ikke bùkser; thi ved landeveiene kan

man ofte se dem "hùke sig ned" og ùdföre alskens nödtörft,

(uden at lade sig anfegte af de forbipaserende), det er vel af

den grùnd, de har faaet ord paa sig for at være ùrenslige,

men det kommer deraf, at de lever nu som for 1000 aar siden,

og da havde vi ikke nödtörft huser i Norge heller, – og rens-

ligheden forövrigt – stod vel neppe saa hoit som hos araberne. 

De förer sig med en rolig værdighed, – naar de ikke blir sint;

men da er der ikke langt til kniven. Her er mange rövere,

som egentlig bor i örkenen, – men som spadserer ùgenert om i

gaterne som andre gentlemen; – saa fortalte en arber mig, og han

advarede mig mod at lade sine slegtninge se min store penge-

bok – (jeg maatte anskaffe mig en stor bok af hensyn til det store pass)

(og de mange millioner, som jeg hadde i Østerrike). –––

III

Her er meget, som er malerisk, – men jeg har vanskeligt

for at kùnne male noget her, – motiverne er ùmùlige at

afskjære, og det værste er alle fattig-gùttene, – fantegùtterne

og anden pöbel, som det vrimler af rundt fremmedfolk her.

I Venezia fortalte jeg Dere om ùngerne, som rev skisseboken ùd

af hænderne for at se, hvad jeg tegnede, – men det var dog i en

slags velvillig gemytlighed, – her er de ondskabsfulde – og jeg

er bange for, at jeg kom til at slaa ihjæl en af disse mùlat ùn-

gerne, om jeg skulde male noget her, – de kaster store kaktusblade

paa en – (og de er piggede verre end et pindsvin); – et hvert saar

– selv det ùbetydeligste – blir til en "ulægelig sprùnge" her i syden.

Det fik jeg föle i Rom, hvor vi tok ind paa et dansk hotel, – vi

traf en norsk familie, som anbefalte os dette hotel ("Dinesen")

(der traf vi 3 norske malere). Da vi skulde reise fra hotellet,

vilde jeg bære all vore bagage op til jernebanestationen og sætte det

paa depoet, til jeg havde det alt samlet; – men hotellet vilde

ikke tillade mig dette, – de skùlde besörge baade os og vor

bagage i drosche til stationen; – jeg satte da alt vort töi (21

kolli) paa et sted samlet i vestibulen og viste det til porteren

som paatog at ordne alt; – men da vi kom til stationen mang-

lede en koffert, – og der mangled 5–6 minnutter til toget skùl-

de gaa; – jeg lod Engel og de andre staa igjen; fik fat i en

drosche og tok römmerne fra den italienske kùsk og kjörte

som rasende til hotellet; (jeg har ofte ærgret mig over italiner-

es mishandling af hestene; men den gang var jeg ikke bedre selv.)

Da vi kom til hotellet sprang jeg af og skùlde i hast åbne de

store glasdöre; – der havde en af de reisende sat sin kùffert

bag dören, – og jeg, som rendte paa med fùld fart, havde nær

gaaet tvers gjennem glasdören, – det regnede med tusendvis

af glasstùmper, og jeg skar den ene haand stygt op paa

mange steder, – særlig var en finger stygt skamferet lige ind

paa benet. Vertskabet kom til og gjorde tùsend ùndskyld-

ninger for portierens forglemmelse; – de havde opdaget det straks

og havde sendt kufferten pr. express til stationen. – Jeg bad

dem "ryke og reise" – og skjældte dem hùden fuld og lovede, at

jeg skulde advare alle nordmænd for dette hotell, – og saa

sprang jeg i vognen og kjörte i galop til stationen, mens jeg

blödde som en kalv; – og vi naaede at komme paa toget i

sidste minut; – der tog en snild herre sig af mig og viklede

min haand ind i bomùld (man skulde altid have med sig

slig renset bomuld – "borvat", naar man reiser). Naa, dette blev jo

en lang historie, – det var bare det, jeg vilde sagt, at det tok lang

tid, för det blev godt igjen, (saar gror kan hænde ogsaa senere,

naar man har malaria). – Jeg veed ikke, om jeg i et tidligere

brev har fortalt om vort besök paa "Helvedes skorstein", (Vesùv),

hvor vi saa ned i "afgrùnden", – hvorfra opsteg svovelrög og flam-

mer, – Engel var særlig greben ved at höre "de fordömtes

grùelige jammer". Per og jeg indaande svovelröiken med

stort velbehag, – den gjorde godt for vore daarlige lùnger,–

medens Hjördis, som aldrig har havt asthma eller bronkit

vilde kvæles. Engel ogsaa – det var verre end at pùste ind röken fra et ovnsrör, sa hùn.

Per og jeg havde gjerne dvælet der i længere tid og

nydt den herlige lùft, medens vi ventede paa et ordentligt ùdbrud;

men saa kom der en snekave – (den eneste vi har havt paa tùren)

og det bekom ikke vùlkanens mave vel, – den gùlpede op en

ren storm af svoveldamp og flammer, – og denne storm tok

hatten af Hjördis og förte den ùd for de bratte skrænter af lava

og aske, – der ingen folk kan gaa, – hùn vilde da gjerne ned

hùn har gaaet barhodet like til nù for et par dage siden da Per kjöbte hende ny hat

igjen snarest, – som rimelig var, – og hùn sörgede slig paa

hatten, at hùn satte sig igjen paa en restaùrant og stùrede,

medens vi besögte Pompei og stolprede om mellem rùinerne og

de med "kampesten" belagde gater, – (der nærmest lignede et

sætertùn i Jölster, hvor de större stener faar lige ifred, –

slig, som de har ligget, siden morænen lagde dem dèr), – jeg

kan ikke forstaa at den tids "overkùltiverede" mennesker kunde

nöie sig med en slig "ùr" til at gaa paa – (stenene viste sterk 

slitage), – en svensk dame, som havde værelse ved siden af os paa

hotellet, brækkede ogsaa benet der. – At fortælle om alt det

eiendommelige, som vi saa i Pompei og om toùren til Capri og

"den blaa grotte", – det vilde blive for vidtlöftig, – jeg hadde sat

mig i hodet, at jeg vilde se ind i den brömte grotte; – men havet

stod haardt paa indgangen, som skjùltes hvert öieblik af de

store bölgedönninger. – Vi maatte vende om med uforrettet sak,

men nogen dristige rövere, som havde været i tysk fangenskab

rodde os senere den halve mil ùd til grotten fra Capri (by) – tiltrods

for at havet stod endnù haardere paa end förste gang, –

de forvovne karer vilde nytte leiligheden, – naar grotten spyede

havet ùd, – til at pile ind i "halsen" og lade næste dönning bære

baaden helt ind i grotten. – Da vi kom frem til aabningen,

sa Per, at han kùnde ikke forstaa, hvor vi skulde ind, – der

var jo bare fjeld – (dönningerne skjùlte nemlig grottens mùnd), men da

dragsùget et öieblik trak sig saa langt tilbake, at Per fik se

halvdelen af gabet, der ikke var en meter höit, – da svor

han höit og dyrt, at gjennem det "hùllet" vilde han aldrig.

Vore roere maatte tilkalde en baad i nærheten og faa

Per overfört paa den, – og saa satte roerne fart paa i et belei-

ligt öieblik med meg, – alle mand kastede sig i bùnden af baaten,

– en af dem fik endog tid at kaste en gùmmipresenning

over os i det öieblik, vi "smatt" ind hùllet, og det var nödven-

digt; thi bölgen, som kom efter os fossed om os og over os,

og der blev et lùftryk og et "gùlp" som rent tok pùsten

fra mig det var et öieblik helt mörkt. – der var ogsaa knapt et par tommer til gode

baade ovenfor os og paa siderne, – men da grotten havde

"svælgt os", og jeg havde faaet spyttet ùd det salte sjövand,

da var det en af de herligste oplevelser, jeg har havt –

grotten var fyldt af et svagt mystisk blaaligt lys, som kom

fra havets "bùnd", som lyste som blaagrönligt fosfor; noget

saa "isblaat", har jeg aldrig seet–som det selvlysende vand.–

en anden baat, – fört af lignende vovehalser som vore, – var kom-

men ind för os og kùnde ikke komme sig ùd igjen, – den

virkede som en svart silhoùet mod det selvlysende vand, –

det var kùn saa vidt, man kùnde skimte ansigterne paa de sorte

silhoùetter af mennesker, som sad i baaten. Jeg begyndte at

belave mig paa at lide samme skjæbne; – (at maatte sidde

der inde i grotten 5–6 timer til det blev lavvand); men vore roere klarte du-

gangen rent mesterligt; – vi fulgte et dragsùg ud igjen,

men komne midt i "halsen", – fossede en skùmspröitende

ny bölge ind igjennem gabet; – og jeg maa endnù med

beùndring tænke paa den lynsnarhed, hvormed roerne

trak sig tilbake med baaten ind i grotten, og hvorledes

de like lynsnart fùlgte bölgen ùd igjen trods stormen

og det "gulpende" bröl, som ledsagedes af blindende sjöröik.

Jeg glemmer aldrig den bölgen, som mödte os i gapet; det

blev mörkt i grotten – blaamörkt – bölgen skjulte jo

hele indgangen, saa vi formelig var "ùnder havet", – og

da vi i næste öieblik pilede ùd gjennem den trange aab-

ning og fik se den dödsens bleke Per paa en bölgetop,

maatte jeg smile til ham, – han havde nemlig i mellemtiden

lidt helvedskvaler, – han troede vi var falden blant

"rövere", som nù havde gjort ende paa mig inde i hùlen;

og nù kom kanske toùren til ham ogsaa; – men han

"havde gjort sig rede til at sælge sit liv saa dyrt som mùligt".

"Dù er nù fan ikke ræd nogen ting heller!" sa han siden,

da vi ved et herligt glas Caprivin styrkede vore nerver

efter sindsbevægelsen, – (ja det var en af de mest nervepir-

rende oplevelser, jeg har havt). Paa det skjæve taarn

i Pisa var det jo noget lignende, – jeg gik nemlig rùndt

alle afsatserne, og der var intet gjærde, og marmoren, (som

hele taarnet er bygget af), var saa glat at naar jeg kom

paa den side, hvor taarnet heldede sterkest, vilde jeg glide

ùdfor; – særlig i næst överste etage eller afsats begyndte svim-

melheden at virke, saa jeg en stùnd maate holde mig i en

af söilerne (som var for tykke), medens jeg saa ned paa et apelsintræ. (Med

de tùsend frugter, – som vrimlede for öiet, – forögede det næsten

svimmelheden, – men paa toppen af taarnet gik det over; thi

derfra kùnde jeg ikke se frùgterne). – Der var en herlig udsigt.

Per tùrde ikke fölge længer end til næstöverste afsats, – og han

tùrde ikke gaa rùndt en eneste af afsatserne. Hjördis sad

igjen i en af de indvendige marmortrapper – omtrent paa

midten af taarnet, og hùn graat sine modige taarer –

Engel var heldigvis ikke med, – hùn laa igjen i Florenz (Firenze)

Hùn har forresten været meget "kjæk" paa toùren; naar

man tager i betragtning hendes "omstændigheder"; – vi

andre – Per og jeg i allefald er jo nogen "sjuklinger". 

Hjördis har jo aldrig været syk, – men saa er hùn det

i sandhed nù – af malariaen. – Mellem os sagt!!!

Hùn har et par gange været helt sindsvag (af feberen). 

Hùn blir rasende paa en eller anden af os ùden grund

Hùn skræmte os frygtelig en nat – (at Engel taalte

det nù "paa sidste dagene" det var godt): Ja det er vel

sladderagtigt at fortælle noget derom: – men jeg stoler

jo ubetinget paa Eder og veed, at det "bliver mellem os". 

Hùn sprang nemlig op af sengen, – hvori hùn havde ligget

et dögn for feber – og ud i entreen og ind i "Salongen",

der er "væg i væg" med Engel og mig; – og der satte hùn i

en frygtelig höi og skraldene latter, som hörtes over hele

hotellet, – den blev værre og værre – indtil den endte i skrik

og hùn skrek og skrek og ropte paa Per: at verten holdt

paa at volltage hende. – Per sprang ùd; – men der

fandtes ingen i salonen, – ùten hende; – saa fik han

hende ind paa værelset igjen, – (hùn var jo omtrent naken),

men der begyndte atter den frygtelige latteren. Per

kom ind til os, som bodde like ved siden, og var rent

grönblek i ansigtet, – "hùn er gal!" "hùn er gal!" sa 

han. Til all lykke var her en ùng nordmand,

som heder Titland (Olaf); – han havde opsökt

mig, – fordi han kjendte en nordmand i Coocks bùreaùe,

som havde fortalt ham, at jeg var i Alger; – jeg vexlede nem-

lig nogle penge der, (fordi alle banker her snyder, som bare 

fan i helvede); (jeg var indom en bank lige ved siden af

Coocks bùreaù – [Coock snyder ogsaa, men mindre] –, og paa

den bank vilde man snyde os paa 200 frc., som vi

altsaa tjente ved at gaa 8–10 skridt til Coocks bùreaù)

Kort sagt, Titland opsögte mig, og han var saa inter-

eseret i at höre om vestlandsforhold, at han blev sid-

dende til langt paa nat, – saa at vi – særlig Engel

önskede ham pokker i vold, – og han skùlde just til

at gaa i 2–½ 3 tiden, da dette med Hjördis hændte, – jeg

forklarede ham – at hùn havde havt feber paa hele

reisen, siden vi fik malariaen i Italiaen, – (hùn var værst

opstùkken af malariamyggen og kunde ikke lade være at "klö" sig). "Ja det stemmer", sa

Titland, – "jeg har havt 3 kamerater, som har havt

malariaen, og de har havt lignende anfald – aldeles". 

Han gik da ind til Per og Hjördis, (som jeg havde presen-

teret ham for) og tok sig af Hjördis, som Per i sin

fortvivlelse bare skjændte paa. – Titland fik lidt

kognak hos mig og fugtede hendes læber, og da aab-

nede hùn mùnden, som havde været krampagtig sam-

menbidt, – og saa heldte han kognakken i hende,

og hùn kom til sig selv efter en times "vildelse". 

Det var rent ùhyggeligt at se hendes öine, som stod ùd af hodet. 

Men nù har hùn været bra i flere dage, – og vi

haaber hùn maa have staaet det værste anfald

over nù, – heldigvis havde vi chinin, som hùn

tok, straks, hùn kom til fùld bevidsthed. –

Ja – nù blir vi Eder meget skyldig for all

Eders venlighed mod Petra. – Dere maa hilse

hende. Dere har selvfölgeligt havt mange ùdlæg

for hende. – Dere maa tage af til dækning af de

penge, som er omsat i kroner, – resten kan kanske

sendes hid NB. Recomanderet! – De spanske penge

kan blive staaende i Madrid-banken, til vi kommer

did – men bed Privatbanken om at sende mig 

snarest et "bevis" i fuld orden, – saa jeg ingen van-

skeligheder har med at have pengene; paa be-

viset bör staa: No hay qùe entregar (pague) – sin

exhibicion del pasaporte! (ikkje at ùdbetale – ùden

fremvisning af reisepass). Jeg veed ikke om det er godt

spansk, men enhver spanier vil forstaa det. Skùlde

imidlertid P.tas springe op igjen, hvad jeg aldrig tror; 

saa kan det være bedst at vexle i Norske kroner. Bed

banken snarest sende pengebeviset hid,– da det blir verre

at finde en fast adresse senere – ; renter bör ogsaa paa-

föres bankanvisningen (eller beviset); thi bankerne vil aldrig

ùd med renterne, – det blir jo ikke meget, – men det kan

være godt for en gangs skyld at være overlegen mod de

hovne bankmænd, som vi hid til har truffet nok af paa reisen

Ja jeg skaffer Eder meget bryderi. Undskyld skriften – papiret

"trækker" som trakpapir. Lev da vel og et rigtig godt aar

önskes Eder af Eders hengivne Engel, og Nikolai Astrùp

Translation

Hotel Albert Alger Africa <14/1 23>

Dear Kramer and Aagot!

We received your letter today (via Alicante), – and it pleased us greatly

to hear from you. Well it seems the postal service has become a game 

of “hazard” – I have sent several letters home, – Engel even

more, – all of which have been lost; – I also sent Kari and Arnold

a stack of little albums with pictures from Capri, Naples

and Rome, – they have also been lost en route; the postal service

steals everything that might have the slightest value (they often steal

letters, just for the sake of the postage both used and unused stamps), – As

when we stayed for a few days in an Arab city, called Croùbs –

– in the approximate centre of Africa, – but not a single postcard 

or letter that I wrote – from there the day before Christmas has arrived. (In Croùbs

I was also robbed of my shaving kit; – it is the

second time it has happened to me during the trip). – I understand, that one

must send all one’s letters and everything else in the

mail by special delivery. Well we are now in Africa and 

are doing quite well, though admittedly I am afflicted by the malaria

– the fever is often severe, – but what’s worse is the bronchitis, and an

unbearable “twinge”, that will never cease, – and a cough, the likes

of which I have never experienced before, – that bloody trip to

Hvalöerne gave me a bad cold, which I apparently will

never get rid of; – and in addition to that were the hundreds of

Vertical text on left: Greetings to consul Mohr or his wife if you meet them – I don’t think there is any use in writing 

about Engel’s travel money – it was most likely already calculated in the purchase of the pictures

mosquito bites, that I suffered in Italy, which caused

this fever. – Engel contracted phlebitis from them

and was bedridden for about 3 weeks, – and I, who traipsed around

in all the museums with the fever raging in my blood, – I became

so sweaty one day, I no longer sweat since I came down with malaria, that I entered a cold stone church,

and sat down on a stone bench to listen to the sleep-

inducing Catholic mass, until I fell asleep, – and a-

woke with such a terrible chill in my body, – that I had to go home to bed,

and then it turned into bronchitis; – I fortunately met a 

kind German-speaking pharmacist, who gave us effective medicine

– especially for the malaria; – but the bronchitis and the cough

cannot be cured, – I have coughed so incessantly, that I have surely

kept all of my hotel neighbours awake, – and I 

have often thought, that my lungs might be wrung inside out, 

or that I might even cough up my “immortal soul”.

I should be thankful, that the asthma has kept its distance.

But this constant fire in my chest with “twinges” is not 

much better, because the Asthma has its periods of reprieve, during which

I am totally free; – but this eternal “poking” is irritating in the long

run, even though it is not as painful, as the Asthma.

Here in the meantime there is sunshine and summer and blossoms in the fields and

trees; so if it doesn’t help to be here, then nothing will help, –

Well it is lovely here – particularly at night, – palm groves all over

the centre of the city; – palm leaves several metres in length wave

wave and twist in silver-green around the gas lamps, so that

the shadows move up and down the white walls of the buildings

like the shadows of waves on a light seabed.

The streets rise in a zigzag up the partly steep

city, and nearly all the streets are decorated with close rows

of approx. 6-metre-high myrtle-like trees, that are continuously 

trimmed; – many streets are only composed of stairs, – and it is strange

to see donkeys (so overloaded, one might think, the

back would break), – to watch them crawl up  

the often very steep stairs. On either side of these

“stairway streets” there are often wonderful little parks

with thousands of roses and other blossoming trees, –

banana palms with unripe bananas – date palms

with ripe dates, that glisten bright yellow amidst the

green – (they are almost ripe); – and in these small

parks, that are as steep as the stairs, there are

concrete paths that lead upward in swings, almost

like at my place in Sandalstrand, – even “turf fences”

as steep as mine; but it is not grass, they

grown out of (or are composed of), but small cac-

tus plants – (which are trimmed), – they are so green that you

might think, they were “painted” – and here and there they have blazing-

yellow blossoms; – and in the middle of these “turf hedges” there are

occasional “built-in” marble benches with “mosaic”-adorned

backs and sides, where one can rest under a 

tree with hanging clusters of fruit and blossoms, – (many

trees bear fruit and blossoms at the same time), – it is very

rare to see a tree without leaves, – in that case it is usually of 

Nordic origin, – such as several wild cherry and cherry 

trees, which still have 3–4 of last autumn’s leaves, while simultaneously

sporting the first white blossoms. Incidentally it is diffi-

cult to say, when it is autumn here; because every tree takes

its autumn, when it pleases, – and thus the orange

and mandarin fruit is not ripe yet; – today we

met an Arab lady, – who showed us around her

garden, where we were allowed to pick mandarin oranges; – she shook the

mandarin trees so that the ripest fruit fell down

to us. She was half Arab or nearly ¼ French – and thus her husband’s equal

as a spouse, – who could walk around freely and speak with whomever

she wished, without hiding her face; – they were wealthy people

and had a little villa with a wonderful garden, – a proper

little paradise; – finally she also showed us her (or

rather her husband’s) harem women; – we were allowed to take a peek

at them through “the prison’s” grating – they immediately hid their

faces, but when they saw, that we were not Arabs they promptly

II

drew the silk back from their faces; – for it is only from

Arabs they conceal their charms, – a European might

readily see their face – (well often even their abdomen and their beautiful

breasts). We felt it was quite an experience, – to 

meet a wealthy Arab family; it was also

by pure chance; – because ordinarily Arabs are very intro-

verted with respect to Europeans, (they probably remember being chased

out of Spain, – and in addition they are not very fond of French-

men – since the war, which they participated in – (perhaps without

having got any remuneration) – , they love the Germans however,

who treated their wounded soldiers so well in pris-

on, while the population itself starved in Germany). We have become

acquainted with quite a few Arabs (fruit venders), and they

always come over to us in the street and greet us with a

powerful handshake and call us friends; – but this

is common here; – this experience today on the other hand was

a pure coincidence; because we were about to mistakenly enter 

a garden, – when we confused a private road with the main road

A beautiful Arab girl showed up then and led us up through a veritable

labyrinth of mosaic-laden stairs and up to the lady, with whom we

could not communicate however, since I don’t speak much French.

Here at the hotel is a Spanish girl, who cleans our room,

but she speaks so quickly, that I don’t get far with my

Spanish, – and when I ask her to speak slowly, she becomes

offended and says, that she is in a hurry, – there is also

a Spanish servant here (half Spanish), who is very gracious, but

he is also “aloof”, when it comes to speaking

Vertical text on left side: You have received my unusually long “piece of writing” from Italy I presume?

slowly; – but he does not become offended or ill-

mannered like the girl, – he simply says: “oh the weather is 

so lovely today, – You must go out for a walk”, or, if it 

is in the evening, he says – “I wish you a “very

fine evening.” – We have met several Spaniards, and they are all

very uncooperative and “arrogant”, (proud as a Spaniard as the saying goes)

“to do it the Spanish way” – is another expression, – I am

almost reluctant to travel to Spain. We will remain here at

at least a couple of months, – until 

Engel’s labour is over with (and a little longer too until she has 

recuperated completely); she has written to her mother, that she will (buy)

[and] take home with her a native child from Africa, – her mother

knows nothing about her “condition” you see I think she will understand the joke. From Sicily (on the ship

crossing over to Africa) we had rough seas, and she was

very sick – “the shaking” of the trains through the desert and mountainous regions

was not good for her either, – that is why we settled down here; as

we did not dare to travel across the Mediterranean to Spain with her. 

When we continue, – I am thinking of hiring an aeroplane

and flying so far west, that we will be directly south

of Spain, so that the trip across the “choppy” sea to 

Spain will be short. The trains here travel at a bloody fast speed, – worse

than in America and France, – so that they “shake” frightfully, – we

also had a train accident on route here; – the piston rod, that

turns the wheels of the locomotive flew off at one end and got stuck in the earth so

the train stopped suddenly; – and we had to sit for 2–3 hours in the middle

of the desert; – until another train arrived and helped us on our way. they placed an apparatus on the telegraph wire

The desert incidentally is not as dull, as one might 

believe; – almost everything is red; red sand dunes with an-

cient strange-looking cactuses, whose peculiar light green

colours with red fruit are in wonderful contrast to the red landscape; – in some places

a blue river wound its way down below surrounded by steep red 

bluffs, – even the sand can be interesting, when it lies

in waves – like a congealed “Red Sea” – (although it is not

red everywhere). – A snow-clad mountain sticks up here and there and

refreshes the view of the burning desert sun or glows in a 

phosphorus glare on a moonlit night. Occasionally the 

sand also takes on strange shapes, – veritable snowdrifts made of sand

mounds – ; I would not like to be out in a sand storm and be

buried under a mountain of sand – or (even a mound of sand would

be enough), – then it would be better to take an aeroplane, – it flies

so high; that it avoids the sand storm. – Well, we are doing

well; as long as everything goes well with Engel, and I get rid of

the bronchitis and “the twinge”; – and we also had money, – we are quite

“broke” now; – we have rented a room in a maternity

clinic, – it remains vacant for the pending event, and

I will be able to stay there as well, – since Engel does not know a word

of French. It will be frightfully expensive. – We have already purchased

infant’s clothing. We have a magnificent room at the hotel here, –

Warm water; as much as we wish to use – (separate taps) and

we will keep the room, – until Engel is done at the clinic.

when it will be good for her to have plenty of warm water 

for the infant. Engel does not want to be more than 

14 days at the clinic at most, – as it is so expensive there; – there are

only private clinics here, and they don’t have either national or munici-

pal subsidies as in Norway, – and so it is understandable, that it is

expensive, – it is only the wealthy Frenchmen (or rather their

women), who check into such clinics, – Arab women

“swaddle” their children themselves – like the Virgin Mary and the other bibli-

cal women. – These Arabs are in many ways

a lot like the Jews: – their shrouded women. (like Re-

becca who “covered her face, when she saw her future Isaac husband”)

and their circumcision, (I am going to observe such a procedure next

week); moreover their aversion to pork, which they do not e-

ven dare to touch and their floor-length silk tunics, which are

nearly always white, (although they often have a "purple" violet silk garb

underneath, which is visible at the chest, and when they stick their arms out

of the slits in the sides of the tunics). They almost always walk around barefoot, 

and the ladies have wide silk trousers, that hang below the tu-

nic (like a bag: thus illustration) at times the trousers and tunic are the same length.

The men evidently do not have trousers; because on the country roads one

can often see them “crouching down” to perform all kinds of business,

(without being in the least perturbed by passers-by), it may be the 

reason, why they are known for being unclean,

but it is because, they live today as they did 1000 years ago,

and at that time we did not have outhouses in Norway either, – clean-

liness on the whole – was not so developed as with the Arabs. 

They behave with a calm dignity, – when they are not angry;

but in that case the knife is not far off. There are many thieves here,

who normally live in the desert, – but who stroll as boldly in the

streets as other gentlemen; – an Arab told me this, and he 

warned me not to let his relatives see my large pocket-

book – (I had to obtain a large purse because of the large visa)

(and the many millions, I had in Austria). –––

III

There is much, that is painterly here, – but it is difficult

for me to paint anything, – the motifs are impossible to

crop, but worst of all are the young pauper boys, – urchins

and other derelicts, who swarm around foreigners here.

In Venice I told You about the young boys, who tore my sketchbook out

of my hands to see, what I was drawing, – but it was nonetheless done in a

kind of friendly amusement, – here they are malicious – and I

fear, that I might murder one of these mulatto young-

sters, if I were to paint something here, – they throw large cactus leaves

at you – (and they are full of spikes worse than a hedgehog’s); – any cut

– even the most insignificant – becomes an “incurable laceration” here in the south.

I experienced this in Rome, where we stayed in a Danish hotel, – we

met a Norwegian family, that recommended this hotel to us (“Dinesen”)

(we met 3 Norwegian painters there). When we were leaving the hotel,

I wanted to carry all of our baggage up to the train station and leave it 

in storage, until I had collected all of it; – but the hotel would

not hear of this, – they would provide the transport for us and our

baggage to the station in a taxi; – I then placed all of our clothing (21

pieces of luggage) together in one place in the vestibule and showed the porter

who would take care of it; – but when we arrived at the station one

suitcase was missing, – and it was 5–6 minutes before the train would de-

part; – I left Engel and the others standing there; got hold of a 

taxi and took the reins from the Italian coachman and drove

like a madman to the hotel; (I have often been disturbed by how Italians

mistreated their horses; but this time I was no better myself.)

When we arrived at the hotel I dashed down and was going to open the

large glass doors; – where one of the travellers has placed his suitcase

behind the door, – and I, who dashed into it with all my weight, nearly

went straight through the glass door, – it rained thousands

of glass shards, and I cut one of my hands badly in

many places, – one finger was especially mangled all the way

to the bone. The management came over and were very apolo-

getic about the porter’s mistake; – they had discovered it immediately

and had sent the suitcase by express to the station. – I told

them to “go to hell” – and gave them a real dressing-down and promised, that

I would warn all Norwegians away from this hotel, – and then

I jumped into the wagon and drove at a gallop to the station, all the while 

bleeding like a calf; – and we managed to catch the train at 

the last moment; – where a kind gentleman took care of me wrapping

my hand in cotton (one should always carry with one

such sterile cotton – “boracic lint”, when one is travelling). Well, this turned into

a long story, – I just wanted to say, that it took a long

time, for me to recover, (it may be that wounds heal more slowly,

when one has malaria). – I’m not sure, whether in a previous

letter I have talked about our visit to “Hell’s Chimney Pot”, (Vesuvius),

where we looked down into “the abyss”, from which sulphur fumes and

flames rose, – Engel was particularly gripped at hearing “the horrible

screams of the damned”. Per and I inhaled the sulphur fumes with

great satisfaction, – it did our poor lungs good, –

while Hjördis, who had never had asthma or bronchitis

was about to be strangulated. Engel as well – it was worse than breathing in smoke from a stovepipe, she said.

Per and I would have gladly stayed on for a longer spell to

enjoy the wonderful air, while we waited for a proper eruption;

but we were overcome by a snow flurry – (the only one we experienced on the trip) 

and it did not go well with the volcano’s belly, – it regurgitated a

veritable storm of brimstone and flames, – and this storm took

Hjördis’ hat off and swept it over the steep escarpments of lava

and ashes, – where no human could tread, – she wanted to descend

she has gone around bareheaded until a few days ago when Per bought her a new hat

immediately, – reasonably enough, – and she mourned so much for 

the hat, that she remained sitting in a restaurant brooding,

while we visited Pompeii hobbled around between the ruins and

the “boulder strewn” streets, – (that almost resembled a

mountain farm in Jölster, where the larger stones are allowed to lie in peace, –

just as they have lain, since the moraine deposited them there), – I

cannot understand how the “highly civilized” people of that time could have

settled with such a “heap of stones” to walk on – (the stones were greatly 

worn), – a Swedish lady, who had the room next to ours at

the hotel, broke her leg there. – To write about all the

quaint sights, that we saw in Pompeii and on our trip to Capri and

“the blue grotto”, – would be too long-winded, – I had gotten

it in my head, that I had to have a look into the famous grotto; – but the sea

was rough by the entrance, which was hidden every other second by the

great swells. – We were forced to turn around with our mission abandoned,

but some fearless bandits, who had been in German captivity

rowed us later the five kilometres out from Capri (city) to the grotto – despite

the fact that the sea was even more turbulent than the first time, –

the venturesome men wanted to use the opportunity, – while the grotto spewed

the sea out, – to dash into “the bottleneck” and let the next swell carry

the boat all the way into the grotto. – When we arrived at the opening,

Per said, that he could not fathom, where we might enter, – there

was nothing but rock face – (the swells namely concealed the mouth of the grotto), but when

the undertow for a second retreated so far back, that Per could see

half the gap, which was no more than a metre high, – then he swore

a solemn oath, that through that “hole” he would never enter.

Our rowers were forced to summon a boat in the vicinity and had

Per transferred to it, – and then the rowers pick up speed at the right

moment with me on board, – everyone threw themselves onto the floor of the boat.

– one of them even managed to throw a rubber tarpaulin

over us in the instant we “slipped” into the hole, and it was essen-

tial; because the wave, that came after us thrashed around us and over us,

and was followed by an air vacuum and a “splash” that nearly took my breath

away it was totally dark for a second. – there was also barely a couple of inches to spare

both above us and on either side, – but once the grotto had

“swallowed us”, and I managed to spit out the salt sea water,

it was one of the most wonderful experiences I have ever had –

the grotto was full of a slightly mystical bluish light, which came

from the ocean’s “bottom”, that glowed like blue-green phosphorus; something

as “icy blue”, as that luminescent water–I had never seen before.–

another boat, – steered by daredevils like ours, – had en-

tered before us and could not get out again, – it

appeared like a black silhouette against the luminous water, –

it was barely possible to glimpse the faces on the black

silhouettes of the people, who sat in the boat. I began to

prepare myself for having to suffer the same fate; – (to have to sit

in there in the grotto for 5–6 hours until low tide); but our rowers managed to

exit with great skill; – we followed an undertow out again,

but having entered the middle of the “bottleneck”, – a new foam-spraying

wave came thrashing in through the gap; – and I must once again think

with admiration of the lightning speed, with which the rowers

retreated with the boat back into the grotto, and how

they just as swiftly followed the wave out again despite the storm

and the “splashing” roar, that is accompanied by blinding sea spray.

I will never forget the wave, that we encountered in the opening; the 

grotto became dark – pitch black – the wave covered

the entire entrance, so that we were virtually “under water”, – and

when in the next instant we dashed out through the narrow open-

ing and could see a deathly pale Per on the top of a wave,

I had to smile at him, – for he had in the meantime

suffered the torments of hell, – he thought we had fallen into the hands

of “bandits”, who had undoubtedly put an end to me inside the cave;

and now it was perhaps his turn; – but he had

“readied himself to sell his life as dearly as possible”.

“My God, you are not afraid of anything!” he said later,

when we were having a delicious glass of Capri wine to settle our nerves

after all the emotion, – (well it was one of the most thril-

ling experiences, I have ever had). On the leaning tower

of Pisa there was a similar incident, – I walked around

all the ledges, and there weren’t any railings, and the marble, (which

the entire tower is built out of), was so slippery that if I came around

to the side, where the tower leaned the most, I would slide

off the edge; – especially on the next to the highest level or ledge I

began to feel dizzy, so that for a while I had to hold onto one

of the pillars (which were too broad), while looking down at an orange tree. (With

the dozens of the fruit, – that swam before my eyes, – the dizziness almost

increased, – but at the top of the tower it passed; because

from there I could not see the fruit). – It was a wonderful view.

Per didn’t dare follow further than to the next highest ledge, – and he

did not dare walk around a single one of the ledges. Hjördis remained

sitting in one of the internal marble staircases – approximately in

the middle of the tower, and she cried her brave tears –

Engel had fortunately not come along, – she had remained in Florence (Firenze)

She has incidentally been “spry” on the journey; if one

takes into account her “condition”; – the

rest of us – Per and I are a couple of “weaklings”. 

Hjördis has never been sick, – but she is now

in earnest – with malaria. – Between the two of us!!!

She has at times been totally insane (from the fever). 

She becomes enraged at one or the other of us without reason

She gave us a terrible scare one night – (thank goodness Engel

endured it “at this late date [in her pregnancy]”): it is perhaps

indiscrete to talk about it: – but I trust

You unconditionally and know, that it “will remain between us”. 

She jumped up out of the bed; – where she had been lying

for 24 hours due to fever – and went out to the vestibule and into the “Sitting room”, 

which was “adjacent” to Engel’s and my room; – and there she let

out a frightfully loud and peeling laugher, that could be heard throughout the entire

hotel, – it became increasingly worse – until it ended in a scream

and she screamed louder and louder and shouted to Per: that the hotel manager

was raping her. – Per ran out; – but there

was no one was in the sitting room, – besides her; – then he manage to

guide her into their room again, – (she was practically naked), 

but there the frightful laughter began again. Per

came into us, who lived right next door, and was positively

green in the face; – “she’s mad!” “she’s mad!” he 

said. Fortunately a young Norwegian,

by the name of Titland (Olaf) was here; – he had contacted

me, – because he knew a Norwegian at the Cook [travel] bureau

who had told him, that I was in Alger; – I had ex-

exchanged some money there; (because all the banks here cheat, like 

the devil); (I went to a bank right next door to

Cook’s bureau –[Cook cheats as well, but less]–, and in

that bank they wanted to cheat us of 200 francs, which we

thus earned by walking the 8–10 steps to the Cook bureau)

In short, Titland contacted me, and he was so inter-

ested in hearing about the conditions in West Norway, that he remained

until far into the night, – so that we – especially Engel

wished he would go to hell, – and he was just about 

to leave around 2½ - 3 o’clock, when this incident with Hjördis occurred, – I

explained to him – that she had been having fever during the entire

journey, since we contracted malaria in Italy, – (she had been bitten

worse than any of us by the malaria mosquitoes and could not refrain from “scratching” herself). “Well, that sounds right”, said

Titland, – “I have 3 comrades, who have had

malaria, and they have had similar hysterics – entirely”. 

He then went in to Per and Hjördis, (whom I had intro-

duced him to) and took care of Hjördis, whom Per in

despair had only yelled at. – Titland obtained a little

cognac from me and moistened her lips, and when she op-

ened her mouth, which had been convulsively clenched

shut, – he poured the cognac down her throat,

and she came around after an hour’s “disorientation”. 

It was utterly frightening to see her eyes, which protruded out of her head. 

But she has been well for a few days now, – and we

hope she has gotten over the worst 

fit, – fortunately we had quinine, which she

took, the minute she regained full consciousness. –

Well – we are now very indebted to You for all

Your kindness towards Petra. – You must give her

our greetings. You have certainly had many expenses

on her account. – You must subtract the amount from the

money, that has been exchanged into kroner, – the rest might perhaps

be sent here N.B. by Special Delivery! – The Spanish currency

may remain in the Madrid Bank, until our arrival

there – but ask the Private Bank to send me 

urgently a “declaration” in proper order, – so that I do not have any dif-

ficulties in withdrawing the money; on the state-

ment it should state: No hay qùe entregar (pague) – sin

exhibicion del pasaporte! (do not pay – without

the display of a passport). I don’t know if it is proper 

Spanish, but any Spaniard will understand it. Should 

the P.tas surge again however, which I cannot imagine; 

then it would be best to exchange it into Norwegian kroner. Ask

the bank to send the monetary declaration here,– as it will be more difficult

to find a permanent address later – ; the interest should also be in-

cluded in the bank instructions (or the declaration); because the banks never wish

to pay the interest, – it will not be much, –but it might

be nice for once to be superior towards the

arrogant bank tellers, whom we have met plenty of on our journey

Well I am causing You great bother. Pardon the handwriting – the paper

“absorbs” like blotting paper. Live well and a very happy new year

to You from Your devoted Engel, and Nikolai Astrùp