LETTER VL 139 



the Norway kind ; but their Ships were all built 

 (as well as their Houfes) of Firr or Pine. To 

 their credit, I never heard of a Law-fuit, or a 

 Thief among them, during the whole Summer I 

 lived there -, and it was very rare for any of them 

 to be feen difguifed with Spirituous Liquors, ex- 

 cept on Sundayi^ and then it was chiefly with 

 mean Peafants, who had no other Holiday in the 

 Week. Their beft Drink is Ale, which is reck- 

 oned pretty good. Their Weddings were always 

 folemnized on the Sundays whofe whole xA.fcer- 

 noon was fpent in Mirth and Jollity. And it was 

 cuftomary with the poorer fort, to invite ma- 

 ny to their Weddings ; which Cuftom I much 

 approve of, for none ever went to them empty 

 handed. At Nevi^ it is cuflomary among the 

 richer fort of Jews^ for the neareft Relations to 

 to make very handfome Prefents to the Bride. 

 Bawdy-houfes were publick enough among them, 

 but were chiefly reforted to by our Engllfh Sailors. 

 Their Men and Women both were homelv in 

 Perfon, if compared with us Englifli. 



9. I was credibly informed by our Country- 

 men, who lived there ; That in Winter-time their 

 Rivers and Lakes are immediately (that is to fay, 

 in a fmgle night) froze over, to a great thicknefs ; 

 and the Snow ufually falling in valt quantities up- 

 on the Ice, and in a good meafare freezing as it 

 falls, it will in two or three days time become fo 



extream 



