piTnoEA. 195 



The country here is rather flat, yet now 

 and then considerable hills present them- 

 selves, not A'^ery high indeed, but abound- 

 ing in steep declivities. The stones about 

 these hills Mere variegated, and as if in- 

 laid, glittering with talc ; many of them 

 rusty, and spontaneously corroded. On 

 one spot, in the road itself, is produced a 

 brown pale-purplish earth, which is very 

 likely to be useful for painting. The hill 

 where this earth or ochre is found is called 

 Hogmarkboerget. 



At the post-houses of Gremers-mark and 

 Sela, I was told of a mountain about two 

 miles distant, reported to contain copper. 

 Three years previous to my travelling this 

 way, a man had been sent by the Board for 

 Mining Affairs to investigate this moun- 

 tain ; but the peasants of the neighbour- 

 hood, in consequence of the threats of the 

 burghers of Umoea, were deterred from 

 giving him proper directions, and put him 

 on a wrong scent. They kepi this stranger 

 o 2 



