4 S "January 1749. 



tains, which are commonly called the Blue 

 Mountains, where they lived among ftones, 

 and in the fubterraneous grottoes which are 

 in thofe mountains. They always lie very 

 clofe in the day-time, and you hardly ever 

 fee one out ; but at night they come out, 

 and make a terrible noife. When the cold 

 was very violent, they feemed quite tor- 

 pid ; for during the continuance of the 

 cold weather, one could not hear the leaft 

 noife, or Ihrieking, occafioned by them. 

 It is to be obferved, that neither the Swedes 

 nor the EngUJb have any dark windows in 

 their houfes here. There is hardly a 

 dormer-window in the garret ; but only 

 loofe boards. The walls in the wooden 

 houfes are frequently not clofed, even with 

 mofs ; fo that the rooms, though they have 

 fires in them, are no warmer than the out- 

 fide apartment, or hall. The rooms where 

 the fervants deep have never any fire in 

 them, though the winter is pretty fevere 

 fometimes. The rats have, therefore, little or 

 do warmth in winter ; but as foon as a mild- 

 er feafon makes its appearance, they come 

 out again. We obferved feveral times this 

 winter, that the rats were very aftive, and 

 made an unufual noife all night, juft before 

 a fevere cold. It feems, they had fome fen- 

 fation of cold weather being at hand; and 

 that they therefore eat fufhciently, orftored 

 J up 



