NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 15 



tain themfelves by their fea-fifheries. It is expedient for them, 

 that the fea- fhould be open during the whole winter ; for from 

 the middle of January, the herrings, skates, cods, &c. are chafed 

 by the whales towards the coafl, when the peafants fally out in , winter. 

 multitudes from the creeks, into the fea, and thus get a great aery ' 

 part of their fubfiftance for the whole year ; and feveral thoufands 

 of the northern peafants of both fexes, during January and Fe- 

 bruary, pafs the whole day upon the open fea, and only towards 

 the approach of night betake themfelves to their huts, in the 

 neighbouring iflands. This mildnefs of the winter is likewife 

 neceilary for curing and faking the fifh, which in frofly weather 

 would be fpoiled and ufelefs : for if the fifh mould freeze as foon 

 as taken out of the water, the fait could not penetrate into them, 

 being obflrucfed by the ice; and if carried home and kept till a 

 thaw comes on, they foon become flaccid and putrified at the 

 bone, and confequently unfit for life; a fufficient evidence of the 

 abfolute neceflity, and great benefit of a mild winter, to the weftern 

 parts of Norway. 



SECT. VI. 



If it be farther asked, how is it pofilble that nature can regu- The natural 

 late herfelf by the neceiilties of the inhabitants, and give them caufe theieof * 

 frofls and thaws at the fame time, under the fame climate; I an- 

 fwer, that it is no miracle, but purely the refult of the primary 

 natural difpofltion of things. It is a general rule, that Norway, 

 from its fltuation on the globe, muff have fevere winters ; but 

 the exception from this rule lies here ; the weftern fide of Norway 

 lying nearefl to the great ocean, its air muff be fenfibly milder, 

 the intenfe froff being warded off by the conflant intermixture of 

 warm exhalations, vapours, and miffs from the fea, which in the 

 lower region of the air, infenfibly difTolve the almofl imperceptible 

 fharp particles of ice that proceed from the north pole, or congeal 

 in the cold upper regions of the air, but are melted as ibon as they 

 fall in with the warm vapours of the fea. That thefe exhalations 

 abate the natural rigour of the weather, cannot be doubted ; but 

 whether they arife from warm fprings at the bottom of the fea, 

 continually boiling by means of the centrial fire; or if this be 

 denied, whether this ebullition be the effect of lefTer fubterraneous 



Part I. F vul- 



