NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 



firft it mounted with its prow foremoft, then was reverted with 

 its ftern uppermoft, the furf flying over the mail head ; but in 

 a very fhort time he faw no more of it. That expert navigator 

 Bagge Vandel, makes mention of this vortex, adding in particular 

 concerning Peter Oddevald, mafter of a vefTel, that both he and 

 the fhip's company informed him, that the fhip was tolled about 

 in it before he had any fenfe of the danger, and inftantly he loft 

 all power of fleering her ; that the water broke on all fides into 

 the fhip, flying up to the maft head ; that the fails were of no 

 fervice to extricate him, the weather being quite calm. To which 

 the mafter added, that he had never before been in any danger 

 like it ; but that at laft God was pleafed to help him, and that 

 by the turn of the tide he got without the draught, and arrived 

 fafely at Thorfhaven, the place of his destination. 



But, according to the report of the faid John Joenfen, the bot- 

 tom, near this vortex, lies about eighty or ninety fathoms deep, 

 over which the ftream runs fmooth and fllent ; after this is another 

 circle, compailing the vortex, at the depth of from twenty-five to 

 thirty, or thirty-five fathoms, and here the fea, fermented by the 

 ftream, begins to be agitated, to attract, and whirl round; after- 

 wards the bottom rifes fo as to be but eight, ten, or twelve fathoms 

 deep, and rifes in a winding circle, which increafes gradually in 

 four fpiral windings : on this fhallow ground, are likewife protu- 

 berances like the crefts on mountains, not more than eight fathoms 

 deep from the furface of the water, whereas, the ipace between is 

 from ten to twelve fathoms deep ; and hence it is, that fifhing- 

 boats which come into this unequal bottom, are, by the ftream cir- 

 culating round thefe rocks, whirled about like a mill-ftone, with 

 fuch rapidity, that young perfons who are not ufed to the whirl- 

 ing, grow giddy, and lay themfelves down in the bottom of the 

 boat ; and befides this motion, the boat likewife undergoes a ro- 

 tation round the large fpiral circle, formed by the nature of the 

 bottom. 



In the third place, there are betwixt thefe four fpiral (hallows, 

 three canals, or trenches, where the fea moves gently round in 

 fmall circles, and beyond them, eaftward, where the fhallows 

 commence, is a draught like a fluice, thro' which the ftream is 

 carried, tho', within, its force and agitations are not fo violent. 

 3 The 



