94- NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 



fifth of February, of the faid year, that fuperb edifice, which was 

 iituate over againft Hafllund, together with every thing in it, funk 

 down into an abyfs of an hundred fathom deep, the gap being 

 inftantaneouily filled up by a piece of water, betwixt three or four 

 hundred ells long, and of half the breadth. The houfe was doubly 

 walled, but of thefe, as well as feveral high towers, not the lean: 

 trace was to be feen; with it perifhed fourteen fouls, and two 

 hundred head of cattle. The lord and lady Woernfekiold, two 

 children, and the fteward had the good fortune providentially to 

 lave themfelves. The lady being then near her time, was attended 

 by a midwife, who in a great confternation came to acquaint 

 them, that the houfe and ground began to give way, upon which, 

 they immediately crofTed the water to a feat of her lord's brother, 

 where the very next day the lady was delivered. The caufe of this 

 fo extraordinary cataftrophe, was no other, than the aforementioned 

 large river Glaamen or Glomen, which precipitating itfelf down 

 the waterfall near Sarp, had probably for a long time, in its fubter- 

 raneous concealment, undermined the foundation, * for its courfe 

 there is extremely rapid, and the water-fall near Sarp, driving no 

 lefs than feventeen mills, is fo violent, that befides the roarings 

 thereof, which are heard four or five leagues off, its water is thrown 

 up into the air to fuch a height, that at fome diftance, in dry 

 weather, it looks like rain; confequently a rainbow may always be 

 feen here when the fun mines, its rays being frequently refracted 

 among the drops of water, and thus is exhibited the clearer!: idea 

 of the formation of that meteor. Thefe water-falls in Norway 

 which are of different height and rapidity, tho' none equal to this, 

 are no lefs dangerous, on too near an approach to them than the 

 above-mentioned Mofkoeftrom. Captain Wcernefkiold had fatal 

 experience of this in the year 1735, wnen > by inadvertency, the 

 current of the Sarp water-fall overpowered him, and overfet the 

 boat. In thefe places fwimming will not fave the life of any ani- 

 mal, the ducks only excepted, who, after continuing for fome 

 time out of fight, emerge alive without any hurt, according to the 

 report of thofe who have diverted themfelves with the experiment. 

 In ancient times this cataract is faid to have been made ufe of for 



* An inftance of the like happened in Switzerland, 161 8, when the whole town of 

 Plurs fuddenly funk in and was never feen afterwards. 



the 



