x 9 8 N A T U R A L H I S T O R Y of NO R WA T. 



employments, fome feparating, fome warning, feme melting, fame 

 refining, and fome forging; all for the king's ufe. From the 

 founderies we went to the mine works, which were in an oppofite 

 mountain, the officer and I went down; but I found no manner 

 of difference betwixt this and the former, the fhaft, fire, and 

 garb, the method and time of working were entirely the fame; 

 as to the latter, it was three hours before noon, and three hours 

 after, but in fummer four. In their leifure they are full of mirth, 

 dancing to a lyre of their mode, and other inftruments, I had the 

 pleafure at the copper-foundery to be a fpeclator of one of their 

 revels. In the winter all work frauds frill, but they receive their 

 daily pay of five Danifh millings as in fummer when at work." 



The importance of this copper-work may in fome meafure be 

 conceived from hence, that befides the many millions which for 

 thefe hundred years paft have accrued from them to private per- 

 fons, the tenths alone being an annual revenue to the crown of 

 thirty or forty thoufand rixdollars, and on the laft SwedifTi inva- 

 fion, a draught of five thoufand effective men was made out of 

 the workmen in thefe mines. 



SECT. X. 



Fandai Lafl year a copper- work was opened at Fandal in Gulbranfdale 



copper-work. k e j ow D f re £ e ld, and which the proprietors have a profpecl: of 

 turning to very good account, but as I have no particular infor- 

 mation of it, I lhall pafs it over with faying, that the name of 

 the main groove is Frederic's gift. 



SECT. XI. 



The copper- The copper-mine of Aardale, in the difcria of Sundfiord, in 

 Aardaif the diocefe of Bergen, being difcovered at the beginning of^this 

 century, has been wrought firrt. by private perfons, and afterwards 

 on the king's account, the ore being efteemed very fine and good, 

 and not without fome mixture of gold; which induced king Fre- 

 deric the fourth, to purchafe the mine for thirty tjioufand rixdol- 

 lars; but afterwards, by the variation of the ore and other acci- 

 dents, it has been for a long time fufpended ; however, purfuant 

 to a propofal laid before the. revenue-chamber, it is foon to be fet 



on foot again. 



! About 



