NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. % 



Experience, which is the beft inftru&or, has remarkably fpread 

 the Fame of their conduct in war, and interline broils, which 

 have put their duty and fidelity to the teft. But as clear as this 

 point is, it ftill would be much more confpicuous, if the account 

 of all their wars and expeditions were collected, and the memory 

 of their great actions preferved. As a further proof of their valour, 

 and fidelity to their king and country, I will only add an inftance 

 or two that happened in the laft war, though well known. I 

 mean the zeal of thofe citizens that fet fire to their own houfes 

 to diflodge the enemy ; and of the peafants who difperfed them- 

 felves about in the rocks and defiles, wkh their fire-arms, to cut 

 off their retreat, and did not fuffer them to pafs without being 

 remarkably weakened. But, omitting feveral other particulars, valour, 

 I fhall only briefly relate what the late commander in chief, lieu- 

 tenant-general Von Lutzov told me as an inftance of the fidelity 

 of the Norwegians. In the year 171 6, when the Swedifh army 

 had invaded Norway, and whilft one of the governors of a forti- 

 fication on the frontiers, was lying near a navigable river, with 

 his corps, which was greatly weakened, waiting for frefti trans- 

 ports from Denmark, there came a number of grey-headed far- 

 mers to him, and offered themfelves, with all their accoutrements, 

 as volunteers for his majefty's fervice. Such zeal and willingnefs 

 gave him the greater! hopes of a fuccefsful attack. There came 

 one day, particularly, a body of 300 fuch volunteers from 

 Tellemarken, who were vigorous, and in good fpirits, with fire- 

 arms and three weeks provifion in their knapfacks, and accofted 

 him thus : " Good day, father, we hear you have got ftrange 

 unwelcome guefts that you want to get rid of \ if you have 

 a mind to make ufe of us, only tell us what we muft do, and 

 you fhall fee that we are men." It was thefe peafants who were 

 commanded by captain Coucheron in the action of Krog-wood, 

 when the Swedes endeavoured to force a paffage through,* and 

 were repulfed with the lofs of 200 men; but the Norwegians, 

 who were well pofted, did not lofe a man. Many inftances of 

 the like are confirmed by the following infcription, to be feen on 

 one of our Norwegian medals. 



Mod, troefkab, tapperhed, og huod fbm giver a?re, 

 Den heele verden kand blant norfke klipper bere. 



Courage, 



