266 NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 



then one would imagine, that it mult be very frequent here ia 

 Bergen, which is contrary to experience. For this diftemper is 

 unknown here ; and we can fay the fame of agues or tertian and 

 quartan fevers, which we know only by report from other coun- 

 tries. The fmall-pox, which annually rages in Denmark, comes, 

 amongft us about once in feven years, and farther north, in the 

 diocefe of Tronhiem, every .tenth or twelfth year ; but in the ma- 

 nors of Nordland, perhaps it feldom appears above once in fixteen 

 years, and then makes great havock amongft both young and old. 

 The laft time that the fmall-pox raged in thefe parts, which was 

 in the year 1749, it fwept away in the city of Bergen alone, 

 528 perfons, moft of them young. 



N 



C H A P. X. 



A continuation of the former, concerning the Norwegian nation. 



Sect. I. "The food or diet of the Norwegians. S e e t. II. Apparel Sect. III. 

 Habitations, and manner of building. Sect. IV. Various ranks and occu- 

 pations. Sect.V. The Norwegian nobility, both ancient and modern. 

 Sect. VI. Borne thoughts concerning the Norwegian freeholders, &c. 



SECT. I. 



EXT to the complexion and difpofition of the Norwe- 

 gians, and the account of the various difeafes to which 

 they are fubject, it is natural to give fome account of their food 

 or diet, their houfes and manner of living. 

 ■me Nome- In the firft article, namely, diet, there is a great difference 

 iie n t S ow fl °s d " betwixt thofe who live in the country, and the inhabitants of the 

 trading towns ; a great part of thefe confift of Danes, Germans, 

 ' Dutch and Englh% who make their bread, and drefs moft of 

 their viduals in the Danifh famion. They may have almoft all 

 forts of provifxons here in perfe&ion, excepting butchers meat, 

 which is not fo plentiful in Norway, as it is in Denmark. As for 

 wild-fowl, and. all forts of game, as alfo flfh of all kinds, except 

 carp, we have them as good, and in as great abundance as "in 

 any country in Europe. It is obferved, that when any foreigners 

 come to Norway, they are furprifed to fee heaps of oyfter and 

 lobfter-fhells lying at the doors of poor little huts, and conclude 



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