274 NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY, 



fhuttle made of a reed or cane, they ufe an inftrument that re- 

 fembles a fabre, made of bone or iron, which they think pre- 

 ferable. This' is a flower way of weaving, than that practifed in 

 common, which is called here ror-gang ; but then they think 

 that the Vadmel, woven in an opfta-gang, is much clofer than 

 other cloth, and after it is fhrunk, it looks as clofe and flrong as 

 a felt. I have taken notice of the herbs and mofs that they ufe 

 to dye with, in another place. 



The Norwegians wear a flapped hat, or a little brown, grey, 

 or black cap on their head ; this laft is a fort of quarter-cap 

 made quite round, and the feams are ornamented with black 

 ribbands. They have (hoes of a peculiar fafhion without heels, 

 Or what may be properly called foles ; they confift of two pieces, 

 namely, the upper leather, which fits clofe to the foot, to which 

 the other is joined in a great many plaits and folds. When they 

 travel, and in the winter, they wear a fort of half-boots, that 

 reach up to the calf of the leg, thefe are laced on . one fide, al- 

 "moft like the ancient Roman bufkins. When they travel on the 

 rocks in the fnow, and find that they fink in too deep, they put 

 on what they call truviers, which are round like the hoop of a 

 fmall barrel, work'd crofs with twigs or wicker, and this keeps 

 them up * But as this way of travelling is troublefom, when 

 they have a long way to go, they put on fcates about as broad as 

 the foot, but fix or eight feet long, and pointed before ; they are 

 covered underneath with feals-fkin, fo that the fmooth grain of 

 the hair turns backwards towards the heel. With thefe friow- 

 fcates they run about on the fnow, as well as they can upon the 

 ice, and fafter than any horfe can go, and for which reafon the 

 corps o£ foldiers, which are called keir-lobere or fcaters, in times 

 of war, march with great expedition, like the HufTars. 

 o en neck ^he peafant never wears a neckcloth, or any thing of that 

 andbreait. kin^ except when he is dreffed ; for his neck and breaft are al- 

 ways open, and he lets the fnow beat into his bofom, which he 

 thinks is an ornament. On the contrary, he covers his veins 



* Mr. Chardin reprefents, in his voyage en Perfe, torn. i. p. 140, in a print, a 

 Mingrilia peafant near the Euxine-fea, with fuch fnow-fhoes, or Norwegian truviers 

 on his feet. By this one may fee how nature and neceflity teach the inhabitants of 

 the moft diftant countries, in equal circumftances, the fame means in providing 

 againfl difficulties. But who knows whether the northern Afers, Othin's followers, 

 who came from the eaft 3 were not driven from thofe parts. 



clofe 



