276 NATURAL HISTORY <& NORWAY* 



fpot of ground, fo that the few families that lived together, could 

 not find any more fubfiftance there, they eafily moved their 

 tents or huts, with all their baggage, to the next place that they 

 found convenient : for the whole country belonged to them and 

 their company, and prior occupation was, amongft them, the 

 only right and title *. 



The Afiatic colony, that, a little before the birth of Chrift, 

 over-ran the northern countries, and fpread themfelves there, 

 built houfes of a more durable kind. For this purpofe they found 

 plenty of materials in Norway, which now furnifhes other coun- 

 tries with great quantities of timber. However, they did not 

 care to trouble themfelves with hewing of ftones in order to build 

 walls. 



In fome trading cities, efpecially at Bergen and Chriftiana, 

 they have, in this century, begun to build ftone-houfes ; and 

 even in the old times, there were fome churches built of ftone, 

 efpecially of that valuable ftone called veeg-fteen, of which Tron- 

 hiem cathedral is built. Thofe churches were formerly an orna- 

 ment to the north. 



Their houfes here, in general, are built of fir and pine-trees, 

 the whole trunks of which are ufed in building, being laid one 

 upon another, and only chopp'd even to make them lie clofe. 

 At the corners they are joined by mortices, -fo that they can never 

 give way. Thefe trunks are left round as they grew/ both in- 

 fide and outride of the houfe, and are frequently boarded over 

 and painted, efpecially in the trading-towns, which gives them a 

 genteel appearance. Thefe wooden-houfes are counted drier, 

 warmer, and more healthful to live in than ftone or brick-build- 

 ings, but they are in much greater danger of fire ; for which 

 reafon, they have generally vaults in the trading towns, in which 

 they depofit their valuable effects. The inhabitants of Bergen 

 do not truft goods of value, which are not in conftant ufe, in 

 their dwelling-houfes ; but keep them in their warehoufes out of 

 the town at Sandvigen. 



* Strabo lib. vii. confirms this to be the manner of living of the ancients, even in- 

 the middle of Europe. " Commune omnium eft; qui iftis in locis degunt, facilis & 

 expedita foli mutatio, ob tenuitatem vidtus & quod neque colunt agros, neque fruclus 

 recondunt : fed in cafis habitant, fbruclura in unum diem conftantibus. Cibus eis a 

 peccore plurimus, ut & Nomadibus, quorum etiam imitatione, rebus fuis in currus. 

 politis, facile cum peccore abeunt." 



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