6 



NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 6 



thofe metals and minerals, which are become fo indifpenfable in 

 human life, and the want of which, as a medium in commerce, 

 obliges fonie nations to exchange their commodities for a fmall bit 

 of iron. Norway, till a century and a half ago, appears from all 

 accounts to have wrought but few mines, confequently, the country 

 contained treafures out of knowledge. Since that time, matters are 

 lb improved by the ailiftance of German miners, that the filver, 

 copper, and iron mines, have produced to the amount of feveral 

 millions. Olaus Magnus, would be agreeably furprifed, if he 

 were a witnefs of the increafe of mines, both in his native coun- 

 try, and here, beyond what he had ever imagined ; for in his 

 time he could fay, cc Montes excelfl funt, fed pro majori parte oiaus Mag- 

 fteriles et aridi, in quibus nil aliud pro incolarum commoditate sepVWf.' 

 et confervatione gignitur, quam inexhaufta pretioforum metallo- 

 rum ubertas, qua fatis opulenti fertilefque funt in omnibus vita? 

 neceffariis, forfitan et fuperfluis aliunde, li libet, conquirendis, 

 unanimique robore ac viribus, ubi vis contra haec naturae dona in- 

 tentata fuerit, defendendis. Acre enim genus hominum eft, See." 

 Thefe laft words, which may confirm the opinion, that the in- 

 habitants of Sweden and Norway derive their natural vigour 

 and bravery, from the proximity of thefe rocky mountains, 

 remind me of the third advantage to be confldered here t 

 namely, that the mountains afford a fhelter and defence, not 

 only againft the inclemencies of the weather, but likewife agairift 

 invafions. They ferve, as has already been faid, for boundaries 

 betwixt Norway and Sweden; for from Kolen, a long chain of 

 mountains, of an amazing height, feparates thefe two kingdoms. 

 But the experience of all ages fhews the many mountainous tra&s 

 in the country to be natural fortreffes ; for the Norway peafants, 

 who are excellent markfmen, port themfelves in time of war, on 

 the fteep inacceffible rocks, where, animated purely by a zeal for 

 their country, they gall the enemy incredibly. Some provinces 

 are alfo by nature utterly inacceffible to an army encumbered with 

 artillery. On this account the city of Bergen, tho' fortified by no 

 more than two caftles towards the fea, is thought to be in no oreat 

 danger, if threatned only by a land-force; for the peafants living 

 in Juftedale, and other places of the fame kind, where the only 

 paffage is thro' a narrow defile, could, with a handful of men, keep 

 Part I. S off 



