NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY 



is from fifty to a hundred fathoms ; but all the fifhermen agree, 

 that the depth is feldom lefs than four hundred fathoms, and they 

 are very careful in fpreading their nets, to caft them as near this 

 deep channel as poilible, for the fifh are caught in the greater! 

 plenty on its banks, it being as it were a place of their daily re- 

 fort; but herein they are obliged to ufe no lefs caution, that their 

 nets be not carried into thefe depths, for the current, on account 

 of its narrownefs being very rapid, they are hardly recoverable ; 

 and, befides, their line and nets will not fuffice for a gulph of 

 three or four hundred fathoms. The depth of the water on both 

 fides of this channel, is commonly about an hundred fathoms, to 

 which, if according to the above-mentioned rule, the height of 

 the fteep rocks on the fides be added, tho' many of them are 

 twice or three times higher, the whole fpace from the crefl: of 

 the mountains to the bottom of thefe narrow depths, is at leafl 

 five hundred fathoms, or fifteen hundred ells. This great depth 

 appears to me very worthy of obfervation, to thofe who would in- 

 veftigate the effects of the general deluge, thefe deep creeks, and 

 other deep vallies, being, as I conceive, formed by the ebb of the 

 waters, in the fubftance of the rocks, which has been fhewn to 

 have been foft and impreflible, as a pafte, or a mafs of mud, 

 which gradually fubfided and became a folid bottom to the waters, 

 through which the large ftaeams and floods in their impetuous ebb 

 mud have made an incifion, more or lefs deep, according to the 

 height of the place from whence they iflued. Now if it be consi- 

 dered, that the long chain of high and extenfive mountains, 

 reaching, north and fouth, the length of fifty Norway miles from 

 the middle of the diocefe of Chriftianfand to Dofrefield, is about 

 fixteen Norway miles from the furtheft fea-coaft, likewife that 

 all the weftern creeks run acrofs from the root of that chain into 

 the fea ; we fhall conclude, that the great depth of the creeks is 

 little to be wondered at, the places, from whence the laft waters 

 fell, being of fuch an enormous height, confequently the ■ many 

 waterfalls, which gradually deprefied the eminences, and the edges 

 of the fides of the mountains, mull have been of extreme rapi- 

 dity, and ftrong enough to occafion thefe deep channels. The be- 

 nefits of them are fuch, that to them the diocefe of Bergen may 

 be faid to owe its being habitable, and the communication it en- 

 joys 



