NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 193 



consideration. The paffage in a free translation runs as follows : 

 " A more than convincing proof that the mountains once were 

 foft and fluid, is the horizontal and expanded direction of the 

 copper-veins near Roraas in Norway, efpecially thofe in Hefte- 

 field, likewife the mines Chriftianus V. Myr j and Hefteklet* 

 This mountain is of a vaft breadth, and rifes with a very fteep 

 acclivity, with feveral protuberances on it. On the fouth end, fe^ 

 vera] courfes of ore ipread themfelves eaft and weft, the eaftern 

 being carried on by the mine king Chriftianus V. and the weftern 

 by that of Hefteklet ; and thefe two mines, in length of time* 

 would certainly meet, fo as to open a paffage quite through the 

 mountain, had it not lately been obferved of the ore-courfes, that 

 the greater the height of the mountain is over them, the more 

 they are compreffed. They are already fo near to each other, that 

 the workmen in one can hear the ftrokes of thofe in the other. 

 But the mine Chriftianus V. being advanced to the higheft part 

 of the mountain, the ore-courfe is already too narrow to be 1 

 worked, and that of Heftekler is alfo gradually approaching to 

 the like contra&ion ; a circumftance which has heretofore ihewn 

 itfelf on all the mines, that, on coming under an eminence the 

 ore-courfe beneath has been compreffed, &c. Befides, the body 

 of the mountain itfelf, under thefe eminences, ftiews itfelf to be 

 much more compreffed, and, vice veffa. I fee no other caufe to 

 which this can be imputed, than to the primordial fluidity of this 

 fubftance, and the fubfequent compreflion increafing from the 

 weight of the fuperjacent ftrata." So far Mr. filas, wherein he 

 feems to predict to pofterity a want of ore in thefe parts; but they 

 who are thoroughly acquainted with the affair, are of opinion that 

 the country near Roraas contains a ftore for many generations, 

 and that a want of fuel is more to be apprehended, the neigh' 

 bouring woods being already confumed, which occafions the coal 

 to be brought from fome diftance; and confequently raifes their 

 price. This mould incite thofe, of whom it is the more imme^ 

 diate concern, to promote the growth of young woods, and to 

 reftram the keeping of goats, which do fo much damage among 

 the faphngs; for how many thoufand laft of coal, befide ftack* 

 of wood this copper-work requires, may in fome meafure be 

 conceived only from this circumftance, that only the calcination 



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