134 NATURAL H I S T O R Y of N R W A T. 



leap. There is a ft range and hazardous way of catching Salmon 

 pra&ifed in the diocefe of Chriftianfand, near that famous bridge 

 a-crofs the river Mandal, called Biellands-Broe, which is built 

 upon piles, refting on two high and fteep rocks, and is reckoned 

 one of the moil: curious pieces of architecture in this country : 

 it is 36 feet above the common furface of the water, tho' fome- 

 times it rifes fo high as to touch the bridge, when the fnow melts 

 Dangerous fuddenly from the rocks. A little way to the north of this 

 filhing ' bridge, near a farm-houfe called Fofs, this river falls from the 

 top of a high rock, which projects out, with rugged ftones on 

 each fide, and deep caves at the bottom : the violence of the 

 fall makes the water foam and play up like a fountain. Inta 

 thefe deep caverns, juft by the cafcade, do thefe people venture 

 themfelves, on a float made of pieces of timber, tied together 

 with twigs. If the float breaks their lives are at ftake ; for they 

 mu ft fall into the ft ream, which carries them away with an 

 amazing violence. This happens fometimes, and they have been 

 taken up half dead, at a confiderable diftance from the place. 

 Upon thefe rafts they enter the hollow places of the rock, in 

 which the Salmon loves to take fhelter. When they are driven out 

 by the fifhermen, they crowd in great numbers to the entrance 

 of the cave, and are taken there.. The Salmon is fatteft in 

 Spring, but is lighter and looks paler if caught after Midfummer. 

 Many of the peafants that live in the provinces bordering on the 

 fea, make a confiderable advantage of the Salmon-fifhery* and 

 even clear more than their taxes by it. There is annually 

 exported a vaft quantity of them, fome dried in the fmoak, 

 and fome pickled, in barrels, to Bremen, Holland, Flanders and 

 France. It has been known, that in one day more than aooo 

 frefh Salmons have been brought into Bergen. 

 T 0dde The Lodde, or Stinking-Fifh, is a Sea-Fifh, in fhape fome- 



what like a Herring, but not eatable, tho' 'tis extremely fat. When 

 they are fometimes thrown up on fhore in ftormy weather, by 

 the violence of the currents, the goats will eat them; but their 

 fle(h will be infeaed with fuch a difagreeable fmeli and tafte, 

 that they cannot be afterwards eaten. The verfes that Mr. Peter 

 Dafs quotes, p. 47, in his Defcription of Nordland, in which 

 place alone they feem to be known, reprefent the Lodde as a very 

 mifchievous Fifti, which entices others of more value away with 

 him from the (bore, and may be looked upon as a nufance to 

 the country. 



a 



Bort 



