NATURAL HISTORY of NOR WAY. i 45 



If infinity were applicable to any thing created, one might 

 venture to make ufe of that word with regard to the Herrings ; 

 for each of them has more than ten thoufand grains or eggs in 

 its roe. 



The numberlefs fwarms of thefe, as well as of Cod, &c. that 

 come forth annually from the deep, and from their fhelter under 

 the great flakes of ice at the north pole, divide themfelves, ac- 

 cording to Anderfon's obfervations, in his Defcription of Iceland, 

 p. 57, & feq. into three bodies ; one part direding their courfe Annual per* 

 Southward, towards the Britifh iflands ; another part Weftward s rination - 

 towards Newfoundland, and other places in North America ; and 

 £ third part to the left, along the coaft of Norway, and after- 

 wards through the Sound into the Baltic. In Orefund they were 

 leen formerly in greater abundance than they are now, though the 

 Danifh coafts, efpecially above Aalborg, are ftill happily fup- 

 ply'd with them ; for which we mould praife the bountiful Crea- 

 tor. However, thefe divided and extenfive fhoals of Herrings 

 bear no proportion to the innumerable multitudes that fwarm 

 near the North pole about the middle of the Winter. Our fhoals 

 of Herrings and Cod touch upon the Weftern coaft of Norway, 

 principally Nordland, and afterwards on Chriftianfund , in the dio- 

 cefe of Tronheim ; and from thence quite through the diocefe of 

 Bergen, to the ifland of Karmen, near Stavanger. They come up to infixed to 

 the more, according to the Creator's directions, and are purfued b'cod^ro- 

 and driven thither in inconceivable numbers, by their enemies the V1 ^ dcn ° ce - S F ° 

 Fifh of prey. Thefe are principally (as I obferved before) the 

 Sharks, the fmaller of the Whale-kind, and that fort among large 

 ones, which is called the Herring-whale. This monftrous Fill, 

 like the chief tyrant, continually drives the large fhoals of Her- 

 rings and Cod before him ; and when, on account of his enor- 

 mous fize, he dares not venture himfelf further in between the 

 outer iflands and the rocks, he ftill remains a month or fix weeks 

 on the watch, near the great fand-bank above-mentioned. 



This extraordinary fand-bank runs parallel to thelhore for about 

 fixty Norvegian, and above three hundred Englifh miles. In 

 the mean time, it feems as if the Whale had refigned his command 

 to the fmaller Fifh of prey, and thofe at laft to the Cod, and fome 

 others ; which, while they themfelves are purfued in turn, never 

 ceafe purfumg the Herrings, which are a prey to every thing. How 

 violently thefe poor creatures are harrafs'd, and driven along the 

 ihore, and in the inlets and creeks, may be concluded from this ; 

 that the water, though quite ftill before, curls up in waves, 

 where they come. They crowd together in fuch numbers, that 



Part II. P p th 



