NATURAL HISTORY of NOR WA T. 



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s or- 

 naments. 



clofe to keep them warm, binding them round with a woollen 

 fillet, called Vaflunger, which goes feveral times round his wrift, 

 and is fuppofed to contribute to their ftrength. About their 

 body they wear a broad leather-belt, ornamented with convex siire. 

 brafs-plates ; to this belt hangs a brafs chain, which holds their 

 toll-knive, or their large knife, gimlet, and other tackle ; the 

 name of the whole is flire f . 



The women's drefs I am not fo well acquainted with, though 

 that has its diftincTions ; and at church, and genteel affemblies, women 

 they drefs themfelves in jackets laced clofe, and have leather- 

 girdles, with filver ornaments about them, commonly worth fix- 

 teen or twenty rix-dollars. They alfo wear a filver-chain three 

 or four times round the neck, with a gilt medal hanging at the 

 end of it. Their handkerchiefs and caps are almoft covered with 

 finall filver, brafs, and tin-plates, buttons, and large rings, fuch 

 as they wear on their fingers, to which they hang again a parcel 

 of finall ones, which look brillant, and make a gingling noife 

 when they move. 



A maiden-bride has her hair platted, and hung as full as pof- 

 fible with fuch kind of trinkets, as alfo her clothes. For this 

 purpofe they get all the ornaments together that they can, off 

 thofe belts and buckles, buttons, plates, rings, &c. the more 

 the better, fo that fhe makes a grotefque figure, not much to 

 the advantage of her perfon *; 



SECT. III. 



What the ancient Norwegians habitations were, and their man- Habitation 

 ner of building, may be feen by the Finlaplanders tents or huts, ltms " 

 on Kolens mountains, which confift of fix or eight poles, covered 

 with fkins or Vadmel. The ancient Germans lived in the fame 

 fort of huts, according to Tacitus's account of their manners. 

 They wandered about from place to place, and lived chiefly by- 

 hunting, fifhing, and their cattle. When they had cleared one 



-j- Such belts and tackle hanging to them, Mr. Chardin, in the place cited above, 

 tells us the inhabitants of Mingrelia ufe. " Les grands ont des ceintures de cuir, 

 larges de quatre doigts, couveites de plaques d'argent, & chacun attache a la fienne uft 

 couteau, & la pierre a eguifer.". 



* This kind of dreffing is called in thefe parts anfti, which fome fay is derived from 

 the Agnus Dei in popiih times, which was their moil important ornament, efpecially 

 when it was fetched from Rome, and had the pope's benediction ; and then whoever 

 wore a piece of filver in the form of a lamb, confidered it as a fure amulet againfl ail 

 evil fpirits, &c. 



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