NATURAL HISTORY of NORJVAT. 277 



In the country- villages, they do not build their houfes adjoin- 

 ing together, but in the manner of a great many towns in Swit- 

 zerland and Holland, every houfe {landing by itfelf, with their 

 fields and grounds about them * ; and there are fome farm-houfes 

 inhabited by one family only, that look like fmall villages ; but 

 they are generally let to three, four, or five families, and fre- 

 quently confift of fix, eight, or ten feparate apartments, and the 

 ftavburet, or magazine for all the provifion, is generally put at a 

 confiderable difrance from the dwelling-houfe, for fear of fire. 

 It ftands very high upon poles, to keep the provifions dry, and 

 preferve them from mice and all kind of vermin. The kitchen, 

 where they drefs their victuals and brew their beer, ftands alfo 

 feparate, as do the barns, hay-loft, cow-houfes, ftables, and the 

 like. Such a farm has generally a mill belonging to it, fituated 

 by fome rivulet, befides a fmith's forge ; for every farmer, as has 

 been obferved, is his own fmith. Up in the country, where 

 timber for building is but of very little value, there is many a 

 farm-houfe as large and handfom as a nobleman's feat. The 

 dwelling-houfe frequently is two ftories high, with a railed bal- 

 cony in the front ; with handfom windows, and the rooms wain- 

 fcotted. 



It may feem fuperfluous to take notice of the windows, to 

 them that are not acquainted with Norway, for they are new 

 things, and feldom feen in our peafants-houfes ; for on this fide 

 of Filefield, in the whole diocefe of Bergen, where we feem more 

 tenacious of ancient cuftoms, it is rare even among the rich far- 

 mers, to fee what they call a Glar-Stuerne, that is, a dwelling-houfe 

 with windows. If it be afked how they receive light, I muft ob- 

 ferve' that there is at the top of the houfe (which is but the height 

 of the room) about the middle, a fquare-hole about as big as a 

 window, called a Liur, which gives them light. In fummer, and 

 fine weather, they leave this hole quite open ; but in winter, or 

 wet weather, it is flopped up with what they call a Siaa. This is 

 a wooden-frame made to fit the Liur, which is covered with an 

 inward membrane (probably the midriff) of fome animal that is 



* At Sundmoer, and other places in this diocefe, there is to be feen fome lonely 

 houfes on the tops of high mountains, furroimded with rugged and lteep projecting 

 rocks, fo that there are few caftles fo inacceffib.le ; for there is often but one way to 

 come at them, which is by fmall Heps, and here and there fome wooden pegs, fixed 

 fo that the afcent is very dangerous, and few people venture up that are not ufed ta 

 them. 



Part II. 4 B 



very 



