NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 283 



bibed the fatnefs of the foil, they burn for tar. This they do in 

 die open fields, and then they carry it to the towns to be fold and 

 exported. 



Silver, copper, and iron- works, afford a livelihood to many Mines - 

 thoufands of people in Norway, (as has been fhewn in its proper 

 place) for a great number of men are employed, not only in the 

 mines, but at the furnaces and ftamping-mills. 



About a hundred and fifty years fmce, when they flrft began 

 to open the mines, and work them in earneft, they were obliged 

 to fend to Germany for miners ; but now the Norwegians know, 

 as well as any people, what belongs to mining *. 



Great numbers of the Norwegians are employed in navigation and N 7fe?° r n 

 fifhing, and maintain themfelves and families by thefe occupations. 

 Several thoufands go annually from this country to the Baltick, 

 England, Holland, France, Spain, and the Mediterranean, espe- 

 cially when any of thefe trading nations are at war ; for then the 

 Norwegians get a great deal of money in a little time, by freight- 

 ing their mips with the commodities of other countries, and trans- 

 porting them from place to place. At fuch times, many a failor 

 never returns to his own country, and feveral of them acquire a 

 fortune fufficient to end their days comfortably. Along the coafts 

 of Norway, a vaft many get their livelihood by fifhing, which is 

 the chief employment they have on the weft fide of the country. 

 Hence all the peafants that live near the fea, are fo accuftomed 

 to it from their childhood, that, like amphibious creatures, they 

 cannot live without rowing or dabling about in the water. There 

 a great many fpend, at leaft, half their time, and ,many end their 

 days in that element, of which they are fo fond. And though 

 their dead bodies are feldom found, yet there is a ceremony ufed 

 and a funeral fermon, which they call gravfeftelfe, preached on 

 the occafion. 



The ancient and reverend Mr. Erich Leeganger, minifter in 

 Karfund, has afTured me, that in one of his annexer, called Ud- 

 fire, during the time that he has held it, which is fifty years, 



* Mr. John Anderfon fays, in his account of Iceland, fed. 1 1. that mines were dif- 

 covered in the northern countries long before any were found in Germany. Vide Locenii 

 antiquit. Suev. Goth. cap. xvii. and it may dill be proved, that that art was carried 

 flrft to Germany from hence, (but was pra&ifed more in Germany) and fo much im- 

 proved, that the northern people were afterwards obliged to go to learn of thern, 

 and the Swedes have, in moft things of that nature, naturalized the terms ufed by 

 the German-miners. 



1 there 



