A VOYAGE to the Book E 
offered to fend a Meffenger on purpofe to fetch an 
Officer to unlade us. I defired Leave of our Mailer to 
accompany the Meffenger, which having obtained j tho 
next Day by times in the Morning the Surveyor’s Man 
and I mounted on Horfebackj and departed for the Mines. 
When we came to Steckby we were obliged to put Up, 
the Night coming on, and we had a long Wood to go 
through, wherein werp Boars, Wolves, and Linxes, in 
great Numbers, very dangerous for Paffengers to en- 
counter. 
The Road was fo rocky, that We could reach no far- 
ther in a whole Day, though that Town was fcarce 
eighteen Miles from Brontheim. The next Morning, be- 
fore Sun-rife, we left Steckby^ and proceeded towards the 
Mines, where we arrived juft as it was Night, and lodged 
at the Forges ; we were entertained by the People who 
had the Charge of the Mines, according to the Cuftom of 
the Country, with Tobacco, Beer, and Brandy. 
Our Hoft believed we would not think ourfelves 
Welcome imlefs we were made drunk, and therefore plied 
us fo fall with Bumpers that there was no avoiding a 
Debauch. I met with an Officer there who fpoke French, 
having waited Upon a Norwegian Gentleman in France. 
i told him that I came out of Curiofity to fee the Mines, 
and I begged him to let me enter them j he promifed I 
ftiould do it on the Morrow •, and after two Hours drink- 
ing and talking, he permitted me to go to bed. - The 
next Day as foon as it was light, the Meffenger that 
came with me to the Mines polled for Brontheim with 
one of the Officers who were to receive the Provifions we 
brought for the Mines. I v/as left at the Houfe of a 
Maftcr-Miner, who went to Brontheim the next Day, and 
I was glad of the Opportunity of his Company, by which 
Means I had a whole Day to fpare to vifit the Mines and 
Miners. When I rofe I went to the Officer that fpoke 
French, and he had provided a Breakfaft for me and the 
Mailer Miner, my Landlord, whom he defired to Ihew 
me the Way down into the Mines, that I might fee them 
Work. When we had breakfafted, and it is obfervable 
that the Norwegians are much given to Drinking and 
Good-cheer, we went fifty or lixty Paces from the Forges, 
which are on a high Mountain *, there we came to the 
Mouth of one of the Mines ; over which was eredted a 
Machine like a Crane, turned by two Men in two great 
Wheels, to draw up Pieces of the Mine, as Mafons 
draw l^ree-ftones out of the Quarries near Paris, or Pot- 
ters their Clay, in many Places in France. The Mailer- 
Miner and I were put into a wooden Tub, and our Hands 
into Iron Bands faftened to it : Thus we defcended into 
the Mine above fifty Fathom deep. 
When we got to the Bottom of it, it looked like 
Pluto\ Kingdom i there was nothing to be feen allround 
but frightful Caverns, flaming Fire, and Creatures more 
like Devils than Men : They were cloathed with black 
leathern Jackets, each having a Camail, fuch as our Priefts 
in France wear in W inter \ a Piece of patched Leather about 
the Head of each Miner, a little above theNofe, and hangs 
down to his Breaft like a Muffler ; they have all Aprons 
of the fame. The Miners are conftantly and differently 
employed v fome ufe the Chiffel, fome the Hatchet, to 
knock out the Copper Stones •, others look after the Veins 
■of Copper, or found, to try if they can difcover any Water- 
place, which fometimes is hid in the Bowels of the Earth, 
and breaking forth on a hidden drowns them all that 
don’t take care. The Mailer-Miner who defcended with 
me into the Mine, perceiving I was afraid, and that I 
was taken with a cold Fitj rung a Bell ; which was to 
give Notice to the People above, that they Ihould draw 
us up again ; accordingly we got up with the fame Eafe 
that we went down. I was very glad to breathe the 
ferene Air, free from the unwholfome Damps of thefe 
fubterranean Dwellings. I had feen enough to fatisfy my 
Curiofity, and could I with Safety have ftaid longer, 
there was little more to be feen. 
We went to the Officer’s Houfe, who could difcourfe 
with me in my own Language, and were entertained very 
handfomely and generoufly by him *, his travelling having 
rendered him more polite than his Brethren at the Mines j 
after Dinner he ordered Horfes to be got readys to ride 
to the Silver Mines. The Officer, the Mafter-^Miner 
and myfelf, went thither ; where we waited on the Sur- 
veyor of the Works, who made us heartily welcome, 
prefented each of us with a great Glafs full of Brandy’ 
drank off one of the fame Size to Ihew us the Way, and 
then gave us the fecond Courfe in the Norwegian Colla- 
tion, Beer and Tobacco. When w'e had fmoaked and 
drank as much as the Surveyor thought fit, he conduc- 
ed us to the Forges, a Mile off his Houle •, at which, as 
in the Copper Mines, there are feveral Workmen al- 
ways employed. Some break the Stones, others walh 
them, others melt and refine the Ore, and others coin 
the Money for the King of BenmarL Thefe Mines turn 
both very well to account, and are not the leaft Part of 
his Banipo Majefty’s Revenue. From the Forges we went 
to the Mine that was next to it ; ’twas on a high Moun- 
tain ; the Mailer Miner and I were let down, as at his 
own Mine,^ and I faw nothing there which I had not 
feen before in that of Copper. Thele Miners are cloath- 
ed like the others; and their Work and ITabitations 
feemed much the fame. They, both the one and the 
other, leave off working in the Mines in the Winter ; 
Spring, Summer, and Autumn, being the only Time of 
their Bufinefs. They work in the Spring and Fall three 
Hours in the Forenoon, and three after Dinner ; in the 
Summer, four Hours in the Morning, and five after Dinner ; 
the reft of their Time they fpend in Mirth and Feafting. 
They delight much in dancing, and have their Hautboys, 
Violins, and other Inftruments, for that Purpofe. 
When I returned to the Copper Forges, I found the 
People at their Sports, and was not a little pleafed to fee 
the Variety of their Humours and Paftimes. For three 
Months, in the dead of the Winter, they don’t work at 
all ; neverthelefs they receive their full Pay, at the rate of 
a Crown a Day. Having feen all that was to be feen at 
the Silver Mines, the Surveyor took us home with him, 
gave us fuch another Collation as we had before, and a 
good Supper after it. When we had all of us fufficiently 
refrelhed ourfelves, we went to Bed ; and the next Morn- 
ing the Mailer-Miner and I took our leaves of the Sur- 
veyor, wffio had provided a plentiful Breakfaft againft we 
got up ; and rode from his Houfe to the Copper Mines, 
where I thanked the Officer, that fpoke French, for his 
Civilities ; and the Mailer-Miner, and myfelf, fet out for 
Brontheim. Night overtook us by the Time we were got 
eight Miles from the Mines, which put us on a Neceffity 
of taking up our Quarters at a Boor’s Houfe, in the next 
Village we came to. The Peafant knew my Compa- 
nion, and thought himfelf highly honoured in fuch a 
Gueft : He therefore did his utmoft to treat us to our 
liking. 
He provided two Pheafants, and a Hare he had lately 
killed, for our Supper ; that Game being free for the 
Boors in thofe Parts, they are feldom unfurnilhed with it. 
Before we fat down he brought us his Tobacco, Beer^ 
and Brandy, made of Malt Spirits. After Supper we all 
of us fell to fmoaking like Dragons, and drank Brandy 
and Beer almoft all Night, which was the moll beaftly 
one I ever faw in my Life ; but ’tis the Cuftom of the 
Country ; and both the Gentry and People, by Converfa- 
tion and Merriment, mean only Lew'dnefs and Debauche- 
ry. The Peafant perceiving the Mailer-Miner v/as quite 
drunk, was fo rejoiced at it, that he foon became in as 
bad a Condition himfelf. We had all now had our Dofe, 
and fome clean Straw was brought and Ipread in the Mid- 
dle of the Chamber, to ferve us inftead of Beds. We 
lay down together and flept till Morning. The Sun was up 
before the Mailer-Miner and the Boor waked. I ordered, 
as well as I could, our Horfes to be got ready ; refolving, 
if poffible, to get to Brontheim that Day. I made the 
Boor’s Sons guefs at my meaning by Signs. Our Horfes 
were faddled, and then I waked my Companion and his 
Hoft. They were no fooner up, than we mull again fall 
to eating and drinking; that Work done we mounted on 
Horfeback, took our Leaves of the Peafant, and made 
the bell of our Way to Brontheim ; where we' arrived be- 
fore it was dark. 
3. Two Days after I thus returned to Brontheim, all 
our Cargo was unladen, and we had taken aboard the 
1 Pro- 
