[ 33 ] 
the ore to the neighbouring furnaces, where being 
roafted, and broken fmall, they mix it with liine- 
ftone and powder’d coal, and fmelt it into iron. 
Thefe particulars, attentively confidered, make this 
mafs or mountain of iron ore, not only a very curious 
production of nature among the Swediih natural 
rarities, but perhaps among thofe of the globe. The 
generation and fite of this mountain are extremely 
difficult to explain : the molt probable fyltem feems 
to have recourfe to an inundation ; but as the moun- 
tain is fituated in a high and mountainous traCt, and 
is near forty Swediffi leagues diftant from the fea, no 
other inundation but the univerfal deluge can be 
brought to account for it. Perhaps it might be con- 
jeClured, that, by the violent and rapid motion of 
waters, this mountain, v/hich before was intirely bu- 
ried in the fands, was uncovered and left bare. This 
would indeed be probable, if the whole country 
about it had been plain-, but on the contrary it is a 
very rugged traCl, nor are there in the adjacent parts 
the leaft veftiges of the fand being carried or diffi- 
pated elfewhere. It therefore to me feems more 
reafonable to attribute its origin or formation to 
fubterranean caufes, which by violent fliocks chang- 
ed the whole face of that region, and left the moun- 
tain thus elevated and bare j becaufe we have no ex- 
amples, to lead us to think (if we draw a conclufion 
from fimilar cafes) that this mountain became thus 
mineralized in every part of it, when bare or expofed, 
as we now find it. This alone is certain, that it was 
once quite buried in the fands : the other particu- 
lars we remain ignorant of. This is more probable, 
as it appears more conformable to reafon than other 
Vol. 49, F luxuriant 
