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fovede by blrtb, to Iceland for that
very purpofe. He ipade feveral regulations,
and invented and prepared a
kind o f powder, as a cure for the dif-
eafes among ilieep, which is very
much made ufe of there, as well as in
Denmark and Norway, They fpeak
of him every wdiere in Iceland, as of a
man who had great knowledge in this
branch of huibandry, and a iincere
deiire to redrefs all defefts.
I know not i f the report was well
founded, wdiich was fpreacl all over
the country, that the trading company
endeavoured to obftrufl him in
the execution of this deiign 2 fo m u c h
however is certain, that the country
has reaped little or no benefit frorn
baron Hallfer’s difpoiitions,
T he Icelandic iheep differ from ours
in feveral particulars ; they have ilrait
ears ilanding upright, a fmall tail,
and it is common to meet with thofe
tliat have four or five horns ; in fome
places they are kept in ftables during
win te r ; but they are generally left
to feek their food themfelves in the
fields,
it
It is remarkable that they are fond
o f biding themfelves in caves (of
which there are a great many in Iceland)
in Ilormy, tempeiluous weather.
But when they cannot find any retreat
during a heavy fall o f fnow, they
place themfelves all in a heap, with
their heads to the middle, and bent
tow^ards the ground, which not only
prevents them from being ib eafily
buried under the fnow, but facilitates
the owner finding them again. In
this fituation they can remain feveral
days ; and there are examples o f their
having been forced by hunger to
gnaw off each others wmol ; which,
forming bails in their ilomachs, pre-
fently deftroys them. They are however
generally foon fought for and
difengaged. There are no wild ilieep,
as has been pretended by fome ; for
they ail have their owners, who keep
an exafl account of them ; and when,
they are driven to the mountains,
they are fcarcely ever without a ilicp-
herd to attend upon them.
Their food is grafs and herbs, and
the fcurvy-grafs flochlearia') in particular
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