by the lead having lighted upon the back of fome immanfely
large fiih, which mull be in the aft of rifing to the furface, they
fet themfelves about rowing from the fpot with all poflible haile ;
and when it happened that they could perceive the fiih upon its
emerging to the furface, it appeared covered with weeds, coral,
and marine plants. There is a tradition in thofe northern countries,
of a Romilh Bilhop landing upon the back of one o f thefe
monfters, and celebrating mafs upon it during the time he remained
there. Such are ibme of the particulars, which have
been related relpefting this extraordinary produftion of n a tu re ;
llories that appear to have been fwelled out and augmented in the
courfe of narration from one credulous hearer to another, and in
all likelihood had their origin in lome dead whale of extraordinary
bulk being feen floating on the furface, on whole back had grown
thole marine plants, and other fubllances which ufually fallen to
inert bodies in the leas. This incident afterwards was increafed
to th a t of a floating ifland, or fome fea monller as large as an
ifland, to which at lall they gave the name of the kraie. In fliortj
the tale of the Iraken is fupported on much the lame ground as
the llories of gholls and hobgoblins ; for they too are believed by
many, though no evidence can be produced of any credible perfon
that has feen them.
The wives of the maritime Laplanders ihare with their huf-
bands in the employment of filhing, which is not the cafe with
women in general in other parts of Norway. The mountain
Laplanders, when removed in the fummer feafon to the fea coall,
8 engage
engage in that occupation during the time they flay. In winter,
when the lakes and rivers are clofely bound up with ice, they
contrive, ncverthelefs, to purfue the avocation of filhing; and
even take confiderable quantities, by cutting holes in the ice, and
putting their nets through them into the water under the ice.
The Laplanders ufe, for their nets, the bark of the birch-tree
inftead o f co rk ; and aS they grow no hemp, they form their ropes
and lines of the finews of the rein-deer.
T he river Tana takes its rife in the dillant mountains of Lapland,
runs through Ealt Finmark, and after receiving in its courfe
feveral fmall llreams and torrents from the mountains, at length
empties itfelf with a very rapid current into the fea at a bay to
which it gives its nam e: this river is remarkable for producing
falmon of an extraordinary fize and rich flavour. The falmon
filhery begins here early in the fpring, and is over at the end of
the fecond week after Midfummer-day.* Large quantities of
falmon are alfo taken in the riven Alien in W e ft F inmark: this
river likewife gives name to the bay in which it meets the fea.
* It may not be amifs to fpecify the genus Jaime, as it is found in that country,
according to a communication from my valuable friend Dr. Quenzel. It is as
follows:
Salmo Salar, the common falmon, which goes up the rivers in fummer for the
purpofe of depofiting its fpawn.
Salmo Alpinus is alfo found in the lake of Wennern in Sweden.
Salmo Lavaretus, called fik by the Swedes, is caught at the cataracts when it is attempting
to mount up.
Salmo Thymallus: harr in Swedilh. It. is alfo to be met with in the rivers of
Westrobothnia and Angermania.
I i 2 The