the hofpltable treatment we received at Maafo, it would be ne-
ceflary to know whether the two perions ju ft mentioned obtained
the fame marks of refpect that we did. I travelled afterwards
with my countryman Mr. Bellotti, through Norway, where we
were treated,, in like manner, with the moil diftinguifhed marks
of honour. I certainly acknowledge with gratitude the hofpi-
tality ihewn us in that country ; but I cannot, without due regard
for truth, omit to notice, that it was every where believed
that we were Italian princes, who had come to pais fome time in
the North, during the troubles of Italy; and all the almanacks
were moil carefully perufed in order to find out what princes we
might be. My friend being of a more delicate frame and complexion
than I, palled for the unknown prince ; and myfelf, who
was of a more robuft conilitution and appearance, was taken for
his fecretary or travelling tutor. Some took him for a ion of the
duke of Parma, others for a fon of the duke of Modena; and
ieveral who were more fcrupulous in their i-nveftigation than the
reft, referred to genealogical accounts, that by comparing his age
with th a t of other young princes whom they found mentioned,
they might be enabled to trace and afcertain his true rank and de-
icent. I have no doubt but we ihould have met with the fame
polite hofpitality, independently of all deception: but I cannot
forbear thinking that this notion was not without its influence
among certain clafles of people in the principal towns of Norway,
where we remained fome days.
From Maafo we proceeded to Hammerfeft, a place where there
are two or three merchants and a clergyman, with a few other
families. : All thofe little fettlements on this coaft bear a very near
refemblance to each o th e r: around them is the fame fterility, the
fame nakedneis, the fame rocks.
Near Hammerfeft flows a fmall river which pafles through a
pleafmg glen, ihaded by fome birch-trees : in this river there are
fome excellent falmon caught. Directly oppofite to Hammerfeft
is a peninfula called Hwalmyfling, abounding very much with
hares, for the ikins of which the proprietor draws from two to
three hundred rix dollars a- year. One of the merchants at Hammerfeft
gave us a confufed. account of an Engliih frigate, about
feven or eight years before, having come to thofe coafts,- in the
time of his predeceflbrs, with two aftronomers, one o f whom built
an obfervatory for himfelf on a neighbouring mountain, and the
other went to fix his refidence for fome time at the North Cape.
He neither recollected the particular year, nor the names of the
aftronomers ; but only that the appearance of the ihip made fuch
an impreffion on the people on thoie coafts, that they all came to
fee her, and went away with terrible apprehenfions that ihe had
come to carry war and deftruction into their country. The clergyman
of H ammerfeft was ib fquare and ftout a man, and of fo
gigantic a ftature, that if the extent of his underftanding had borne
any proportion to that of his corporeal frame, he would have been
the ableft divine of our age. He fpoke both Latin and German, and
was very inquifitive about news and politics. He was mightily rejoiced'
at feeing us, being convinced that we ihould be able to give
him