bo o k ¿life, fo denominated from the fine view it commands, but which,
X. ' . ' ~ ' - I '
i in rny opinion, was greatly inferior to that we enjoyed from
the eminence overhanging Chriftiania. The general features of
this profpeit are views of diftant mountains rifing above mountains
; rich and extenfive forefts, and below a fertile valley
watered by the Dramme 5 the three towns of Brsegnetz, Strom-
foe, and Tanger, Handing at fmall diftances from each other at
the bottom of fome rugged rocks, and on the margin of a bay.
Thefe three towns are known by the general name of Dramme,
becaufe they are fituated on that river. Each has its own
church and feparate jurifdiftion. The inhabitants are very
induftrious, and carry on a confiderable trade. The principal
exports are timber and planks; the imports, corn chiefly,
and lead from England for the finelting of the filver ore at
Konglberg.
We changed horfes at Brsegnetz, which lies on the fide of the
river oppofite to that on which Stromfoe and Tanger are fituated,
and continued our route, coafting the Dramme through a moft
delightful valley extremely rich in corn and pafture, fo thickly
peopled, that every fifty yards we obferved a cottage, and for
feveral miles together feemed to pafs through a continued village.
The Hoping declivities which bound this vale are fo thickly
covered with trees, that at ibme diftance they appeared as if they
were clad with herbage. The inhabitants of this pleafant dif-
tri<£t chiefly derive their fuftenance from the tranfport of corn
and merchandize to Kongiberg, and in carrying back the filver
coined at the mint of that place..
Having
■ K O N G I B E R G ;
Having ferried over the Dramme at Hogs-fund, we quitted
this finding valley, and pafling among hills and rocks, and over
ftony roads, we did' not, till the duik of the evening, reach
Kongiberg, celebrated for its filver mines, whofe produce has
been confiderably exaggerated by moft of the travellers that have
publiihed on this fubjedt.
Kongiberg ftretches on both fides the river Lowe, which, in
its courfe through the town, falls in a feries of fmall but pic-
turefque catarafts over the bare rocks. The crags which border
this town are in fome parts naked, in others clothed with
wood, and intermixed occafionally with flips of corn and pafture ;
but although there are a few agreeable and fertile fpots, yet the
leading features of the circumjacent fcenery are ruggednefs and
horror. Kongiberg contains about 1,000 houfes, and, including
the miners, 6,000 inhabitants. We were accompanied to the
mines, which lie about two miles from the town, by a merchant
who fpoke Engliih, and obligingly ierved as our interpreter.
Theie mines were iirft difcovered and worked during the reign
of Chriftian I Vi There are fix-and-thirty mines now working;
the deepeft whereof, called Segen-Gottes in der North, is 652
feet perpendicular. The matrix of the ore is the faxum of Linnaeus.
The filver is extracted according to the ufual procefs,
either by fmelting the ore with lead, or by pounding.
The pure filver is occafionally found in fmall grains and in
fmall pieces of different fizes, feldom weighing more than four
qr five pounds. Sometimes, indeed, but extremely rare, mafles
V o l. IIL y Qf