BOOK, ever more agreeably iheltered from darknefs, wind, and weather;
i than we were, on being admitted into the hofpitable threlhold.
On the next morning a good breakfaft was fpread for us,,
and compliments delivered from our hoft and hoftefs,. with an
invitation to pafs the day, with them,, announced their attention,
and civility. We now found that the name o f this-particular
houfe was Foifum, and a collection of fmall adjacent cottages
was denominated Modum.
The gentleman, who had fo kindly received us at fo undue
an hour,, and without the . leaft previous acquaintance, was
Mr. Bornftein, a native of Germany, lately appointed infpec-
tor of the cobalt-works» Having paid our refpeCts to our hoft
and his amiable wife, whole politenefs we ihall ever recoiled
with gratitude, we ftrolled about the grounds, and admired the
fituation of the houfe, placed near the rivulet Simora, in the
midft of a delightful valley, fertile in pafture and com, hemp,
flax, and vegetables, and bordered by high rocks richly clothed
with wood.
The infpedor himfelf politely accompanied us to the works i
we had an opportunity of obferving the whole procefs, from
the firft calcination of the ore to its final redudion of the
Pruflian blue; and were furprifed that it goes through 270
hands.
The mine of cobalt Was difcovered about eight years ago
en the fummit of a rocky mountain, near Skuterud, a final 1
village
village a few miles from Foifum, where the works are eftabliih-
ed on account of the numerous waterfalls which are neceflary
for turning the mills. About a mile from the mine has been
lately difcovered a vein of the moft beautiful quartz ; a very fortunate
difcovery, as quartz is abfolutely neceflary to mix with
the cobalt ore, in order to obtain the blue powder known by the
name of the Pruflian blue.
The ore being calcined, reduced to powder, and refined, yields
the blue powder fo much ufed.
Tire fabric employs 36 men, and the mines 320. In 1783,
1400 or 1500 weight was obtained, which fold according
to its finenefs from £ .2 10 s. to 12 the 100 weight, and
yielded J~. 1.0,000. The expenees in that year amounted to
£ . 12,000, becaufe the numerous buildings and machines necef-
fary for carrying on the works were ftill conftruiting.
When thefe are. finilhed, the expences will not amount to
more than £ . 4,000; and the infpedtor allured me, that he
Ihould then be able to make double the quantity of Pruflian blue
than he can at prefent. Therefore the clear gain to the crown
will fcarcely fall ihort of £ . 16,000 per annum.
The difcovery of this mine is a great acquifition to Denmark,
,as befides giving employment to fo many hands, it prevents
the importation of Pruflian blue.
About fix miles from Folfum, we flopped at the fmall village
of Skuterud, and afcended the mountain, on the fummit of which
are the mines of cobalt. There are two mines, called the north
and