3 o o K and fouth mine,- each with four pits or openings. The deepeft i's
— -s~~j no more than fourteen fathom, becaufe the ore is ftill in great
plenty near the furface. It is found in veins, and is blown up
with gunpowder, In our way we paifed the fine mine of quartz,
which, as I before mentioned, fupplies that neceffary mineral
for the cobalt-works, fo neceflary, becaufe twelVe parts of
quartz are mixed with one of cobalt, in order to produce the
'P ruffian blue. This quartz is as white as alabaAer, and contains
large veins of maricn glafs, or Ruffian talk, which in feme countries
is iifed Tor windows rnftead of glafs.
The piroipetì from the fummit of this mountain amply repaid
-the trouble of afcending it, commanding a hilly country, and at
feme diftance a large plain covered in many parts with rich
fbreits, watered by feveral ftreams, and by a large lake, which
divides Itfelf into three great branches, called Tyri-fiord, Hole-
fiord, and Helsfiord ; the banks of which are beautifully covered
with fields of corn and pafture, and chequered with wood. Being
prevented from long enjoying. this delightful view by the
hulk of the evening, we defcended into the plain, croffed thè
Snarum upon two rafts made of whole trees lafhed together, and
came to Oulberg, where we found comfortable accommodations
in a peafant’s cottage.
The next morning we continued our journey through a moil:
agreeably diverfified country, fometimes through a long extent of
ferefts of pine and fir, interfperfed with other trees, fometimes
croffing the fields along a more open and fertile diibridi to Skerendal,
rendal, a fmall village in the valley of Skeere, fo called from a cha p .
V i l .
rivulet of that name, which falls into the lake Tyri. c— „—_
The peafant, who ferved as a.poftillion, carried us to a very
clean and comfortable houfe, clofe to a faw-mill,-and the maid, of
the houfe inftantly fet before us feme coffee,, cream, bread, and-
butter. Having taken, refreihment, we demanded of the fervanfc
what we had to pay. She anfwered nothing, and on our expref-
fing furprife, as we took the houfe for an inn,-, the added, that her
mailer was owner of the faw-mill; that he was then abTent, or
would have been proud to have.received us ; that he always left
orders to admit all travellers, and to furniih them with every
thing they .demanded, without accepting the leaft gratuity; and:
that if we would flay and dine there, it would be adding to the
obligation we had already conferred on. them by deigning t o »
accept their fcanty fare..
Having expreffed our acknowledgments for this rare inftanee •
of difinterefted hofpitality, we embarked in a fmall boat, and
rowed acrpfs the lake .Tyri, .which had . made the principal
feature in the profpedts-we have lately .enjoyed. This beauti--
ful piece of -water. I take to be. about twenty-five miles in
circumference, including. its bays and creeks; its Ihores are
gentle eminences , richly, variegated with the moil fertile mea- -
dows, corn fields -and hanging ferefts, and backed b y . lofty
mountains .towering ahove each other. , Nor. have I yet recovered
from the aftonilhment- of-: perceiving fuch a delightful
country in fa high a degree of northern latitude.. Having
rowed