af6
{pot of ground, fo that the few families that lived together, could
not find any more febfiflance there, they eafily moved their
tents or huts, with all their baggage* to the next place that they
found convenient: for the whole country belonged to them and
their company* and prior occupation wasj s amongft them* the
only right and title *.
The Afiatic colony, that, a little before the birth of Chrift,
over-ran the northern countries, and ipread themfelves there,
hujfchottfes of a more durable kind. .• For:.|ids.purpdfe^thq|.fcnmd
plenty of materials in Norway, which now furnifhes otha-countries
with great quantities of timber. However, they did not
care to trouble themfrives with hewing of IBnes in order to build
walls. X-vr- ‘ SSpMp
In feme trading cities, ; especially at Bergen .and Chriftiana,
they have, in tins century, begun to build done-heufesi and
even in the old times* there were feme churches built of done,
efpccially of that valuable done called veeg-deen*. of which Trom
hiem cathedral is built. Thofe churches-, were formerly an prna?
meat the north. ' - f p§ ' 1-41#
Their houfes here, ^general, arefibuikof fir and pine-trees,
the whole trunks of which are ufed in building, being kiclone
upon another, and only chopp’d even to make them lie cRR.
At the corners they arc joined by mortices, fo that, they .can never
give way. Thefc trunks are left round as they grew,, both ia-
fide and outfide of the houfe, and are frequently..boarded over
and painted, efpecially in die Grading-towns, which gives them a
genteel appearance. Thefe wooden-hpufcs are counted drier,
warmer, and more healthful to live in than done or; brick-buildings,
but they are in much greater danger of fire 3 for which
reaRn, they haye-. g e n ^ y r'-vmdtB.-?n,tibe trading.
ibey depofit their valuable effeds. ^ ;The inhabitants. of, Bergen
do not trud goods of value, which are, not in condant ufe* in
dieir dwelling-houfes 5 but keep them in their wacehoufes out of
the tqwn at.Sandvigen.
* Sjtrab? lib- val, confirms, this tp. be the, manner! of living, of the, ancients, ..even- it»
the middle Of Europe. “ Commune omnium eft, qui iftis in locis-degumt,, facilis &
f f i h mutatio, oh tenuitateip, ,vi(ft<js. &. quod neque, colunt agros, neque fraftus
reepndunt: fed in cafis. habitant, fttxuftura.in.unum diem conftantibus. Cihus eis a
gecQore'pfaiiyyi«^ ut & Nomadibus. quorum etiam imitatione,. rebus, fuis. in. curms
pofife feeile'eurB peccore abeunt.”
In the eouptry^vIM^es, they do not build their hpUfe§ adjoins
ing together, but in the manfeer of ä gFeat many towns in Switzerland
and Holland, every hqafe. Handing by ftfelf, with their
fields and grounds about them * 3 and there are feme färm-hoüies
inhabited by one family only, that look like lhaall villages 3 but
they are generally let to three, four, pf five families, and fie*
quently cönfid of fix* eight, of ten feparäte apartments, and the
davburet, Of magazine for all the pfovifion, is; generally put at a
coafidetahfe diffenceifiom th^ dweUii^-h©u^* ifor feax of fire»-
It Hands v#y high upon poles,' to keep the provifions..tdry, and
preferve them from mice and all hiad'Sff'v-efn^fl. The kitchen» ,
where they chefs their victuals and brew their beer, dands alfb
fepaxat?* as do the barns, hay-loft, cpw-houfesj ftabfes, and the
like« 'Sucha farm has genfrady a mid belonging to it* fituated
by feme rivulet, befides a finith’s forge 3 for every farmer, as has
been obferved, is his own fmith, Up in thethimtyy, where
timber for building is but of very little value,_ tfiere is many a
ferm-houfe as large and handfom' asf a nobleman’s-feat* The
dwellingphoufi frequently is: two dories high, , with ayafied balcony
in the fiont; with handfom windows, and the rooms wain-^
Rotted.
It may feem ,fuperfluqu$ to^taJ^ iRtice of tfie -windows, to
them that are not acqudnted witfi Norway,, for tHey arenew
things, and feldom feen in pur peafants-houfes 3 fpr on this fide
of Filefield* in the whole diocefe of Bergen, wRefewe feepi more
tenacious of ancient cudoms, it is rare even among the fich farmers,
to fee what they call a.Glar-Stuerne, that is, a dwelling-hpufe
with windows. If it be alked how they receive light, I ipud-pb-
‘ ferve that there' is at the top qf the houfe (which is but the height
of the roomj about the middle* a fquare-hole about as big as ß
window, called a Liur, which gives them light. In dimmer, and
fine weather, they leave this hole quite open; but in winter, of
wet weather, it is dopped up with what they call a Siaa. This is
a wooden-frame made to fit the Liur, which is covered with art
inward membrane (probably the midriff) of feme animal that is
, ?, At Sundffliqia|?fiMjd other places in this diocefe, there js'to- be feen ioeae lone^t’
houfes an the tops of high mountains, fVi^uqdeft *jäi .rugged an$l fteep projecting
rocks, & that there are few cafläes fo inaCc^iltfe-5 fop there is ofteh böt^öne -wity
come ackern, which is hy finall fteps, and here and there fome wpoderi pegs, fixed
fö that the afeent is very dangerous, and fewpevple venture up that are not uftd to
them. I»ht ■ " Wäa‘IRS3 ! ”8sffias?a