products, with which this country abounds, sufficiently compenfate for that difadvan- tage.
The other nations of Europe cannot be ignorant that great part of the pitch and tar, of the mafts, planks, and different forts of timber, which are every where ufed, come from Norway. Thefe articles alone would be fufficient to procure an eafy competence for the inhabitants of the inland and eaftern parts of this country. The weſtern coaft hath a refource not lefs rich or lefs certain, in the prodigious abundance of its fifh. Cod, falmon and herrings are no where found in greater quantities. The Norwe- gians fupply part of Europe with thefe; and this fruitful branch of commerce be- comes every day more extenfive by the care of a wife adminiftration. The very moun- tains of this country, which at firft fight, appear fo barren, often conceal great riches in their bofoms. Some of them are intire quarries of fine marble, which the luxury of all the cities of Europe could never ex- hauft. In others are found jafper, cryftal and fome precious ftones; feveral mines of gold, though hitherto not very rich; two mines of filver by no means fcanty; much copper; but above all fo great a quantity of iron, that this fingle article brings almoft as much money into the kingdom, as what arises from the fale of its timber.
