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products, with which this country abounds, sufficiently compensate for that disadvantage.
The other nations of Europe cannot be ignorant that great part of the pitch and tar, of the masts, planks, and different sorts of timber, which are every where used, come from Norway. These articles alone would be sufficient to procure an easy competence for the inhabitants of the inland and eastern parts of this country. The western coast hath a resource not less rich or less certain, in the prodigious abundance of its fish. Cod, salmon and herrings are no where found in greater quantities. The Norwegians supply part of Europe with these; and this fruitful branch of commerce becomes every day more extensive by the care of a wife administration. The very mountains of this country, which at first sight, appear so barren, often conceal great riches in their bosoms. Some of them are intire quarries of fine marble, which the luxury of all the cities of Europe could never exhaust. In others are found jasper, crystal and some precious stones; several mines of gold, though hitherto not very rich; two mines of silver by no means scanty; much copper; but above all so great a quantity of iron, that this single article brings almost as much money into the kingdom, as what arises from the sale of its timber.
