and oats. It is computed that not more than one hundreth part of the kingdom is under tillage; the pastures, however, are extensive, and cattle in considerable numbers are raised for exportation. The mountains are covered with forests of pine, ash, and fir, and these are the most important natural productions; timber having been for many ages the principal article of export from Norway. Chief Towns Christiania, the capital, is situated in a fertile valley at the bottom of a gulf of the same name, in the province of Aggerhuus. This gulf penetrates above 50 miles into the interior of the country, and is filled with rocky islands which, however, do not interrupt the navigation. The harbor is excellent, and vessels of the largest size ascend to the wharves. The town, though not large, is the best built and most thriving place in the kingdom, having regular streets, neat stone houses and about 9,000 inhabitants. Bergen, the largest town in Norway, lies at the bottom of a long bay, which is inclosed on all sides by rugged and barren rocks. While it has thus from its situation the advantage of a secure barbor, the access is attended with considerable danger, The rise of the commerce of this place is to be dated from the year 1445, when the German Hanse towns established here a factory and ware houses. In process of time they came to exercise a sort of authority over the inhabitants; and though this has long ceased to exist, there is still at Bergen a company of about 17 German merchants in correspondence with Bremen, Lubeck and Hanburgh. The trade consists in the export of fish, fish-oil, timber, tar, tallow and hides, and the import of corn and foreign merchandise The population is 18,000. Dronthein is 235 miles N. E. of Bergen on a large bay or arm of the sea at the mouth of the Nid. The harbor is perfectly safe, but the entrance is hazardous on account of concealed rocks. It has considerable trade, and the principal exports are copper, iron, timber and fish. The population in 1814 was 8,832. Christiansand is on the southern coast opposite several small islands, the principal of which is Flekkeroen. The harbor is one of the safest in Norway, and between the island of Flekkeroen and the shore there is a road several miles in length where there is good anchorage. The town was founded by Christian IV. of Denmark, in 1641, with the view of making it the principal station of his navy. The inhabitants, about 5000 in number, carry on some trade in timber, but their principal employment is in building and repairing vessels. Rordas, celebrated for its copper mines, is 67 miles S. E. of Drontheim, on a high mountain which is covered with snow almost the whole of the year. Kongsberg, 36 miles west of Christiania, was formerly celebrated for its rich silver mines, but they are now unproductive. Skeen, 38 miles S.S.W. of Christiania, has productive mines of iron and copper. Frederickshall is on the frontier of Sweden, 52, miles S S. E. of Christiania. On a rock which overhangs the town is the almost impregnable fortress of Fredericksteen, rendered memorable by the death of Charles XII. of Sweden, who was killed in the trenches during a siege. Minerals.] The most valuable minerals are iron and copper. The value of the iron annually produced is estimated at about £150.000: it is in general of a good quality, though not equal to that of Sweden. The copper is of very superior quality, and the chief mines of it are at Roraas. There is a salt-work near Tonsberg, on the west side of the gulf of Christiania, which produces about 20.000 tons of salt a year. Animals.] The Norwegian horses are small but hardy; the horned cattle are likewise diminutive, but are readily fattened. Goats are more common than sheep In Norwegian Lapland, the reindeer forms the principal wealth, and almost the only source of the subsistence of the inhabitants. Attempts are now making to rear this useful animal in the southern provinces. Aquatic fowl are so numerous that bird-catching has become a regular employment, and affords support to several thousands of the inhabitants. Population.] The population, consisting of 930,000, is principally confined to the southern part of the country. In the three southern provinces there are more than 10 to a square mile; in Drontheim nearly eight, and in the bleak regions of the north but little more than one. Religion.] The Lutheran is the established religion, and the great body of the inhabitants are of this persuasion. The country contains five bishoprics corresponding with the five governments. The bishoprics are divided into districts under the care of provosts, and these districts are subdivided into parishes. Where the parish is large it contains, besides the principal church, one or more chapels of ease, under the care of chaplains. There are in the whole country 49 provosts, 329 parish priests, and 92 chaplains. Education.] There is at Bergen a university on a small scale, for teaching the classics, mathematics and philosophy; and there are several academies or higher schools maintained at the expence of the government, Each parish is provided with two or three schools, where children are taught reading, writing, and arithmetic. Character.] The Norwegians are tall, well formed, robust, and brave, and make excellent soldiers and sailors. They possess hospitality and simplicity, and are in general accustomed to live in a very plain style, both as to diet and dwelling. The ancient habits and character of the people are much better preserved in the secluded vallies of the interior, than in the towns along the coast, where there has been a mixture of settlers from Denmark and Germany, and a considerable commercial intercourse with these countries, as well as with Britain and Holland. Even the Norwegian language has, in the seaports and among the upper ranks, been in general supplanted by the Danish. Government.] Norway formerly belonged to Denmark, but in 1814 Denmark was compelled to transfer it to Sweden. It is The however to a considerable extent an independent kingdom, pre: serving its ancient constitution and laws, and having a separatę assembly or diet, a separate treasury, and separate army. union with Sweden consists simply in its being permanently governed by the same king. Revenue, Army and Navy] The annual revenue is usually about $1,500,000, The army consists of 12,000 regular troops, besides militia. The navy is on a very small scale, containing only six brigs, eight schooners, and about 100 gunboats. Fisheries.] The fisheries are extensive, and may be considered, after timber and iron, the chief support of the export trade. The herring and cod fisheries are the principal branches, and give employment to many of the poor inhabitants along the coast. Salmon are likewise caught in great numbers in the lakes and rivers. Manufactures and Commerce. Norway, like other poor and thinly peopled countries, has scarcely any manufactures, the only works entitled to that name being the forges, foundries, glasshouses, potash refineries, and saw-mills, which owe their existence principally to the abundance of wood. The principal imports are manufactured goods of various descriptions, groceries, wine, and corn. The exports are timber, iron, copper, fish and oil, potash and glass, also cattle, hides and tallow. The commerce is principally with England, Holland and Denmark. The shipping belonging to Norway amounts to nearly 100,000 tons, and the number of seamen is about 10,000. Natural Curiosity.] The Malstrom, or Moskoe-strom, is a remarkable whirlpool near the little island of Moskoe, one of the Loffoden islands, in about lat. 68° N. It is occasioned by the very rapid ebb and flood of the sea between Moskoe and a neighboring island. About a quarter of an hour, at high and low water, it is quiet. But when the tide is rising or falling, and especially when the N.W. wind blows in opposition to the tide, the sea boils with the most violent agitation; its roar is heard at the distance of many leagues, and the force and extent of the vortex is so great, that ships three miles off are sometimes forced towards the centre and finally dashed in pieces against the bottom. Whales are frequently absorbed by it in spite of their endeavours to escape. SWEDEN. Situation and Extent.] Sweden is bounded on the N. by Norway; on the E. by Ru-sia and the Gulf of Bothn a; on the S. E. and S. by the Baltic sea; and W. by the Sound, the Cattegat and Norway. It extends from 55° 20 to 69° 30′ N. lat. being about 1,000 miles long from north to south, and containing according te Hassel 188,433 square miles. Divisions.] Sweden is divided into 24 lans or provinces, as in the following table. The extent and population in 1800 are annexed to each province. 3. Drotningholm, 4. Upsal, 5. Nykoping, 6. Westeras, 7. Orebro, 8. Stora Kopparberg, or Fahlun, II. Gothland, 9. Gottenburg, 10. Elfsborg, 11. Halmstad, 12. Christianstad, 13. Malmohus. 14. Skaraborg, 15. Linkoping, 16. Jonkoping, 17. Kronoberg, 19. Bleking or } 21. Gotbland or · 106,304 239,132 2 22. Gefleborg Gestrikland, Helsingland, 12,430 83,260 7 including Herjedalen, Medelpad, 23. Hernosand Jamtland, 26,576 84,500 3 including Angermanland West Bothnia, Face of the Country.] The coast is indented by numerous inlets, and is every where lined with a succession of small islands and rocks, which render the navigation very difficult and dan gerous. The principal chain of mountains is that elevated range which divides Sweden from Norway and frora which numerous inferior ridges proceed towards the S. E. The whole country is diversified with extensive lakes, large transparent rivers, wild cataracts, gloomy forests, verdant vales, stupendous rocks and cultivated fields. Lakes.] The lakes are very numerous in all parts of Sweden. Of these the most important are, 1. Malar lake, which is about 60 miles long and from 20 to 30 broad, and communicates with the Baltic at Stockholm. It is said to contain upwards of 1200 islands, great and small. 2. The lake of Hielmar, lying southwest of lake Malar and communicating with it by a rapid torrent. It is 40 miles long but of small width. 3. Lake Wetter, lying southwest of Hielmar lake, is 80 miles long but seldom more than 12 broad, and discharges its waters through the river Motala into the Baltic. 4. Lake Wener, lying N. W. of lake Wetter, is the largest of all, being 80 miles long and in some places 50 broad, and discharges its waters through the river Gotha into the Cattegat. Rivers.] The largest rivers in Sweden are called Elbs or Elfs Gotha Elf, the outlet of lake Wener, leaves it at its S. W. extremity, and pursuing a course W. of S. for 70 miles discharges itself into the Cattegat by two mouths, several miles apart. Soon after leaving lake Wener it forms the famous cataracts of Trolthala. Numerous rivers fall into lake Wener, the most considerable of which is Clara Elf, which rises in Norway, in lake Foemand, a little south of the Dofrafield mountains, and pursuing a southeasterly course of about 280 miles discharges itself into lake Wener at Carlstad. The Gotha Elf is frequently considered as merely a continuation of the Clara Elf. The Motala, the outlet of lake Wetter, flows in an easterly direction, and passing by Norkoping, falls into the Baltic after a course of 65 miles. The Dal is formed by two branches, both of which rise in the mountains on the borders of Norway, near lat. 62° N. It falls into the gulf of Bothnia about ten miles east of Geffle, after a circuitous course of more than 250 miles. Near its mouth is a celebrated cataract, esteemed little inferior to that of the Rhine at Schaffhausen, the breadth of the river being nearly a quarter of a mile, and the perpendicular height of the fall between 30 and 40 feet. There are numerous other rivers north of the Dal, which rise in the mountains on the western boundary and pursue a southeasterly course to the gulf of Bothnia. They are generally rapid in their course and incapable of navigation. The names of the most important, beginning in the south, are the Angerman, the Umea, the Pitea, the Lu'ea, and the Tornea. Canal.] There is a canal around the cataracts of Trollhata in the river Gotha, which overcomes a fall of 130 feet. It is a mi e tɔng, 22 feet broad, and 9 feet deep, and in some parts is cut through he so rock. This important undertaking, which was completed in 1300, opens a safe and commodious water commu |