are very antient, and well worthy of his attention. A little more than an English mile from Normark are also the iron-mines of Taberg; and they are rendered remarkable for the singular varieties of asbestus, particularly the beautiful amianthus found there'. In returning to Philipstad,

(2) It lies in mica-slate. Limestone, containing manganese and hornblende, occurs in this mine. (Themson.)—Its other minerals are: 1. Magnetic iron-oxide.

2. Sulphuret of lead, crystallized.

3. Varieties of crystallized carbonate of lime.

4. Varieties of asbestus.

5. Dark foliated mica.

Mountain-leather, mountain-çork.

6. Dark-green fibrous hornblende.

7. Crystallized sahlite.

8. Red garnet.

Dr. Thomson (Trav. in Sweden, p. 375) mentions a peculiar mineral found in this mine, which has not yet been named. It was examined, he says, by Gakn, who found it to contain muriatic acid. It occurs crystallized in regular six-sided prisms: its colour is yellowish brown, passing into greenish: by transmitted light, it appears greenish yellow. Its specific gravity equals 3.081.

(3) This iron mine lies also in mica-slate. The ore is magnetic ironoxide. Its principal minerals, according to Engeström and Thomson,

are:

1. Black granular magnetic iron.

2. Sulphuret of zinc.

3. Cubic sulphuret of iron.

4. Lime-spar.

5. Micaceous steatite, and serpentine.

6. Dark-green foliated mica.

7. Varieties of amianthus and asbestus.

8. Native bismuth.

9. Sulphuret of copper.

10. Magnesian carbonate of lime. (Bitter-spar.) Also light-blue
bitter-spar mixed with asbestus.

VOL. X.

K K

11. Dark

IX.

CHAP. after visiting these mines, he will also find the iron-mine of Agegrufvan, which lies close to the road'. Leaving Onshytta, we were struck by the appearance of a most curious mechanical contrivance, which presented itself in our road, for Machinery working the mine-pumps. It consisted of a most extensive combination of levers, all in motion, working parallel to each other by means

for the

Mine

Pumps.

11. Dark-green chlorite.

12. Light-green asbestiform actinote.

13. Light-green glassy tremolite.

14. Silicate of magnesia, called greenish-grey steatite, consisting of

(1) The mines of Age, called Agegrufvan, are situate about seven miles from Philipstad. (Thomson's Trav. in Sweden, p. 377.) Like the preceding, they consist of iron-ore, which occurs in a rock of mica-slate. The minerals found here, are:

1. Massive and granular magnetic iron-oxide.

2. Many varieties of lime-spar.

3. Garnet, in regular dodecahedral crystals.

4. Dark foliated mica.

5. Black foliated hornblende.

6. Epidote, crystallized in quartz.

7. Massive epidote.

8. Various forms of asbestus.

9. Hydrates of silica, of various colours.

10. Crystallized quartz.

For an account of other mines and minerals in the Province of Wermeland, the Reader is referred to Engeström's Guide aux Mines de • Suède; Stockholm, 1796: but for much better, and more scientific, information, to Thomson's Travels in Sweden. Lond. 1813.

IX.

of water, being separated by transverse bars CHAP. resting upon upright posts with pivots. These

bars were about eight or ten feet in length; but the side-levers extended to mines out of our sight. The stream and wheel for giving motion to these levers was on the left-hand side of the road; under which, in one place, the levers passed, and, appearing again on our right, extended over the surface of the ground as far as we could see. Their appearance all in motion, without any person being visible near them, was very extraordinary; for it is difficult to conceive how so much machinery, consisting of such numerous parts, can be preserved in free action and without injury, remote from all observation. We afterwards passed several of these water-works, affording astonishing proofs of the extensive mining operations here carried on. They all move alike, by a successive series of impulses.

CHAP.
IX.

Saxẵn.

Westmania.

Our journey from Onshytta to Saxån was over a wild and mountainous district; but the roads were excellent. Quantities of slag and scoriæ, in our approach to Saxån, denoted the presence of iron-foundries, to which it owes its support. Part of the iron-ore from Persberg is brought here, to be smelted and forged: it is then conveyed, in the form of bar-iron, to Christinehamn, and thence, by the Lake Wener, to Trolhatta and Gothenburg. This trade supports the village of Saxån, which consists of a rich and good inn, and a few respectable farm-houses.

On Wednesday, Nov. 6, we left Saxån about seven A. M. The morning was very wet and cold. We had proceeded about half a Swedish mile in our day's journey to Laxbro, when we passed the boundary of the province of Wermeland, and entered into Westmanland, or, as it is sometimes called, Westmania; the natives of which province speak the Swedish language in greater purity, and with a better accent, than any other. Our road lay through forests. In going to Nytorp, our first relay, the appearance of beautiful lakes, like those in the north of Sweden, engaged our admiration. We often wished to halt, and make drawings of them. The timber in these forests runs to a prodigious height, but the trees are slender, and by no

IX.

means equal in bulk to those we had seen in CHAP. other provinces. We passed iron-foundries and sawing-mills. From Saxân, the whole way to the frontier of Dalarne, or Dalecarlia, in journeying through Westmanland, the traveller constantly meets with mines or iron-foundries: and it is worthy of remark, that, whenever these appearances take place, there are also evident marks of the blessings of industry, in the neatness and comfort of the dwellings near them, and sometimes in the signs of wealth and of elegance which may be observed. These subterraneous treasures, and their consequences, in employing so many foundries, and in requiring so much aid of machinery for working the mines, are among the most profitable possessions of Sweden. Their evident importance in the prosperity to which they give rise, throughout districts that would otherwise be deserted, ought to serve as a lesson, to the inhabitants of other countries, to seek diligently for such sources of industry and opulence, where the features of the country are unfavourable to agriculture; since it is the same Providence which renders productive to human labour the most bleak and barren rock, and the most fertile vegetable soil. We had left Wermeland with feelings very different from those with which