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352 TRAVELS OF EHRENMALM.
the Anghermanna are equally {pread with ftrait and high hills, forming vallies nearly
as deep as the bed of the river.
It fhores are alfo adorned and enlivened with fmitheries, founderies, and faw-mills<
but thefe machines are not turned by its waters; its {wells are too f{trong, and its falls
too feeble. ‘Water-falls, of a furprifing height, formed by the torrents which defcend
from the woods of Anghermanna, are the foul of the mechanifm of the forges and mills.
The undertakers of the manufaétures of this diftrié derive their ore from Utoo, and
the unwrought iron from other founderies: the expence occafioned by the tranfport of
thefe materials, makes it defirable to find in the vicinity of the forges the iron ore which
they work into bars. When the material is in the neighbourhood of the place where it
is manufactured, the work becomes lefs expenfive. Abundance of provifions alone can
maintain the balance between the undertakers of manufactures, and the merchants who
fell them the materials. .
From the mouth of the Anghermanna to the heights of Liens, we meet with falmon
fifheries, which afford fubfiftence to the fifherman, and duty to the government; but
often neither yield the expences, nor the reward of the labour.
From the parifh of Solett, proceeding to Liens, we purfued on horfeback the courfe
nearly taken by the river, to the N. W. ; but it makes a great many windings: both its
-fhores‘are bordered with hills of fand, covering arich and fertile land, which nature feems
to havebeen willing to preferve from the overflowings, or rather which is concealed under
the heaps of rubbifh brought even by the inundations; fince the waters which in their
fource fometimes wafh away the mountains, in {tripping them fometimes in their courfe
_-raife hills of fand.
However it be concerning the formation of thefe fands, and the rich lands underneath,
the country we traverfe on leaving Solett is entirely compofed of mountains and rocks :
yet we perceive fome good lands before arriving at Liens; but the foil of this parifh
is {tony and barren, intermingled with marfhes which might be ferwlifed. The
little river which waters it, and fupplies it with falmon, is divided by a large rock,
or rather an ifland, forming a water-fall little confiderable: the rock from which it is
precipitated is f{carcely fix fathoms in height.
The land of this diftri& is mixed with fand ; it requires a third part of the fields to
be left unemployed every year to enrich it. No hedges are feen; the fallow ground is
not even divided from the pafture land, becaufe the cattle remain in the folds till the
hay harvelt.
The farther we penetrate into this country, the more do we meet with beautiful
woods, efpecially beyond Rejfilla. The faw-mills have confumed the greater part of
the woods on this fide, not only on the banks of the river, but as far in the land as the
peafants have had conveniency to export the wood. Every hamlet extends its territory
to one or two miles on both fides of the Anghermanna: moft of thefe hamlets are built
on the banks of this river: the cold even compels men to live near it; for it always
freezes the corn in the dry lands which do not receive any influence from the running
waters. It is the fame of the vicinity of great rivers, as of the influence of courts, of
which there is conftant complaint, and yet they are always approached. It is an injuf-
tice, ox at leaft a folly, of courtiers to complain of the diferaces which they fhould have
forefeen, by facing them; which they purchafe before-hand, by the value they fet on
the fhorteft favour; and which they conftantly deferve, were it only by the good offices —
they render themfelves, by corrupting or pilfering their mafter. But it is an ingrati-
tude in people who dwell on the banks of rivers, when they complain of inundations :
a large
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