Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Pages ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
363 COXE’s TRAVELS IN NORWAY. :
cobalt works. As it was extremely dark and cold, and at fome diftance from any honte
where we could be acconrmodated, and more particularly as the roads we juft paffed
had proved fo dangerous, we ventured to knock at the infpector’s door, and requeft ad-
mittance for two Englifh travellers who were bénighted. The family being in bed, we
were for a fhort time in anxious expectation for the anfwer ; and no knight-errant was
ever more agreeably theltered from darknefs, wind, and weather, than we were, on being
admitted over the hofpitable threfhold.
Vhe next morning a good breakfat being fpread for us, and compliments
delivered from our hoft and hoftefs, with an iavitation to pafs the day with them, an-
nounced their atrention and civility. We now found that the name of this parti-
cular houfe was Foflum, and a colle&tion of {mall adjacent cottages was denominated
Modum.
The gentleman, who kindly received us at fo undue an hour, and without previous
acquaintance, was Mr. Bornftein, a native of Germany, lately appointed infpector of the
cobalt works. Having paid our refpetts to our hoft and his amiable wife, whofe po-
litenefs we thall ever recollect with gratitude, we ftrolled about the grounds, and ad-
mired the fituation of the houfe, placed near the rivulet Simora, in the midft of a de-
‘lightful valley, fertile in pafture and corn, hemp and flax, and bordered by high rocks
richly clothed with wood.
The infpector himfelf politely accompanied us to the works: we had an opportunity
of obferving the whole procefs, from the firft calcination of the ore to its final reduction
into the powder-blue, and were furprifed to find that it pafled through two hundred and
feventy hands.
The mine was difcovered about eight years ago on the fummit of a rocky mountain,
near Skutered, a fmall village a few miles from Foflum, where the works are eftablifhed
on account of the numerous water-falls which are neceflary for turning the mills. A
mile from the mine has been lately found a vein of the moft beautiful quartz; a fortu-
nate difcovery, as quartz is neceflary to mix with the cobalt-ore, in order to obtain the
powder-blue. The ore being calcined, reduced to powder, and refined, yields the blue
powder fo much ufed.
The fabric employs thirty-fix men, and the mines three hundred and twenty. In .
1783, fourteen hundred or fifteen hundred weight was obtained, which fold, according
to its finene!s; from 2]. ios. to 121. the hundred weight, and yielded 10, cool. The ex-
pences in that year amounted to 12,cool. becaufe “the numerous buildings and ma-
chines neceffary for carrying on the works were {till conftructing. When thefe are fi-
nifhed, the expences will not exceed 4000l. and the infpetor aflured me, that he fhould
then be able to make double the quantity that he can at prefent. Therefore the clear,
gain to the crown will fcarcely fall {hort of 16,0col. perannum. The difcovery of this
mine is a great acquifition to Denmark, as befides giving employment to many hands,
it prevents the importation of powder -blue.
Six miles from Foflum, we {topped at the fmall village of Bincred and afcended
the mountain, on the fummit of which arethe mines of cobalt. ‘There are two mines,
called the north and fouth, each with four pits or openings; the deepeft is no more than
fourteen fathom, becaufe the ore is ftill in great plenty near the furface. It is found in
_veins, and blown up with gunpowder. In our way we pafled the fine mine of quartz,
which fupplies the cobalt works, fo neceflary, becaufe twelve parts of quartz are mixed
with one of cobalt, to produce the Pruffian blue. The quartz is as white as alabafter,
and contains large veins of marien glafs, or Ruffian talc, which in fome countries is ufed
for windows. 8t
The
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
