The greater part of the principal chains are composed of primitive and transition rocks ; and granite, contrary to the general belief, is now found to occur very rarely in Norway and Lapland. Gneiss appears to be the most abundant of all the primitive rocks, and to it the others are generally subordinate. The class of transition rocks in Norway contain grey-wacke, alum slate, clay-slate, granite, syenite, porphyry, amyg daloid, basalt, and sand-stone. There are numerous quarries of slate and marble, and great varieties of crystals ; but flint is scarcely found, and free-stone is rare. There is little gold; hut the silver mines, par ticularly at Kongsocrg near Christiania, have been very pioductive. here are valuable mines ol cobalt at Fossurn, of copper at Roras, and of iron at Christiania. I.ead has been found, and alum works established ; and altogether there are said to bet 8000 mines in Nor way; but no coal has yet been found there. Great beds of blue rnarly-clay, full of shells or different kinds, arc discovered in various quarters, and at considerable eleva tions. l'herc are multitudes of clear and fresh springs in the country, very commonly tinctured by iron ; and in some districts there are mineral waters, properly so called, but their qualities arc little known, and seldom is any use made of thein.
The waters from the mountains of Norway give rise to a multitude or rivers and lakes. A great many of the Former originate in the Dovrefieldt. Those which flow towards the northern division, the Namsen. Gula, Orkcdal, Tana, Alten, are leas'. extensive in their course, and soon reach thc coast. But those which pass through the southern provinces are of greater volume, such as the Nidel, Mandalselv, Darmmenelv, Loven, Fcemund, Laugen and Glommen. 1 e last is the principal river in Norway. It originates in the lake Oresund, under the 62° of north latitude, and ritns southward about 90 miles, through a rugged channel full of cataracts and shoals. Before it receives the Worm, (lake Mioss,) it is as large as the Thames at Putney: and about 20 miles below this junction falls into the sea at Frederick s.tadt. Its highest cataract is that of Sarpcn, above 60 feet perpendicular, and not far frotn its influx into the sea. The greater part of these rivers have falls more or less considerable, and are not fitted for regular navi gation, except for the floating of timber down the stream. They often occasion great devastation by over flowing their banks, of which a remarkable instance oc curred in the year 1789, after a long continuance of rain, which caused a general inundation, and produced the most serious ravages over the greater part of the kingdom. These livers, nevertheless, afford ninny ad vantages, by the inland though interrupted navigation which they admit ; by the multitude of saw-mils which they put iti motion; by the abundance or excellent fish which they supply ; and by the fertility which they corn municate to the valleys tin ough which they flow.
The lakes of Norway are extremely numerous ; and some of them of considerable extent, particularly those which are situAted in the southern provinces. Besides Sneaasen, Foelboe, Rysvanclet, Sperillen, there arc the lake of Tyri, about 15 miles in length, so] rounded by fine meadows and corn-fields; that of FeeinunJ, about so miles long and 6 in breadth, inclosed by mountains of great height ; that of Rands, nearly 40 miles long, but only two broad ; and that of Mioss, about 70 litt lish miles long, and 12 in breadth, near the middle of its extent.
The coast, though in somc places low, ancl rising gi•adually, is in general bold and steep, with a depth of water, often close to the rock, of from 100 to 400 fa thoms. Along the western shorc there are numetous islets and rocks, which form a kind of break-water to the coast, and furnish a number of secure harbours and places of retreat for vessels in stormy weather. There arc numerous creeks or gulfs, which run far into the land, sometimes to the extent of 30 or 40 miles; and occasionally pass out in such a manner as to form straits. Those towards the north are seldom frozen ; an exemption which is supposed to he owing to the con stant agitation of their waters by the rapid rivers and torrents which fall into them. The most remarkable of these creeks or fiords arc those of Christiania, Stawan ger, Haidanger, Segnifiord and Drontheim. It is in these aims of the sea that the principal ports are situat ed, and the most important fisheries carried on. There are many dangerous currents along the western coast, the most noted of which is that of Alalstroem or Alos kcestrocm, in latitude 67° 40'. It runs among several islands with extraordinary rapidity during six hours from north to south ; and during other six hours from south to north, always against the tide ; hut at high and low -water is stationary and navigable. During the pe riods of its agitation, it is necessary for vessels to keep at the distance of several miles, lest they should be drawn into its current ; and frequently whales which ap proach too near are overwhelmed and destroyed by the irresistible force of its waters. When a strong wind blows in from the west, and opposes these currents, the most frightful waves are excited, and the roaring of the contest is heard at an immense distance ; but it is only during the storm of winter that these violent agitations are witnessed ; and the stream is generally navigable in the summer months.