764- Kerguelen’s voyage to the north. very of the blues, that the officers of the royal navy poffefs prejudices which raife them much above the profeffion of bailors, and make them imagine it unneceffary to learn the art of feamanfhip in order to pra&ife it, &c.” If this paper-ftainer had read the ordonnances of the marine, he would have known that there are l’chools eftablifhed for the education of young people in this art; if he had been at any of the fea-ports, he mud have fecn officers applying themfelves to the theory, and anxioufly defirous of re- ducing this theory to practice ; if he had taken the trouble to feek for information, he might have learnt that it is neceffary before a man can become a captain of a merchant veffel, that he fhould have made at lead: two voyages on board of a* king’s fhip, and obtain fatisfaftory credentials from his commanders ; which pre-fuppofes that it is on board thefe veffels'alone that proper difcipline, and a perfeft knowledge of the neceffary .fubordination and fervice at fea, can be acquired ; and that the officers in the navy are the competent judges of the merchants’ captains : had he failed on board veffels truly commanded by his majefty’s officers, he would not have affirmed that “ every veffel is obliged to ftrike when a king’s fhip orders her to do fo, by firing a gun and bringing round the pennant to the mad, at the part it ought to be, according to the rank of the officer commanding the king’s fhip.” He would have known that the pennant is hoifted* and not brought round, and that a merchant veffel is not obliged to ftrike, but to bring to, in order to receive orders. If he had refided in a fea-port, he might have learnt the language of a profeffion which, had he poffeffed any modefty, he muft have been per- fuaded is a neceffary acquifition to him who profeffes to give leffons ; he would have feen how highly the Barts, the Duguai Trouins, and the Caffards are refpeGed : all thefe great men were entitled to the ftations they held on board the king’s fhips; they had fought in defperate engagements, made many fkilful manoeuvres, taken fhips of war from the enemy; let any one prefent himfelf after fuch ftriking recommendations, and certainly he will be received with as much welcome as diftiridlion. Notwithftanding the officers of the royal navy are much above fuch paltry afperfions as thofe lanced from fo palfied an arm, as that of the traveller to the Malucca iflands, I have not been able to reftrain the firft boilings of anger winch the reading of the faftidious volume of that monk-errant occafioned me. During the ftay l made at Berghen I founded, and caufed to be founded, the porf, the roadfted, and the neighbourhood of the town; refpefting which I fhall fay more in fucceffion, intending now to give a defcription of the town and territory of Berghen. I fhall even fay fomething of Denmark, Norway, the Laplanders, the Samoiedes, and other people of the north of this fecond kingdom, which are but little known, and of whom many fabulous tales have been related. As I have converfed with and received my in- formation from perfons of education who have travelled in that country, receiving from the fountain-head my accounts, I think they will meet with eftimation. The city of Berghen, formerly Biorginn, capital of the diocefe of that name, is the largeft and moft confiderable trading city of Norway ; it is fkuated at the bottom of a. valley, furrounded and defended by feven large mountains : its fortifications on the fea- fide do not deferve mention. Formerly there were thirty churches and convents in Berghen ; at prefent there are only four pariffi churches, three of which are Danifh, and one German. The churches are built of (tone, as well as the houfes of the noble- men, confuls, and principal merchants. The moft remarkable building is the cuftom- houfe, at the entrance of the port. There is a Latin fchool founded in 1544, and en- dowed by Peter the bifhop : its revenues were encreafed by Frederic II. and his fuccef- fors. At this time it maintains twelve ftudents in philofophy, mathematics, hiftory, and the French language. The marine fchool was formerly fufficiently numerous, but it is fallen into decay. Berghen

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