alled Halibut, is a kind of flat fish of an
astonishing size, for one of them was found to weigh near two hundred
pounds. The stockfish are dried without being salted, in the sun and air;
and, as they have little fat or moisture, they grow as dry as wood. When
they are to be prepared for eating, they arc beaten very hard with the back
part of a hatchet, by which they are divided into filaments like nerves;
after which they are boiled, and dressed with butter and spices to give
them a relish. The people of this country carry on a considerable trade
with these dried stockfish into Germany. The halibuts, are cut into pieces
on account of their great size, and are then salted; in which state they
are very good eating. With these two kinds of fish the people of Rostoe
load every year a ship of about 50 tons burthen, which they send to Bergen,
a place in Norway, about a thousand miles from their island; and from
whence a great number of ships of 300 or 330 tons burthen, carry all the
produce of the fisheries of different parts of Norway into Germany,
England, Scotland, and Prussia, where they are exchanged against the
produce of these countries, particularly for every necessary article of
food, drink and clothing, as their own country is so extremely barren and
unfruitful, that they cannot raise these things for themselves.

Thus, most of their traffic being carried on by means of barter, they have
little money among them, nor is it very necessary. When these exchanges
have been made at Bergen, the vessel returns to Rostoe, landing in one
other place only, whence they carry wood sufficient for a whole year's
fuel, and for other necessary purposes.

The inhabitants of these rocks are a well-looking people, and of pure
morals. Not being in the least afraid of robbery, they never lock up any
thing, and their doors are always open. Their women also are not watched in
the smallest degree; for the guests sleep in the same room with the
husbands and their wives and daughters; who even stripped themselves quite
naked in presence of the strangers before going to bed; and the beds
allotted for the foreigners stood close to those in which their sons and
daughters slept. Every other day the fathers and sons went out a fishing by
day-break, and were absent for eight hours together, without being under
the least anxiety for the honour and chastity of their wives and
daughters[4]. In the beginning of May, the women usually begin to bathe;
a