[8] It is highly probable, from this remark, in which Ohthere could not be mistaken, as it will appear in the sequel that he must have been perfectly well acquainted with the Fins, that the Biarmians were a branch of the great Finnish stock. The principal difference seems to have been, that the Fins continued to be wandering hunters and herdsmen, while the Beormas or Biarmians had advanced to the state of fixed cultivators of the soil. They had likewise an idol called Jomala, which is still the name of one of the deities of the Finlanders.--Forst.
[9] The morse is here named horse-whale by king Alfred, with infinitely greater propriety than the appellation of sea-horse, which long prevailed in our language. The tusks of this animal are still considered as excellent ivory, and are peculiarly valuable for the construction of false teeth; and leather made from the hide is still used in Russia for coach-harness, but stretches more when wet than any other leather.--Forst.
[10] It would appear, from the vast number killed, that this successful fishing must refer to the morse or horse-whale, not to the ordinary large whale.--E.
[11] In the original, the broad and comparatively fertile part of Norway is said to be in the _east_: the correction adopted in the text is obvious and necessary.--E.
[12] In former translations, this passage is: "opposite to this land, _to_ the south, is Sueoland." The alteration in the text removes the ambiguity--E.
[13] Cwenland and the Cwenas appear to refer to Lapmark, and its inhabitants, the Finlanders.--Forst.
[14] See Sect. iii. p. 12, in which this place is supposed by Mr J. R. Forster to have been where Stockholm now is.
[15] Iraland obviously here means Scotland, with the Faro, Shetland, and Orkney islands.--E.
[16] This is plainly the isle of Gothland.--E.
[17] Apparently the Baltic proper is here called the sea of Sillende, and may have been named from the isle of Zeeland. Yet in this passage it seems to refer to the gulf of Bothnia, as running far up into the country.--E.
[18] See Sect. iii. p. 14, in which Forster endeavours to fix this place at Aarhuus in Jutland.
_Remarks by J. M. Forster, respecting the situation of Sciringes-heal and Haethum_[1].