Many of the species are sedentary, others are winter visitants, while others again simply pass through Egypt on their way to or from warmer or colder regions.
There can be little doubt that the earlier of these expeditions were from Denmark, though the term Northmen was originally applied indiscriminately to all these terrible visitants from the unknown north.
Great as was the number of pilgrims oversea, it was yet far exceeded by that of the visitants to the "threshold of the apostles," i.e.
From 25,000 to 30,000 persons take part each year in the resuscitated "leaping-procession" at Echternach; and the annual visitants to the "Holy Mount" at Gorz are estimated at 50,000.
It got its name (robben, Dutch for seal) from the seals which formerly frequented it, now only occasional visitants.