VI. anchor before the town. These vessels were of CHAP. considerable size: we saw six with two masts, besides smaller craft. The town itself had a very picturesque appearance; hills rising behind it. We had letters to some merchants here; but finding one of them, with the captain of a merchantman, at the inn to which we were conducted, we entered into conversation with them, and did not present our letters; being fearful of the delay which must be entailed upon the hospitality we were sure to experience. Manner of preserving Bread, throughout the year, in Swedish Families. CHAP. VII. SUNDSWALL TO PITEÅ, ON THE BORDERS OF LAPLAND. Description of Sundswall-Accident which befel the Author-Beauty of the Scenery-Churches-Indals River Angermanna River-Effect of protracted DaylightPeople of Angermannland-Fanskog-Parnassia palustris-Cause of the great excellence of the Roads-Beauty of the Horses-Stensland Bay-Skulberget-Ascent to the Cavern-Tradition concerning it-Improved condition of the Peasants-Mode of exhibiting the Bodies of Criminals-Sälla River-Broesta-Linen Manufactory -Gidea River-Storlogda-Ledea Foundry-LefsarAngersjö-Attack made by Insects Soderholmjö— Triumphal Triumphal Arch-Inscriptions in honour of Adolphus— CHAP. VII. Descrip SUNDSWALL is a neat little town; but its appearance is very remarkable to a foreign traveller; because the houses of which it consists tion of are all of them constructed like the cottages of Sundswall. the peasants; the sloping sheds being formed by long parallel poles of fir, held on by pegs at the top of each roof, without a single nail in any part of their construction. This would make a pleasant watering-place, and the shore is admirably well calculated for bathing. There is here a small pier. The trade is much the same as that of Gefle: the inhabitants carry on commerce with the port of London; exporting bar-iron, timber, deal planks, tar, pitch, &c. They import salt, a little hemp, and sometimes, but not often, corn. There is a beautiful island in the bay, to which the Laplanders bring annually, and about this time of the year (July 1), their reindeer for pasture. Before the winter sets in, they return, and take them away. A Lapland breed of dogs is common here, resembling wolves, CHAP. VII. Accident which befel the Author. with upright ears; remarkable for their fleetness and ferocity. Viewed from a distance, Sundswall resembles a Swiss town, situate upon one of the fine lakes of that country; differing only in the appearance exhibited by the fleet of merchantmen riding before it at anchor. This resort enhances the price of all the articles sold in the place. Having occasion to purchase a few necessaries, we found every thing much dearer than usual. French wines are sold all over Sweden. The kind of claret known in France by the name of La Fitte may be purchased in all the towns it sells at the rate of six shillings and eight-pence, English, the bottle. The Swedes, who prefer it to every other wine, call it Longcork; because the bottles containing it are distinguished from those holding another light rough French wine, called Pontac, by the great length of their corks. : A remarkable circumstance happened to the author, just before his arrival at this place, upon the first of July. He had been reading the life of Linnæus, in the open travelling waggon, as he proceeded on the route; and was giving an account to his companion of the marvellous manner in which that celebrated naturalist had nearly lost his life, in consequence of being wounded by a worm, said to have fallen from the air—the VII. Furia infernalis'; expressing, at the same time, CHAP. his incredulity, as to the existence of such an animal, and, of course, his disbelief of the fact. At this moment, he was himself attacked in the same extraordinary manner, and perhaps by the same creature. A sharp pain, preceded by slight irritation, took place in his left wrist. It was confined, at first, to a small dark point, hardly visible; and which he supposed to proceed from the sting of a gnat. Presently, it became so severe, that the whole of the left arm was affected, quite to the shoulder, which, as well as the joints of the elbow and fingers, became benumbed. The consequence might have been more serious, if he had not resorted to a mode of cure pointed out by the inhabitants; namely, a poultice of curd; to which he added the well-known Goulard lotion, prepared from the acetite of lead: As we left Sundswall (July 2), we ascended a mountain above the town; whence we had a fine retrospective view of the town, the bay, the gulph, and the islands within it. Here the sants make their appearance in red caps, and their horses are decorated with bells. Butchers' pea Beauty of the Scenery on leaving Sundswall. (1) Vid. Systema Naturæ, tom. I. part. VI. p. 3081. Curâ Gmelin. Lipsia, 1788. |