Travelling in Sweden is very cheap, and even commodious, if you make
but the proper arrangements. Here, as in other parts of the
Continent, it is necessary to have your own carriage, and to have a
servant who can speak the language, if you are unacquainted with it.
Sometimes a servant who can drive would be found very useful, which
was our case, for I travelled in company with two gentlemen, one of
whom had a German servant who drove very well. This was all the
party; for not intending to make a long stay, I left my little girl
behind me.
As the roads are not much frequented, to avoid waiting three or four
hours for horses, we sent, as is the constant custom, an avant
courier the night before, to order them at every post, and we
constantly found them ready. Our first set I jokingly termed
requisition horses; but afterwards we had almost always little
spirited animals that went on at a round pace.
The roads, making allowance for the ups and downs, are uncommonly
good and pleasant. The expense, including the postillions and other
incidental things, does not amount to more than a shilling the
Swedish mile.
The inns are tolerable; but not liking the rye bread, I found it
necessary to furnish myself with some wheaten before I set out. The
beds, too, were particularly disagreeable to me. It seemed to me
that I was sinking into a grave when I entered them; for, immersed
in down placed in a sort of box, I expected to be suffocated before
morning. The sleeping between two down beds - they do so even in
summer - must be very unwholesome during any season; and I cannot
conceive how the people can bear it, especially as the summers are
very warm. But warmth they seem not to feel; and, I should think,
were afraid of the air, by always keeping their windows shut. In
the winter, I am persuaded, I could not exist in rooms thus closed
up, with stoves heated in their manner, for they only put wood into
them twice a day; and, when the stove is thoroughly heated, they
shut the flue, not admitting any air to renew its elasticity, even
when the rooms are crowded with company. These stoves are made of
earthenware, and often in a form that ornaments an apartment, which
is never the case with the heavy iron ones I have seen elsewhere.
Stoves may be economical, but I like a fire, a wood one, in
preference; and I am convinced that the current of air which it
attracts renders this the best mode of warming rooms.
We arrived early the second evening at a little village called
Quistram, where we had determined to pass the night, having been
informed that we should not afterwards find a tolerable inn until we
reached Stromstad.
Advancing towards Quistram, as the sun was beginning to decline, I
was particularly impressed by the beauty of the situation. The road
was on the declivity of a rocky mountain, slightly covered with a
mossy herbage and vagrant firs. At the bottom, a river, straggling
amongst the recesses of stone, was hastening forward to the ocean
and its grey rocks, of which we had a prospect on the left; whilst
on the right it stole peacefully forward into the meadows, losing
itself in a thickly-wooded rising ground. As we drew near, the
loveliest banks of wild flowers variegated the prospect, and
promised to exhale odours to add to the sweetness of the air, the
purity of which you could almost see, alas! not smell, for the
putrefying herrings, which they use as manure, after the oil has
been extracted, spread over the patches of earth, claimed by
cultivation, destroyed every other.
It was intolerable, and entered with us into the inn, which was in
other respects a charming retreat.
Whilst supper was preparing I crossed the bridge, and strolled by
the river, listening to its murmurs. Approaching the bank, the
beauty of which had attracted my attention in the carriage, I
recognised many of my old acquaintance growing with great
luxuriance.
Seated on it, I could not avoid noting an obvious remark. Sweden
appeared to me the country in the world most proper to form the
botanist and natural historian; every object seemed to remind me of
the creation of things, of the first efforts of sportive nature.
When a country arrives at a certain state of perfection, it looks as
if it were made so; and curiosity is not excited. Besides, in
social life too many objects occur for any to be distinctly observed
by the generality of mankind; yet a contemplative man, or poet, in
the country - I do not mean the country adjacent to cities - feels and
sees what would escape vulgar eyes, and draws suitable inferences.
This train of reflections might have led me further, in every sense
of the word; but I could not escape from the detestable evaporation
of the herrings, which poisoned all my pleasure.
After making a tolerable supper - for it is not easy to get fresh
provisions on the road - I retired, to be lulled to sleep by the
murmuring of a stream, of which I with great difficulty obtained
sufficient to perform my daily ablutions.
The last battle between the Danes and Swedes, which gave new life to
their ancient enmity, was fought at this place 1788; only seventeen
or eighteen were killed, for the great superiority of the Danes and
Norwegians obliged the Swedes to submit; but sickness, and a
scarcity of provision, proved very fatal to their opponents on their
return.
