IS TRAVELS
C H A P T E R II.
Journey from Gothenburg to Stockholm— Trolhatta: the Cataráóls,
and the Canal, which is a mojl extraordinary Work.— Some general
Remarks occaponed by this Canal— Book o f Infcriptions kept
at Trolhatta— Face i f the Country between Trolhatta and Stockholm—
Agriculture in that D'l/lriSl, and its Producé— Mode o f
bedding the Horfes— Fithia, the laft Stage before you come to Stocks
holm : Anecdote— Arrival at Stockholm: Want o f Inns—-Cha-
raSler o f Mr. Malmgrein; his Attention to Strangers.
r I ''H E journey from Gothenburg to Trolhatta, a diftance o f
about fifty miles, is often made by the Gothenburghers in
the fummer feafon as a jaunt o f pleafure. Going out o f the town
you proceed along the banks o f the river Gotha, from which
Gothenburg derives its name. After advancing about three miles,
you leave behind you, on the right bank o f the river, the fimall
fortrefs o f Bohus, fituated on the fummit o f a rock. T h e remainder
o f the road to Trolhatta is partly level and good, in fome
places hilly and unpleafant; and part o f it lies acrois roundiih
and llippery rocks. There is only one place where one can be
comfortably lodged: this is Eded, about thirty miles from Gothenburg,
on the fide o f the Gotha. It is aitoniihing that on
a ipot
a fpot fo much frequented as Trolhatta, both by foreigners and
Swedes, there ihould not be better accommodations ; and that it
never occurred to any one, as a good fpeculation, to fet up a new
inn. In the one that now exifts there are but four apartments:
when thefe are occupied, there is no other houfe where a traveller
can be decently lodged. Trolhatta is a place w'here the admirers
of natural beauties, if they could be tolerably accommodated,
would be.tempted to flop for feveral days; as it is fcarcely
poffible in lefs time to have any fatisfadory view o f the famous
catarads, and the canal, which is one o f the boldcit and moil
amazing works o f the kind in the world. T h e catarads are a
feries o f cafcades, formed by the river Gotha, which ifiues from
the lake o f Wennern, and being united after many breaks, falls
in its whole and undivided ftrcam from a height o f upwards o f
.fixty feet, into an unfathomable abyfs o f water.
T h e canal o f Trolhatta has been wrought through the midft o f
rocks by the means o f gunpowder. Its objed was to open a communication
between the North Sea and the lake o f Wennern, by
continuing the navigation where the Gotha, dalhing down in ca-
tarads, ceafe? to be navigable. A ll the bar-iron o f Nericia, Wa r-
merland, and other provinces, is tranfported in fmall boats acrofs
the lake of Wennern, and along the Gotha, as far as the falls.
By means o f the new canal, the water carriage is prolonged beyond
the catarads to where the Gotha becomes again navigable ;
and from thence the goods are eafily conveyed on the river to
Gothenburg. T he obvious importance o f iuch a cut had long
D 2 attraded