In the winter 1799, I beheld at Stockholm a fpectacle o f a
very uncommon nature, and fuch as I never, in all probability,
ihall fee a fécond time. It was a fugar-houfe on fire in the
fuburb, on the fouth fide o f the city. T he accident being announced
by the difcharge o f cannon, all the fire engines were
immediately hurried to the aid o f the owners. T he feverity o f
that winter was fo great, that there was not a fingle fpot near,
where the water was not frozen to the depth o f a yard from the
furface. It was neceffary to break the ice with hatchets and
hammers, and to draw up the water as from a well. Immediately
on filling the caiks, they were obliged to carry them off
with all poffible fpeed, left the water ihould be congealed, .as in
fadt about a third part o f it was by the time it could be brought
to the place where it was wanted. In order to prevent it as much
as poffible from freezing, they conftantly kept ftirring it about
with a ftick ; but even this operation had only a partial effedl.
A t laft, by the united power o f many engines, which launched
forth a great mafs o f water, the fire was got under, after deftroy-
ing only the roof, the houfe itfelf being very little damaged. It
was in the upper ftories o f the building that the ftock o f iugar
was depofited ; there were alfo many veffels full o f treacle, which
being broken by the falling-in o f the roof, the juice ran down
along the lides o f the walls. T he water thrown up to the top o f
the houie by the engines, and flowing back on the walls, ftair-
■cafes, and through the windows, was flopped in its downward courfe
by the mighty power o f the froft. After the fire was extinguiihed,
G 2 the