C H A P. X.
-Gotheborg. — Its trade. — Eaft India Company. — Herring
Fijhery.— General remarks on the commerce o f Sweden.—
Journey from Gotheborg to Carlfcrona.— Cottages, food,
manners, & c . o f the peafants.
b o o k . 1 'I 'H E fcenery o f the country from Trolhaetta to Gothe-
. VI' . borgds wild and romantick beyond defcription. Innumerable
ridges o f .barren rocks ftretch in all directions;
and between them lie the moft fertile plains, which feldorn
exceed a mile in breadth, watered by the river Gotha : The
mountains, which are compofed o f granite, are entirely defti-
tute o f trees, and many o f them fcarcely exhibit the fmalleft
appearance o f vegetation. In this part o f Sweden I obferved
none o f thofe detached fragments of granite, which fo abundantly
overfpread as well many o f its inland provinces, as
the coaif bordering on the Gulf o f Bothnia.
In moft places the river flows with a gentle current, and in
a narrow channel, andis in fome parts navigable only for fmall
eraft o f about 20 tons burden. About ten miles from Gotheborg
it divides itfelf into three branches; two of which unite
again after having encircled a fmall rocky ifland, upon the
top of which ftands the fort of Bohus, a pidlurefque object,
.much celebrated in the early hiftory o f Sweden, and at that
time efteemed impregnable. The ftream formed by the
union o f thefe two branches is called the Northern River,
and falls into the fea after a courfe o f about ten miles. The
third branch, which I followed to Gotheborg, retains its original
name o f .G o t h a t h e fpace included between the
Northerh
Northern River and the Gotha is named the ifland of. Hi- chap.
fingen. . .
Gotlieborgj which is diftinguiihed by a commodious port,,
occupies the lite o f an antient town, named Lpdefe, that:
was built by Guftavus Vafa ; and being,endowed with con-
fiderable privileges, foon became the great-emporium for
the trade o f the weftern provinces. Charles IX. when-
duke o f Gothland,, having, in 1604, laid the foundations o f
a new town in the ifland o f Hifingen at no great diftance:
from Lodefe, called it Gotheborg, in honour o f his dutchy.-
Upon his acceffion to the throne, he ereited in his new town;
a trading company ; drew there many foreigners, particularly
the Dutcfty to whom he allowed an exemption from all duties
o f export and import during twenty years a corps of.
Engliih and Scotch troops, under the command o f William :
Stewart; and granted- to the Calvinifts eftabliihed therein
the free exercife o f their religion, the firft place in Sweden
where this toleration was permitted. By, thefe means-
Gotheborg foon became a flouriihing p o r t* ; and,.next to
Stockholm, the moft commercial town in Sweden.
The town, being in 16 T i reduced to allies by the Danes,
was rebuilt in the reign o f Guftavus Adolphus in its prefent
lituation, and obtained a confirmation o f its antient rights,,
with the grant of feveral additional privileges;.
Gotheborg is built in a very Angular, fituation. At a fmall:
diftance from the feais a marfhy plain, fcarcely more than;
half a mile in breadth, watered by the.rivers Gotha and Mol- •
* A m ed a lw a s ftruclc in- 16 10 , com p a r - beneath are th è r ir e rG o th à , and th é fo r brefs •
in g this, fudden increafe o f G o th e b o r g to E lfib o rg , w ith th e fo llow in g m otto :
th e ,g row th o f -a tree from a f lip : on on e Qnæ præ b et la ta s a rb or fpatian tibu s ura* -
flde the k in g ’ s name and t itle , w ith an in - bras,
fc r ip tion , “ G o th e b . Pj-in. F un d. & C o n d it .” Q u o p p f ita e ftp rim um tem p o re v irg a fu it . -
O n th e reverfe a la rg e t re e , from w h ich D ah lin , V o l. I V . p . 4 2 2 .
h an g fufpended th e. arms o f G o th e b o r g ; .
7 dal,,