C H A P . VIII.
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Entrance into Sweden— Carlftadt— Philipftadt— Kioping— II to graphical
Anecdotes of Scbeele.
a ridge of hills, which feparate the waters that flow into
the Glomme, and thofe that run eaftward into the Wenner;
changed horfes at Magnor, the laft village in Norway, foon
reached the frontiers, which are marked by a line drawn from
north to fouth, and paifed feveral flat ftones, which form the
limits of the two kingdoms. On one fide I obferved the cypher
of Adolphus Frederic, 1754, and on the other that of
Frederic the Fifth, bearing the fame date.
On our entrance into Sweden our palfports were examined,
and our baggage ilightly examined by a cuftom-houfe officer.
Without this ceremony we Ihould have recognized our arrival
in Sweden by the goodnefs of the roads, which far exceed thofe
of Norway; and indeed are as good, though not fo broad, as
our turnpikes in England. Such indeed are their goodnefs
throughout the whole country, that during feveral thoufand
miles which I travelled in this and my former tour in 1779, I
fcarcely met with fifty miles that deferved the appellation of indifferent.
They are alio as pleaiant as they are good; and in
many
many places look like gravel walks carried through gentlemen’s C K ap.
grounds and plantations, as they wind through the fields and ---- —
extenfive forefts, the lofty trees calling a gloomy fhade with their
Overhanging foliage.
The two principal objects of our journey from the frontiers
of Norway to Stockholm were to examine the canal of Stroem-
fholm, and to vifit the mines of Dalecarlia. Our route lay
through the fertile and delightful provinces of Wermeland
and Weftmanland; at. firil diverfified with mountains, rocks,
hills, and dales, clothed with forefts of birch, poplar, mountain
alh, pine, and fir, and abounding with lakes which fucceed each
other alrnoft without interruption. Nothing can exceed the
beauty of threfe lakes— they are from four to forty miles in circumference
; fome fo narrow as to appear like broad rivers, others
of a circular ftiape; their ihores in fome parts fteep and rocky,
in others gently Hoping, but always feathered with hanging
wood to the margin of the water; the roads delightfully winding
through the dark forefts, which overhang the impending
precipices, and overlhadow the water. Numerous rivulets flow
from thefe lakes, ripling over their ftony channels, or forming
fmall catarafts, which gliften through the intervening foliage.
The principal places we palled through were Carlftadt, Phi-
lipftadt, and Kioping. At a finall diftance from Carlftadt we
came to the Klara Elb, or large river, a fine clear ftream, but
with fo fmall a current, as to appear like a narrow lake; we
coafted its banks, which are prettily fringed with underwood,
Vol. Ill* A a until