Veils are commonly worn in Sweden, not only by the ladies,
but even by the female peafants when at work in the fields;
a cuftom which ftrikes an Engliih traveller for its Angularity,
but which is ufeful in theie parts, in order to ihade the eyes
from the glare of the fnow in winter, and from the rays of the
fun, fo ftrongly reflected from the rocks, in fummer.
As we approached Jonkioping, on the third day’s journey
from Calmar, the country became fomewhat lefs forefly, and
the views more extenlive, though not lefs rude and rocky.
About a mile from Jonkioping, we came to the top of an eminence,
whofe fummit was covered with fir, and its feet with
beech and oak. We looked down upon that town, lying beautifully
between two fmall lakes, and at the fouthern extremity
of the Wetter, a lake of an oblong lhape, and of fuch length,
that it appeared like an arm of the fea. It is at leaft too
miles in length, and from fix to twenty-fix miles broad; its
Ihores are gently doping, and moftly clothed with firs.
Jonkioping is the capital of Smoland, and the feat of the
parliament or fuperior court of juftice for the kingdom of
Gothland. The town is no more than two miles in circumference,
and contains about 3000 inhabitants. The houfes are moftly
of wood, covered with turf. Excepting the houfes in the
largeft towns, and gentlemen’s feats, few of the buildings in
Sweden are roofed with tiles. They are principally covered with
turf or mofs, no thatching being ufed, as both too dear, and dangerous
in cafe of fire. In order to keep out the rain, large layers of
birch
birch bark are fpread over the timber-work of the roof, under CHAP.
the covering of turf or mofs. Thefe turf roofs make a fingu- t i
lar appearance, many of them producing herbage, which is oc-
cafionally cut for the ufe of the cattle. I obierved a few ornamented
with flowers.
In quitting Jonkioping, we coafted the weftern ihores of the
Wetter, through a hilly, ftony, but well cultivated and woody
country, the road fometimes running clofe to the margin of
the water, fometimes carried over the fteep precipices which
form the ihores of the lake. The vaft expanfe of water, which
near Jonkioping is too uniform, was partly broken by an iiland
about feven miles in circumference, and the view was diverfified
with a fmaller lake.
The fmall town of Wadftena, on the borders of the lake
Wetter, is remarkable for its caftle, a Angular building, defended
at the four corners by round towers, covered with
fmall domes. This caftle was built in 1544 by Gaftavus Vafa,
and inhabited by his fon Magnus, who was infane. The church,
a large handfome building, contains his fepulchre, and the remains
of Catharine, wife of Charles Canutfon, and of Philippa
queen of Eric the Thirteenth.
The lake Wetter, like all inland pieces of water furrounded
with hills or mountains, is fubjeft to fudden ftorms in the ftilleft
weather. Superftition or credulity not unfrequently find caufes
for all phenomena of nature; and I was informed at Copenhagen,
that thefe fudden ftorms on the lake Wetter were oc-
L 2 cafioned