CH A P T E R X I I I .
JOURNEY TO SALA.
Westmanland all Primitive—Lakes diminishing in Size—Account of Sala—Structure of
the Country—Mine of Sala in Limestone—Veins that cut the Limestone—Silver extracted—
Lead obtained—Number of Miners—Minerals found in SalaMine—Calcareous
Spar—Gypsum—Bitter Spar—Sulphate of Barytes—Mica—Serpentine—Chlorite—
Salite—Homstone—Hornblende—Galena—Amalgam of Silver—Native Antimony—
Blende—Mine of Ridderhyttan—Mine of Bastnàs—New Kopperberg.
T h e province o f Westmanland, as far as I examined it, and I
traversed it in two directions, from east to west, and from south to
north, is all primitive, and consists chiefly o f gneiss. In the west side
of the province, the gneiss alternates with mica slate, and contains immense
beds o f primitive limestone. Primitive green-stone is said also
to occur, though I did not myself meet with it. On the south side of
the province, there is a considerable number of small eminences running
in a northerly and southerly direction, and in the low grounds
between each there runs a small rivulet, which bends its course to the
Maler, and serves to feed that lake. These rivulets are all small, on
account of the comparative flatness o f the country, and to judge from
appearances, they are hardly sufficient to keep up the lake to its ancient
height. Hence this lake seems to be diminishing ; the banks o f it are
marshy, choked up with vegetables, and quite shallow. The same observation
applies to all the lakes in Sweden, which seem to be uniformly
diminishing in size. I saw evident marks of the action o f some
o f them, a good many feet above their present level.
The most important o f the mines in Westmanland is that of Sala,
which lies towards the eastern side of the province, not far from the
border of Upland. The roads between Fahlun and Sala are in general
bad; hilly, sandy, and full of stones. But the country looked beautiful,
being finely variegated with hills, woods, lakes, and corn-fields.
The town o f Sala, though inferior to Fahlun both in size and elegance,
is notwithstanding of some size. Like all the Swedish towns,
it has an open square, from which the streets run, with the utmost
regularity, in different directions. The church stands at the west end,
at some little distance from the town; and there is 3 small lake upon
the north side, round which the road winds. The houses at the
south-east end of the town are very mean. The streets ape in general
wide, but very ill paved. The pavement consists o f round stones, of
very unequal sizes; and is, in consequence, full o f holes, where water
is deposited, which makes the streets always wet and dirty. Sala lies
in an extensive plain, consisting chiefly o f rocks o f gneiss, covered
by ,a clayey soil. These rocks are very little elevated above the
surface; but sufficiently exposed to ascertain their nature and direction.
On the north side o f the town they have the character o f gneiss, on
the south side o f granite. Between these two, there runs a bed of
primitive limestone, in an easterly and westerly direction. I traced it
for about three miles, and probably it extends farther. The breadth o f
this limestone hed is about half a mile. It is in it that the mine of
Sala lies. This limestone is granular, with a shade o f green, and
possesses a good deal of beauty. It is the common stone employed at
Sala for building the walls with which many of the fields are inclosed.
It often -contains magnesian lime-stone. Magnesian limestone possesses
a curious character, by which it may be very readily distinguished
from every other species. I f you give it 3 sharp blow with
a small hammer, it phosphoresces, and the light continues some time
after the stroke, putting you in mind o f the cooling o f a red-hot
2 H