THINGS SEEN IN SWEDEN I'K.ASAXT t'lIILDKKX KUOM DAI.Kl'A IIM A HOLDING A HIG STICK OK COT NTH Y C'AN'DY IX Til KIR HANDS. It is a custom in Sweden to sell long coloured sticks of varying sweetmeats at the country markets, which the young men give to their sweethearts and mothers to their childien. THINGS SEEN IN SWEDEN BY W. BARNES STEVENI AUTHOR OF "THINGS SEEN IN RUSSIA," "THE SCANDINAVIAN QUESTION," &c., &c. WITH FIFTY ILLUSTRATIONS LONDON SEELEY, SERVICE 6- CO. LIMITED 38 GREAT RUSSELL STREET 1915 UNIFORM WITH THIS VOLUME Each volume contains Fifty Illustrations Cloth, as. net ; leather, 35. net ; velvet leather, in a box, 55. net "A successful series by capable writers." Times. "Beautifully illustrated with photographs of characteristic scenes and people." Daily Telegraph. Just Published THINGS SEEN IN OXFORD By N. J. DAVIDSON, B.A. (Oxon) With Fifty Illustrations THINGS SEEN IN PALESTINE By A. GOODRICH - FREER, F.R.S.G.S. "Brightly written from full and intimata knowledge of the subject." Scotsman. THINGS SEEN IN RUSSIA By W. BARNES STEVEN i "Giving just the information most people would like to have." Revieiu of Reviews. THINGS SEEN IN SPAIN By C. GASQUOINE HARTLEY "This admirable little volume." Onlooker. THINGS SEEN IN VENICE By Canon LONSDALE RAGG, B.D., &> L. M. RAGG " By authors who are both of them cultured students of Italian life, art, and literature." Times. THINGS SEEN IN NORTHERN INDIA By T. L. PENNELL, M.D., B.Sc. "A delightful account of the sights of Upper India, by one who has special knowledge. "Birmingham Post. THINGS SEEN ITS HOLLAND % C_E.. ROCHE. "A charming addition to tb *e?i*B . . . eminently rea'dable." Morning Post. THiNGS SEEN IN EGYPT - By E. L. BUTCHER - 'Mrs., Batcher is thoroughly con- vsrwent with her subject . . . excel- lently written." Globe. THINGS SEEN IN JAPAN By CLIVE HOLLAND " An attractive volume ; the photo- graphs with which it is illustrated are admirable. "Manchester Guardian. THINGS SEEN IN CHINA By J. R. CHITTY "By a writer who adds grace and style to entire familiarity with the country and people." Birmingham Post. SEELEY, SERVICE & CO. LIMITED 5? DEDICATED TO MY SON WILLIAM STEVENI IX MEMORY OF THE PLEASANT MONTHS WE SPENT TOGETHER IN " SUNNY SWEDEN " > PREFACE PT1HE growing interest in Sweden, which -- has steadily increased since the sensation caused by the Olympic Games in 1912, has induced me to write this little work on that picturesque, unfamiliar country, which since the days of Charles XII. has ceased to be a first-class Power. Although no longer occupying the honoured place that was hers before she was involved in that gigantic and unequal struggle with Russia, Saxony, Prus- sia, Denmark, and Norway, which stripped her of her position and territories on the Baltic, she, like other once great nations, is well worthy our attention and interest. Her renaissance during the last hundred years in the spheres of art, science, and almost every branch of industry, is indeed most astonishing. Her scenery is a revela- tion to travellers who think that after they vii Preface have visited Norway and Denmark they have seen all that is remarkable in Scandinavia. Having resided there for long periods since 1875, both for business and pleasure, I can speak as one who knows the language and the people thoroughly. I advise all who wish to reach Sweden from London and the South of England to travel by the Thule Line to Gothenburg, if they elect to go by the sea route. The land journey is best taken over Hamburg and Berlin via Sassnitz-Trelleborg ; the train- ferry service is excellent. For those residents in the Midlands the Wilson liners which run from Hull to Gothenburg are available, and the steamers of the Finland Steamboat Com- pany run between Hull, Copenhagen (for Mai mo) and the island of Gothland I have found this latter route very convenient when desirous of reaching the South of Sweden. Tourists from Scotland should use the Thule Line, which has a service from Granton to Gothenburg. It will thus be seen that the passenger viii Preface traffic between Great Britain and Sweden is exceedingly well organized, and now that hotels are being built in districts hitherto hardly known to outsiders even by name such as the Northern Provinces we may soon expect to see this ancient country more accessible to the tourist. This class of visitor the Swedish authorities will gladly welcome, and every facility will be given, with the utmost courtesy, for seeing the beauties of the land. I have to express my hearty thanks to Mr. R. F. Petre, of the Swedish State railways, for the many beautiful photos he has so kindly supplied me with for illustra- ting this little work, and Mr. Louis Zetter- sten, Secretary of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, for his unfailing courtesy in supplying me with much useful information. I would also like to acknowledge numerous beautiful photographs by Mr. Oscar Halldin, Court Photographer, Stockholm. IX CONTENTS CHAPTER I PAGE THE SCENERY OF SWEDEN - 17 CHAPTER II SKANE, AND THE VARIOUS "NATIONS" OF SWEDEN 34 CHAPTER III BLEKINGE, SMALAND, GOTHLAND, AND WISBY 57 CHAPTER IV THE PROVINCE OF I3onus - 100 CHAPTER V GOTHENBURG AND THE GOTHA CANAL AND THE DISTRICT 116 CHAPTER VI TOWN LIFE IN SWEDEN : STOCKHOLM AND ITS ENVIRONS ... 134 xi Contents CHAPTER VII DALECARLIA CHAPTER VIII NORRLAND - ' 1*7 CHAPTER IX LAPLAND 188 CHAPTER X SPORT IN SWEDEN - - 207 CHAPTER XI SWEDEN'* ARMY AND NAVY - - 217 CHAPTER XII SWEDEN'S NOTABLE MEN AND WOMEN - 228 CHAPTER XIII FROM STOCKHOLM TO GOTHENBURG, AND HOME 239 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Peasant Children from Dalecarlia - Frontispiece. PAGE Scene among the Skerries near Stockholm - 19 The Skerries - 23 Swedish Peasant and Wife from Skane - 29 A Moonlight Scene on the Rocky Coast of Bohuslan - 35 Old Peasant from Leksand - 39 Vramsgunnartorp Chateau in Skane - - 45 Lake Wettern - 49 Rista Waterfall, Jemtland 55 Kalmar - 61 The Old Walls of Wisby - 65 Strand Gatan, Wisby - - 71 Wedding Procession - - 75 List of Illustrations Haymaking - 81 Peasant Girls - 87 Peasant Children - 91 Outing on the Lake - 07 Gothenburg - 101 Winter Sports - 107 Two Little " Swedes "- 11 3 Lock on the Gotha Canal 117 Scene from Gaghet 123 Halmstad - 127 Elf Karleby Waterfall 131 Falls of Trollhattan 131 Theatre, Stockholm 135 Riddare Hus - - 139 Houses of Parliament - - 143 Saltsjohaden - 147 The Midnight Sun 1.W National Museum - 157 Drawing-room, Rosendal Palace - 10.'! Dining among the Hay - 109 xiv List of Illustrations PAGE A Storehouse in Floda 173 The Nornes - 179 Swedish Lapland 183 Ahisko- - 189 A Lapp Family - 195 Lapp Kata or Wigwam 199 Boy Ski-running 205 Racing the Wind 205 Swedish Officer Ski-running - 209 A Peasant's Cottage 215 Skokloster Castle 221 Courtyard of Gripsholm Castle 225 Peasant's Cottage in Dalecarlia 201 Sleeping-Chamber of King Eric XIV, - 235 Trolle-Holm - 241 Forest Scene from Rattvik - - 245 Three Grisar and their Guardian - 241) Things Seen in Sweden CHAPTER I THE SCENERY OF SWEDEN IN general the scenery of Sweden is as diversified in character and appearance as the people themselves, who, as before stated, originally belonged to different tribes or nations. The greater part of the southern portion of the country, comprising Skane, Halland, and a large part of Bohuslan, is flat and uninteresting. Northern Skane, however, is thickly wooded, and abounds in almost every kind of tree and plant that is to be found in East Anglia. Formerly the whole of Southern Sweden was covered with dense forests abounding in wild boar, roe- bucks, fallow deer, wolves, and other wild 17 B Things Seen in Sweden animals. This portion of Sweden, as can be seen from the great number of tumuli, cairns, and barrows, was once densely populated by a people, probably of Celtic and Turanian origin, judging from the numerous articles and objects which are being continually dug UP * The Swedish people are intensely patriotic ; the attachment of the Swede to the land of his forefathers is one of the marked charac- teristics of this nation. I know no other country except perhaps Wales where the people are so fond of singing the praises of their own native land. No public function, no private gathering, is complete without a quartet or solo in praise of " Gamla Svea,"* or the past history of their dearly beloved country. From this it will be seen that the Swedish "people, under their stolid exterior, are poetical and sentimental. Singing is an important part of their education, and is regarded as of the greatest importance, especially at the University of Upsala, which * Old Sweden. 18 SCENE AMONG THE SKEIIKIES NEAR STOCKHOLM. Skurnsund (Skurn-sound) in the SkiirgarJ (Skenies) near Stockholm. The Scenery of Sweden is world-famous for its chorus and quartet singers. So adept are the students in this pleasant^ art that, at one of the great inter- national ! competitions held at Paris, the members of the Upsala University carried off' the first prize. Nature's bulwarks, the hill-capped fjelds, lakes and forests, which stretch along the coast from Gothenburg to Lulea (with the exception of Skane and Halland) protect this ancient kingdom from the attacks of the unfriendly elements as well as from the hos- tility of man. The skerries, especially those of Bohuslan and around Stockholm, are ideal spots for fishing, boating, skating, and yacht- ing. Travelling along the coast or inland by the great lakes and canals, it is astonish- ing to see the number of men, women, and children amusing themselves on the waters. Some are fishing ; others yachting or skim- ming round the coast in light motor-boats, which are exceedingly common in Sweden among the fishing population. One also frequently sees lusty, hearty peasants and 21 Things Seen in Sweden fisher-girls quite alone upon the storm-swept lakes and fiords, oblivious of danger and perfectly at home on the waters so familiar to their ancestors for thousands of years. Another attraction of Sweden is the emerald-green meadows, which have a fresh- ness and verdure peculiar to these northern latitudes. These, during the comparatively short northern summer, make up, as it were, for the long and trying winter months, although the cold season is relieved by every kind of gaiety among the people themselves. Thanks to man the winter in the great cities is frequently the liveliest season of the year, and for the young folk with warm blood in their veins passes far too quickly. But to return to the scenery. Of all the skerries I have seen that of Bohusliin appeals to me the most ; there is a wildness in this land of Beowulf that makes a lasting impression on the mind. The red wave-washed granite boulders and rocks which strew this coast give one the impression that the place has for centuries been Nature"^ battlefield, where 22 The Scenery of Sweden the tide and breakers have allied in vain for thousands of years in their endeavour to sweep away the land, so faithfully guarded against their onslaughts. The beauty of Swedish scenery arises not so much from the contour of the landscape or the variety and luxuriance of the vegeta- tion, as in England, as from the clearness of atmosphere which seems to endow all objects with such marvellous colour. Whether it be early morning, with a sky ringed with gold and purple clouds, or evening, when the crimson light transforms crag, headland, and islet for miles round into a glimpse of fairy- land, or at high noon, Sweden's days are lovely. The mountainous regions are mostly found in certain districts Jemtland, Her- jedal, and Lapland ; the first two provinces abound in hills, glaciers, and falls. The whole of Western Sweden is traversed by a long range which separates it from Norway more effectively than a Chinese Wall ; this natural barrier has had much to do with keeping the two great branches of the 25 Things Seen in Sweden Scandinavian race apart, and is perhaps the real reason why the two peoples, so closely related in blood and religion, are not one and the same. A Swedish friend remarked to me, when I inquired why there was a danger of war in 1905: "Seas and rivers unite nations, but mountains divide them. 1 '' Jemtland, which English folk visit more and more, contains Lake Storsjon, about 172 square miles in extent ; on its north side is the Indal Elf, a broad stream crowded in summer with rafts of logs being floated down to Sundsvall, a timber port on the Baltic. The shores of the Angerman Elf are considered by the Kaiser to form one of the loveliest sights of the country ; this elf is spanned by the highest bridge in Sweden, carrying the line to Lapland. Jemtland, Lapland, Herjedal, Gestrikland, and Norr- botten may be termed the " Land of Water- falls " ; the Tannfors, in Jemtland, is 98 feet high and 235 feet broad. Others of note, often called "fors" as in Yorkshire, are Harspranget, Ristafall, Brudslojan (Bride's 26 The Scenery of Sweden Veil), and Handolsfors. Jemtland, on account of the purity of its air, is becoming a favourite resort of invalids both in winter and summer ; it has many fine sanatoriums, and many consumptives who visit this pro- vince are completely cured at half the cost of the treatment at Swiss health centres. One of my relations, after a winter here, is now alive and well, although his case seemed hopeless, and is now holding a responsible position in one of the leading houses in Stockholm. It would be hard to find more skilful doctors, or more conscientious, educated and attentive nurses than in Sweden. Most of the nurses are either ladies by birth or the daughters of farmers, highly-trained, able to speak two or three languages ; twice I have been seriously ill in a Swedish town, and can say that, had it not been for their care and the attention of the physicians and nurses, I should not have re- covered. Are, 4,000 feet above sea-level, is one of the best places for invalids, or for those who follow winter sports ; skiing, skating, 27 Things Seen in Sweden sleighing are in full swing. The Lapps are fond of Are, and come there seeking pastur- age for their herds of reindeer. The freedom from mosquitoes is another advantage of Jemtland ; these little pests can be exceed- ingly troublesome in Central Sweden and even in Lapland during the summer. There are ways and means of circumventing their attacks, however, and they need not be feared by those who have been inoculated by a few bites. North Skane, with its birch and oak forests? its stately castles and parks, is seldom visited by strangers. True, a great part of it is as dull as the plains of Holland or the fen dis- trict of Lincolnshire, but the lake country beyond Christianstad, for example, is one of the exceptions well worth seeing. Remains of lake-dwellings are continually being dis- covered in Skane. According to the old sagas and records, the Lombards, Goths, Cimbri, and many other races set out on their travels from Skane. But this is a theme upon which a whole volume might be 28 SWEDISH PEASANT AXD WIFE FIIOJI SKAXE. f^f sh P easantr y, Costly consisting of Bonder " (yeomen), have The Scenery of Sweden written, and space denies more than a passing allusion. In some of the more distant villages, the inhabitants still wear the national costumes. It is a pity that this custom is disappearing. In olden days, before the introduction of machinery, the peasants made their own ploughs and other implements, and even their own jewellery. Fredrika Bremer, the talented Swedish author, says : " The aristo- cracy of this province are not what they used to be in rank and wealth ; they have gone downhill, while the yeomanry have gone up, and are still progressing. Freehoilding^ which still exists in the villages, has been the peasant's fortune. In his freehold possessions, his castle-like enclosed farm- steads (the farms and outbuildings are built round three sides of a square), he easily grows independent and rich. But, while wealthy, he not infrequently becomes proud and is even more of an aristocrat than the lord of the castle, Count, or Baron attached to the land he owns, and proud of it. The 3 1 Things Seen in Sweden rich yeoman will not give his daughter in marriage to the tenant farmer, but regards such a tie as a grave misalliance/'' Although things have altered in Skane since the days of this authoress, the yeomen here and in many other parts still retain a great deal of ancestral pride and independence, and do not regard the townsfolk as equals, even when wealth is thrown into the scale. Yet they are not ashamed to take oft' their coats and work like any ordinary farm-hand. As an example of this, I may mention that once recently, on a large estate belonging to one of my ancestors,* I found the proprietor labour- ing in the great yard with his men. He took me into the long low rooms, timbered just like those of William the Conqueror's inn in Caen, and showed me the title-deeds of the estate going back for centuries, and told me that the owner, although a simple yeo- man, had once been godfather to the King, * According to more recent investigations,, Nor- mandy was mostly colonized by Danes from Denmark proper and Skane. 32 The Scenery of Sweden j ustice of the peace, and enormously wealthy for those days. My host was himself a deputy of the Second Chamber, a bank director, and a large landed proprietor. Although he had never seen me before, as soon as he knew my name he introduced me to a homely but very substantial lunch, which his wife served. While talking to this worthy couple, his son came in from the farm in his shirt-sleeves and greeted me heartily. Both father and son were what we should term substantial yeoman farmers typical Skaneans, with no outside show, no airs, no appearance of wealth, but, like their own sturdy frames, solid and genuine. Such are the farmers of Skane ! Many of them have linen dating from the sixteenth century, and silver spoons made by remote ancestors. They keep their genealogical trees with the greatest care, and some of them, I am told, can trace their family back to days before the Conquest, when the people flocked from Skane (then East Denmark) to join Rolf Ganger in his conquest of Normandy. 33 CHAPTER II SKANE AND THE VARIOUS "NATIONS" OF SWEDEN MANY of my countrymen have been in the habit of visiting Switzerland, Nor- way, Denmark, Holland, and France on holidays bent, and have entirely forgotten the existence of a land quite near to their doors which is healthy, abounds in lake and mountain scenery, and affords chances for the indefatigable sportsman or rest for the tired business man. It possesses, too, numberless spots of historical interest, being one of the most ancient States in Europe. Its scenery on the whole may not be quite as grand or imposing as the hills and fiords of the countries named, but in many ways it makes a wider appeal. It is about one and a half times the extent 34 A MOONLIGHT SCENE ON THE ROCKV COAST OF BOHUSLAN. In the wild skerries of Bohuslan, the land of Beowulf, the hero of the great Anglo-Saxon epic poem of that name. The " Nations " of Sweden of Great Britain and Ireland, with a popula- tion of about five and a half millions less than that of Greater London. There are only, on an average, thirty-one persons to the square mile, and the " struggle for life," as more crowded countries know it, has not yet begun. Speaking generally, it is a rich land, but its wealth is of a kind that requires considerable toil to make it productive ; much of it consists of timber, granite, lime- stone, and ironstone. Almost all over the peninsula, except in the extreme south, granite and ironstone rocks of all degrees are met with, and geologically it is probably one of the oldest countries in Europe. The spring water issuing from these rocks is strongly tonic, from the iron with which it is impregnated, and at Ronneby and Porla this quality has been turned to practical use ; they have become resorts for those suffering from anaemia and debility, and I have seen some wonderful cures as results of a stay at these invigorating spots. Lying so far north, its climate is extremely 37 Things Seen in Sweden healthy ; the death-rate is very low, even lower than that of the British Isles, and though the Swedes, like their forefathers, believe in plenty of good liquor and con- sume more alcohol than we do, they live longer and are physically more fit. This is partly due to the dry, bracing air, and to the greater purity of the wine, beer, and spirits used the laws against adulteration being ex- ceedingly severe. The average length of life is fifty years in Sweden, forty-nine in Norway, forty-seven in Denmark, forty-five in England. The birth-rate is very small, and there are few countries where marriage is so late ; this may easily become a far more serious menace to its future than the feared invasions of Russia. There is a prevailing notion that the winters here are intensely cold and trying. After spending several winter seasons in Sweden, I found the cold less penetrating than in Scotland and the North of England. In Russia furs are absolutely a necessity for all ; but in Sweden, robust and normally 38 OLD PEASANT FROM LEKSAND. Old Swedish peasant from Dalarne, with his grandchild, on Lake Siljan, Dalecarlia. The Dalecarlia, or Dale folk, are extremely strong, and usually live to a great age. The " Nations " of Sweden healthy people need only wear them in the extreme north. There the temperature is often as low as it is in Russia and Finland. The total length of the country is 1,200 miles equal to the distance between London and North Africa. The most southerly province, Skane, sometimes called the Basque Province oFSweden owing to the peculiar characteristics of its inhabitants, is probably the original home of many of the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire people. Accord- ing to learned Danish archaeologists, the vast fertile plains of this part have been cul- tivated for 10,000 years, and we know that 1,000 years ago it was a separate kingdom. In the Bronze Age, Skane and Jutland were centres of comparatively high culture. There is little doubt that a very lively intercourse existed between them and the coasts of the Mediterranean a thousand years before the Christian era. Those who have visited the museums in Copenhagen, Lund, and Stock- holm will not be surprised at this, for the objects preserved there and the rock tracings 4 1 Things Seen in Sweden show that in those remote ages the inhabi- tants possessed fleets of war- vessels, and had attained a considerable degree of civilization when most other nations were little removed from savages. The bronze helmets, shields, axes, knives, drinking-vessels, war horns, brooches, and ornaments from this period are frequently exquisitely designed, and we find, on investigation, that this state of advancement was partly due to the influence of the Phoenicians, who came to the Baltic in search of amber and furs. Skane, which is supposed to be the cradle of the Germanic races, abounds with graves, dolmens, tumuli, in many respects resemb- ling the archaeological remains found in France and England. The people who raised these interesting sepulchral monu- ments are said to have been Cimbrian Celts, and many of the beautiful bronze weapons, which are continually being discovered, are believed to be the work of that gifted ancient race, which at one time seemed to have conquered the whole of this continent. 42 The " Nations " of Sweden An old English poem ("Beowulf") asserts that the people of Svea (the Sveones of the Romans) were a powerful folk even in the sixth century, long before the Kings of Svea- land reigned at Upsala, where the " Tings," or Parliaments, were held. South- Western Sweden, the original name of which is Viken, is one of the places which sent forth great companies of vikings through out Europe from the first to the tenth cen- turies inclusive. As a rule the Norwegian vikings settled in Scotland and Normandy, the Danish and Swedish in Norfolk, North- umbria, and Lincolnshire, while vikings from Roslagen, the region round Stockholm, con- quered Northern Russia and laid the founda- tions of what afterwards became the great Russian Empire, the old title of which was Roos or Rus. It is remarkable that even now 75 per cent, of the Yorkshire dialect is composed of Old Norse words, while in Lincolnshire alone three hundred towns arid villages have Danish names. The whole south of Sweden formerly belonged to Den- 43 c Things Seen in Sweden mark, and was formerly called East Den- mark. It would take too much time to describe the curious resemblance of Swedish place- names to those that are to be found in Yorkshire and Northumberland. To a Yorkshireman the elfs, the bys, the steds, the sunds, the nesses, the holms, and thorpes of Sweden sound strangely familiar. Swedes, Norwegians, and Danes are so alike in physical appearance that, were it not for the differences in dialect, it would be difficult to distinguish them from one another. But, though so alike in outward appearance, there is a great difference in the character of the three branches of Scandinavians, as we shall see. Comparing them with other nations, I should say that the Swedes, both in character and in looks, most resemble the English of Northumberland and Yorkshire, and the Great Russians, to whom they are also allied ; the Norwegians resemble the East Coast Scotsmen and those of the Scot- tish Isles, which they colonized in the eighth, 44 The " Nations " of Sweden ninth, and tenth centuries ; the animated Danes, however, are more like the Irish of Dublin, Wexford, and Waterford, which districts they ruled for about three hundred years. Many of the east coast Irish are so like the Danes, that I have known them mistaken for such in the States. After leaving the confines of Skane, we come to Oster and Wester Gotland, the home of the Eastern and Western Goths, descendants of one branch of those hardy barbarians who in the fourth and fifth cen- turies overran and conquered the Roman Empire. North-east of Skane is Blekinge, the garden of Sweden, the home of the ancient Herulani, one of the Gothic races, known for their lively temperament and their peculiar laws of succession, by which all estate and property descended through the female side instead of the male. On the south-west coast is the land of Viken, formerly extending from Gothenburg to the Christiania Fiord. This province, which is mentioned in the debates of the Swedish 47 Things Seen in Sweden Parliament held at Upsala in the tenth century, sent forth so many famous sea- rovers that they are said to have derived their name of Viking from it and not from the Viks. " Viking " in Old English is said to mean not a " vi-king," but a man from the province of Viken.* Quitting South Sweden, which includes the provinces of Skane, Bohuslan, Hal land, Blekinge, and Smaland, we come to the region of the great lakes, Wettern, Wener, Roxen, etc. ; once this was the cradle of the ancient people of Svea, who in turn dis- possessed the Goths, and many of whom left their own land to join the armies of the Gothic invaders. The Svear are probably the strongest of all the Germanic races ; for they not only vanquished the Goths, but a branch of the nation, the Roos, founded, as we have seen, the kingdom of Russia. The Svear, therefore the modern Swedes, like the Great Russians, are of a lively, * The Yorkshire surname " Vicker-man " means a man of the Viks (Sc. "Viker"). 48 wm The " Nations " of Sweden energetic, and pleasure-loving temperament, inclined to make the best of life ; they are also hospitable, genial, prone to extravagance, impulsive, and fiery. As a rule they are peaceful, industrious, and slow to quarrel ; but when roused, can be obstinate and com- bative ; once having begun, they will not cease fighting until either they or their enemy is defeated. Their character is quite distinct from that of the sturdy, independent people of Skane, who care as little about culture and foreign lands, as the Svear are interested in everything beautiful especially in everything that comes from abroad. North-west of S veal and, which comprises the provinces of Sodermanland, Upland, and Gestrikland, is Dalarne, the land of the dales, and the home of one of the bravest and most manly races in the peninsula. When Southern and Central Sweden were overrun by the Danes, their liberties being destroyed by the cruel Christian, the tyrant, the Dale-folk rose as one man under their Prince Gustav Erikson Vasa, and never Things Seen in Sweden rested until they had driven the Danes from their free land. These Dalkarlar, who in appearance and attire remind one of the people of Brittany, are said to be partly of Celtic origin. Whatever they were, they are now without question one of the finest races of peasants in Europe, still unspoilt by indus- trialism and the enervating influences of Western civilization. Farther north we come to Norrland, the fastness of Odin and the Old Norse hero- gods.* The people here bear strong traces of Finnish, Lapp, and Mongolian influence. From their Turanian ancestors they have derived many peculiar physical and mental traits ; they seem to be more stubborn, stolid and taciturn, more hardy and enduring than the fair Swedes. The province, which covers an area almost equal to England, has only within recent years been opened out by means of the State railway to Lapland. It possesses minerals, forests, and waterfalls of enormous value ; the undeveloped force in * Odin's capital was at Sigtuna on Lake Malar. 52 The " Nations" of Sweden the falls alone is calculated to be several million horse- power. This fund of resources is gradually being utilized in building up industrial prosperity. North of this great division we find the bleak, but weirdly beautiful country of Swedish Lapland, entirely distinct from the rest of the land. Here the Lapps, that ancient race which once occupied a large portion of the continent, roam about with their flocks and herds. South-west of Lapland are the provinces of Jemtland and Herjedal, and as they once belonged to Norway, we need not be sur- prised that the inhabitants strongly resemble the Norwegians, just as the people of Skane do those of Denmark, with whom they once formed a political unit for centuries. It will thus be seen that the Swedish people are not one race or nation, but present as many diverse features as those which obtain among the types dwelling in the British Isles. But, though of various races and differing in character, politically 53 Things Seen in Sweden they form a single people, and as regards patriotism, pride in and love of country, are perhaps the most united nation in Europe. The dialects, as with our own, repay study. In Skane, of course, they bear traces of Danish, and, strange to say, resembles the Cockney speech in some respects, especially in the sounding of the vowels " o " and " a." The Roos dialect in the region round the capital is almost identical with that of Yorkshire- men in their misuse of the letter " h." The cadences of Viken are reminiscent of the speech of Holderness, which is as musical as that of the Tynesiders is aggressive. The differences are so marked that it is some- times possible for those with a delicate ear to tell the origin of the people by listening to the intonation of their voices and the peculiarities of their pronunciation. 54 HIST A WATERFALL, JEMTLAND, OXE OF THE WILDEST PARTS OF SWEDEN. Jemtland the beautiful, the land of winter sports. CHAPTER III BLEKINGE, SMALAND, GOTHLAND, AND WISBY NORTH-EAST of Skane lies Blekinge, which has been described as the "Garden of Sweden"; it is still beautiful, in spite of the cutting down of the splendid forests that once adorned it. It may be divided into three parts the forest, the middle, and the strand regions ; a fourth would include the skerries that protect the coast. In its bay is the town of Karlskrona, Sweden's principal naval station. Blekinge has few lakes of any size, and its rivers have their falls near to the sea. The province is famous for its watering-places and spas ; also, I may say, for its handsome women, who are noted for their animation. Above Blekinge is Smaland, rocky and 57 Things Seen in Sweden barren so rocky and so poor is the soil, that the people can only wrest a livelihood from it by the greatest industry and frugality. Thanks to this long struggle for existence, the peasants are so hardy that a proverb has come into being, " Smaland men and women could live on a stone." In one sense they do so, for many of their cosy red-timbered huts are built on the granite boulders that strew the ground boulders that make this portion of Sweden resemble Lapland. The folk of Smaland, like their forefathers, are unspoilt by luxury or extravagance. Accord- ing to an old Swedish writer : " Here, among these . people, still live the ancient Swedish honesty, an obliging spirit, a willingness to serve, and the absence of all so-called yeoman pride. r> The Swedes were always famous for their straight dealing, so much so that the term "Ehrliche Schwede" (Honest Swede) was always used by the Germans in allusion to this peculiarity of their Northern kins- men. It was this truthfulness and reliability that made the Swedes such fine soldiers 58 Smaland in the days of Gustavus Adolphus and Charles XII., who, by their manly characters, won the admiration of their armies, and indeed of Europe. That these qualities still survive, we shall see proved thoroughly should Sweden again be forced into war. This patriotic and manly spirit was again shown in 1914, when 30,000 Swedish yeomen formally journeyed to Stockholm, and offered to support their King in his efforts to pro- tect the country from invasion. With their honesty and industry the Smalanders make their way wherever they go, and the women are just as busy and doughty. Among the Goths it was customary for the women to fight after the men had been slain, and this ancient tradition seems to have been acted upon, at least among the women of Smaland, until comparatively modern times. In some parts they wear, when on holiday, a girdle ("gordeP) of red cloth or silk, decorated with embroidery and tassels ; every peasant girl considers this a mark in honour of Blenda, who with the help of the women of Blekinge 59 Things Seen in Sweden drove out the Danes. For centuries the Danes were the plague and terror of the Swedish people, just as they were of the English, until they settled and mingled with the Anglo-Saxons. On the east coast, opposite the island of Oland, stands the celebrated fortress of Kalmar, in which Queen Marghareta of Den- mark, the Semiramis of the North, drew up the Treaty of Kalmar, which for a time united the three Northern Powers. Unfortunately for the future peace and prosperity of the three signatories, Marghareta's only son died before he could carry out the statesmanlike projects of this remarkable woman, who was undoubtedly one of the most gifted and far- seeing statesmen (if I may use the word of a woman) that Scandinavia has ever produced. The Castle of Kalmar was erected in the thirteenth century. Here the talented, but unhappy, King, Eric XIV., who shocked his princely friends by marrying a yeoman's daughter, was imprisoned. Eric, who was permeated with the artistic spirit of the 60 CALMAR, ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL RENAISSANCE CASTLES IN SWEDEN. The beautiful castle of Calmar, where the Treaty of Union between Sweden, Denmark, and Norway was signed in 1397. Gothland Renaissance, made this castle very beautiful, and it retains much of its former grandeur, especially in its panelling and the ceilings decorated by skilful German artists. Oland had also a fine castle, Borgholm, now in ruins ; evidently it was once an imposing fortress, and it reminds one of the ruined pile of Heidel- berg. The island has a mild climate and luxurious plant life. But the most celebrated island in the Baltic is Gothland, once the headquarters of the Hanseatic League. On this island, whose history reads like a fairy- tale, I have spent many a pleasant month. What memories of former greatness does the name of Wisby in Gothland conjure to the mind ! Every street, every ruin, brings a host of reminders of the time when Wisby and Gothland gave its sea-laws and coinage to England and to the States of Northern Europe. The old steel-yard in London, near Blackfriars Bridge, was the yard of the Wisby merchants, where they stored their merchandise, consisting principally of iron and steel. The coat-of-arms of the Inner 63 Things Seen in Sweden Temple is said to have been taken from Wisby, while our shillings and pence are probably merely the shillings and pennies of the Gothland as Osterlings. The "sterling" on our cheques is all that remains of the word " Osterling," the old English name of the Gothlanders. Little is left of Wisb/s glory save the ruins of its ancient cathedral, its imposing castellated walls, and the Hanseatic houses, once the abodes of the richest merchant princes in Northern Europe. The wonderful wall that still encircles the town almost in its original perfection makes some of its admirers call it the " Rome " of the North. There is nothing of Rome, how- ever, in the place. Its lovely abbeys and churches, its quaint houses, its narrow streets and lanes, are all medieval. Wisby is a product of the Middle Ages, even to the gaunt, spectral gallows that still overlooks the town, on which in the " good old days " malefactors, heretics, and witches were done cruelly to death. The names of the streets are suggestive: Lancaster, Novgorod, Riga, 64 fe I Wisby and Lubeck ; they were once thronged with Anglo-Saxon, Russian, and German traders, and all testify mutely to the ancient fame of the " Queen of the Baltic." No more does that fame spread through the continents. The fierce Danes, with their warrior King, Valdemar, slaughtered thousands of the wealthy burghers and yeomen, and burned and plundered the abbeys and churches. One thousand eight hundred burghers lie buried under a rude cross near the city walls, and many more in the country, where they fell, fighting bravely. Had they not been so rich and proud, their end might have been less sudden. Let us not forget their fate, for there was a time when Wisby, in the eyes of the merchants, was of more importance than London. Wisby now is noted as a health resort ; its baths are excellent and cheap, and there is a regular steamboat service. Those who appreciate roses, peace, and healthy sur- roundings, combined with delightful relics of olden days, ought to spend a summer in 67 Things Seen in Sweden Wisby. Our last journey to the island was made under rather amusing circumstances. Instead of travelling by one of the new, specially built passenger-steamers, we had to take passage by one of the old boats which had been plying between Gothland and the mainland for about thirty years, though this little cockle-shell turned out to be a splendid sea-boat; it must have weathered many a hurricane of the capricious Baltic. Although the summer had nearly passed, the vessel was packed with passengers and dogs ; with my ten-year-old companion I was compelled to begin the night in the smoking-cabin, in the company of three hilarious Nimrods, who were on their way to shoot pheasant, partridge, snipe, and wild duck, which are plentiful in the marshy districts of the island; and these sportsmen were accom- panied by a veritable pack of dogs setters, retrievers, and others, occupying much space on the lower deck. My convivial company, who seemed men of substance, and were dressed in the latest sporting fashion, kept us 68 Wisby awake until 3 a.m. by relating what the Germans call " Jiiger Geschichte " (shooting stories), in which a considerable ingredient of Mimchau sen's imagination seemed to exist. One yarn concerned a cat which poached hares and birds on the sly ; it appeared that she was shot "by mistake, 1 ' the fowling-piece having gone off just as the owner of the cat was expatiating on its many remarkable qualities. This sportsman's host evidently did not share his admiration for his exploit ; for the " accident " cost poor pussy her life, and the offender several crowns. I could not for the life of me understand why cats (quadrupeds) should not have as much right to hunt game as the lords of creation ; but my notions about " sport " are not strictly orthodox if I have scruples about the shoot- ing of a cat that poaches. My new friends drank whisky -toddy, smoked, and related their hunting adven- tures in all parts of Sweden, but at last allowed me to fall asleep ; at three o'clock they retired, but not before one of them, 69 D Things Seen in Sweden with characteristic Swedish kindness of heart, had found a berth for my little boy in the ladies' quarters. About seven o'clock I was awakened by the hooting of the foghorn ; I went on deck, to find that we were slowly steering into the harbour. The sight that met my sleepy eyes seemed more like a fairy vision than any reality. The island was partly hidden by the mists of early morning, as when it was first discovered by the fabled Tjelvar, and Wisby rose from the sea like an enchanted city against a background of dim grey sky. Few places look so beautiful seen from the water in the fresh morning. The Kaiser has compared it to Ravenna ; but that ancient retreat of the Gothic Kings of Italy stands in a dry plain, and does not mirror its towers and battlements as does Wisby in the clear Baltic. As we approached, ;the whole city was so still and silent that, like its sister, Novgorod the Great, it might have " fallen peacefully to sleep." Almost all the visitors had left, and we seemed to have the dear old 70 THE STRAND GATAN, WISBY. Old Hansa House in Wisby, now used as an apothecary's shop, and dating from the days of King John of England. Wisby town all to ourselves. After paying the captain the moderate sum charged for the passage, we landed, and wandered through the irregular streets and lanes, now hushed, remembering that the spirit of commerce that once enlivened the place has fled to London, Bremen, Lubeck, Hamburg, and other more fortunately situated centres. Here and there, by the gables of ruined houses, we saw remnants of carved beams and window-frames, at one time thickly gilded and ornamented with gay colours. The copper doors that once gave entrance to these silent rooms were gone, with the statues and carved stonework that was so plentiful. Our guide, my relation, the good-natured English Consul, hearing of our arrival, hastened to meet us, and took us with him to the cross of which I have already spoken, showing us the very spot where the 1,800 burghers lay buried ; the view of Wisby from here was exceedingly fine. He also indicated another grave, recently opened, containing 73 Things Seen in Sweden the bones of Danish soldiers, many of whom perished before they were able to rob the coveted city. Close to Valdemar's Cross is the very boulder on which the King sat while he directed operations against the walls. These walls, with their square, round, and octagonal towers, are still in such excellent preservation that they could easily be re- stored. The cross bears on two sides an old Latin inscription, and, although it is about 500 years old, is, like the walls, almost in its original state ; one arm, however, has been knocked off. The Consul, who is devoted to Wisby, his native town, showed us a beauti- ful etching of this monument and of the walls, copies of which he was having made in a small studio near by. On our way back we noted a portion of the wall dating from the tenth century. A few years ago the graves round the cross were opened, and a great number of skeletons in rusted armour were found ; most of the men must have been of tall stature, and many of their shields were pierced with 74 Wisby arrows or smashed by blows. Some of the shin-bones of these soldiers of Valdemar were dented by deep sword-cuts ; the pre- sumption, therefore, is that the skeletons were the remains of Danish horsemen who had fallen on that eventful day, when the pomp and pride of Wisby was laid in the dust by the vengeful Danish King, because only the Gothlanders were buried under the cross itself. This last grave, if it is ever opened, will provide many rare finds of immense interest. Near the walls are the beautiful towers of St. Drotten and St. Lars, now sadly charred by the flames and smoke of the olden days, when Wisby 's glory vanished. These splendid churches are said to have been built by two maiden sisters, who so heartily detested one another that they could not even sit in the same place of worship. Being enormously wealthy, each erected her own church. Probably, with their quaint ideas of Chris- tianity, they each have now a separate heaven. This story, which is probably an 77 Things Seen in Sweden invention, is also common in other countries which have sister churches. On our way to the interior of the island by the little narrow-gauge railway, we passed a camp of the Gothland "Bevaringar" (militia), which in physique is noted as one of the finest bodies of men in Europe. The old Varangian Guard at Constantinople, who were called " Viiringar," was largely re- cruited from the inhabitants of this isle, who, with the Swedes, were much prized on account of their strength and fidelity by the Greek Emperors of Byzantium, and the old Russian Grand Dukes of Kieff and Novgorod. Thousands of Anglo-Saxon, Greek, Arabic, and Roman coins have been found on the island mute evidence of extensive com- mercial relations, and of the enterprise of the Gothlanders. Many of them date from the reigns of Edgar and Ethelred. The Cufic, or Arabian coins, of which 30,000 have been discovered, were brought from the Caspian by the Gothland Vikings in the seventh, eighth, and ninth centuries; they 78 Gothland were struck principally at Cufa, on the Tigranes, hence their name. One of these I brought with me to London was struck in the seventh century, by order of the brother of Haroun-el-Raschid, who inspired those famous stories : " One Thousand and One Nights " ( Arabian Nights "). Gothic is still a living tongue in the southern portion of the island, but it is a dialect corrupted by a mixture of Anglo- Saxon, German, Russian, Swedish, and Danish words, derived, of course, from all nations with whom the old Gothlanders traded. Our attention was sometimes distracted by the firing of field and fortress guns by the local artillery. On account of its strate- gical importance, Gothland is strongly garrisoned and fortified ; both Germany and Russia would like to snap it up. Russia's last attempt to seize it in 1808 reads more like the libretto of a comic opera than like actual sober history. Storms and gales pre- vented the armed ships from landing for 79 Things Seen in Sweden many days, and when at last they managed to get on shore, they were so worn out by sea-sickness that they could not fight, and were easily taken prisoners! The Goth- landers, however, treated them so kindly that they did not want to return to Russia. It would, however, have been no comedy for the good-natured Gothland ers had the Russians succeeded ! After various small adventures, one of which left us stranded at the wrong station in company with two milkmaids, who greatly enjoyed our predicament, we finally arrived at the old farm to pass the rest of our time. This particular farm, or "gird," is described by Sylvanus in his " Rambles in Sweden and Gothland"" in 1866, and in the days of the Swedish colonel who built it must have been a very lovely spot, surrounded by flowers of a hundred fragrances and beauties. In front of the house is an avenue of willows, on the branches of which the owner had placed little boxes for the birds ; on both sides a fine orchard extended. The lower story of the 80 HAYMAKING. Swedish peasant girls haymaking, in Delsbo, in Medelpad. Gothland house itself, a lofty building with two gables, was occupied by the family ; the upper was reserved for guests and for times of merry- making ; the topmost floor was used for storing fruit during the winter, also as a lumber-room. Other buildings stood near for the foreman and helpers, and there was a dairy or creamery, with the usual farmyard and its lively population. At the back facing the vicarage (which was also a farm, for, as in Iceland, the vicars are active farmers as well as divines) was a meadow, reserved for the exclusive use of a young and vicious bull. Our host was what is called in Lincoln- shire a gentleman farmer. Thoroughly educated at Upsala University, he and his children worked the place with as little hired labour as possible ; outside labour, as I observed in other parts, is very dear. Two sturdy sons and two lovely daughters, with golden hair and cheeks like rosy apples, assisted; the wife was a priest's daughter, also well educated and extremely musical. With an income of only a few hundred a Things Seen in Sweden year they had brought up seven fine children, all of whom were doing well ; one had emigrated alone, and was married to an engineer in Boston ; another girl had married a Wisby merchant; a son had become a priest after studying at the University. The others were still single. The head of the house was religious without being narrow ; knowledge of the world, gained by many a hard experience, had broadened and deepened his mind. Although this is but a small farm com- pared with many in the same island, it employs many hands, for the cultivation of the beet, which thrives here, demands much labour; barley, oats, red clover, potatoes, peas, wheat, rye, and other cereals, are also grown. Forest ponies, exceptionally strong and hardy, run wild in this district ; I have seen one of these little animals pull easily a load which we should think enough for a full- grown horse. They are much prized, but are unfortunately shipped in large numbers to Gothland the North of England, where, on account of their small size and strength, they are em- ployed in the mines from which doom they seldom emerge again. When the work of the day was over, we used to change our clothes and repair to the second floor, to spend the evening in music and singing ; the beautiful old folk-songs of Gothland then had their most thrilling appeal, their beauty and intense emotion it is impossible to express, and these hours will always remain among my sweetest memories. Sylvanus, in his charming work on Sweden and Gothland, speaks of the pathetic beauty and sadness of the old Swedish folk-songs, especially those of the Gothlanders, who are intensely musical. In summer the inmates of the farm worked hard ; but in winter, when the ground was covered with snow, the time was spent in visiting neighbouring homesteads, in sleigh- ing, and in dancing till the early hours of morning. What with the coffee-drinking, the exhilarating Swedish punch, and the 85 Things Seen in Sweden well-filled tables, the long evenings passed merrily enough. Christmas is a period of great festivity, of visits, dances, and the exchanging of gifts, as in England. On Sunday mornings we went to the village church, a quaint old edifice, with a beautiful portal of Gothland marble. This church dated from 1222. Much of the glory of the village churches has vanished, thanks to the zeal of Lutheran reformers ; the stained-glass windows have been stolen or destroyed, and the carving and gilt work also has disappeared, or left to rot in the church lofts. There remained, however, in this one several pictures in the nave, which dated from the times of the Hanseatic League ; the ornamented ceiling and altar-piece of carved wood, also the richly gilt pulpit, were probably not older than the sixteenth or seventeenth century, and were the work of craftsmen who had lost the fine taste and feeling of the master- masons of older days. At night, in the blaze of light from hundreds of candles, the gilding, the crude pictures, 86 THREE PEASANT GIKLS LISTENING THE CTCKOO. In Sweden the girls count the call of the cuckoo in order to know how many years they will have to wait until they marry. Gothland the old-fashioned candelabra, seemed trans- formed ; all the tawdriness vanished, and this relic of the Middle Ages once more appeared to take on its former glory. The church was only illuminated thus on some unusual occasion, such as the High Mass which I witnessed. It was a singularly solemn time. The old vicar, who for thirty years had ministered to this little parish, lay at the point of death, and the young locum tenens was leaving. I had been present at the funeral of the previous vicar, a fine old fellow of ninety ; and now, thirty years after, I visited this peaceful spot, to find that his successor was following him to the unknown. The young clergyman who officiated seemed much moved by the thought that he must soon be leaving his beloved flock, and the church was crowded with hardy peasants, yeomen, and farmers from the neighbouring valleys. Each pew along the aisle bore three candles ; the three candelabra glittered like diamonds, and the high-altar was brilliant. What a transformation it was ! In the day- 89 Things Seen in Sweden time the gaudy pulpit and altar-piece, with their bizarre colouring, looked vulgar; but now the effect was strikingly beautiful, and the service was one of the most impressive I have ever attended. But on me the singing made an even deeper impression. A con- siderable portion of the choir consisted of farm lads and girls in white dresses, and, as with the majority of the islanders, they had splendid voices. Much of the service took the form of psalms, chants, and the inspiring hymns of Luther, and the priest, who had a remarkably fine voice, took a leading part ; we had that beautiful ode of Horace, " Integer Vitae," etc., in remembrance of the dying vicar in the adjoining vicarage. This High Mass at Fogelbo was but the echo of departed days, and we may be grate- ful that the Anglican Church still retains much of the poetry, beauty, and romance of the old Catholic faith. The effects of the devastating zeal of the reformers are too painfully evident throughout the churches of Sweden and Gothland, and it is gratifying 90 Gothland to think that there are occasions when the Lutheran churches and services can be made really beautiful. This service at the old church preceded our parting from the good folk at Fogelbo. On our way from there we passed the hill of Jacobsberg, now used as a sanatorium for consumptives. On the long terrace before the tower are many cannons, taken from the Russians in 1808. We also saw the beauti- ful estate of Frederiksdal, which I frequently visited when the old Squire who owned it was living. Those were glorious times for the Squire's friends, for he was a great swell in his way, kept open house, and wine flowed freely. He was a great sportsman and breeder of horses. But he is only a memory, and sweet Frederiksdal is no longer the place it was. SWEDISH FOLK AND RING DANCES. On one occasion, not far from Wisby, we passed a school where the children were romping like kittens in the playground. My 93 Things Seen in Sweden attention was arrested by seeing the master gesticulating and performing various quaint movements for the edification of a group of his pupils, who, hand in hand, were dancing round him. On approaching, I perceived that he was teaching the youngsters one of the Old Norse folk-dances, which have been pre- served in Gothland just as they have in the Faroe Islands. (In those islands Old Norse is still spoken, but of a much later date than the dialect of Gothland, which is practi- cally a corrupt form of Gothic, the oldest Norse tongue extant.) Some of these dances, which are given round the Beltane fires on Midsummer Eve, are probably 3,000 years old, dating from the times when Bal, the sun-god, was wor- shipped in both Scandinavia and Great Britain. It seems that Gothland in the Bronze Age was a great centre of sun worship. The remains of a sun chariot has also been discovered there, as in Denmark. Most of the song-dances of Gothland, however, date from the Middle Ages, when singing took 94 Gothland the place of a musical accompaniment ; in them the young people learnt all about the brave deeds of ancient heroes, were taught to follow in their footsteps, and, like true Norsemen, u to have manly courage, to be honest, faithful to their trust, of knightly bearing, self-sacrificing in friendship and love, haters of lies, cowardice, and treachery." In the Faroes, in Gothland, Bornholm, and other spots settled by the Norsemen at a very early period, a great many old folk- dances and songs have been preserved, which on the mainland are unfortunately forgotten. One of the oldest traceable in Sweden is the Song of Didrik, which, according to Steffen, relates to King Didrik of Bern (the saga- name of King Theoderick, who died in 526), and his great champion, Vidrik Velandsen. The first verse runs thus : " At Bertingborg King Didrik sits in sorrow, Looking around o'er land and sea ; 4 Oh, would to God,,' he cried aloud, ' That I could see that champion bold Who meeteth me to-morrow !' " 95 E Things Seen in Sweden The principal dancer usually shows the steps and repeats the words, which are then taken up by all the others, often with beautiful effect. "Wava Wallmar " (cloth weaving) is another old Gothland dance. In this, which is found also in Denmark, the per- formers stand in two rows, facing one another, and dart in and out like shuttles in a loom, completing the figure when the imaginary warp of cloth is finished. One dance strongly reminds me of the Old English " Sir Roger de Coverley." A strenuous dance peculiar to Gothland is the " Hambo Polka," in which the vigorous swain, at every turn, swings his partner high in the air until she almost touches the ceiling ; this is splendid exercise, but to dance it with grace and agility when your fair one weighs ten or twelve stone is no easy matter ! This island has its own sports as well as its own songs and dances ; judging from their resemblance to some of the games described in the sagas, these are of Viking origin. No ancient literature in the world contains so AN Ol'TIXd ON THi: I.AKK WITH Till] NAIRN'S. These boats (ska) are extremely flat and can be used in very shallow waters. Gothland many descriptions of sport as the Norse Never shall I forget my last winter at Wisby, with the dances at the Stadshus, where all classes of society met on the most friendly terms. Wishy is such a small place that sociability is necessary if life is to be lived at all comfortably. At these balls it was customary to see the daughters of burghers, officials, and the chief people dancing with the sons of shopkeepers ; this caused no surprise, for even the poorest are well educated, and have such excellent manners that they could be admitted to the best society. They could not behave more aristocratically even if they belonged to the nobility. The intelligence and good sense of these people make them successful wherever they go ; many of them rise to high positions on the mainland or in the United States, where, according to the American Ambas- sador, the Swedish emigrants are much in quest. r 99 CHAPTER IV THE PROVINCE OF BOHUS rilHIS land of skerries can be reached in -*- thirty-six hours from London by the Swedish Thule line, or from Hull by the Wilson liners to Gothenburg. From Gothen- burg the traveller in search of fresh woods and pastures new can take one of the com- fortable passenger steamers that are con- tinually plying along the rocky coast and in and out among the skerries. He may make tours to Marstrand, Lysekil, Fiskebackskil, and Stromstad. With the exception of Stromstad, I have visited all these places, and cannot speak too highly of the health-giving properties of the district of Bohuslan. This part of the coast does not wholly consist of skerries, wave-worn rocks, and caves ; many parts are interspersed with bays abounding 100 The Province of Bohus with the most luxuriant vegetation. In ancient times Bohuslan produced great quantities of grain; now it is principally famous for its herring fisheries, the waters of this part of Sweden being very rich in fish. Bohuslan is one of the earliest inhabited portions of Sweden, and is the scene of the exploits of Beowulf, the King of the Western Goths. These people lived on the shores of the Gotha river, and are supposed to have given their name to the country. The district is wonderfully rich in grave-finds of stone, gold, silver, bronze and iron, dating from the Stone, Bronze, and Iron Ages ; and besides this is a wonderful treasure-house of romance and song. No wonder this is the case, for here in ages past dwelt many of the Vikings who made themselves famous throughout the whole of Europe. For cen- turies Bohuslan formed part of the country of Viken,and was a bone of contention between Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, which fought like Kilkenny cats for the province. In these long and protracted struggles the old 103 Things Seen in Sweden Castle of Bohus saw much bloodshed, and finally became so important that the present province was named after that venerable stronghold. The southern portion of Bohuslan pos- sesses numerous caverns, sounds, and islands, supposed in ancient days to be the hiding- places of sea-monsters. The inhabitants mainly subsist on agriculture, fishing and stone-dressing. All along the coast are enormous quarries of granite ; this is loosened by blasting, and after being dressed is shipped to England and Germany. This industry brings many millions of crowns to the people, but the money is hardly earned, for the occupation is a dangerous one. It frequently happens that the charge of dynamite does not explode at the right time, huge blocks of stone afterwards being hurled among any unfortunate workmen who hap- pen to be in the immediate neighbourhood. But the people of this district have been used to danger and death for over a thousand years, not only on land, but also on the sea. 104 The Province of Bohus Herrings, cod, plaice, mackerel, lobsters, turbot, and other fish, are all caught along this coast, which has a varied and beautiful scenery, and will well repay the traveller who spends some time here before traversing the 1,000 miles of territory lying between Gothenburg and Narvik, the terminus of the most northern railway in Sweden. Bohuslan abounds in cairns and tumuli, generally to be found on the wild headlands overlooking the sea. The old Vikings loved to be buried as near as possible to the scenes of their exploits. Beowulf is said to be buried on a headland at Hrones-nass or -nas,near Gothen- burg, although others think that he was buried in Upland, where many objects similar to those so minutely depicted in the poem of Beowulf have been discovered. The first place of importance at which one arrives after leaving Gothenburg by the north steamer for Stromstad is Marstrand. Marstrand is the oldest town in Bohuslan next to Kungalf, or ancient Kungahalla (Kings' Halls), and even existed in the thirteenth Things Seen in Sweden century. Like many other towns on the coast, it was eventually destroyed by the forces of the Hanseatic League, which would not toler- ate any opposition of rivalry to their great trade interests all over Northern Europe. Marstrand, according to a modern writer, was at one time, owing to the herring fishery, one of the richest and most prosperous towns of Sweden. But when the herrings disap- peared, owing to the ungodly habits of the fishermen, " all the towns sank into poverty and oblivion." The very foundations of many of them are buried, and to suggest their former greatness only a few old seals and documents remain. Marstrand for her sins, or, more probably, on account of the ravages of war and time, is now a peaceful little resort much frequented by Swedes and Swedish- Americans, who come from the States to spend their hard-earned dollars in resuscitating their nerves and bodies too frequently weakened in the struggle for wealth the worship of the almighty dollar. Marstrand, so famous for 106 WINTER SPORTS IX SWEDEN. Skate-sailing near Stockholm, one of the most enjoyable forms of winter sport. Thanks to the sails the skaters attain a great speed. The Province of Bohus its excellent boating and yachting, was a favourite resort of the late King Oscar II., who, being at heart a sailor, was greatly attached to the place, which, like Holland, seems to be neither land nor water, but a combination of both. From the ancient castle a beautiful view of the skerries, with their isles, fiords, and inlets can be obtained. Farther along the coast is Uddevalla, a clean, tidy little place of about 14,000 inhabitants. It is the largest town in JBohusliin, and is celebrated for its match, linseed oil, and other indus- tries. The town has a splendid railway connection with the whole of Sweden, and for those who have not the time to travel by the coast route the railway is a convenient way to get to Uddevalla. It would take too long to describe all the remarkable and beautiful parts of the coast along Bohuslan. Those who follow in my footsteps will not regret spending a few days at Lysekil, a charming watering - place sixty miles from Gothenburg, for although the town only 109 Things Seen in Sweden contains about 6,000 inhabitants, including its suburbs, it is a place of considerable im- portance as regards its fishing industry ; millions of herrings are caught off the coast and exported. There are also numerous factories where anchovies are salted and pre- pared for export. Another industry is the manufacture of fertilizers from sprats and other fish. But what pleased me most in this charming spot was the beautiful clear baths. Among the granite rocks all day long people were disporting themselves in the crystal waters of the pools. The bathing houses, which are frequented by people from all parts of Sweden, are cheap and clean. Sun baths, steam baths, and, in fact, almost every kind of bath, can be had here at a very moderate charge. What with the hot sun, the iodine in the sea, and the pure air, many remarkable cures have been effected. Better baths for the money I have had nowhere in any part of Europe, and I shall always remember and feel grateful for the benefit I derived from my three weeks'* stay no The Province of Bohus in this spot, so close to England, but so different in many respects. Opposite to Lysekil is the quaint little fishing village of Fiskebackskil, which I used to visit every day in a little boat hired from one of the sturdy fishermen of the place. For a few crowns a day I was boarded and lodged, and had nothing to desire in the way of good food and cleanliness. From Lysekil an excursion can also be made to Stromstad, another watering-place. Strdm- stad, which has in times past been destroyed by the Norwegians, is the terminus of the Bohus railway. All around the scenery is exceedingly beautiful, and many interesting excursions can be made along the coast from this quaint little place. The whole of this region abounds in grand mountain scenery, which is not surprising, for it is close to the frontier. A little distance over the frontier is the fortress of Frederikshald, where the gallant but headstrong Charles XII. fell whilst attempting to enter Norway. Not far from Frederikshald, on the Swedish side, Til Things Seen in Sweden is a cove where Charles XII. " launched his galleys, after having had them dragged twelve English miles across the land from Stromstad." In this work he was ably assisted by Swedenborg, who before he became famous as a mystic was noted for his inventive genius. According to Emerson, the American philosopher, Swedenborg was one of the greatest geniuses the world has produced, and in intellect was far greater than Plato. Of him, perhaps, we might well say, as Agrippa said of St. Paul, " much learning has made him mad, 1 '' for in his later days the visions he claims to have seen appear to the ordinary person to be the dreams of a madman. Not far from Gothenburg are the ruins of ancient Kungahalla (Kungalf), now a water- ing place, but once a prosperous town, rich in palaces, churches, and abbeys, ere it fell a prey to the heathen Vends. Here the ancient Kings and Earls of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark used to meet and discuss great matters of state, It was in one of the palaces here 112 TWO LITTLE " SWEDES." Sweden has long been famous for its turnips, which are much prized in England by our farmers. The Province of Bohus that Queen Sigrid the Haughty of Sweden was insulted by Olaf of Norway, when she refused to renounce the Old Norse gods and become a Christian. She swore then and there to bring about the death of this brave but impetuous King, and did not rest until she accomplished her object in the great battle of Svolder. Here Olaf died fighting against the united forces of Sweden, Den- mark, and Finland. Kungahalla was also the capital of Ran-rike. Near Kungahalla is Tanurns-hed, where King Harold Hardrada, another great Norwegian King, reviewed his army before he sailed to conquer England with the aid of Tostig, the outlawed half-brother of Harold II. of England. Harold Hardrada, in spite of the fact that he was taller than most men, a great champion, and captain of the Varangian Guard of the Byzantine Emperors, was defeated and killed at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, where his body was laid to rest in u six feet of English soil," as Harold quaintly put it. "5 CHAPTER V GOTHENBURG AND THE GOTHA CANAL AND THE DISTRICT AFTER leaving the confines of Skane, the traveller passes through the pro- vinces of Gothland, Smaland, and Soder- manland. If time is not an important consideration, the journey to Stockholm should be made by the Gotha Canal and the great lakes. Gothenburg owes its prosperity to Gus- tavus Adolphus, the " Lion of the North," and champion of Protestantism and religious freedom in Northern Europe. It is an ex- ceedingly clean city ; the first thing that strikes one on landing is the neatness and respectability of the working-class, and the absence of poverty. An Englishman who, like myself, expressed astonishment at this, 116 A LOCK ON THE GOTHA CANAL. The Sodertalje Canal approaching Stockholm, the last section of the famous Gotha Canal, the most beautiful waterway in Northern Europe. Gothenburg and District asked a Gothenburger the reason ; to his surprise he was informed that there were once many loafers and ne'er-do-wells in the town, but the Burgermeister hit upon the idea of chartering two large ships and dumping one ship-load in England, and the other in America. Needless to say, this was before the new emigration regulations were enforced. Whether the story be true or not, the fact remains that paupers seem to be absent, and one sees none of the wretched beings too frequent in every large British town. I think the explanation lies in the practical and sensible education of the people, which enables them to make a livelihood abroad if work is slack in their own country. Close to Gothenburg are the pretty little watering - places of Lysekil, Marstrand, Fiskebiickskil, and Stromstad ; these will soon attract many English visitors, the bathing, fishing, arid sailing being excellent, while the climate is mild and healthy. The sea here is extraordinarily clear, and ex- 119 Things Seen in Sweden ceptionally buoyant, owing to its great salinity. The canals and lakes of Sweden well repay exploration, but those who have only a few days to spare should travel by this canal to Stockholm in early summer, and go on to Upsala if they wish; in this short journey of a couple of hundred miles scenery of wondrous variety unfolds, so that it is really not necessary to leave the boat. The trip occupies about fifty-six hours, but if time presses half the route may be covered by train. The following places of interest are passed : the ancient castle of Boh us, the scene of many a conflict between the three races who once delighted in the pastime of skull- cracking with any weapon that was handy ; the Gotha Elf, which gives its name to the town ; the falls of Trollhattan, famed throughout Europe ; the lovely little lakes, Viken and Roxen, Lake Wettern, Vadstena castle and abbey, Soderkoping, and many others hardly known to the majority of Englishmen. 120 Gothenburg and District I shall not easily forget the two hours spent in seeing Trollhattan Falls, in the company of a diminutive schoolboy who, to my surprise, spoke fluent English and Ger- man. The quaintly named Heart's Point, the Path of Love, the Pool of Death, and Hell Fall, appeal to the visitor who seeks romance. These huge falls are already turned to practical use ; I am told that they are capable of developing 100,000 h.p., and numerous sawmills, wood-pulp mills, smelt- ing furnaces, and ironworks are beginning to make the neighbourhood commercial. Smelting ore by means of the electricity obtained bids fair to become one of Sweden's great industries. The comfortable little steamers in which the journey is taken add much to its pleasures; each one is a miniature hotel. Probably no other nation can cram so much comfort into a restricted space an art learned from the Scandinavian's viking ancestors, who spent a great part of their lives on vessels of even smaller dimensions 121 F Things Seen in Sweden than these. The open boats in which they used to cross the Atlantic four hundred years before the age of Columbus, and in which they navigated the Mediterranean and the Bay of Biscay, were no larger. Cooks, stewardesses, and scullery - maids abound on the boats. This custom of taking their womenfolk on their voyages must have always been characteristic of the Swedes ; for the Arabian chroniclers, who came into contact with the Rus vikings at Itel (the modern Astrachan), in the seventh century, say that even then they were accompanied by their wives. These old records describe the Roos (the Swedish vikings) as being " tall as palm trees," and their women as big and fair, delighting to wear jewellery and coins round their necks according to their rank and station. The women employed on the boats are affable, merry, buxom, and robust. The lakes seen on the journey resemble inland seas. Lake Wener alone has over 2,000 square miles ; after Ladoga and 122 Gothenburg and District Onega it is the largest in Europe. Lake Wettern, shaped like a spool, is much smaller, but none the less very beautiful ; some admirers, in fact, compare it to Como and Maggiore. In the middle is the mysterious and sacred Vising Isle, with an old abbey and castle, for centuries the residence of Swedish Kings, and where many a viking knight and nobleman has been laid to rest. The island contains many graves dating from the Viking period, and runic stones erected to the memory of heroes fallen in far-off lands. On the other side of the lake lies Omberg, which, with Mount Kinekulle, is the most interesting elevation in this district. But what pleased me more than these was the ancient castle and town of Vadstena. Close to the castle is the convent of St. Bridget, where this Swedish saint is buried. Her fame spread all over Northern Europe, even to Ireland ; before she died she visited Rome with the object of founding schools, hospitals, and nunneries in the North. Her name is vener- 125 Things Seen in Sweden ated even to the present day. The Swedes do well to make the best of her, though they do this (in a commercial sense) by manufacturing and selling little brooches, facsimiles of those found on her coffin. Near here is the powerful fortress of Carlsborg, which in the event of an invasion would be the final base of operations for the army ; when completed it will hold a garri- son of 20,000 men. It is named after Carl Johan Bernadotte, thanks to whose wisdom, statesmanship, and care, the forces of Sweden were strengthened and reorganized after the country had been exhausted by a long series of wars with Russia, Denmark, Norway, and the power of Napoleon. It was mainly owing to his generalship, and his knowledge of Napoleon's methods, that the Allies in 1813-14 gained so many signal victories over the French ; this is now acknowledged by the leading military authorities in Ger- many and Russia to-day. He can hardly be said, however, to have been a popular monarch. His French origin, and his treat- 126 Gothenburg and District ment of Napoleon, who had many adherents in Sweden, did not help to make him a favourite. But on the whole the Berna- dottes have been very popular, and have contributed greatly to the happiness and prosperity of the land. The rest of the journey is through the beautiful Motala and Sodertelje canals a dream of delight. At Motala I left the steamer and walked along the path as the boat delayed to pass through the various locks a pleasant change. One may vary the tour by visiting the hills I have just mentioned. Kinnekulle is famous for its rich vegetation ; Omberg for its grottoes. In the neighbourhood are the two pictur- esque towns of Jonkoping and Grenna. Jonkoping, which exports its matches even to Japan, has an extensive park on the shores of lake Wettern from which a mag- nificent view is obtained. Close to it is a wooden church dating from the Middle Ages, the doors of which are riddled with holes made by the axes of the Danes when 129 Things Seen in Sweden they attempted to sack it. This church contains many quaint wall-paintings and carvings, which the writer photographed. The belfry is built separated from the main structure, as is often the custom in the country. From here excursions can be made to the iron mountain of Taberg, the island of Vising, the nunnery of St. Bridget, and. the old castle of Vadstena. Jonk oping possesses a very comfortable hotel called the Stads-hus (Town-House). The Motala section of the Gotha Canal (which here passes through the province of Oster- Gotland) is probably the most fascin- ating of all. If tourists are hurried, they can break the trip at Norsholrn and proceed to the capital by train. On the way they pass the town of Soderkoping, almost on the shores of the Baltic. Before entering the skerries, we see Oxelosund, a famous port which'practically belongs to the Grangesberg- Oxelosund Railway Company. From here enormous quantities of iron ore are sent to England and Germany ; they use the high- 130 KT.I KARLEBY WATERFALL NEAR GAFLE. Called b alled by Auguste Strindberg "The introduction to the Northland." The whole of Northern Sweden abounds in waterfalls and rivers teeming with fish. ONE OF THE FALLS ()!' THOI.L1I AT I'AX, THE LARGEST AND 3IOST JJEAl Til 1 I, FALLS IN NORTHERN EUROPE. Sweden has a greater command of water power than any other country in Europe. Gothenburg and District grade Swedish iron for the manufacture of plate-armour and heavy ordnance. The charms of the skerries I have already described. In this remarkable journey the traveller passes through about fifty locks, three of the largest lakes of Europe, and sees the fine falls of Trollhattan without mentioning the innumerable minor attrac- tions which appear hour by hour. 133 CHAPTER VI TOWN LIFE IN SWEDEN : STOCKHOLM AND ITS ENVIRONS TjlEW towns in Europe perhaps in any -- other continent possess such a re- markable position as Stockholm, the " Queen of the Malar." The city seems a combination of Venice, Edinburgh, Paris, and Hamburg, and it gradually grows more beautiful as the wealth of its citizens increases, and the need for expansion grows more pressing. Birger Jarl, or Earl Birger, in the thirteenth cen- tury laid its foundations, where the pent waters of Lake Malar rush into the Baltic; here, on an island surrounded by stockades,* he built the nucleus of the present capital, which now covers several small islands ; these, unlike the islets of Venice, which were * Hence the word " Stock-holm "i.e., Stock- Isle. Town Life in Sweden originally low sandbanks, are composed of granite, and there are thousands of them in Lake Malar and the skerries which guard the entrance of the harbour. The view as one approaches from the sea is memorable. After passing a labyrinth of pine-clad rocks, on which stand many charm- ing summer villas, one enters the stream flowing from the lake. On the left the southern portion of the town towers like another Edinburgh. Between the southern and northern sides the old town "between the bridges," with its Hanseatic houses and ancient palaces, looks like a piece of old Hamburg or Amsterdam. Many dwellings date from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and some of the narrow streets remain almost exactly as they were in the Middle Ages, when the grave burghers and merchants of the Hanseatic League sold their goods in the little shops that formed the lower stories of these quaint houses. So solidly were they built that even now they are habitable and exceedingly comfortable. This part of 137 Things Seen in Sweden the city, the richest in historical associations, is neglected except by sailors, small shop- keepers, and the poorer classes. In Genoa one sees the quarters of the nobles and merchant princes undergoing a similar transforma- tion, becoming wrecks of former greatness. " Alas, to what base uses do we return !" Besides the old town, in which the Royal Castle, the Customs House, and many Government buildings stand, there are other islands of interest historically : the Riddar- holmen, the island of the Knights, where their church is built; the Heligeands- holmen, the island of the Holy Ghost ; the Blasie-holmen, Skepps-holmen (Ships' Isle), Kastell-holmen (Castle Island) all these are part of Old Stockholm. This is separated from the newer portion by the rapid Strom, crossed by the Norrbro (North Bridge). Opposite this bridge is the stately Royal Palace. The bridge was formerly crowded with shops and cafes, where the writer has spent many a happy hour. The chief of these was the Stromparterren, in 138 Town Life in Sweden which the pleasure-loving people used to spend much time ; from its terraces they could hear the music of the Malar as its waters hurried past, and could listen to the strains of several bands. But that was before the modern struggle for life or rather for ease and luxury had begun. All these mementoes of the past have been swept away, and in their place stands that splendid pile, the Swedish Houses of Parliament. Crossing the bridge, we enter the square of Gustavus Adolphus ; in the centre stands a statue of that monarch, who saved Europe from the tyranny of the Roman Catholics and perhaps from the horrors of the Inqui- sition. To the right is the imposing new Opera House, erected on the site of the old theatre built by Gustavus III., where he met his death at a masquerade by the hand of Ankarstrom, one of the discontented nobles who resented the favours shown to the yeomen or " bonder " and his seizure of autocratic power. Gustavus was called " The Theatre King " by his numerous enemies, on 141 Things Seen in Sweden account of his weakness for the dramatic art and for theatrical effects ; but if we would be just, we must admit that he was much more than a mere poseur. Whenever occasion demanded it, he showed that he could be a man of action like his fore- fathers. He saved his country from the Danes and Russians, and even compelled the great Catherine to flee from St. Petersburg after defeating her forces with the aid of his faithful navy. He also drove out the corrupt Parliament of his own country with his loyal officers and soldiers when a large section of its members had been bought by Catherine, who hoped to annex Sweden as Peter had annexed the Baltic provinces. His assumption of autocratic power at the critical moment saved the country, but at the cost of his own life. With the help of the handsome Count Fersen, Gustavus saved Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette for a brief interval from the revolutions. He played a great part in the politics of his time. It would take too long to describe 142 Town Life in Sweden the many reforms he introduced, or to dilate on his patronage of the arts, but as evidence of his unfailing zeal in this direction we may mention that the Academy of Arts, the Academy of Science, the National Museum, and many other institutions, as well as some of the most beautiful buildings, owe their origin to his taste and love of the fine arts. His cruel murder in the old Opera House was an incalculable loss to Sweden; for through that crime the Crown passed to a man who not only lost Finland, but brought the country to the verge of ruin. In the old Opera House Christine Nilsson, Jenny Lind, and several other artistes have made themselves and their country famous. The Swedish people are noted for the richness of their voices ; this may be due to the dryness of the climate. The intense love of singing comes from Viking times, when great singers and harpists were almost as honoured as Kings. For its size, Stockholm has many theatres; among others are the Swedish Theatre, the Sodra, the Vasa, and the Folk H5 Things Seen in Sweden Theatre, where plays of an ultra-socialistic and democratic type are produced. From the central square a number of long narrow streets radiate, in which the chief shops are situated. Here the ladies as a rule tall, stately, and well-favoured enjoy themselves; the men, not partial to this feminine dissipation, like to spend their afternoons and evenings at the cafes, for which Stockholm is so celebrated. For a shilling or so one can drink coffee or beer ad lib. and listen to excellent orchestras. Certain superficial observers have termed the Swedes the " Frenchmen of the North," judging by this liking for the open-air cafe life ; but the mass of the population no more resembles the French than we do the Italians. The men of the provinces are far too serious to spend their time or money in this way, and the punch-drinking, happy-go- lucky, extravagant Swede is becoming more and more a rarity. The events of 1905 have had a sobering effect, and to-day probably no nation in Europe leads a more 146 Town Life in Sweden strenuous life, speaking generally, or bears a heavier burden of responsibility. At the dissolution of the Union the Swedes were left to maintain their independence with a population of only 5 \ millions. Surrounded as they are by possible enemies, some of whom long to seize their tempting terri- tories, they have been forced to develop their natural resources to the utmost in order to keep a place among the free nations of the North. The chief attractions of Stockholm are not all to be found within the city walls ; all round are palaces, castles, pleasure resorts, which can only be visited by the little steamers that form such a characteristic part of the life here. Saltsjobaden, for instance, is reached on the steamer that starts from the quay opposite the Grand Hotel; the trip takes the visitor past the scores of small islets that lie between the city and the sea, and is remarkably beautiful. Picturesque villas of all sizes nestle among the rocks and pines. How the pine, fir, and birch manage 149 Things Seen in Sweden to thrive in a few inches of soil is a mystery : were it not for the cracks and fissures, into which they thrust their roots with almost human sureness, they could not possibly resist the blasts of winter. Lit by the setting sun, these islands of the skerries form a picture of wonderful tints, to which no poet or artist could do justice. All photo- graphs of Sweden fail to render the real charm of the country. One beautiful villa which I visited at Saltsjobaden, belonging to an old friend, was built in the American style, with plate- glass windows overlooking the sea ; it was obvious that on these waters and isles the merchants and middle classes of Stockholm spend their spare time during the summer months in bathing, boating, or games. The younger people are keen on all athletic sports, and utilize the long days in fitting themselves for the winter work in the schools, Academies, and Universities. In Sweden the appointments in any profession are much fewer than in England, Germany, and Town Life in Sweden France ; for this reason more is expected of a young Swede. The discipline in the schools is stricter ; boys are taught to be polite to their elders and superiors, and to obey all orders with a promptness that would surprise an English or French youngster. No boy, it is thought, will ever command men properly unless he has first learned to obey unquestioningly ; and it is universally admitted that the Swedes make excellent officers, and fill all similar posts of responsibility thoroughly well. The value of foreign training is recognized also ; many highly educated persons visit our High Schools and University towns to complete their studies. My host's daughter had studied at Oxford, was a B.A. and a gifted linguist ; yet she was no blue-stocking, and had not sacrificed sympathy, womanliness, and the charms which appeal to the rougher sex. The Swedish upper and middle classes possess a knowledge of languages and classi- cal literature seldom found among the corresponding classes in England. 151 G Things Seen in Sweden Saltsjobaden, on the last occasion when I visited it, looked so beautiful that I could hardly tear myself away ; and yet the return to Stockholm about midnight repaid me for the lost splendour. Bathed in moonlight and lit by thousands of electric lamps whose gleams were mirrored in the waters of the Strom and of the lake, the city seemed bewitching. The weird fascination of these pale Northern nights is indescribable ; it is a common thing to find the citizens making their excursions last through till dawn. We were a merry party good fare and good drink had done their warming work, and doubtless the fresh air of the skerries has something to do with the exhilaration one feels after such a trip. The place seemed another Venice, without the awful smells that rob that city of its attractiveness. Despite the hour, there was much anima- tion ; it was evident that a considerable portion of the population did not believe in the adage " early to bed," especially in the summer months." Late dancing 152 THE MIDNIGHT SUN. As it appears in Swedish Lapland. Town Life in Sweden and singing were much in vogue. But the leisured, who lead this merry life, are in the minority ; their life must not be regarded as typical. During the career of Gustavus III., Bernadotte, Oscar I., and Charles XV., when French influence and manners were in the ascendant, the people as a whole were much gayer than they are at present. The introduction of English methods of sport has had much to do with sobering the young men of the large towns. Instead of assembling, as of old, at a favourite cafe to sing and drink, thousands of them give the evenings to physical train- ing according to the scientific discoveries of Ling the poet, the father of Swedish gymnastics, or spend their time in the Idrotts Park (Sports Park), practising for future Olympic contests. Sweden's success in 1912, and the high position held by her athletes in general, is due not only to the climate and mode of life, but to the fact that for fifty years the Ling system has been taught in almost all the public and private 155 Things Seen in Sweden schools. The old Goth thought this system out while holding the post of fencing and gymnastic instructor at Lund University, and it is now being introduced in the principal armies of the Continent, also in some navies including our own. Without it we should have heard little of Sweden's prowess in athletics. The Danish athletes were so grateful for its benefits that their representatives during the Olympic Games visited the grave of Ling and strewed flowers on it as a token of love and respect. The Nordiska Museum of Stockholm should not be neglected by the traveller who is interested in history ; it contains armour, flags, and banners captured from the Russians, Austrians, Germans, Saxons, Danes, and other nations when Sweden was one of the Great Powers ; the armour of Gustavus Adolphus, the sword and pistols he carried at Lutzen, the very shirt, so blood-stained and riddled with bullets and sword-thrusts, which he wore when he went through his last fight for freedom of conscience. In 156 Town Life in Sweden another case is the suit worn by Charles XII. at the siege of Frederikshald, and the hat with the hole of the bullet that put an end to his meteoric existence ; also the mas- querade costume worn by Gustavus III. on the night when he was shot at the Opera House in 1792. Military and naval students will find the Artillery Museum of interest ; it has specimens from the earliest times, even the plan of a mitrailleuse invented during the reign of Charles XII., who, like Cromwell, was considered to be the greatest Cavalry General of his age. The National Museum on the Blasie- holmen contains a collection of viking arms, accoutrements, brooches, jewellery, and drinking vessels only equalled by that of the Northern Museum of Copenhagen. It is also rich in objects of the Bronze Age, many of which were made in Sweden a thousand years before Christ ; some of those I was shown by the courtesy of the learned curator are equal in design and workman- ship to anything found in Italy or Egypt of 159 Thing s Seen in Sweden the same period. Some scientists believe, therefore, that the art and culture of the ancient Greeks came partly from Northern Europe. Jewellery and arms from the time of Beowulf are there, exactly resembling those described so carefully in that Anglo- Saxon poem, which is a faithful picture of life in Southern Sweden and Denmark during the sixth and seventh centuries. One art treasure that particularly interested me was a richly-gilt and ornamented statue of Thomas a Beckett, who was venerated throughout Northern Europe; it probably belongs to the thirteenth or fourteenth century. There is also a remarkable eques- trian statue of St. George and the Dragon, said to have been made by Sten-Sture in the fourteenth century to commemorate his victory over the Danes and his enemies in Sweden who supported the Danish cause. The Riddar-holms Kyrkan (the Church of the Knights" Isle) is a plain red brick edifice, with an iron steeple full of monu- ments andrelics the "Westminster Abbey " 1 60 Town Life in Sweden of Sweden. Within its precincts are interred the remains of Gustavus Adolphus, King Magnus Ladulas, and Charles VIII. In the vaults are the sarcophagi of Adolphus Fredericks, the ill - fated Gustavus III., Gustavus IV. (Adolphus), Charles XIII., and others. On the north side is the sarco- phagus of Charles XII., "the last of the Varangians." A few years ago this was opened, and the skull was examined, as there existed considerable divergence of opinion regarding the cause of his death. Some went so far as to say that he Avas not a man at all, but a woman, and cited his well-known aversion to women as proof of their theory. Charles XII. was only twice known to turn his back on the enemy : once when the beautiful Countess Aurora von Konigsmark (the mother of Marshal Saxe) knelt before him in all her beauty and sorrow ; and after the Battle of Poltava, when wounded and bleeding he lost practi- cally all that remained of his splendid army, that had been reduced to a mere shadow by 161 Things Seen in Sweden hunger, frost, and privations innumerable the very same misfortunes that destroyed the power of Napoleon. Near this church the handsome Count Fersen, who was loved by Marie Antoinette, was torn to pieces by the mob of Stockholm, who were maddened at the misery brought on the country after the death of Gustavus III. Close by here is the House of the Knights, also built by Gustavus ; this contains, among other relics, the coats of arms of the leading nobles. The casual visitor is struck by the great number of Scotch names Hamilton, Lewis, Stewart, Bruce, Leslie, etc. ; these are descendants of the soldiers of fortune who assisted Gustavus Adolphus in the great Thirty Years' War. It is said that 30,000 Scotchmen of all ranks fought under his flag, and there is no doubt that the hardy Caledonians contributed largely to his success. At the expiration of the war the most prominent were awarded estates in Sweden, Finland, Russia, North Prussia, and other parts ; which accounts 162 DRAWING-ROOM IN ROSENDAL PALACE. Rosendal (Dale of Roses), one of the Royal Palaces near Stockholm Town Life in Sweden for the great number of Scottish names in the aristocracy of those countries. Some of these families are descended from English families that fled after the Wars of the Roses and the other civil wars that for so long distracted our country. The Royal Palace, begun by Charles XII. near the site of the old Palace (the Three Crowns), which was destroyed by fire in 1697, and completed during the reigns of Gustavus III. and his successors, is in the Italian Renaissance style, and must be acknowledged as the grandest building in Stockholm. Here the Bernadottes, who have done so much to restore the fortunes of the country, dwell in peace, and rule according to the fundamental laws of the ancient kingdom. It would take too long to describe fully the city. Some of the oldest churches are founded on the sites of monasteries and religious houses erected when Sweden was a Catholic country. I saw, on my last visit, the men excavating the site of an ancient 165 Things Seen in Sweden nunnery ; they came across many skeletons, and some were the remains of men who had evidently been decapitated. They are be- lieved to have been the victims of King Christian of Denmark ; probably during the massacre of the nobles in the great Square they took refuge in the nunnery, only to be betrayed by the abbess, who was a Catholic, and an adherent of the Danes. The lovely environs of the town will interest the visitor for a portion of his time; the Djurgard, a delightful park much frequented by the working - classes when holiday-making ; the Skansen, or open-air Museum ; the Hassel-backen, with its fine garden and restaurants, a favourite resort of the poet Bellman, the " Burns " of Sweden. The Palaces of Haga, Ulriksdal, and Drott- ningholm are beautifully situated on islands of the lake, and last, but not least, comes Gripsholm, the Royal residence of the old Vasa Kings of Sweden ; here King John and his brother, Eric XIV., unworthy sons of their great sire, Gustavus Vasa, were imprisoned. 166 CHAPTER VII DALECARLIA FALUN, the ancient capital of this Land of the Dala men, is easily reached by rail from Gothenburg in about ten hours ; or the boat can be taken from Stockholm to Gefle, whence a short ride will bring us to Falun, the whole trip taking about five hours. No province is more full of interest ; it represents a portion of Sweden whose characteristics are too rapidly fading and merging into general modernity. It has been called the " Land of Dales " ; but then the whole country might with equal justice be so termed, except the extreme south and north. We have our Dale-land and Dale-folk in Yorkshire, where the people are partly of Scandinavian origin Swedish and Danish ; those of Cumberland are said to be Norwegian. " Manhood, pluck, and doughty men, Still are found in old Dai-Land." 167 Things Seen in Sweden Thus sing the Dale folk, and with good reason ; for in Sweden's hours of direst need, again and again they have rallied to her rescue and saved the little State from destruc- tion. In 1430, under Engelbrecht, a miner of German origin, they took a prominent part in ridding Sweden of the oppression of the successors to Queen Marghareta of Den- mark. Whenever it has been a question of freeing the land from the tyranny of nobles or a foreign yoke, these people have rushed like an avalanche from their hills, and never tired until the enemy was vanquished or had fled. Their most gallant fight was in 1521- 1523, when with axes and crossbows, under Gustavus Erikson, they drove the forces of King Christian of Denmark clean out of the land, after he had treacherously murdered all the leading magnates at a banquet given in their honour at Stockholm. This foul act did more to break up the union of the three kingdoms than all the petty misunder- standings that followed the dissolution of the Treaty of Kalmar. 168 Dalecarlia The adventures and marvellous escape of Gustavus Vasa from the Danes read so ex- tremely like a page of early English history, that I am often inclined to believe that some of Alfred the Great's exploits were taken by some imaginative historian from the life of the Swedish King. At Ornas in Dalarne the farmstead is still to be seen where the fugi- tive King hid from the Danes, disguised as a simple labourer; also the very kitchen in which he sat when the Danes half recognized him, only to be put completely off* the scent by the actions of the farmer's wife, who struck the King on the back with a shovel and ordered him to work. The fine old farm- stead, with overhanging balconies dating from the Middle Ages, is in remarkably good preservation. The descendants of the family were ennobled and one imagines that they deserved it. Close to Ornas is Kvarnsveden, the largest paper-mill in Europe. It produces about 150 tons a day, and sends its supplies all over the world. Like most of the factories in 171 Thing s Seen in Sweden this part, it belongs to the great Kopparberg Company the oldest chartered company known, which was in existence when f ' King John ruled England with main and with might, And did great wrong and wrought little right." It possesses sealed charters dating from the thirteenth century, preserved in Falun. Its mines near here are said to have been worked for 2,000 years; over 50,000,000 worth of copper has been found, but the supply is now failing ; its greatest prosperity came in the seventeenth century, when Gustavus Adol- phus, in his thirty years 1 struggle with the Catholic Powers of Europe, derived most of his revenue from it. The ore is now ground down for the sake of the vitriol and other chemical products. Twice I have descended this mine ; it is a mile deep, and has many miles of galleries and rooms, some of which are inscribed with the signatures of leading statesmen, generals, and men of letters. The same company owns the largest steel- works in Sweden at Domnarvet ; the huge saw- 172 A STOKF.UorSi; IX F!X)I)A, S. -\V. DAI, IX AHI,1A. A peasant idyll. A peasant woman and her riches Daiecarlia mills of Gefle ; about 700,000 acres of forest ; and many powerful waterfalls, for which they have paid vast sums. The workmen of this immense undertaking, which is splendidly organized, have their own libraries, wash- houses, baths, technical and evening schools, clubs, concert-rooms in fact, everything to make their lives agreeable and healthy ; the children receive the best education possible, and the women are taught housekeeping and the management of children in a special school erected by the directors at a cost of 70,000. In these districts the handsome, sturdy Dale women perform much manual labour ; so strong and energetic are they, that they seem to do work one would expect from men in other countries. Of them I may say in the words of the old war-song : " If the women are such, what must the men be !' f Of the men, Karlfedt, the Dale poet, sings : " They knew not serfdom, knew no cringing ; they dwell like Kings in their own house." Love of liberty and independence and hard 175 Things Seen in Sweden work seem to be the main qualities of the Dale folk, coupled often with a mechanical skill that is astonishing. Round Lake Siljan are many lovely spots ; an outcrop of limestone renders the vegeta- tion luxurious and the soil fertile. The people are intensely religious and conserva- tive, retaining their quaint costumes. They still go to church in the old longboats of identical shape with those used by their Viking forefathers a type of vessel which, from my own investigations, I should judge to be about 3,000 years old. Only the poet and the artist can do justice to this people ; let me conclude, then, by quoting a few lines from the song of a true poet : " Far in the North I know a beauteous land, Not rich and warm as gentle Southern climes ; Yet stout hearts ever heat on Siljan's strand. While memory's wistful echo softly chimes ; There gloomy forests whisper, hend, and sigh, And rivers roar from crag to fertile plain ; Oh, glorious land of mighty Dala men, He who once knows thee, longs for thee again I" 176 CHAPTER VIII NORRLAND " I know a land where in silent starlit nights The spreading heavens are gay with northern lights ; Where under helms of cloud the grey,cold fjells With icy armour sentinel the dales ; And many a river rushes down the slopes Where Ager's harp sounds sweetly o'er the ware, When the moon's rays kiss the wet harp's (low) strings." NORTH of the picturesque province of Dalarne lies Norrland. The whole of Norrland has dense forests, exploited by the great sawmill companies ; it is intersected by elves, lakes, and waterfalls formed by the accumulated streams in the heights of Western Sweden hurrying to reach the Baltic Sea. About one-tenth of the district is under cultivation; undoubtedly Tast 177 H Thing s Seen in Sweden agricultural, piscatorial, and mineral resources are here that will some day stand Sweden in good stead. Why so many young Swedes should emigrate while their own land waits for their brains and muscles is an unsolved problem ; I may, however, return to this subject later on. Norrland is divided into seven " counties " : Westerbotten, with the towns of Lulea, Pitea, and Umea ; Jemtland, the chief town of which is Ostersund, a starting-place for tourists ; Angermanland, with Hernosand and Ornskoldsvik ; Medelpad, with Sundsvall, one of the neatest and best built towns in Northern Sweden ; Herjedal, containing no town of any importance ; Helsingland, with the timber ports of Hudiksvall and Soder- hamn ; and lastly Gestrikland, with Gefle, its prosperous capital, where I spent a year learning the language. Gefle was once famous for shipbuilding, but this has been displaced by various manufactures ; it is still, however, a very busy timber port, and has in its neighbourhood several of the Norrland largest sawmills in the world. Near here is the great Elf Karleby Waterfall, which Strindberg called " the introduction to the Northland." This waterfall is cele- brated for its excellent salmon-fishing, which more than one enterprising English angler has made good use of. The enormous water power of the fall is now being con- verted into electrical energy, which is used for illuminating the neighbouring town of Gefle. The forests abound in wild animals elk, bears, wolves, etc. ; while foxes, hares, ptarmigan, capercailzie, snipe, and other smaller fry afford good sport. In Sweden, where game is seldom preserved as it is in England, the huntsman has many a mile to wander before he obtains a respectable bag ; but he has better sport, in the real meaning of the term, than his confrere at home who shelters behind a hedge and spends his day slaughtering half- tame birds by the hundred. The art of deriving a revenue from the sporting proclivities of foreign visitors is not 181 Things Seen in Sweden yet learned in Sweden ; but now that the Swede has begun to travel he will perhaps soon lose his charming simplicity, indepen- dence and hospitality, and become more servile and mercenary. The little timber towns of the Northland should be reached by the comfortable steamers that ply from Stockholm up and down the Baltic ; there are few more pleasant trips in the summer months. The boats of the Svea Company are luxuriously fitted practically floating hotels, and have an excellent cuisine and courteous attendants who are grateful for the smallest tip. These steamers are well patronized, for the Swedes know how to enjoy themselves ; they love company, music, and dancing, and, like the Russians, eagerly avail themselves of any excuse to give a dinner or to organize what we might term a "jollification." Unlike the stolid Finns, they are exceeding sociable, though their drinking customs are rapidly going out of fashion. To see this province to advantage, one 182 #1 ' THE SNOW-CLAD MOUNTAINS OF SWEDISH LAPLAND. View of the mountains from the Vista Dalen. Norrland may take steamer up the Angerman and Indal rivers, or travel by the Lapland Express, which leaves Stockholm for the Land of the Midnight Sun daily. This fine train, with its sleeping-cars, kitchens, lounges, and other conveniences, traverses the whole North of Sweden to Narvik. In the summer months this trip is delightful. Agardh (Haggard), a Swedish author, alluding to the endless waterfalls and lakes, says : " Sweden's river system is intimately connected with its mountain system, which is not the case with other similar countries. At the bottom of its numberless dales there is always a beck, a stream or river, which widens to a lake as soon as it meets any obstacle; Sweden has therefore more lakes than any other land of the same area. Almost one-eighth of her total area is occupied by them. In Norway the lakes comprise one-twentieth ; in Switzerland one- twenty-third ; in France one hundred and fiftieth part. Sweden resembles an archi- pelago of lakes. To the peculiar geological 185 Things Seen in Sweden formation the nnmerous falls, fosses, rapids and cascades must be attributed. A Swedish river is quite unlike a river of any other country ; at times it is calm ; but it changes in its course to wave-swept lakes, thundering waterfalls, and noisy broken stretches ; the cataracts can be heard for miles. The people listen to their roaring in the peaceful evenings in order to know what weather the river foretells. Necken, the water god, is singing in all the rivers of Sweden. " After passing the Dala Elf one sees no more oak forests ; the fir and pine take possession of the land, interspersed with birch, larch, and a few other trees which can thrive in cold climates. The belt of woodland stretches for a thousand miles in almost unbroken succession, from Northern Skane to the Arctic Circle. From the platforms at the end of every railway carriage the passenger will enjoy to the utmost the woody fragrances and the exquisite scenery ; he will notice the Dala Elf at Elf Karleby (famous for its salmon 186 Norrland fishing) ; the Indal Elf, the 'Angerrnan Elf, and the Lulea Elf. This last rushes in two streams from the f jells of Lapland and unites at Porsendet, eighty miles from the sea. The northern branch (the Great Lulea Elf) rises in two springs between the fjells, and during the first fifty miles forms a chain of small lakes lying one above another like steps; these gradually spread into water- falls. At the finish of the lakes is the largest fall in Europe; the torrent rushes between narrow defiles, encountering a great rock which throws it fathoms high into the air. It is about a mile in length and 400 feet in depth, and its thunders can be heard distinctly for miles. It is named the Hare's Leap, from the fact that a hare can leap freely over the flood in winter, when it is frozen into a wonderful vault of ice. It reaches the Baltic at the town of Lulea. CHAPTER IX LAPLAND ' i High up in the North There blooms among rocks The most glorious summer That's found on God's earth. How much I should praise Thy sun if I stood On Lappio's mountains By Tengla's stream !" THUS sings the poet Nicander of the summer in Lapland, and of the glories of the bright days and the wondrous mid- nights when the sun shines so persistently that no one cares to seek his couch. What bewitching manifestations of Nature's wiz- ardry are seen in this far land ! It is the last retreat of a once mighty race that wandered over a large portion of Northern Europe, the so-called " Trolls " or the Norse- 188 Lapland men. To see the sun at midnight from Dundra's height or Gellivara's hill-top, illuminating the ice-clad mountains or the Polar Sea, well repays one for the long journey. Bayard Taylor, an Englishman who visited Lapland in the sixties, is eloquent in his praise of the wild beauties of this silent realm. " In the South," he writes, " there is really nothing that can be com- pared to this spectacle, nothing so rich, bewildering, and grand. The twilights of Italy cannot surpass that which is to be seen here ; there the changing tones pass rapidly into darkness, but here they last many hours with no diminution of splendour. I expected to find the loneliness and desolation of death a gloomy, melancholy repetition of the same scenery ; but I have found an unin- terrupted pleasure from the rarest, most fascinating beauty." His words are true ; I have witnessed the glories of Spain and of Sicily, and can en- dorse his opinions. The best way to see this country is to 191 Thing: s Seen in Sweden take the train from Lulea to Narvik, the terminus of the Lulea-Lofoden Railway, the most northerly line in the world, and of great strategical and commercial value. In the event of a war against Sweden's eastern neighbours this line would be employed for the conveyance of troops to defend the extreme northern frontier. It is now used for a more profitable purpose the transport of millions of tons of the finest iron-ore to each port, where immense granite quays costing millions of kronor have been built to facilitate shipment. Shortly after leaving Lulea the train passes Boden, the "Gibraltar " of the Polar regions. This impregnable fortress was erected by General Hampus Elliot to protect the north of Sweden from invasion by the way of the north-eastern frontier. The fate of Finland and the Baltic provinces naturally made the Swedes apprehensive for their own future safety. As the train progresses, miles and miles of barren, monotonous hills, covered with dwarf birch and juniper bushes stunted 192 Lapland by the cold, are passed ; these hills, however, are frequently exceedingly rich in iron, zinc, silver, copper, and other minerals. Speeding ever north towards the Arctic Circle, one sees here and there a few stray reindeer, or a few Lapps guarding their herds ; both men and beasts, however, are diminishing in numbers before the constant march of civiliz- ation. These poor superstitious nomads, one of the oldest races in Europe, were known even to the Romans, under their original name of Finns Finmark or Finland being the old title of their country ; the name Lapp came into use about the twelfth cen- tury. They number only a few thousands, and are divided into the Forest Lapps and Fjell Lapps. The Forest Lapps, who dwell in the wooded districts, and who subsist on fish, bread, berries, mushrooms, and reindeer flesh, have, comparatively speaking, an easy life ; but the lot of the Fjell Lapps is as hard and cold as the bleak mountains where they tend their herds. They are exposed to all weathers, and often have to sleep without 193 Things Seen in Sweden changing their wet garments or drying them, for not a scrap of fuel is to be had. In recent years many have died owing to the loss of their reindeer, which have perished in thousands for want of pasturage. Every at- tempt has been made to save the people, but they began to decline after they were expelled from Northern Norway in 1905. It thus appears that the innocent have to suffer for the unfortunate differences between the two nations which have done so much to weaken the Scandinavians both in past and present times. Some of the Lapps have taken to agri- culture, but these are a very small proportion of the whole. Like the Red Indians, and the Samoyedes, they are apparently doomed as a race, and their complete disappearance is only a question of time. Lapps are ex- tremely superstitious a fact not remarkable when we remember that they were one of the last races to embrace Christianity. They are fine huntsmen, brave and enduring. As regards natural gifts, as a rule they are sensible, intelligent, and so cautious that one 194 A LAPP FAMILY. Interior of a Lapland hut. The Lapp women wrap their infants in a huge Bundle, believing this to be the best way to protect them from cold or injury. Hie Lapp women carry their children on their backs and suspend them to the :eiling when engaged in their work. Lapland might well term them suspicious, especially of strangers ; occasionally they are spiteful. When enraged they can show great cruelty, and can harbour an injury for years until an opportunity occurs to avenge it. Generally, however, they are pacific, and if treated kindly will be found not wanting in gratitude. As may easily be seen from their high cheekbones, they are a Mongolian race ; their oblique eyes, black hair, and dark com- plexions give them an astonishing resem- blance to the Japanese and Chinese. When they arrived in Europe is uncertain ; prob- ably before the dawn of modern history, for they seem to have lived in this Continent for thousands of years ; it is strange to find that they have not lost their marked Mongolian characteristics. They still wear the ancient national costume of thick blue cloth, adorned with silver belts, brooches, and other finery, which perhaps brings dimly to mind the days of their affluence and fame. Their life, spent in contact with wild nature, gives them hardihood, though it may not quicken their 197 Things Seen in Sweden intellectual powers. Once they were feared, believed to be wizards and to have dealings with the devil or the black arts, and before Christianity reached them a thriving trade was done in selling amulets and charms to sailors, who devoutly believe that the Lapps could dispense good and evil as they pleased. (A similar superstition prevailed in the Scottish Islands, and is described by Scott in one of his novels.) The Lapps would sacri- fice reindeer, and sprinkle the blood on boulders as a peace-offering to their gods, who were supposed to dwell on the mountain summits and in desolate places. And now, many of these poor wanderers, no longer feared, but only pitied, hang about the rail- way-stations selling knives, snuff-boxes, and other articles carved from reindeer bone, which they have made in the tedium of the long winter nights. The fleeting gleams of the aurora borealis, and the light from moon and stars, are their only substitute for the sunlight ; the sun for three entire months "goes to sleep," as they say. 198 LAPP KOTA, OR WIGWAM, IN THE FAR NORTH. The Lapps, who are a very ancient people, and who were known to the ' omans under the name of Finns, formerly occupied a large part of Scandi- navia, ihey are now said to be slowly dying out. Lapland Proceeding northward again, the sight of heavily loaded trains of iron -ore drawn by specially constructed locomotives betrays the nearness of Gellivara. Before reaching this centre, however, we pass the little station called " Polar Circle," which stands on the imagin- ary geographical line. Here, in summer, in spite of its name, grapes and other fruit will ripen in greenhouses under the hot sunshine. In fact, the Lapland summer is so hot that one can only bear the lightest of undercloth- ing, although in the evenings a warm cloak will be needed, especially when camping out near ice mountains or glaciers. From the Dundra Mountain, in the vicinity, it is possible to view the sun at midnight from June 5 to July 1 1 . Gellivara is connected with Malmberget (the ore mountain) by a short railway. After inspecting the marvellous deposits here, the train reaches the iron hills of Kirunavara and Loussavara round which a busy and prosper- ous town has grown. Straight from the sea they rise, their two hundred million tons of 201 Things Seen in Sweden ore yielding about 64 per cent, of pure mag- netic iron. The engineer by whose courtesy I was permitted to go through the workings informed me that the mines of Lapland are practically inexhaustible ; the bed of iron is believed to extend for 1,000 metres beneath the surface, also under Lake Loussavara to the adjoining marshes. Electric light is used to illuminate the tunnellings, and elec- trical power is obtained from the falls arid elves to drive the machinery ; even the smelt- ing is accomplished by electric furnaces. It is an interesting and awesome sight to watch the men cutting great holes in the sides of the hills with the electric drills and blasting tons of ironstone away by each single charge of dynamite. These mines bring in a huge revenue to the State, and pay large divi- dends to shareholders. It is now proposed to raise the means for granting old age pensions, not by imposing fresh taxes as in England, but by increasing the output of metal until the required amount is obtained. Would that our own politicians thus light- 202 Lapland ened the burden of the people by mining a few million more tons of coal each year ; but in England neither the coal nor iron mines are owned by the State. After passing a night at Kiruna, where there is a clean, comfortable hotel, and glancing through the magical town which has sprang up so quickly in the wilds, the journey may be continued to Narvik. Soon the long, straggling shores of Lake Tornea Trask appear probably the source of the Tornea Elf which empties itself into the Gulf at Haparanda ; from here we get magnificent views of some of the highest land in Sweden. At Abisko's tourist hotel a stay may be made, and this is a good centre for ex- cursions among the hills, which shine in the sun like pyramids of frosted silver. The route from here turns north-west to- wards Narvik, the beautiful terminal port opposite the Lofoden Islands. At Riks- gransen the train crosses the frontier and enters Norway. The character of the scenery and vegetation immediately changes, owing 203 i Things Seen in Sweden to the influence of the Gulf Stream ; the stern, rough aspect of Lapland gives place to smiling fiords, surrounded by gigantic granite cliffs mirrored in the clear waters. Thus ends this wonderful journey. It is possible to return to England direct from Narvik, or via the ports of the Gulf of Bothnia to Stockholm ; the latter route, taking the Gotha Canal if time permits, is preferable, giving smoother seas and scenery of the most exquisite description. 204 Ski-running over the frozen plains. Swedish schoolboy on skis. Ski-ing is ic finest and most invigorating of all winter sports and the most healthy. All ver Northern Sweden there are clubs for the encouragement of ski-running. Ice yachting is one of the grandest and most exciting of all winter sports. The ice yachts attain an even greater speed than that of the wind. CHAPTER X SPORT IN SWEDEN IDROTT" (sport) is an old Swedish word ; by its age we judge that sports were in vogue among this people even in times beyond the reach of history. In ancient days the viking, travelling from place to place, conquering and colonizing, attracted the attention of the world by his physical beauty, vigour, and sagacity. It was the custom of the people of the north to perfect themselves in strength, suppleness of limb, and courage, just as the culture of the mind was promoted by exercise in the arts of poetry and jurisprudence. Their principal sports consisted in racing (either with or without armour), running and leap- ing of various kinds, wrestling, tugs of war, and other trials of endurance, ski-running, 207 Things Seen in Sweden skating, swimming, riding, throwing the spear, archery, and fencing with sword and shield-play ; besides these there were many throwing and running games with balls. Hunting and fishing were also prized, being regarded not only as a means of livelihood, but as recreations.* In addition, there existed many forms of sport which survive in Eng- land even now. The Scandinavians contend that it was they who introduced most sports into this country ; if this is true, as is pro- bably the case, the English kept alive these matters after they had declined in Sweden and Norway, the land of their origin. All over Northern Europe, in fact, the English have brought new life and vigour into the nations by their example, by their enthusiasm for almost every kind of manly exercise. There are other forms of active out-door amusement, however, which have always been peculiar to Scandinavia the winter sports, for instance, which depend on a severe cli- * From " Sweden/' published by Nordstudt and Sons, Stockholm. 208 SWEDISH OFFICER SK l-K INX1 XC , DRAWN BV A HOUSE. The Swedish people of all classes are greatly addicted to sport. Sport in Sweden mate for their very existence. For both sexes, skating is most popular in Sweden. In figure-skating the people are adepts, and many championships are gained annually for this graceful accomplishment. Ski-ing, which has come to the front so much of late years in the Swiss holiday resorts during the winter months, is in Sweden often combined with the chase of the fox or wolf; few recreations can be more healthful, and the possibility of danger adds to the charm for most persons who are physically fit. But it is expensive too much so to be within the reach of all. In the Northern Provinces, Norrland and Lapland, the hunting of these beasts is generally pursued on skis. There is a well- known society in Sweden which promotes ski-running matches, and holds and super- vises the competitions. Ice-yachting is another excellent winter sport only to be found in the north ; among the skerries it is in great favour, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia. On the Gulf of Finland I had plenty of this amusement 211 Things Seen in Sweden when a young man. The speed attained by the yachts is terrific ; at times it approaches and even exceeds that of an express train ; the light thing flies before the wind like a stone from a catapult, and sixty miles an hour in a good breeze is frequently achieved. Tobogganing is a minor form of snow-sport, quite common ; even in England we have the desire for this excitement, as is proved in the neighbourhood of any country town after a fall of snow. Every description of summer sport is carried on energetically in due season, thanks partly to the stimulus of English influence, and partly, of late, to the incitement of Sweden's success in the Olympic Games, both in London and Athens ; also, of course, in their own country at Stockholm in 1912. The temptation to enlarge on all this fine display of energy is great, but I must resist. The ski-ing on the fjells of Jemtland, the skate-sailing on the Stockholm skerries, the ice-yachting on the Baltic, the racing, jump- ing, and sailing on skates, the trotting- 212 Sport in Sweden matches in sledges, the hunting of elk, bear, wolf and fox in the northern forests, the fishing in the lakes and elves of Lap- land and Dalarne all these must be placed high on the list of the country's attractions. To enjoy them thoroughly one must be a genuine sportsman, not afraid of danger, cold, fatigue the things which go towards making the visit of the true sports- man a memorable pleasure. There is, how- ever, another and milder form of sport not to be neglected in its pleasure - giving capacity more suitable for those whose vigour has declined ; I refer to the use of a camera on the hills and in the dales. Very often there is as much real benefit to be derived from this as from too furious an ex- penditure of energy. The regions of the Northland are filled with mystery. Wild flowers abound for the pleasure of the botanist ; wild berries, too, grow in pro- fusion ; the strawberries, cranberries, blue- berries, and raspberries are a source of en- joyment to thousands of boys and girls. 213 Things Seen in Sweden And whenever they are hard up for pocket- money the berries form a means of replenish- ing the deficit, for the export of cranberries and other wild fruit to England and Ger- many has become quite a considerable coun- try industry. 214 BBBI o I < .3 W u i- b/) CHAPTER XI SWEDEN'S ARMY AND NAVY T IEUT.- GENERAL TYRRELL, in a J-^ lecture given at the Imperial Institute last year, spoke as follows concerning the Swedish Army : " The Swedes are a great people belonging to that gifted Scandinavian race which has given rulers to so many countries in Europe ; Rurik and his Norsemen were the founders of the Russian Empire ; Norman dynasties ruled in Great Britain, in Naples and Sicily, and in other countries of Europe; Sweden was at one time one of the Great Powers, and possessed an army which was reckoned to be the best in Europe, inferior only in numbers to the formidable army of Louis Quatorze. In the seventeenth century the Swedish army held the place which the Prussian army 217 Things Seen in Sweden holds to-day as the pattern and model for all the armies in Europe. Cartridges were first used by the Swedes, superseding the clumsy and tardy motions of loading separ- ately with powder and ball, and they are said to have been the invention of the great King and great Captain, Gustavus Adolphus. The implement called by English soldiers a 6 swine's feather, 7 which was a combination of a pike with the fork or crutched rest used to support the heavy musket of the time, was a Swedish invention, and its real name was the Sweyn's, or Swede's, feather; the wooden musket rest had a steel spike attached to it which enabled the musketeer to resist cavalry. But the splendid army of Sweden was wastefully lavished and ruined by the royal madman, Charles XII.; and after his death Sweden sank at once to the rank of a second-rate Power. The relative strength and importance of Sweden and Russia are exactly the reverse of what they were two hundred years ago. It is much to be re- gretted that the Scandinavian nations, owing 218 Sweden's Army and Navy in great measure to the mutual jealousies which have always distracted them, do not occupy the place in the councils of Europe to which their national courage and energy might entitle them." So much for the Swedish Army of the past* The last occasion on which it made itself famous during the battles of Leipzig, Donne- witz, and Gross-behren ; the flying artillery a device of Lieut. -General Cadell was to a great extent instrumental in securing victory in the two last. In 1902 the Army could reckon 500,000 trained men. Of these, 39,000 constituted the standing army ; the rest were Al section, 182,000; A2 section, 75,000 ; and Landstorm or general levy, 204,000. There are also about 140,000 riflemen, numbering among them some of the finest shots in Europe. In Northern Sweden I have frequently seen them prac- tising in the forests under conditions as near to those of actual warfare as possible. Almost every boy is taught to shoot ; as the population increases the number of 219 Things Seen in Sweden expert marksmen available will be consider- able.* The artillery, which I have often seen at battle- practice, is considered by German military authorities to be thoroughly up-to- date. The Navy consists of about eighty vessels of various types ironclads, armed cruisers, torpedo-destroyers, submarines, etc. princi- pally designed for operations among the skerries. In 1906 the Army on a peace footing con- sisted of 62,586 men ; in case of war this would rise to 340,830, exclusive of the so- called Landstorm of 175,000. In addition, there are 140,000 riflemen to be taken into account. What this force could effect should the country join in a European con- flict, or be compelled to defend its remaining territory, one can only conjecture. It is sufficient to note that no money or trouble * According to a series of articles recently pub- lished in the Times, the Swedish Army is very efficient. 220 Sweden's Army and Navy is being spared in order to put the whole kingdom into a thoroughly sound position. Among the dangers threatening Sweden since the dissolution of the union with Nor- way is the invasion by her semi- barbarous Muscovite neighbour, which has already crushed the liberty of Poland, Finland, Georgia, and the Baltic Provinces. In view of this, almost every man who can handle a gun is preparing himself; it needs no veteran Lord Roberts to travel the length and breadth of the land imploring the young men to learn to defend their homes the danger is so evident to them all that of their own accord they hasten to take precautions. These patriotic efforts are well supported by the Government ; shooting competitions are organized on such a scale that this little nation, with a population less than that of London, will soon be ready to take up the challenge of a much larger Power, if neces- sary. No attention is paid to the voices of the feeble-hearted, who say that things would be just as well under Germany or Russia ; 223 Things Seen in Sweden every honest Swede knows that this would not be the case. A writer whose name I have forgotten answers this people thus : " It is well to make clear what Sweden has to defend. The great asset is the national freedom and the liberty of the people. And then what treasures have we not to protect our ancient culture, our civilization, our language, our churches, our memories ; our graves, which shield the dear departed ones they who worked for us and preceded us ! " There are also the purely material things to defend. A single harvest is valued at about 800,000,000 crowns (40,000,000). The annual output of the industries amounts to ,70,000,000 ; this portion of the revenue has increased by twenty-one times in fifty years. The cash savings of the people have risen remarkably the capital now deposited in the savings banks amounts to 1 00,000,000:' Notwithstanding the fact that the defence of the land is costing more than it does in 224 THE COURTYARD OF GRIPSHOI.M CASTLE. Courtyard of the Royal Castle of Gripsholm, one of the oldest castles in Sweden. Sweden's Army and Navy most countries on account of the high wages paid to the labouring classes, that drawback does not deter the people from straining every nerve to promote it. If Sweden with her scanty resources is able to make all these sacrifices, what could not Great Britain do, with her vigorous, energetic population of 46,000,000, and her enormous national wealth ? The example of what little Sweden has done and is doing should make every patriotic Englishman look forward to the future of his country with courage and hope. If Sweden with her sparse population can call to the colours 350,000 well-trained and well-armed soldiers, supported by the finest body of sharpshooters in the world (skarp- skyttar), what might not we do, if we be- stirred ourselves, and wake from our present apathy and indifference to the future ? 227 CHAPTER XII SWEDEN'S NOTABLE MEN AND WOMEN SWEDEN has produced many remarkable people, of whom we must mention a few : Carl von Linne, the great botanist ; Celsius, the scientist ; Emanuel Swedenborg, founder of the " New Church," who, strange to say, has more followers in other countries than in his own ; Berzelius, the chemist ; Bishop Tegner, author of " FrithioPs Saga," which has been translated into almost every European language ; Victor Rydberg, author of " The Last Athenian "; Michael Bellman, composer and poet, the " Burns " of Sweden ; Fredrika Bremer, author; P. H. Ling of Lund, poet, but better known as the originator of the Ling gymnastic system ; Polhem and Balzar von Platen, two re nowned engineers ; Erikson, one of the in- 228 Notable Men and Women ventors of the screw propeller and designer of the first ironclad ; and Nobel, the inventor of dynamite. These three great women were natives of Sweden : St. Bridget, who was canonized in 1391 ; Queen Christina, one of the most gifted women of her time ; and Catherine Stenbock, third wife of Gustavus I. There are also Jenny Lind, Christine Nilsson, Sigrid Arnoldson, and other famous singers who did not leave their native shores. Among the more modern authors and poets there is that enfant terrible^ August Strind- berg ; and we should not omit Verner von Heidenstam, historical novelist ; Gustaf Eroding, a sweet lyric poet ; Selma Lagerlof, probably the finest novelist in Sweden and winner of the Nobel prize for literature in 1912; Ellen Key, writer on social reforms and problems ; Helena Nyblom, poet; Karl- feldt, the singer of his native Dalecarlia ; Gustaf Janson, the Swedish Archibald Claver- ing Guuter ; Hedenstierna, descriptive writer on folk-life. 229 K Things Seen in Sweden Others whom we cannot ignore are Oscar Montelius, one of the finest archaeologists in Europe ; Hildebrand, the historian ; Sven Hedin, the explorer ; Nordenskiold, the dis- coverer of the North -East Passage, and Alfred Nobel, founder of the famous prize ; also the ill-fated Andre. In recent years, under the influence of French and German art, Sweden has made immense progress in painting and sculpture, and has at last evolved a really original school. We may mention some of her great painters : Carl von Rosen, Cederstrom, Hellqvist, and Anders Zorn, most talented of all, who has succeeded in almost every branch of art. His Dalecarlian peasant scenes are known throughout Europe and America. Another fine artist is Liljefors, painter of animal life, water-fowl, and forest scenes. A. H. Hiigg, the etcher, is celebrated in his own land for his etchings of Wisby, and in England for his Gothic and Norman churches. C. Nordstrom is known for his rugged pic- tures of Bohuslan and the lake region. Carl 230 OLD-FASHIONED PEASANTS COTTAGE IN DALECARLIA. The land of the hardy Dale folk. Notable Men and Women Larson is a remarkably powerful portrait painter. N. Forsberg, one of the older school, is best known for his two pictures, " A Hero's Death," and the death of Gusta- vus on the field of Lutzen. Cederstrom's paintings from the life and career of Charles XII. are deservedly famed. The delight of Norman is to depict the vast forests, with all their beautiful colouring and atmosphere. Upland and the districts round Lake Malar have received justice at the brush of Gunnar Hallstrom. Carl Wilhelmson finds inspiration in the skerries and the wild coast scenery of Bohuslan, and in its fisher-folk. G. Pauli is another dis- tinguished landscape artist. Oscar Bjork, who revels in exquisite sunsets, is perhaps best known for his grand picture of Vadstena Castle, associated with the activities of St. Bridget and Gustavus Vasa. Otto Hessel- bohm's most noted work is " Our Country,'" which gives a good idea of the grandeur and indescribable melancholy of Sweden, es- pecially in the realms of the woods and 233 Things Seen in Sweden lakes. E. Stenberg, like Zorn, is justly famous for his rendering of Dalecarlia and the buxom girls of the Dales. Prince Eugene, a member of the talented House of Bernadotte, has achieved distinction as a landscape painter, especially of the lovely skerries and islands that surround Stockholm. His picture of the Royal Palace is very impressive. Janson depicts similar subjects ; but his chief pleasure lies in giving the street life of the capital. The old artistic spirit of the Swedish people, which found such strong expression in Viking times and the Middle Ages, seems now to be rousing itself thoroughly. The Puritanical Lutheran Church for a while succeeded in repressing it, just as Puritanism in England injured the artistic life there ; but, thanks to Gustavus III. and his suc- cessors the Bernadottes, the intense love of the beautiful is again finding expression, and a veritable Renaissance is taking place, not only in art, but in all departments of activity. The period of stress that Sweden 234 Notable Men and Women is at present undergoing is rousing the latent energies of the whole people ; this movement has been particularly noticeable since 1905. Those who are more interested in ancient art should visit the old castle of Skane, the Royal Palaces, the Castles of Kalmar, Sko- kloster, Gripsholm, and the National Museum ; these are full of treasures little known to the rest of Europe. In these places much beautiful sculpture will be found by Sergei, Bystrom, and others who were inspired by the ancient Greeks and Romans and the Norse mythology. The principal modern sculptors of Sweden are Molin, the designer of a famous group, the " Beltwrestlers," and Molin's "Fountain"'; I. Borjeson, Bromberg, Ackerman, Erikson, Milles, Wisler, and Agnes Kjellberg Fru- merie, one of the finest woman artists of the country. The scope of this book prohibits the men- tion of many honoured names in other spheres. Sweden has produced great en- gineers, inventors, doctors, and professors, 237 Things Seen in Sweden and, as an essentially mechanical, industrial, and agricultural people, it is but natural that in these directions also many men of eminence should have made their appearance. 238 CHAPTER XIII FROM STOCKHOLM TO GOTHENBURG, AND HOME TF1HE quickest and most convenient way -* to return to England by sea is to take the train from the Stockholm Central Station to Gothenburg, the principal port. The pleasant journey through South- Western Sweden lasts about ten hours, from 9 p.m. to early morning. The polite guard the railway officials are remarkably polite after inspecting tickets, leaves us to ourselves in the comfortable carriage ; for a small extra expense the woman attendant will supply clean bed-linen and a sleeping-berth. At seven o'clock the sunlight shining through the crevices rouses us, and pulling aside the curtains a view of steep granite hills, forests, and calm meadows greets the eyes. 239 Things Seen in Sweden The sun was just rising as we approached Gothenburg on my last visit, and the whole effect was delightfully cheering. Close to the town we passed many charming villas belonging to the merchants. The place is very wealthy for its size, and, thanks to its flourishing trade, has improved in appearance in late years. Most of the people seemed well off. A peculiar feature of the town is the " Automats " (Automatic Restaurants) which are used by all classes. The Swedish workpeople are so well- behaved and polite as a rule, except when too long residence in the States of America has spoiled them, that one can mix freely with the crowd and have no fear of rudeness or insult. Only when intoxicated does the Berserk spirit break through ; and then they can be dangerous customers. When sober, I may say that the average workman or work- woman is better mannered than are the middle classes in other European countries, where good manners are not considered a part of a good education. It is amusing to 240 TROLLE-HOLM. The Castle of Trolle-holm in Skane (the Isle of Wizards) was the birth-place and residence of Tycho-Brahe, the great astronomer. A famous castle and the seat of the Brahes, one of the most powerful of the old Danish and Swedish nobles. Stockholm to Gothenburg see Mr. Petterson the mechanic meet Mr. Anderson the joiner in the street, remove his hat, and inquire after the health of Mrs. Anderson and the family courtesies which are rarely exchanged between labourers or artisans in England. Beggars and shabbily-dressed persons are not often seen in the towns of Sweden, much to the visitor's surprise. The men wear soft black felt hats, pea-jackets with black but- tons, and generally dark trousers tucked into substantial top-boots or laced boots. The women are plainly but comfortably attired, frequently wearing a kerchief over their heads instead of the prevalent faded bonnet of this country ; they pride themselves on their linen and on the spotlessness of aprons and cotton gowns. Cleanliness with them is a sine qua non of existence ; in fact, so much attention is given to this virtue that I should think the Swedes are the most cleanly folk of the Continent. They are also great stick- lers for order, and in the streets and work- shops one hardly ever sees any litter or waste 243 Things Seen in Sweden paper. This love of order and cleanliness would be painful to the careless inhabitants of most of our own cities, where, owing to climatic conditions and the use of coal as fuel instead of wood, it is not easy to make everything look bright and fresh or at any rate not easy to keep it so for long. Gothenburg, beautifully situated on the Gotha Elf, owes its present importance to the foresight and energy of Gustavus Adol- phus. It is a splendid centre for excursions along the coast, among the skerries and to Bohuslan. From here we can book to London, via Harwich by the Thule Line, or via Hull by the Wilson Line. Gothenburg contains many fine hotels, museums, public gardens, and churches, well worth visiting. It is the second city in Sweden. As about 75 per cent, of the people live in the country or in villages, there are very few large towns, and this absence of great unhealthy centres has much to do with the strength and well-being of all. The docks and the steamer traffic are im- 244 FOREST SCENE FROM RATTVIK. Young Dale folk out for a ride in the pine forests, in a typical Swedish harvesting cart. Stockholm to Gothenburg pressive even to those familiar with the busy ports of England ; but the scenery all round, the fashionable bathing resorts, the endless opportunities for boating and fishing, will appeal more strongly to the tourist bent on pleasure or health. In spite of the attractions of the home- land, crowds of emigrants leave the port for the New World almost every day in search of fortune. The old Viking spirit, the love of adventure and change, is not yet extinct, and thousands who could make a decent living at home go to America in the hope of "bettering" themselves. Sometimes this is a vain delusion ; many return to their lovely fatherland broken in health and poor in pocket. As a rule, however, Scandinavians are fortunate abroad, and many of those who emigrated about twenty years ago are now well-to-do citizens of distant lands. One cannot help regarding it as a sad sight when such hosts desert their native soil for those huge cities, which, though supposed to be paved with dollars, compare poorly with the 247 Things Seen in Sweden bright towns and villages of the North. Taxation and military burdens must indeed lie heavy on the people, when so many fine fellows are anxious to risk all in a country where the competition is fiercer, and every article of household use is double the price. One surprising thing was the number of single young women who were going to the States, either to seek work or to visit friends already comfortably settled. Many were going out to be married ; for the warm- blooded Swedish woman does not believe in passing the best of her life as a spinster she knows there are dozens of men across the " Pond " who will be glad to share their fortune with her if she can pluck up courage to make the long journey. As our liner with its three thousand emi- grants moved from the quay, and the cable, the last link with home, was hauled in, the young folk on board to hide their emotion struck up the old song : u Thou old, thou free, thou fjell-capped North P Many, too affected to sing, strewed fresh flowers on the 248 THllKE "(IKISAU" AND THEIR GUARDIAN. Porch of a cottage in picturesque Dalecarlia. Stockholm to Gothenburg waters of the Vik ; flowers which slowly faded from sight as we forged toward the sea. The decks, fore and aft, were crowded with people from all parts of Sweden ; but I did not see a single disreputable or ill-dressed person. Evidently all were fairly well off; some, of course, had earned good money in the United States and were returning after a visit to friends and relations at home. Thirty-six hours' sailing across the North Sea brought us to Grimsby, where I was bred if not born the ancient town of Grim the Viking refreshed in soul and body. If I have induced any to follow in my foot- steps, to take a ramble through the old land of Goths and Vikings, and to reap similar benefits, the object of this little volume will have been accomplished. 25 1 Index ABISKO'S tourist hotel, Bernadotte, 126 Cleanliness, 243 203 Birger Jarl (Earl Bir- Climate, 38 Agardh (Haggard) on ger, the founder of Consumption, cures Sweden's rivers and stockades), 134 for, 27 lakes, 185 Birth-rate, small, 38 Angerman Elf, 26 Blekinge, "The Gar- Dala Elf. isr, Aii'jto Su.coii Cosin, den of Sweden," 57 Dalecarlia, 107 found in Gothland, Blenda. 63 Dale-folk (Dale folk), 78 Boden." the " Gibral- 51-167 ; how they Anglo - Saxon words \ tar " of the Polar drove out the Danes, still used in Goth- I Regions, 192 52 land, 78 Bohuslan. castle. 22. Dale women, their Arabian or Cufic coins 100, 103 strength, 172 found in Gothland, Bohus Province, 100 Danes (" Vikingar 78 Bonder (Yeomen), Skotal"), 47, 48, 51 Archaeologists, 230 their wealth and Dialects in Sweden, Arctic Circle, 18(5 independence, 31 54 Are, famous for win- ir.r sports, 28 Army and Navy, 217, 210 Artillery in Sweden, 2"0 Bremer, Fredrika, 31 Bridget, St., Sweden's patron saint, 125 Bronze Age, high cul- ture of Sweden and Denmark then, 42 East Denmark, old name of South Swe- den, 47 Education, 151 Engelbrecht, the Artillery Museum in Stockholm, 159 Bronze armour, etc., 42 miner, leader of the Dale-folk in 1430, -I ,'0 Authors, leading, 229 Automatic Restau- rants 240 Caen, Normandy, 32 Canals and lakes, lOo Erikson, Gustavus Vasa, and the Dale- beauty of, 120 folk, 1521, 1(58 Bathing in Bohus- Carlsborg fortress and Fersen, Count, and lan, 110 Bernadotte, 126 Marie Antoinette, Birch forests of Castles and their 142, 162 Skane, 28 treasures, 237 Finland's fate-, 192 Beet cultivation, 84 Charles XII., 59, 161, Fisheries of Bohuslan, Bellman, the "Burns" 165 1 05 of Sweden, 1(5(5 Christian, King of Fishing in Sweden, Beltane dances and Denmark, 165 213 Bal worship, 94 Christian's " Blood Folk-songs and ring- Beowulf, 43-103, 105 ; Bath," 165 dances, 93 description of the Christmas in Sweden, Forest ponies in Goth- Svea folk, or 86 land, 84 Swedes, 43 Cimbruin Celts, 42 Forests, 186 252 Index Frederikshald and Herring fisheries, 106 erly railway in the the death of Charles Hull-Gothenburg world, 192 XII., Ill routes, viii Lulea Elf, 186 French influence, 155 Ice yachting in Swe- Lurid Museum, 41 Gotha Canal, journey, den, 212 Miilar Lake, 134, 135 120 " Id rott" (sport), 207 Marghareta of Den- Gothenburg Empire, Indal Elf, 26 mark, 60 47; and the Gbtha Iron mountains of Mar strand, bathing Canal 116, 244 ; and Lapland, 201 resort, 100, 106 its watering-places, Iron springs, 37 Massacre of Swedish 119 Ironstone arid granite nobles by King Gothic dialect still everywhere, 37 Christian of Den- spoken in Gothland, Islands of Stockholm, mark, 168 79 138 Meadowland, " Eng- Gothland, the head- Jemtland 25 27 land," 22 quarters of the Hansa League, Go ; its beautiful climate Joiikoping and its match exports, 129 M eado ws, ' ' Engar, ' ' Midnight sun, how to and history, 63 ; a Kaiser William and see, 191, 201 journey to, 68 ; his love for \\isby, 70 Montelius, the great snipe and wild duck shooting, 68 ; its Kalrnar, 60 K aim 3i" Castle and the archaeologist, 230 Motala Canal, 130 great strategical Queen of Sweden, Mount Kinekulla, 125 importance, 79 ; in- Norway, and Den- Mountain scenery, 25 vasion by Russia in mark, 60 1 1808, 79'; farm, a, Karlfeldt, the Dale Narvik, 203 80 ; folk-songs, their poet, 175 National museum in beauty, 85 ; church, Karlskrona, 57 Stockholm, 159 86 Kopparberg Co., oldest Nilsson, Christine, 145 Goths of Oster and chartered company Nobel, Alfred, 230 Wester Gotland, 47 ; in the would, 172 Nordenskiiild, the ex- the prowess of the Kungahalla arid its plorer, 230 women, 59 history, 112; Harold Norrland , the northern Granite quarries, 104 Hardrada, 115 province of Sweden, Gripsholm Castle and its picture gallery, 237 Lakes, 48, 122, 125 Lapland, weird beauty 52, 177. 181 Norwegians and East Coast Scotsmen Gustavus III., 141, 142, 145, 234 of, 53 ; express, 185 ; its weird grandeur, great resemblance why alike, 44 Gustavus Vasa and the Danes, 171 188 Lapps, 28, 53, 193, 194, Notable men and women, 228 Hanseatic League, 106 197, 198 Leipzig, battle of, 219 Nurses in Sweden, 27 Harold Hardrada and Lind, Jenny, 145 Gland and its castle the Varangian Ling, the poet, 155 63 Guard, 115 London-Sweden via Olympic games, vii Harold of England, Harwich, viii 212 115 Lulco-Lofoden Rail- Omberg and its grot- Ueilin, Ivan, 230 way, most north- toes, 129 253 Index Opera House in Stock- Song, love of, 18, 145, Thomas a Beckett, holm, 145 229 statue of, 160 Order, passion for. Sport, 68 Thule Line, 100, viii 243 St. George, remark- Tornea Elf, Tornea Osterling, 64 able statue of, 160 Lake, 203 Painters, 230, 233 Steamers, coasting, Town life, 134 Palaces 166 121 Trade, 78 Paper industry, 171 Phoenicians, 42 Politeness of Swedish Stockholm, the Venice of the North, 146, 140, 1-35; to Gothen- Treasure trova in Gothland, 78 Trollhattan wato. people, 240 Prince Eugene, 234 Renaissance, Swe- burg, 239 S tors j 011, Jemtland, the great lake, 26 Sun-baths, remark- falls, 121 Tumuli, cairns, 18 Uddevalla ( Boh us- den's, vii Biddar-ho 1ms Kyrkan, 160 able cures, 110 Svea-land, its bouiid- Ian), 109 Upsala University 18 ; Ting, or Parlia- Riflemen in Sweden, Svear or Swedes, ment, 48 their importance, 219 peculiar character, Valdemar of Den- Roberts, Lord, 223 Routes to Sweden , viii, 2U4 Hfisland (Russia), 48 Salts j 6 bad en as a 48, 51 Swedenborg's inven- tive genius, 112 Sweden's wealth, 37, 222, 227 Swedes, Norwegians, mark, 67 ; Cross at Wisby, 73, 77 Varangians of Goth- land, 78 Viken, province of, 43, 47 ; Rtis settle in health resort, 150, and Danes, simi- Russia and plunder 155 Sassnitz - Trelleborg larity in appear- ance, 44 ; Northum- Spanish boats, 122 ; raids in the Cas- ferry route, viii brians and Great pian, 122 Scenery, 17, 25 Russians, why so Viking.s, 43, 48, 122 ; Scottish noble fami- much alike, 44 arms, jewellery, lies in Sweden, 162 I Swedish and York- etc., 159 Sculptors, great Swe- shire place-names, Vising Island and dish, 237 their resemblance, Lake Wener, 125 Siljan Lake and its 44 ; people not one beauties, 70 race, 53 Waterfalls, great, 20, Skane, 17, 28, 33, 38, 41 Sylvanus and Goth- 53 Skerries (Skasgard), land, 85 Wettern Lake, 125 21 Wisby, 63, 64, 67, 77 Ski-ing in Sweden 211 Smaland, its poverty, 58, oD Tannfors, Jemtland, 26 Taylor, Bayard, opinion of Lapland, Yeomen, or bonder, their patriotism, 59 Soldiers : why Swedes 191 Zoru, Anders, the mako good soldiers, Theoderiek, King, Rembrandt of Swe- 58 song of, 95 den, 230 BILLING AND i5ON,s, LTD., I'lllNTftHS, GUILDFORD THE NEW ART LIBRARY NEW VOLUME. 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Recently issued in this Scries. $s. each ~ Adventures on the High Mountains. RICHARD STEAD, B.A. Great Forests. H. W. G. HYKST. Great Deserts. H. W. G. HYKST. Great Rivers. RICHARD STEAD, B.A. Wild Beasts. H. W. G. HYRST. Adventures on the High Seas. RICHAKD STEAD, B.A. Arctic Regions. H. W. G. HYRST. Red Indians. H. W. G. HYRST. Trappers and Hunters. BY ERNEST YOUNG, B.SC. Seeley, Service & Co Ltd NEW VOLUME Heroes of the Indian Mutiny By EDWARD GILLIAT, M.A., sometime Master at Harrow School Author of " Heroes of Modern India," rc. &*c. With 1 6 full-page illustrations. Extra croivn Svo, 55. Heroes of the Scientific World An Account of the Lives and Achievements of Scientists of all ages By CHARLES R. GIBSON, F.R.S.E. Author of " Scientific Ideas of To-day," &*c. &c. With 1 6 full-page illustrations. Extra croivn 81/0, 5*. " Mr. Gibson is to be congratulated on the new volume in his scientific series, for it is one of the most interesting of them all. 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" Mr. Heron's drawings of old Edinburgh are in perfect accord with Stevenson's essay. The spirit of Edinburgh and Scotland is in them; and among them, as in the actual city, those views are finest which bring out the domination of the Castle, although there is an intimate picturesqueness in the old high and narrow court that runs even the charm of the Castle very close." Athenceum. "A sumptuous volume, most beautifully printed and illustrated. ... It may be unreservedly praised for the pictures of Edinburgh old and new." Glasgow Citizen. "A sumptuous volume which . . . gives Stevenson's exquisite monograph a very appropriate and beautiful setting. Stevenson's fine sketches, of course, retain all their old interest and charm ; they are in themselves as vivid and impressive as any pictures could be. The illustrations add greatly to the fascination and value of the book." Aberdeen Free Press. ' if '-" "^J^-Jf^F *' ' ';' __au^--* u i JOHN KNOX'S HOUSE Illustration from R. L. STEVENSON'S "EDINBURGH" 5"^ opposite page Seeley, Service & Co Ltd The Science of To-day Series NEW VOLUME Submarine Engineering of To-day By C. W. DOMVILLE-FIFE "Author of " Submarines of the World's Navies," &c. &c. A popular account of the methods by which sunken ships are raised, docks built, rocks blasted away, tunnels excavated, and many other feats of engineering beneath the surface of the water, together with a description of the latest types of submarine boats, &c. er'c. Extra crown 8^0. With 98 illustrations, and diagrams 5*. net ALREADY PUBLISHED Electricity of To-day. By C. R. GIBSON, F.R.S.E. Astronomy of To-day. By CECIL G. DOLMAGE, M.A., D.C.L. , LL. D., F.K.A.S. Scientific Ideas of To-day. By C. R. GIBSON, F.R.S.E. Botany of To-day. By PROFESSOR G. F. SCOTT ELLIOT, M.A., B.SC. Aerial Navigation. By C. C. TURNER. Engineering 1 of To-day. By T. W. CORBIN. Medical Science of To- day. By WlLLMOTT KVANS, M.D. Mechanical Inventions of To-day. By T. W. CORBIN. Photography of To-day. By H. CHAPMAN JONES, F.I.C., F.C.S., F.R.P.S. Engineering of To-day. By C. W. DOMVILLE-FIFE. By permission of the "Psychological Review" AN OPTICAL ILLUSION This illustration shows that the unassisted eye may be de- ceived, even in spite of a careful and prolonged inspection of a design. It is difficult to believe that the letters LIFE are upright, but if they are tested with a rule they will be found to be so. Illustration from "PHOTOGRAPHY OF TO-DAY' See opposite page Seeley, Service & Co Ltd Stories by Prof. A. J. Church "The Headmaster of Eton (Dr. the Hon. E. Lyttelton) advised his hearers, in a recent speech at the Royal Albert Institute, to read Professor A. J. Church's ' Stories from Homer,' some of which, he said, he had read to Eton boys after a hard school day, and at an age when they were not in the least desirous of learning:, but were anxious to go to tea. The stories were so brilliantly told, however, that those young Etonians were entranced by them, and they actually begged of him to go on, being quite prepared to sacrifice their tea time." Crown Svo, 5^. each The Faery Queen The Children's ^Eneid The Children's Iliad The Children's Odyssey The Crusaders Greek Story Stories from Homer Stories from Virgil The Crown of Pine Greek Tragedians Stories of the East 3.?. Last Days of Jerusalem The Burning of Rome The Fall of Athens Stories from English History Story of the Persian War Stories from Livy Roman Life The King at Oxford Count of Saxon Shore The Hammer Story of the Iliad Story of the Odyssey Greek Comedians Heroes of Chivalry Helmet and Spear Stories of Charlemagne Crown Sz'ff, illustrated is. 6 s *J a of Originals. Oliver of the Mill. By Miss EVERETT-GREHN CHARLESWORTH GSLEY By E. Agathos, Rocky Island. By England's Yeoman. By Miss Bishop WILBERFORCE CHARLESWORTH Uncle Tom's Cabin. STOWK The Chantry Priest of Tom Brown's School-days. Barnet. Prof. CHURCH By T. HUGHES The Royal Library for Boys and Girls A Series of Handsome Gift Books by celebrated authors. Illustrated by H. M. BROCK, LANCELOT SPEED, and other well-known artists Extra croivn A Pair of Originals. By E. EVERETT-GREEN John Halifax. MissMuLOCK Uncle Tom's Cabin. H. BEECHER-STOWE Westward Ho ! C. KINGSLEY Robinson Crusoe. By DEFOE 3f0, 25. each Tom Brown's Schooldays. By T. HUGHES Grimm's Fairy Tales The Arabian Nights Andersen's Fairy Tales What Katy did at Home and at School. By S. COOLIDGE THEN AND NOW These two pictures show the same landscape, but at an interval of many thousands of years Frojn "THE ROMANCE OF PLANT LIKE,' BY PROF. SCOTT ELLIOT 14 DAY USE RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED LOAN DEPT. This book is due on the last date stamped below, or on the date to which renewed. Renewed books are subject to immediate recall. 10Fe'58Wx . o ; REC'D LD . f *~"; FEB 1 1958 9lan'61 Iffl . ;> : JAM \ ,6- r~r- r\ rt A 4 DC 7 O (\ FEB 2 4 1967 8 m. s THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA UBRARY