Strömstad

Stoves may be economical, but I like a fire, a wood one, in preference, and I am convinced that the current of air which it attracts renders this the best mode of warming rooms.

We arrived early the second evening at a little village called Quistram, where we had determined to pass the night, having been informed that we should not afterwards find a tolerable inn until we reached Stromstad.

Advancing towards Quistram, as the sun was beginning to decline, I was particularly impressed by the beauty of the situation.

The road was on the declivity of a rocky mountain, slightly covered with a mossy herbage and vagrant firs.

I saw the sun and sighed.

One of my companions, now awake, perceiving that the postillion had mistaken the road, began to swear at him and roused the other two, who reluctantly shook off sleep.

We had immediately to measure back our steps and did not reach Stromstad before five in the morning.

The wind had changed in the night and my boat was ready.

Stoves may be economical, but I like a fire, a wood one, in preference, and I am convinced that the current of air which it attracts renders this the best mode of warming rooms.

We arrived early the second evening at a little village called Quistram, where we had determined to pass the night, having been informed that we should not afterwards find a tolerable inn until we reached Stromstad.

Advancing towards Quistram as the sun was beginning to decline, I was particularly impressed by the beauty of the situation.

The road was on the declivity of a rocky mountain, slightly covered with a mossy herbage and vagrant furze.

I saw the sun and sighed.

One of my companions, now awake, perceiving that the postillion had mistaken the road, began to swear at him, and roused the other two, who reluctantly shook off sleep.

We had immediately to measure back our steps and did not reach Stromstad before five in the morning.

The wind had changed in the night, and my boat was ready.

Stoves may be economical, but I like a fire, a wood one, in preference; and I am convinced that the current of air which it attracts renders this the best mode of warming rooms.

We arrived early the second evening at a little village called Quistram, where we had determined to pass the night, having been informed that we should not afterwards find a tolerable inn until we reached Stromstad.

Advancing towards Quistram as the sun was beginning to decline, I was particularly impressed by the beauty of the situation.

The road was on the declivity of a rocky mountain, slightly covered with a mossy herbage and vagrant furze.

Nor do I wonder that hordes of barbarians always poured out of these regions to seek for milder climes when nothing like cultivation attached them to the soil, especially when we take into the view that the adventuring spirit common to man is naturally stronger and more general during the infancy of society.

The conduct of the followers of Muhammad and the Crusaders will sufficiently corroborate my assertion.

Approaching nearer to Stromstad, the appearance of the town proved to be quite in character with the country we had just passed through.

I hesitated to use the word country, yet could not find another.

And with this difference we are, perhaps, most forcibly struck at the first view, just as we form an estimate of the leading traits of a character at the first glance, of which intimacy afterwards makes us almost lose sight.

As my affairs called me to Stromstad, the frontier town of sweden in my way to norway i was to pass over i heard the most uncultivated part of the country still i believe that the grand features of sweden are the same everywhere and it is only the grand features that admit of description there is an individuality in every prospect which remains in the memory as forcibly depicted as the particular features that have arrested our attention yet we cannot find words to discriminate that individuality so as to enable a stranger to say this is the face that the view we may amuse by setting the imagination to work but we cannot store the memory with a fact as i wish to give you a general idea of this country i shall continue in my desultory manner to make such observations and reflections as the circumstances draw forth without losing time by endeavouring to arrange them Travelling in Sweden is very cheap and even commodious if you make but the proper arrangements.

Here, as in other parts of the continent, it is necessary to have your own carriage and to have a servant who can speak the language if you are unacquainted with it.

sometimes a servant who can drive would be found very useful which was our case for i travelled in company with two gentlemen one of whom had a german servant who drove very well this was all the party for not intending to make a long stay i left my little girl behind me as the roads are not much frequented to avoid waiting three or four hours for horses we sent as is the constant custom an avant courier the night before to order them at every post and we constantly found them ready our first set i jokingly termed requisition horses but afterwards we had almost always little spirited animals that went on at a round pace the roads making allowance for the ups and downs are uncommonly good and pleasant the expense including the postillions and other incidental things does not amount to more than a shilling the swedish mile the inns are tolerable but not liking the rye bread i found it necessary to furnish myself with some wheaten before i set out the beds too were particularly disagreeable to me it seemed to me that i was sinking into a grave when i entered them for immersed in down placed in a sort of box i expected to be suffocated before morning the sleeping between two down beds they do so even in summer must be very unwholesome during any season and i cannot conceive how the people can bear it especially as the summers are very warm but warmth they seem not to feel and i should think were afraid of the air by always keeping their windows shut in the winter i am persuaded i could not exist in rooms thus closed up with stoves heated in their manner for they only put wood into them twice a day and when the stove is thoroughly heated they shut the flue not admitting any air to renew its elasticity even when the rooms are crowded with company these stoves are made of earthenware and often in a form that ornaments an apartment which is never the case with the heavy iron ones i have seen elsewhere stoves may be economical but i like a fire a wood one in preference and i am convinced that the current of air which it attracts renders this the best mode of warming rooms we arrived early the second evening at a little village called quistram where we had determined to pass the night having been informed that we should not afterwards find a tolerable inn until we reached stromstad advancing towards quistram as the sun was beginning to decline i was particularly impressed by the beauty of the situation the road was on the declivity of a rocky mountain slightly covered with a mossy herbage and vagrant firs at the bottom a river straggling amongst the recesses of stone was hastening forward to the ocean and its grey rocks of which we had a prospect on the left whilst on the right it stole peacefully forward into the meadows losing itself in a thickly wooded rising ground as we drew near the loveliest bank of wild flowers variegated the prospect and promised to exhale odours to add to the sweetness of the air the purity of which you could almost see alas not smell for the putrefying herrings which they use as manure after the oil has been extracted spread over the patches of earth claimed by cultivation destroyed every other it was intolerable and entered with us into the inn which was in other respects a charming retreat whilst supper was preparing i crossed the bridge and strolled by the river listening to its murmurs approaching the bank the beauty of which had attracted my attention in the carriage i recognized many of my old acquaintance growing with great luxuriance seated on it i could not avoid noting an obvious remark sweden appeared to me the country in the world most proper to form the botanist and natural historian every object seemed to remind me of the creation of things of the first efforts of sportive nature when a country arrives at a certain state of perfection it looks as if it were made so and curiosity is not excited besides in social life too many objects occur for any to be distinctly observed by the generality of mankind yet a contemplative man or poet in the country i do not mean the country adjacent to cities feels and sees what would escape vulgar eyes and draws suitable inferences this train of reflections might have led me further in every sense of the word but i could not escape from the detestable evaporation of the herrings which poisoned all my pleasure after making a tolerable suffer for it is not easy to get fresh provisions on the road i retired to be lulled to sleep by the murmuring of a stream of which i with great difficulty obtained sufficient to perform my daily ablutions the last battle between the danes and swedes which gave new life to their ancient enmity was fought at this place seventeen eighty eight only seventeen or eighteen were killed for the great superiority of the danes and norwegians obliged the swedes to submit but sickness and a scarcity of provision proved very fatal to their opponents on their return it would be very easy to search for the particulars of this engagement in the publications of the day but as this manner of filling my pages does not come within my plan i probably should not have remarked that the battle was fought here were it not to relate an anecdote which i had from good authority i noticed when i first mentioned this place to you that we descended a steep before we came to the inn an immense ridge of rock stretching out on one side the inn was sheltered under them and about a hundred yards from it was a bridge that crossed the river the murmurs of which i have celebrated it was not fordable the swedish general had received orders to stop at the bridge and dispute the passage a most advantageous post for an army so much inferior in force but the influence of beauty is not confined to courts

the uncertain wind of tomorrow.

We therefore left Heljerak immediately with the declining sun.

Though we were in the open sea, we sailed more amongst the rocks and islands than in my passage from Stromstad, and they often forced very picturesque combinations.

Few of the high ridges were entirely bare.

We therefore left Helgerach immediately with the declining sun.

Though we were in the open sea, we sailed more amongst the rocks and islands than in my passage from Stromstad, and they often forced very picturesque combinations.

Few of the high ridges were entirely bare.

The seeds of some pines or firs had been wafted by the winds or waves, and they stood to brave the elements.

We had agreed to pay four dollars for a boat from Helgarach.

I mention the sum, because they would demand twice as much from a stranger.

I was obliged to pay fifteen for the one I hired at Stromstad.

When we were ready to set out, our boatman offered to return a dollar and let us go in one of the boats of the place, the pilot who lived there being better acquainted with the coast.

I could have wished to have remained there all night, but as the wind was fair and the evening fine, I was afraid to trust to the wind, the uncertain wind of tomorrow.

We therefore left Helgerach immediately with the declining sun." Though we were in the open sea, we sailed more amongst the rocks and islands than in my passage from Stromstad, and they often forced very picturesque combinations.

Few of the high ridges were entirely bare.

The seeds of some pines or firs had been wafted by the winds or waves, and they stood to brave the elements.

We had agreed to pay four dollars for a boat from Helgarach.

I mentioned the sum, because they would demand twice as much from a stranger.

I was obliged to pay fifteen for the one I hired at Stromstad.

When we were ready to set out, our boatman offered to return a dollar and let us go in one of the boats of the place, the pilot who lived there being better acquainted with the coast.

Stoves may be economical, but I like a fire, a wood one, in preference, and I am convinced that the current of air which it attracts renders this the best mode of warming rooms.

We arrived early the second evening at a little village called Quistram, where we had determined to pass the night, having been informed that we should not afterwards find a tolerable inn until we reached Stromstad.

Advancing towards Quistram, as the sun was beginning to decline, I was particularly impressed by the beauty of the situation.

The road was on the declivity of a rocky mountain, slightly covered with a mossy herbage and vagrant firs.

I saw the sun, and sighed.

One of my companions now awake perceiving that the postilion had mistaken the road began to swear at him, and roused the other two who reluctantly shook off sleep.

We had immediately to measure back our steps and did not reach Stromstad before five in the morning.

The wind had changed in the night and my boat was ready.

Stoves may be economical, but I like a fire, a wood one, in preference, and I am convinced that the current of air which it attracts renders this the best mode of warming rooms.

We arrived early the second evening at a little village called Quistram, where we had determined to pass the night, having been informed that we should not afterwards find a tolerable inn until we reached Stromstad.

Advancing towards Quistram as the sun was beginning to decline, I was particularly impressed by the beauty of the situation.

The road was on the declivity of a rocky mountain, slightly covered with a mossy herbage and vagrant firs.

Nor do I wonder that hordes of barbarians always poured out of these regions to seek for milder climes, when nothing like cultivation attached them to the soil, especially when we take into the view that the adventuring spirit common to man is naturally stronger and more general during the infancy of society.

The conduct of the followers of Mohammed and the Crusaders will sufficiently corroborate my assertion.

Approaching nearer to Stromstad, the appearance of the town proved to be quite in character with the country we had just passed through.

I hesitated to use the word country, yet could not find another.

We therefore left Heljerak immediately with the declining sun.

Though we were in the open sea, we sailed more amongst the rocks and islands than in my passage from Stromstad, and they often forced very picturesque combinations.

Few of the high ridges were entirely bare.

The seeds of some pines or firs had been wafted by the winds or waves, and they stood to brave the elements.

We had agreed to pay four dollars for a boat from Helgarach.

I mentioned the sum, because they would demand twice as much from a stranger.

I was obliged to pay fifteen for the one I hired at Stromstad.

When we were ready to set out, our boatman offered to return a dollar and let us go in one of the boats of the place, the pilot who lived there being better acquainted with the coast.