Isle of Knights - Funeral of Gustaf Adolf- Chapel of the Carolines -Charles X.'s funeral and Scotch attendants - Sarcophagus of Bernadotte Swedish Order of Knighthood Sir Charles and his "grelots"-Birger Jarl's statue-Sture's chapel - Story of Pelar- backen - Swedenborg and his twelve spirits - Northern Museum — Viking interred in his Drake" - Runic inscriptions - Cecilia's Tragic festivities - Prince Oscar's palace Story of the Abbess of Quedlinburg - Stage in Sweden - The Opera-house — Etiquette of the Swedish court-Gustavus" the Charmer" - Writers of his day- The masked ball - Warning letter - Assassination of the king 445 Church of St. Clara and the Princess Richissa-Museum of Natural History Battle of Brunkeberg-The Klädskammar Oriental headpiece of Erik the Holy - Gustaf Wasa's economy - -Trousseau of his daughter Catherine-Relics of Gustaf Adolf- Queen Maria Eleanora founds the order of the Crowned Heart Garments of Charles XII. - Masquerade dress of Gustavus III. - Legend of De No Swedish manufactures in time of Gustaf Wasa-Silk-trade esta- blished by Christina - Looms of Carlsvik-Fur-trade- The lynx, bear, and otter - Swedish ermine equal to Siberian - Varieties of squirrels-Faïence and porcelain of Mariberg and Rörstrand - Swedish marble-Carlberg, the Woolwich of Sweden - Haga and its silkworms - Favourite retreat of Gustaf III. - Ulriksdal, and GÖTALAND. SCANIA.† CHAPTER I. Departure from Copenhagen - The Öresund — Malmöhus-län - Story of Gefion-Skåne, Sweden's great granary - Gille of St. Knud — The "milled" maiden The six toads and the skeletons Ordinances of Sigbrit - The mummy hand - Old Malmöhus - Bothwell's chamber - His life in Malmö. Flytte Dag, April 17th, 1860.-THE sun shines bright on the St. Anna Plads, but the wind blows cold; smoke rises in volumes from the chimney of the 'Ophelia;' the third bell rings; we bid a hasty adieu to the kind friends who accompany us, and in a few seconds are steaming on our way to Sweden. Sad are our hearts at quitting Denmark, where we have passed two happy years; but we have before us a budding spring, a northern summer, a prospect of some eight months' Sweden is divided into Göta Rike and Svea Rike, i.e. the Kingdoms of Göta and Svea. No two books, whether of travel, history, or geography, call this province alike. Authors of early date invariably write Schönen, after the German, while those of a later period term it, after the French, Scania. In a recent work on geography Schönen again finds favour. The shortest way of cutting the Gordian knot is to call it by the proper Swedish name of Skåne, already ventilated in the translation of Fryxell's History of Sweden.' VOL. I. B freedom from domestic worries, with full and entire liberty to wander through the finest scenery of the Swedish provinces; and, after all, there is nothing in this world like variety. To a wanderer o'er the face of the globe this life is but as a kaleidoscope-a perpetual change of scene and people; though sometimes an old acquaintance familiar to the eye-a pearl or a peacock's feather-turns up afresh in the newly-arranged pattern. The handkerchiefs have waved their last; the spires of Copenhagen appear but faintly in the horizon; when, observing the brow of youth still o'erclouded by the memory of those we had so lately left behind, to change the current of its thoughts, as we glide o'er the glassy waters of the Öresund I relate the story of "Gefion "— how, long long ago, there appeared at the castle-gate of King Gylfe, who then ruled over Sweden, a goldenhaired damsel, who sang before the king. So charmed was he by her strains, he granted to her in recompense as much land as four oxen could plough during the night. Then the damsel Gefion took four oxen, her own sons by a giant (for she was of the race of the gods), and worked hard until morn; so deeply did they plough the furrows, that the waters of the sea rushed infrom that day forth separating Sweden from the newlymade island of Zealand.* To verify the legend we unfold the map, see how neatly the promontories and bays fit into each other, and feel convinced of the truth of the story. * Gefion did well for herself, and afterwards married King Skiöld, son of Odin. See 'Two Years in Jutland and the Danish Islands,' vol. ii. p. 391. MALMÖ. Soon church-towers arise in the distance, shipping, and a harbour; to the right stands a grim old castle, with staircase-gable and high-pitched roof, encircled by moat and bastion-once the prison of Scotland's proudest earl, the bad and reckless Bothwell. We quietly glide on, and are landed on the jetty of Malmö. Passing along the pier's side, we leave the railway station to the left, cross the drawbridge which spans the city moat (her ramparts destroyed and planted long since); then winding along a narrow street—an omnium gatherum of old timber houses-gain the square deserted Place, on which stands the Gustaf Adolf, a hostel lately opened, in all the freshness of new paint and furniture. There is nothing attractive in this square, surrounded by its row of as yet scarce budding limes. Even on a market-day it is far too wide for the peasant tribe, their carts, and merchandise. The abundant harvests of Skåne, Sweden's great granary (Malmöhus-län* and Christianstads-län combined), would scarce suffice to fill the vacuum, at fair-time alone fully peopled by the wooden barracks of itinerant vendors, then again till next year-nought but emptiness. From the window at which I now write may be seen in one corner, rising above the lime-twigs, an ancient staircase gablet of old brickwork, enriched with Gothic niche and quatrefoil ornament, with mutilated statue, and heraldic shield slung "en pignon," after the manner of the day-once a religious house: behind bristles Län, i.e. government. Skåne is divided into two läns, as above. † Date in Gothic letters, A.D. 1404. |