Owing to the above delay, and my attending morning service the next day at Gefle church, I could not quit that place till one o'clock. Proceeding without stopping to Hudwickswald, I there merely
spoke a few words to Mr. Broman the clergyman, and pursued my way to Knorby Knylen, the highest mountain in Medelpad, from whence I went to Sundswall, and further. In my way I examined a cave formed by nature in a very hard rocky mountain, formerly a retreat for thieves and highwaymen.
I was so unfortunate, in my journey through Medelpad, as not to meet with a single horse that did not tumble with me several times, in consequence of which I was at one time so severely hurt as to be scarcely able to remount. Having already collected together a number of stones and minerals, which were no less burthensome than unnecessary to carry along with me further, I rode to Hernosand, where I left these incumbrances. I did not, however, stay there above two hours.
May 20.
At length I reached the famous mountain of Skula in Angermanland, at the very
top of which is a large grotto, so neatly formed by nature that art could scarcely have excelled it. This grotto was represented to me as quite inaccessible, and it was said that not more than two or three persons had ever been there; nor was it without great difficulty that I prevailed on two men to accompany me, every body deeming the project impracticable. As we climbed up towards it, we sometimes crept forwards, sometimes slid back again. Now we mounted a considerable way by catching hold of branches and roots of trees, and then, meeting with steep inaccessible rocks, were obliged to turn back. After following one of my guides for about two hours, I thought the other seemed to make more progress; which induced me to go after the latter. I was scarcely got two ells out of my former path, than the man whose track I had left loosened a large stone with his foot, which fell on the very spot I had quitted, with such violence, that I was surrounded by fire and smoke, and should
certainly, but for the protecting hand of Providence, have been crushed to pieces. We reached the grotto at length, after much labour and trouble, and descended the mountain with much greater facility. Laying hold of the tops of spruce firs which grew close to the rocks, we slid down upon them, dragging them after us down the precipices.
May 23.
I at length, after twelve days journey, reached Umoea.
It had originally been my design to go to Asila Lapmark, in order to observe what plants are able to endure the very hard winters of that region, but I was obliged to change my plan. The summer would not have been long enough, nor my stock of money sufficient to enable me to reach that most northern part of the country, where the severity of the climate is augmented by the cold north wind and the vast snowy mountains. I applied,