The approach to Stockholm through the beautiful lake Mälar, with its banks richly cultivated and covered with villas, and occasionally a village, old chateau, or palace, is certainly very beautiful; and the city itself, situated upon seven islands, is only surpassed as a commercial port by Constantinople and Naples, and I consider the locality, in point of natural beauty, the third in Europe.
I have visited the objects most worthy of notice in the city, viz. the palace of the late king Bernadotte, containing all the relics and souvenirs of that monarch, who was a French General, and governed the Swedes for many years without acquiring any knowledge of their language, and as a natural consequence the French became the court language, which accounts for many persons being found here who speak it. His son, the present king Oscar, is educated with the language of the country. One of the churches is a perfect museum, containing a vast quantity of trophies, from Turkey and other parts of Europe, made in the conquests of Charles XII., together with all the relics identified with that warrior prince—the pride of Sweden; his chapeau, with the bullet-hole therein from which he received his death, as also his uniform, is preserved in a glass case. In the vaults lie the remains of all the Swedish kings, in gold gilded sarcophagi, ending with the last, Bernadotte. There are also a dozen stuffed horses ranged on each side of the building, clad in full coat of mail, with riders covered with armor and shields most elaborately wrought; altogether it is a handsome collection, and would bear comparison with the Turin or Dresden exhibitions. The water excursions to the gardens, and villas, and beautiful points of view, interest the stranger; for my knowledge of them I am indebted to the politeness of our minister, Col. Ellsworth. A steamboat excursion of one day to the Drollingholm Palace and grounds, the favorite residence of some of the former Swedish kings, is very interesting. An excursion by water to Upsala, famous for its university and cathedral, and thence by land to the immense and wonderful Dannemora Iron Mines, returning thence via the palace and grounds of Skokloster, which occupies about three days, is not only an interesting but an instructive one, and should not be omitted by any traveller visiting Sweden.
It would be useless to attempt a description of the contents or beauties of the palaces; suffice it to say then, that I was agreeably surprised to find such collections here in the north of Europe; though when I reflected that they were filled with the fruits of the conquests and robberies of General Bragh, from different parts of Germany, it was easily accounted for.
I chartered a carriage at Upsala and posted thence to the mines of Dannemora. I found the roads good, and horses small but fast. The unusual number of gates appeared singular; each farm or plantation has its own, and I suppose one hundred would not exceed the number passed in this voyage. Either my valet or the driver was continually getting down to open gates, where children were not found running to do so, to earn a small copper coin, which I was glad to throw to them to avoid delay.
Sweden is famous for the quality of its iron, particularly for making steel, large quantities of which go to England as well as America. These immense works, with five hundred men employed in the mines, are eight hundred feet deep; the opening would cover acres, and it is frightful to look into the deep chasm. There are millions of tons upon the grounds in the vicinity ready for smelting, which are transported to the different furnaces through the country. The houses and grounds of the village belong to the company, as also the tracts of land for cultivation, and the workmen live on the spot, having their house rent free, and the privilege of purchasing grain at a low rate; they earn fifteen cents per day. The only wonder is how families can subsist on such pittances as the poor laborers obtain in many parts of Europe; and the question naturally arises, how can we develope the resources of our country, and pay remunerating prices for labor, in competition with the serfs of Europe, unless by a protective duty, which necessity will oblige us yet to adopt? How many millions of poor starving wretches there are in Europe who would rejoice to have their stomachs filled with the corn bread and bacon of the negroes of the south!
All the necessaries of life are abundant and cheap in Sweden, more so than in most other countries, but the cuisine is horrible. There are no table d’hôtes in the public-houses, and one is obliged to go to restaurants, which are very indifferent. One custom prevails throughout all Sweden, in restaurants, country-houses, and private houses; that is to offer the guest on a side table, what they call schnaps—a species of white brandy, with small particles of smoked salmon or ham, to prepare the appetite. The interior of a Swedish log cabin, in its rustic style, is a curiosity. From the ceiling, by means of network or wood frames, are suspended monthly supplies of black flat rye bread or cakes, with a hole in the centre; the whole battery of kitchen utensils is hung up on one side of a huge fireplace, and as the country abounds in timber the inhabitants need not freeze; the beds are a sort of boxes, hardly wide enough to turn round in, and the pillow is a sort of wedge, in the form of a letter V; in place of coverlids they give you a light feather bed, or one of eider down, which almost suffocates you; yet you dare not throw it off for fear of taking cold.
In the vicinity of the old and ruined town of Upsala, are seen some high mounds, which tradition says were the tombs of the heathen kings of Sweden. They are lofty and curious, and bear resemblance to some I have seen in the western part of our country, so I was induced to visit them. The present king, Oscar, ordered an excavation through the centre of the largest, and walled and piled up the passage as the work progressed, and sure enough, about the centre was found a deposit of human bones, which are preserved and seen through a grate, after passing the line of the passage by torchlight.
The communication by steamer to St. Petersburg is broken up by the cholera, and the want of passengers, as imperial orders by the Emperor to all Russian ministers forbid a passport to other than Russian subjects. If I get into the Czar’s dominions it will be with courier passport, as bearer of despatches, and by a circuitous route, via Finland.
Northern Russia with Poland inclusive, being the only parts of Europe I have not visited, and being now in the extreme north, I should much regret not being able to visit those countries, which occupy so deeply the minds of all philanthropists, and which exercise such a powerful influence over the politics of Europe.
I am prepared to make some sacrifices and incur some risks, in order to finish entirely the continental tour, and if I succeed will write you from St. Petersburg.