swung back on its

hinges, and thus they were caught as in a trap. From being the most voracious of animals, the nature of these beasts, now that they found escape impossible, became completely changed: so far, indeed, from offering molestation to any one, they slunk into holes and corners, and allowed themselves to be slaughtered almost without making resistance.

It is said, that the mere act of striking a light with flint and steel, has often the effect of intimidating a wolf; and that the rattling of a chain not unfrequently answers the like purpose. In the event of a person, when unarmed, being attacked by these blood-thirsty brutes, these things are worth knowing; for, though apparently trifling in themselves, they might be the means of saving his life.

In some parts of Scandinavia, when people are travelling during the winter-time over extended plains, lakes, &c. which are known to be much frequented by wolves, it is the custom to attach a long rope to the back of the sledge; the serpentine motion that this makes, when the vehicle is proceeding, has, it is said, the effect of deterring these animals from making their attacks.

CHAPTER XIV.

Journey to Stockholm.-Lake Mälarn.-Franska Wardshus.

HAVING occasion to proceed to Stockholm, I set off on the evening of Wednesday, the 23rd January, for that place.

Before starting, I directed Elg, who was anxious to return forthwith to Brunberg, to make some needful arrangements about his little farm, to use his best endeavours during my absence to get a bear on foot. The better to effect this object, I allowed him to make use of my dogs. I directed him, however, to meet me at Lapp-cottage on the 10th of February, by which time I anticipated I should be returned from the capital.

As the Răda and Grås lakes, which lay in our course, were firmly frozen over, we kept principally on their surface. On these fine pieces of water regular routes were now marked out, in the manner of which I have made mention, small pines, or the trees themselves, being placed in an upright position, at stated intervals, to keep the traveller in the proper track. The ice was at

this time in excellent order for sledging, and we therefore glided along its surface with great rapidity.

On reaching Sunnemo, a hamlet situated, as I have said, at fourteen or fifteen miles to the southward of Lapp-cottage, I took up my quarters for the night. Here there is a smeltinghouse (Hyttan) belonging to the Uddeholm Company, of which Mr. Emanuel Geijer has the superintendence, from whom I received, on this, as on other occasions, much hospitality.

There are extensive iron mines at no very great distance from this place; these are situated in the district of Bergslagen. The ore is not particularly productive, as I understood it did not yield more than about thirty per cent. In parts of Lapland, I have seen ore containing seventy or eighty per cent. of that metal. But in the districts in which this was found, there was not sufficient wood for the purpose of smelting it, and it was therefore of little value.

When the ore comes from the Swedish mines, it is piled upon layers of fir, and partially melted; it is then pounded by vast hammers moved by water, and afterwards liquified in a furnace of charcoal, whence it runs into a long mould of sand. As soon as it hardens, it is drawn out and laid in piles in the open air. These enormous masses, or rather pigs, are then beaten into bars.

On the following morning, Thursday, 24th

January, when we had twenty degrees of cold, I took leave, after breakfasting, of Sunnemo, and set off for the capital. I had now my choice of two roads; by the more regular and better one, which led through the towns of Christinehamn and Orebro, the distance was upwards of two hundred and sixty English miles; whilst the other, which was by the way of Philipstad, was between twenty and thirty miles less. The latter road lay, for a considerable part of the distance, through a very hilly country, and for the first thirty miles, indeed, it was a mere track; but as it was the shorter of the two, I decided upon taking it.

Our route lay through the forest, the scenery on every hand being wild and picturesque. The weather was very fine, which added much to the pleasure of the journey. The track we pursued was in general very bad; this was owing to its having been much used during the winter for the conveyance of coke, ore, &c. to Sunnemo, and other smelting-houses. From this cause, though the distance to Bosjö, the first stage, was little more than ten miles, it was the middle of the day before we reached it.

At this place, which is finely situated in the solitudes of the forest, there is a considerable forge and smelting-house, belonging to Mr. Otterdahl, of Gothenburg, of whom I have spoken elsewhere. Here, at the pressing solicitation of Mr. Erickson,

At Arboga I overtook my förebud; but thinking that, if I travelled throughout the night, I might probably find horses at the several posthouses, I determined not to make a second halt, but to push forward at once for Stockholm, which was then at about one hundred and ten miles to the eastward.

My route lay through a champaign and level country, and through the towns of Köping, Westerǎs, and Euköping, and at no great distance from the northern shores of the noble and beautiful lake Mälarn; but I saw nothing of the scenery on this occasion, as all nature was shrouded in darkness.

Though in the forest and sheltered situations there was a little snow upon the ground; in the more open parts of the country the wind had driven it from the road, and this, in consequence, was in many parts altogether bare; added to this evil, the frost partially broke up during the night, and it came on to blow heavily from the westward. From these causes, travelling became both tedious and fatiguing, for I was often necessitated to get out of my sledge, and to walk alongside of it for long distances together.

When we had proceeded to within about thirty miles of Stockholm, the country assumed a much bolder and more picturesque character, and became more deeply wooded. Henceforward there was, in most places, a sufficiency of snow upon the