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154 REGNARD’S JOURNEY TO LAPLAND.
and Ihad the honour to kifs his hand, and to converfe with him fome time. My refi-
dence in Copenhagen was extremely agreeable ; and I found the ladies in it fo witty
and fo handfome, that I fhould fcarcely have been able to leave them, if I had not been
aflured that thofe of Sweden were equally agreeable. The anxious defire which I had
of feeing the King of Sweden alfo induced me to vifit Stockholm. We had the honour
of faluting the King, and of converfing with him for a whole hour. As he knew we
were travelling from motives of curiofity, he informed us that Lapland deferved to be
feen by the curious, both on account of its fituation and its inhabitants, whofe mode of
living 1s quite different from that of all Europe; and he gave orders to Count Steinbielk,
grand treafurer, to give us every neceflary recommendation, if we wifhed to undertake
the journey. And pray, Sir, who could refift the advice of a King, and a great King
too, like that of Sweden? Might not one with his advice undertake any thing? And
could we be unfuccefsful in an attempt which he himfelf had recommended, and to
which he wifhed fuccefs ? The advices of kings are commands ; and it was on this ac-
count that, after putting all our affairs in order, we fet fail for Torno, on Wednefday
the twenty-third day of July, 1681, at mid-day, after having paid our refpetts to
M. Steinbielk, grand treafurer, who, obeying the orders which he had received from
the King, his mater, gave his recommendations to the governors of the provinces
through which we were to travel.
We were carried by a fouth-weft wind as far as Vacfol, where the fhips are vifited.
On our paflage thither we were {truck with the ridiculous pofition of Stockholm. It
is almoft incredible that a fituation, fuch as that of this city, fhould have been chofen
for the purpofe of containing the capital of fuch an extenfive kingdom as that of Sweden.
It is faid that the founders of this city, feeking a {pot on which to build it, threw a ftick
into the fea, with the determination to build the city wherever the ftick ftopped: the
{tick confequently {topped in the place where the city now ftands, which has nothing
frightful about it but its fituation; for the buildings are handfome, and the inhabitants
polite.
We faw the ifland of Aland, forty miles diftant from Stockholm : it is very fertile,
and becomes the retreat of the elks, who go thither from Livonia and Carelia, when
the winter allows them to pafs over on the ice. ‘This animal, though in fome refpeéts
like the deer, furpafles it in {wiftnefs and ftrength, which it employs againft the wolves,
with whom it frequently engages. The fkin of this animal belongs to the King; and
the peafants are obliged, under pain of death, to carry it to the governor.
After leaving this ifland we loft fight of land, and did not again defcry it till Friday
morning, in the neighbourhood of Hernen or Hernefante, which is a hundred miles
diftant from Stockholm, equal to three hundred French leagues, and the wind conti-
nuing extremely ftrong, we foon defcried the iflands of Ulfen, Schagen, and Goben ;
fo that on Saturday we found that we had left Angermania, and were now as far as
Urna, the firft city of Lapland, and which takes its name from the river on which it is.
fituated. ‘This city gives its name to the whole province, which is called Urna Lap-
mark. It is fituated in 38° of longitude, and in 65° 11’ of north latitude, diftant
from Stockholm about one hundred and fifty miles, which amount to about four hun.
dred and fifty French leagues. j
We faw the iflands of Quercken on Saturday, and the wind continuing always fouth-
weft, enabled us to perceive at mid-day the little ifland of Ratan ; and at four o’clock of
the evening we found ourfelves as far as Cape Burockluben.
After paffing this little cape we loft fight of land, and on Sunday morning, the wind
having continued foutherly during the whole night, we found ourfelves as far as Mal-
I hurn,
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