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FORTIA’S TRAVELS IN SWEDEN. ~~ 445
Paris, at Longchamps, on All Saints. ‘The King appears in his coach. In 1791 we faw
him there with the Prince Royal, the grand equerry, and a Captain of the guards, ef.
corted by his life and dragoon guards. ‘The Queen, Princes, and Princeffes make their
appearance as well, with but very few attendants. Prince Charles alone was on horfe-
back, efcorted by life guards, afligned him by the King as an acknowledgement of his
fervices, in the fame manner as did Frederic II. to his brother, Prince Henry. This ce-
remony, if a fimple promenade deferve that title, confifts in taking a turn or two in
the park. ‘The King alighted at the Spanifh minifter’s, who has built a country houfe
in a fingular pofition. It is upon a {mall promontory projecting into the fea, fo that in
his faloon you may fancy yourfelf on boevd of fhip. All veffels-arriving at, or failing
from Stockholm, pafs by this fpot, and the paflage is in this part fo narrow, that you
may converfe with the marines, even at times without a trumpet. ‘This is in. fummer
an incomparable fituation. The King has made a prefent to him, as wellas feveral)
other perfons (with a view of engaging them to build) of a pretty confiderable extent of
ground, which, with what he gains upon the fea, by throwing out piers, enables him to:
encreafe his eftate, and procure all country enjoyments.
The Camp in the Park. On the 24th June, (St. John’s Day, ) a may-bufh is plante#
before the gates of caftles and country-houfes, as in France is done on the 1ft of May,
the King and royal family fhew themfelves again in the park, and remain at the camp.
This camp, which lafts all the month of June, is compofed of the garrifon of Stock-
holm, that is to fay, of the two regiments of guards, the artillery corps, one battalion of
the Queen Dowager’s guards, and the dragoons. Along the lines, on that day, long
May poles are {tuck in the ground, ornamented with garlands and cyphers of leaves,
and fometimes with fhields and devices ; at the foot of each are barrels of beer on ftands.
At fix or feven o’clock, at a certain fignal, the barrels are tapped, and each foldier re-
ceives a pipe, a fmall loaf of bread, two herrings, and a trifle of money ; a treat of:
their feveral Captains. ‘The mufic of each regiment {trikes up, and the foldiers begin
~ drinking and dancing. Acrofs every barrel fits a foldier fantaftically dreffed either as
Bacchus, or in fome other character more or lefs grotefque: he it is who drinks the
firft, and gives the toafts, which are numerous enough, and are always fucceeded byan
exclamation of vivat: whenever any of the royal family or a general paffes, their health.
is drank with a vivat. Soldiers in difguife ave drawn on carriages all along the line;
thefe with drollery and finging ftrive to pleafe the people who flock in crowds to laugh
at them: they fometimes take indecent licence. Soon as the evening roll is beat, all
immediately difperfe in good order. The royal family generally fup in camp in the
King’s tent ; His Majefty himfelf frequently fleeps in it, and notwith{tanding he was
not prefent in 1791, his tent was erected and occupied by General Armfeldt (with whom
the court fupped) as Commandant of the camp and troops; the King giving him the
General’s Staff, at the time of his departure, to hold during the whole of his abfences:
This particular {taff is of bronze, overfpread with fmall crowns in gold from one end:
to the other. ‘The King commonly at his /evee on Monday gives the ftaff to one of his
aides de camp, to be entitled to which the individual muft at leaft be a colonel; and
during the whole time of his retaining it, he has fupreme power over all that regards
the fervice in Stockholm, Princes and Generals not excepted ; in one word, in what-
ever regards military matters he reprefents the King himfelf. ‘This ftaff muft never be
laid afide ; it is held generally for a. week when the King is at Stockholm, and fome-
times longer. His Swedifh Majefty adopted this cuftom from the court of Ruffia 5
however if fuch a practice remains there at prefent, it is with a difference.
CHuaps.
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