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FORTIA’S TRAVELS IN SWEDEN. 469
We cannot take leave of Fahlun without an acknowledgment to Mr. Nordin, the go-
yernor of the province, for the kindnefs he fhewed us. During the whole of our ftay at
that town he made his houfe our home.
This is the feafon for giving fome account of this province and its inhabitants.
Dalecarlia is a large province, eighty leagues long by fixty broad at leaft. Tillage’
lands are fearce in it, and in confequence it is far from being peopled in proportion to
its extent, containing little more than one hundred and twenty thoufand inhabitants.
Its mines and forges are its principal and almoft only wealth; but in this country, in-
terfeéted by lakes, forefts, and torrents, dwells a brave and loyal people, at all times
attached to their fovereigns and to freedom; for they do not regard fuch union as in-
compatible. In Dalecarlia, above all other parts of Sweden, is the remembrance of its
valiant deliverer cherifhed. The peafant, the artifan, the people at large, all of them
talk of Guftavus Vafa: they call to mind that to their anceftors it was he owed his
crown. It exalts their imagination, and they {peak of it with pride and pleafure. This
people, nearly as rude as their mountains, poflefles the fame rugged manners, the fame
charatteriftics. Free as heretofore, they deem the chains of flavery infupportable. At-
tached to their King, they look for a chief in him and not a mafter: ever ready to ftep
forward in his defence, the Dalecarlian of the prefent day has proved to Guftavus III.
that he has not degenerated. The Dalecarlians poflefs the right of fhaking hands with
the Princes of the blood royal, and even with the King himfelf upon meeting with
him : to this we were eye-witnefles at Haga one day while attending His Majefty, who
had the goodnefs to affure us of the truth of the exiftence of this cuftom. ‘The Dale-
carlians are divided into black and grey ; a denomination arifing from their drefs, which
is perpetually of one or the other of thefe colours.
From Fahlun to Geffe is thirteen miles; you pafs through Strand, Upbo, Smedby,
Reurfoyttan, Sarftad Afen, Heugbo, and Beck: there isa different road, fhorter by two
miles and a half, but which is only paflable in the fummer time.
You pafs over nearly the fame road before traverfed on leaving Fahlun, for the poft-
office of Upbo is but halfa mile from Sceter, on the oppofite fide of the river. Inthe
third ftage you crofs the Dahl three times over a floating bridge. From Smedby to
Sarftad a very woody country. At Reeurfhyttan is a confiderable forge, and a number
of others between that place and the fucceeding ftage, particularly at a large village,
near a river, which you crofs over a bridge. Before you reach Sarftad, you come to
a barrier, which divides Dalecarlia from Geftricie. We were very well accommodated
at Sarftad, where we flept. Half a mile from Sarftad, out of the road, are the iron
mines of ‘Torfocker, of great extent. In them are found black iron ore granulated ;
galena blended with the iron ore; martial pyrites; garnets, both large and fmall,
but full of chinks; rocks of garnets, calcareous fpar, and quartz. At half a
mile from the mines is a mountain called Kicerberg, which yields black garnets, min-
gled with calcareous and granulated white fpar, forming very pretty but very friable
maffes. The works of this mine are fuperb; the galleries admirable, and highly de-
ferving of notice. From Reeurfhyttan to Gefle there are a greater number of villages,
and many houfes ftanding by themfelves in the country, the refult of the number of
mines and forges. The. roads likewife are better, and here and there you fee fome
fields of corn. At the beginning of the laft ftage you pafs a bridge, and another be-
fore you arrive at Gefle; the latter of ftone, with a baluftrade of iron, and an infcrip-
tion, importing that it was built in 1772, under the adminiftration of Mr. Sparre, in com-
memoration of the revolution.
Gefle,
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