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FORTIA’S TRAVELS IN SWEDEN» $52
Mefirs.Grill and Pyhl, it did belong to Guftavus Adolphus, who dwelt here, butwith fe-
veral others was given to the family of Geer, who had rendered the King great fervice :
the prefent poffeflors bought it for 140,coo rix.dollars, but according to the increafe of
the value of coin, its worth is about 300,000 rix-dollars; the chateau is handfome and
well built, of brick and ftone (notwith{tanding the Dutch traveller reports it of wood) ;
within it has little to recommend it; its neighbourhood is pleafant, particularly for a
country fo much towards the north. ‘The traveller will do well to vifit this forge, as all
the different works are carried on at it, whereas at Leefta and Forfmarck no pig iron is
run. ‘This forge has three hammers, without including one for fteel and another for
iron; each hammer is capable of working from forty to fifty fchippunds weekly ; what
is highly fingular, one of thefe continually works more than the other two by from fix
to feven fchippunds, and notwithftanding the workmen have been changed, the refult,
without their being able to account for it, has yet been conftantly the fame. The Wal-
loon method of working is followed here, becaufe more work is completed by that
method, and the iron lefs hamméred ; this practice is requifite at this forge as well as
that of Loefta and Gimo, as all the iron is manufaétured at thefe three different places,
of which the Englifh make their ftecl. Here five thoufand {chippunds are forged ;
fome years they have, from want of water, been able to forge no more than three thou-
fand ; fometimes there is alfo a dearth of charcoal; what is bought cofts 32 {chillings,
if brought by the peafants it cofts from 6 to 7 dollars. Foriron in bars, 4 lafts per {chip-
pund is required, of which two for the rough iron of the firft cafting. The charcoal
for the kilns is much moye burnt than that for melting. The fteel is worked with fea.
coal, after the Englifh manner, with artificial bellows. Samples of: it have been fent to
France, but they could not vie with the Englifh. The price of nails is, if under five
inches long, from one to fix dollars the thoufand. Large nails are fold by the fchip-
pund, at from roto 165 rix-dollars, according as the heads are more or lefs wrought.
The water comes from a lake, three-fourths of a mile in length, which formerly was
a marfh. Channels were cut in the neighbouring forefts connected with it, in order to
gather in one place all the rain-water ; in dry years there is but’ little, as was the cafe
particularly in 1790. It frequently raifes higher than the ground in its neighbourhood,
which has neceflitated the conftruction of a {trong dam; fhould this give way, not only
the forge but the plain as far as Upfal, and a part of the town even, would be over:
flowed. In 1751 or 52, only four inches were wanting of its reaching the fummit of the
dam. The Governor of Upfal perceiving the waters fuddenly rife, came in: perfon to
Q£ufterby, to fee if the dam had not given way. By the fide of the lake is another re-
fervoir, and two more below this. From the firft to the laft there isa fall of from
twelve to thirteen ells. ‘The fame water fupplies Loeufta in great meafure.
All workmen requifite to a colony are found here: the village is compofed of feventy
houfes, difpofed in four ftreets after the manner of the Dutch; each houfe contains two
families, and has a little garden; there are one hundred and fifty workmen, and alto-
gether feven hundred inhabitants. ‘The Walloon colony at Geufterby has preferved a
confiderable portion of its antient manners: the people compofing it intermarrying
only among themfelves, and holding the peafantry around in fovereign contempt. In
1790 they attempted to imitate the people from Liege, but this kind of revolt had no
confequences. In their contra¢t there is a ftipulation for wine, and they are paid in
filver. ‘Their fupport requires fix or feven thoufand tons of corn annually, and as the
eftate produces no more than from nine hundred to a thoufand, the reft is purchafed,
which occafions a confiderable expence. In this forge labour ceafes from eight in the
morning of Saturday, until four on Sunday evening. The Direttor’s falary is from five:
to
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