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FORTIA’S TRAVELS IN SWEDEN. 555
the year. Landing on the ifland of Aland you find the poft-houfe of Frebenby: thence
to Enkarby is one mile and a quarter; to Haraldby one and a quarter; almoft towards
the end of this ftage you crofs a fmall arm of the fea in a flat boat, the charge is one
{chilling per each horle, the carriage is not difmounted. To Bomarfand three eighths
of a mile; at the firft eighth after pafling a wooden bridge you diftinguifh on the right
the ruinated caftle of Ca/tclholm, in which the unfortunate Eric XIV. was confined in
1751. By the fide of it is a {mall building which ferves as a prifon. At Bomarfund
you embark for Finland ; if the wind be good it will be advifeable to take boat direct
for Abo, thus avoiding the inconvenience and lofs of time arifing from repeated em-
barkations and difembarkations. In this cafe, as you travel through the village of Finby,
half a mile before you reach Bomarfand, you mutt treat with a boat matter in order not
to have to wait: a boat to Abo colts five, or at moft fix rix-dollars; the diftance nearly
fixteen miles and a half. We croffed in fifteen hours, and had not the wind changed
towards the latter part of our courfe, fhould have completed the paflage in lefs than
eleven, as we had already got fourteen miles on our way in eight hours: with the ex-
ception of the paflage called De/et nearly three miles broad, you are conftantly fur-
rounded by iflands, and at hand to take refuge in cafe of contrary winds. Of-thefe
iflands, fome are nothing but rocks, others are covered with wood and inhabited.
Some are more than a league and a half in breadth, fuch as Vardo, Kumlinge, and feveral
others as you approach the coaft of Finland. ‘his inceffantly varying {cene affords a
fingular profpeét, before you reach Abo, you perceive the little town of Nodendabl.
If the traveller prefer following the cuftomary road he may confult the book of poft
roads; he will however do much better in taking our advice, fo faving both money
and time.
Abo, the capital of Finland, is fituated on a fmall river about half a mile from the
fea; it has a number of {tone houfes, and contains ten thoufand inhabitants. It is
imagined that the laft war may poflibly have fomewhat diminifhed this number. At
the entrance of the channel or river of Abo, on the left, is the old caftle in which the
unfortunate Eric XIV. was for fome time imprifoned, as well as John IIL. in 1563. In
1791, this caftle was repaired for quarters for troops; a plan was refolved upon for
eftablifhing there a third flotilla compofed of a dozen of bomb ketches and about three
fcore gun-boats. ‘They are to be under fhelter; when the caftle is finifhed it will afford
quarters for one hundred and eighty marines.
The cathedral is a tolerably large building of great antiquity: it contains the monu-
ments of a number of noble families buried there; that among others of Catharine
Manidotter, Queen of Sweden, married to Eric ‘XIV. who died in Finland in 1612.
~ Inthe fame chapel that of Count de Tott her fon-in-law, and her daughter Sigrida.
The organ is the prefent of a citizen of Abo, who thought he had a right to tranfinit his
likenefs to pofterity, and for that purpofe caufed himfelf to be painted at length in the
middle of the front.
The univerfity was founded in 1640, during the minority of Chriftina: it contained
in 1791 three hundred and fifty ftudents: it is reculated in the fame manner as the
univerfity at Upfal. The library contains ten thoufand volumes; its revenue is no more
than 120 rix-dollars; it was founded by Count Brahé at the fame time as the univer.
fity : this library contains nothing particularly curious; we were fhewn a manufcript
in folio of one thoufand three hundred and forty-one pages, entitled, Minutes of a
commiffion nominated in 1676, and of the fentence pronounced on certain malefacors and
magicians, written in the Swedifh language by Andrew Engman, the Notary of the faid
Commiffion : it wants fome leaves at the beginning. Miffale Abenfe, Lubecky 1588,
; 4-3 2° with:
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