Up The Baltic Part 26

"We shall see enough of it before we leave the Baltic," said Lincoln.

"Probably we shall not care to see it after we have been looking at it a week."

"According to the chart, this part of the coast is fringed with islands, but they don't look so bare and desolate as those of Norway.

I had an idea that everything on this side of the ocean was entirely different from what we see on our side," added the captain.

"That was just my idea."

"But it isn't so. It is almost the same thing here as the coast of Maine. The sh.o.r.e here is hilly, and through the gla.s.s it looks as though it was covered with pine forests."

"I expect to see something different before we return."

"Not in the Baltic; for I fancy most of the southern coast looks like that of our Middle and Southern States."

"Up here, even the houses look just as they do at home."

"I don't believe we shall find it so in Denmark."

As there was little to be seen, the regular routine of the squadron was followed, and those who were in the steerage, attending to their recitations, did not feel that they were losing anything. Later in the day, the wind was light, and the vessels made very little progress, though the course brought them nearer to the coast, where on the port bow appeared a high promontory, extending far out into the sea. The wind died out entirely just before sunset, and the sails hung motionless from the spars; for there was no swell to make them thrash about, as at sea. It was utter silence, and it was hard to believe that very ugly storms often made sad havoc in this channel.

When the sun rose the next morning it brought with it a light breeze from the west, and the fleet again skimmed merrily along over the water. Its course was near the town of Marstrand, a noted Swedish watering-place, situated on an island. Soon after, pilots were taken, and the vessels stood into the harbor of Gottenburg, which is formed by the mouth of Gota River. Along the sides of the channel were posts set in the water, for the convenience of vessels hauling in or out of the harbor. The fleet came to anchor in a convenient part of the port, and those on board proceeded to take a leisurely survey of the city.

The portion of the town nearest to them was built on low, flat land, and they could see the entrances of various ca.n.a.ls. Farther back was a series of rugged hills, which were covered with pleasant residences and beautiful gardens. After dinner the students were mustered on deck, to listen to a few particulars in regard to the city, though it was understood that the general lecture on Sweden would be reserved until the arrival of the squadron at Stockholm.

"What city is this?" asked Mr. Mapps.

"Gottenburg," replied a hundred of the students.

"That is plain English. What do the Swedes call it?"

"G-o-t-e-b-o-r-g," answered Captain Lincoln, spelling the word.

"Perhaps I had better call on Professor Badois to p.r.o.nounce it for you."

"Y[=a]t-a-borg," said the instructor in languages, repeating the p.r.o.nunciation several times, which, however, cannot be very accurately expressed with English characters. "And the river here is Ya-tah."

"The French call the city _Gothembourg_. It is five miles from the sea, and is connected with Stockholm by the Gota Ca.n.a.l, which is a wonderful piece of engineering. Steamboats ply regularly between Gottenburg and the capital through this ca.n.a.l, the voyage occupying three or four days."

"I intend to make a trip up this ca.n.a.l as far as the Wenern Lake, with the students," said Mr. Lowington.

A cheer greeted this announcement, and then the professor described the ca.n.a.l minutely.

"The princ.i.p.al street of Gottenburg," he continued, "is on the ca.n.a.l, extending through the centre of the city. There are no remarkable buildings, however, for the city is a commercial place. It was founded by Gustavus Adolphus, and, like many other cities of the north, being built of wood, it has several times been nearly destroyed by fire. The buildings now are mostly of stone, or of brick covered with plaster.

The environs of the city, as you may see from the ship, are very pleasant. Now a word about the money of Sweden. The government has adopted a decimal system, of which the unit is the _riksdaler_, containing one hundred _ore_. The currency in circulation is almost entirely paper, though no bills smaller than one riksdaler are issued.

The silver coins in use are the half and the quarter riksdaler, and the ten-ore piece; the latter being a very small coin. On the coppers, the value in ore is marked. A riksdaler is worth about twenty-seven cents of our money. Sweden is a cheap country."

The signal was made for embarking in the boats, and in a few moments the Gottenburgers, as well as the people on board of the foreign vessels in the harbor, were astonished by the evolutions of the squadron. The students landed, and dividing into parties, explored the city. Their first care was to examine the ca.n.a.l, and the various craft that floated upon it; but the latter, consisting mainly of schooners, were not different from those they saw at home. They visited the exchange, the cathedral, the residence of the governor of the province, and other princ.i.p.al edifices.

"How do you feel, Scott?" asked Laybold, after they had walked till they were tired out, and it was nearly time to go to the landing-place.

"Tired and hungry," replied the wag. "I wonder if these Swedishers have anything to eat."

"Probably they do; here's a place which looks like a restaurant."

"I feel as though I hadn't tasted food for four months. Let's go in."

They entered the store, which was near the _Bourse_. A neatly-dressed waiter bowed to them, and Scott intimated that they wanted a lunch.

The man who understood English, conducted them to a table, on which a variety of eatables was displayed, some of which had a familiar look, and others were utterly new and strange. The waiter filled a couple of wine-gla.s.ses from a decanter containing a light-colored fluid, and placed them before the boys.

"What's that?" asked Scott, glancing suspiciously at the wine-gla.s.s.

"_Finkel_," replied the man.

"Exactly so; that's what I thought it was," replied Scott, who had never heard of the stuff before. "Is it strong?"

"No," answered the waiter, shaking his head with a laugh. "Everybody drinks it in Sweden."

"Then we must, Laybold, for we are somebody."

Scott raised the gla.s.s. The fluid had the odor of anise-seed, and was not at all disagreeable. The taste, too, was rather pleasant at first, and Scott drank it off. Laybold followed his example. We must do them the justice to say that neither of them knew what "finkel" was.

Something like strangulation followed the swallowing of the fluid.

"That's not bad," said Scott, trying to make the best of it.

"No, not bad, Scott; but what are you crying about?" replied the other, when he recovered the use of his tongue.

"I happened to think of an old aunt of mine, who died and left me all her money," added Scott, wiping his eyes. "But you needn't cry; she didn't leave any of the money to you."

"What are you going to eat?"

"I generally eat victuals," replied Scott, picking up a slice of bread on which was laid a very thin slice of smoked salmon. "That's not bad."

The waiter pa.s.sed to Laybold a small plate of sandwiches, filled with a kind of fish-sp.a.w.n, black and shining. The student took a huge bite of one of them, but a moment elapsed before he realized the taste of the interior of the sandwich; then, with the ugliest face a boy could a.s.sume, he rushed to the door, and violently ejected the contents of his mouth into the street.

"What's the matter?" demanded the waiter, struggling to keep from laughing.

"What abominably nasty stuff!" exclaimed Laybold. "It's just like fish slime."

"Don't you like it, Laybold?" asked Scott, coolly.

"Like it? I don't like it."

"Everybody in Sweden eats it," said the waiter.

"What's the matter with it? Is it like defunct cat?" asked Scott.

"More like defunct fish. Try it."

"I will, my lad," added Scott, taking a liberal bite of one of the sandwiches.