Up The Baltic Part 57

"That's a Dalecarlian woman. They used to row the boats about the waters of the city, coming down from Dalecarlia to spend the summer here; but the little steamers have taken the business all away from them. They hired a boat for the season, and paid the owner one half of the fares."

"Their costume is rather picturesque," added Paul.

"But that woman is far from handsome," laughed Mrs. Kendall.

"None of them are pretty," replied the doctor.

The dress was a rather short petticoat, with a fanciful bodice, in which red predominated. Quite a number of them were seen by the party during their stay in Stockholm, but all of them had coa.r.s.e features and clumsy forms.

The carriage returned to the centre of the city by another street, pa.s.sing through Carl XIII. Torg, or square, where stands the statue of that king.

"There is the Cafe Blanche, where they have music every afternoon in summer, with beer, coffee, and other refreshments. The Swedes are very fond of these gardens," said Moller. "Here is the Hotel Rydberg. This is Gustaf Adolf Torget, and that is his statue."

Crossing the bridge to the little island in the stream, the carriage stopped, to enable the party to look down into the garden, which is called Stromparterren, where a band plays, and refreshments are dispensed in the warm evenings of summer. Pa.s.sing the immense palace, the tourists drove along the Skeppsbron, or quay, which is the princ.i.p.al landing-place of the steamers. Crossing another bridge over the south stream, or outlet of Lake Maler, they entered the southern suburb of the city, called Sodermalm. Ascending to the highest point of land, the party were conducted to the roof of a house, where a magnificent view of the city and its surroundings was obtained.

"We will sit down here and rest a while," said the doctor, suiting the action to the words. "This promontory, or some other one near it, was formerly called Agne's Rock, and there is a story connected with it.

Agne was the king of Sweden about 220 B.C. In a war with the Finns, he killed their king, and captured his daughter Skiolfa. The princess, according to the custom of those days, became the wife, but practically the slave, of her captor. She was brought to Sweden, where Agne and his retainers got beastly drunk on the occasion of celebrating the memorial rites of her father. Skiolfa, with the a.s.sistance of her Finnish companions, pa.s.sed a rope through the ma.s.sive gold chain on the neck of the king, and hung him to a tree, beneath which their tent was pitched. Having avenged the death of her father, the princess and her friends embarked in their boats, and escaped to Finland."

"They finished him, then," laughed Captain Lincoln. "But what sort of boats had they?"

"I don't know," replied Dr. Winstock.

"Could they cross the Baltic in boats?"

"Yes. When you go to Finland you will find that the course will be through islands nearly all the way. There is no difficulty in crossing in an open boat."

"What is the population of Stockholm?" asked Paul.

"One hundred and thirty-five thousand," replied Moller. "It was founded by King Birger in 1250."

"There is a monitor," said Paul, pointing to the waters near Castelholmen, not far from the anchorage of the squadron.

"We have four in the Swedish navy, and Russia has plenty of them.

Ericsson, who invented them, was a Swede, you know."

After the tourists had surveyed the panorama to their satisfaction, they descended, and entering the carriage, drove over to the Riddarholm, where the guide pointed out the church, the statue of Gustavus Vasa, the house of the n.o.bles, and other objects of interest.

Returning to the quay, they stopped to look at the little steamers which were whisking about in every direction.

"That is the National Museum," said Moller, pointing to a large and elegant building across the stream.

"I should like to sail in one of those little boats," said Mrs.

Kendall.

"We can go over and back in ten minutes, if you like," added the guide.

"Let us go."

The party alighted from the carriage, and entered the little boat.

"How much did you pay, Paul?" asked Grace.

"The fare is no larger than the boat. It is three ore each person."

"How much is that?"

"Let me see; eight tenths of a cent, or less than a halfpenny, English."

The excursionists returned without landing.

"I should like to go again," said Grace. "It is delightful sailing in such dear little steamers."

"If you please, we will ride over to the Djurgarden, and return by the steamer, which will land us at the Stromparterre," said the guide.

This proposition was accepted, and by a circuitous route they reached the place indicated, which, in English, is the Deer Garden. It is on an island, separated from the main land by a channel. The southern portion of it is a thickly-populated village, but the princ.i.p.al part of the island is laid out as a park, of which the people of Stockholm are justly proud. It was originally a sterile tract of land: the first improvements converted it into a deer park for the royal use; but Gustaf III. and Charles (XIV.) John, as Bernadotte was styled, turned it into a public park. It is laid out in walks and avenues beautifully shaded with oaks and other trees. The land is undulating, and parts of it command splendid views of the islands and watercourses in the vicinity. On the outskirts is an asylum for the blind and for deaf mutes. Rosendahl, a country house, built by Charles John in 1830, and often occupied by him, is quite near the park.

The party drove through the princ.i.p.al avenues of the garden, and stopped at the bust of Bellman, the great poet of Sweden, whose birthday is annually celebrated here with music and festivities.

Around the park are various tea-gardens, cafes, and other places of amus.e.m.e.nt, including a theatre, circus, and opera-house for summer use. There is an Alhambra, with a restaurant; a Tivoli, with a concert-room; a Novilla, with a winter garden, and a concert hall for summer. The tourists stopped at Ha.s.selbacken, which is celebrated for its good dinners at moderate prices. The visitors seated themselves in a broad veranda, overlooking a garden filled with little tables, in the centre of which was a kiosk for the music. The viands, especially the salmon, were very nice, and the coffee, as usual, was excellent.

After dinner a short walk brought the party to the landing-place of the little steamers, where, paying eight ore, or about two cents, each, they embarked. The boat flew along at great speed for such a small craft, whisked under the Skeppsholm bridge, and in a few moments landed the tourists at the circular stone quay, which surrounds the Stromparterre. Paul and his lady walked to the hotel, and the doctor and the captain went to the Skeppsbron, where a boat soon conveyed them to the ship.

Sanford and Stockwell had been on board several hours, and had had time to make up their minds in regard to their future course. They had considered the advice of the boatswain, and finally concluded to adopt it. Clyde Blacklock was as tame as a parlor poodle. His experience in running away, especially after his three days on board of the Rensdyr, was far from satisfactory.

"I suppose I must go into that cage again," said he, when he went on board.

"That depends on yourself," replied Peaks. "If you say that you don't intend to run away again, we shall not put you in the brig."

"I think I won't," added Clyde.

"You think?"

"Well, I know I won't. I will try to do the best I can."

"That's all we ask," said Peaks. "You can say all this to the princ.i.p.al."

Mr. Lowington returned earlier than most of the ship's company, and Peaks reported to him immediately. The c.o.xswain and his a.s.sociate were called up first.

"We have come on board, sir," said Sanford, touching his cap.

"I see you have. You have been gone a long time, and I have been told that you had some difficulty in finding the ship," added the princ.i.p.al.

"We have concluded to tell the whole truth, sir," said Sanford, hanging his head.

"I am very glad to hear that."

"We didn't wish to find the ship."

"Can you explain the accident by which the second cutter was stove at Christiansand?"

"I did it on purpose; but no other fellow was to blame, or knew anything about it."