Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1852-10-21
Travelling in Sweden.

Beta, the foreign correspondent Of the
Springfield Republican, in a recent letter,
gives the following description of the mode
Of travelling in Sweden:
The posting system in Sweden is very
peculiar one. No carriages are furnished,
except a little one horse cart, without springs,
SO that if you wish 10 travel with any com.
fort you must take your own carriage with
you, and this must not only be provided with
large pot OF grease hung from the axle be-
meath II, but also with full set of black
smIIh's tools, 10 he ready for any not TOO sx-
Iraordinary emergency. Except in few Of
the large towns no horses are kept in readi-
ness, but when a traveller arrives they are
brought by the peasants living in the vicni-
ty, who are Obliged 10 furnish Them, howev-
er lnconvenlenl ii may be. But they are
allowed 10 keep the traveller waiting three
hours, nj the expiration of which time the
station master must, under heavy penalties,
have The horses ready.
This possible delay, however can be en-
t:rely avoided by sending what is called
fOrbId,' that is, messenger, 10 say that al
such time YOU need certain number Of
horses, and if they are not then ready. the
station master is subjected to heavy fine
and book is always provided in which
complaints may he written, aud which is ex-
amlued at fixed intervals by the proper au-
thorlies. Horses may he kept waiting ar
hour without extra pay, after which the charge
is twelve skilllngs, OF six cents an hour per
horse, till at the expiration of five hours.
when the peasant is at liberty TO take his
horses home. The traveller, or his servant
rs expected to drive, some one, commonly n
boy, going along to lake back the horses, and
carrying with him a huge bundle of hay, or
two or three large crackers made Of coarse
black meal, with which to feed them. With
one horse, one person may travel, with TWO
horses three, in both cases of course not IT.
cluding the boy.
The Swedes, when travelling alone, usual
ly take with them sort of Iwo-s seated mar
row sulky, the traveller sitting before and the
boy behind, and sometimes there is merely
standing place for the unfortunate boy. Tie
cost OF travelling in This manner varies some
what with the district of the country but IL
is perhaps fair 10 give us the average, Is cts.
per horse per Swedish mile, which is equiv
alent to fraction less than seven English
miles. On leaving the large towns, the cost
is more, but in The most remote districts il
does not exceed l2 l.2 cenls per mile. A
with Il couple of cents you make the boy as
happy as king. A. this season of the year
however, have found it quite unnecessary
TO send on 'forbud,' for nave, tiil now,
with one or two exceptions, got horses i'm
mediaiely on my arrival, though occus onal-
ly have been obliged TO offer twelve skill
ling piece extra, if The horses were there in
ten minutes.
In this way have averaged, inclusive of
the time LOST in chang ing horses, Swedish
mile per hour, rae OF speed which is, in
part, owing 10 the excellent roads which
seem 10 exist all over the country. and in
part also 10 The Swedish horses which are
usually small, toueh-looking lille creatures
seldom fed on anything but lay, and yet
seemingly possessing great powers of endu-
rance. They 20 slow up hill, but make up
for this by dashng down even the steepes
hills al rate which sers an EngIishman's
hair all on end, and occasionally has a strong
tendency 10 cause an Americans 10 assume
perpendicular position. 1t seems 10 be the
custom to cut off the horses names quite
short, TO leave only n wild, boar-lke
crest standing up along The back of The neck,
which, as you may easily imagine, gives to
them peculiar appearance. The traveller
usually takes his harness with him. With
its rope reins and other fixins,' il is seldom
remarkable for beauty, whatever may be its
excellencies in regard to strength. The ira
ces are never uniastened from the wliff1e-
tree, but by some, 10 me, quite obscure pro-
cess in which kicking, frisking, lifting, low
erin2 and swearing are combined in about
equal proportions, the poor animals are got
into and out of The harness.