Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1857-04-17

froze together so that l could scarcely open ,
my mouth, and firmly fastened TO my fur
collar We Travelled forty-nine miles, and
were twelve hours on the way, yet felt no
from the temperature.
This travel is almost wholly journey by
night, dawn and twilight, for full day there
is none The sun rises at ten and sets at
two. We skim along, over the black, fir
clothed hills and across the pleasant little
valleys, in the long, gray, slowly gathering
davbreak; then, heavy snow-clouds hide
half the brief day, and long, long dusky /
evening glow settles into night. The sleigh |
ing is superb, the snow as pure rs ivory, |
hard as marble, and beautifully crisp and |
smooth. Our sleds glide over it without
effort, the runners making music as they go.
With every day the country grows wilder,
blacker and more rugged, with no change
in the general character of the scenery. In
the afternoon VIC passed the frontier of Nor
land, and cnter the province Of West Both
mia, or Umeaa Lappmark, as it was former
" called. There are fewer horses at the
stations, as We go north, but also fewer trav-
elers, and we are not often detained. Thus
far, we have had no difficulty; my scanty
stock Of Swedish goes great way, and 1
begin to understand with more facility, even
the broad Norrland dialect.
The people Of this region are noblo spec
linens of the physical man-tall, broad
shouldered, large-limbcd, ruddy aud power
ful; and they are mated with women who, |
venture to say, do not even suspect the ex-
istcnce of nervous system. The natural
consequences of such health are morality
and honesty--to say nothing of the quanti-
ties of robust children which bless every
household. If health and virtue cannot Sc
cure happiness, nothing can, and these
Norrlanders appear to be a thoroughly hap
py and contented race. We had OCCASION
al reason to complain of their slowness; but
then, why should they be fistl 1t is rath-
er we who should moderate our speed
Braistcd however, does not accept such a
philosophy. "Charles XII. was the boy to
manage tho Swedes," said he TO me the 9TH
er day, she always kept them in hurry"
We reached Lefwar in Lappmark last
night in good condition, notwithstanding the
} 22o below zero, and felt much colder in the
| house, after stripping off our furs, than out
| of doors with them on. They gave us a
) supper consisting of smorgdds ('buttcrgoose
, the Swedish prelude to meal, consist
ing usually of bread, butter, picked ancho
l vies, and salmon-roses favored with garlic,
n sausages, potatoes md milk, and made 70
t ssumptuous beds of the snowiest and sweet
!, est linen. We rose this morning it wa
2 snowing About an inch had fallen durin.
d the night, and the mercury had risen to G.
:. below zero. We drove along in the dusk,
t half-twilight toward AngeSjo, over low broa,
{, hills, covered with forests of stunted bircl
n and fir. Tho scenery continued the same
e and thcrc is no use in repeating the dcscrip
ton, except to say that the land became
: more cold and barren, and there was moth
: ing cultivated except flax. barley, and pota
e toes. Still the same ridges sweeping dow
e the Gulf, on one hand, the same frozen bay
y and inlets on tho other, and villages at in
/, tervals of eight or ten miles, each with it
: great solid church, low, red belfry, and dc
: serted encampmcnt of red stables. Befor
}. reaching the second station, we looked fror
5, a wooded height over the opened expans
t of the Gulf-a plain of snow-covercd ic,
e stretching eastward as far rs the eye coul
g reach.
L The day gradually became still and colo
e. until the temperature reached-22o agai
l. and we became comfortable in the sam
ID proportion. The afternoon twilight, spler
ii did with its hues Of amber, rose and saffrol
Iy died away so gradually that it scarcely seen
k, ed to fade at all, lighting our path for
IS. least three hours after sunset. Our post
d, lions were all boys-ruddy, hardy your
G. fellows of fourteen, who drove we'll and sa,
'r- necessarily in spite of the cold. They tai
ed much with us, but to little purpose, as
of found it very difficult to understand 4
IN, humming dialect they spoke. Each as
received his drickpenninger (drink-mone
err or gratuity,) at the end of the station, c
10. pressed his thanks by shaking hands with 1
I'm This is the universal custom throughout Il
m, the north of Sweden; it is part of Il
w. simple, natural habits Of the people; al
Ill though it seemed rather odd at first to
m shaking hands with everybody, from t
os- landlord down to the cook and hostler,
IN have como to take it rs matter of cour
set L no lIduh, uIIliIcSic'i way III WHICH
nd hand is offered, oftcner makes the custom
ed pleasant one.
of At Stocksjo we decided to push on
bic this place, instead Of stopping for the MIG
ort at Umeaa, and took our horses according
Ia The direct road however was unused on
all count of the drifts, so We went arou
M through Umeaa after all. We had nea
: Swedish mile, and it was Just dark VIII
his we descended to the Umeaa River, acr
ng whose solid surface we drove and up ste
nc bank into the town. We stopped a Z
kd minutes in the little public square, VIII
ng was crowded with people, many of wh'
eet had already commenced their Christm
sprces. The shops were lighted, and I
sor little town looked gay and lively. Passi
re- through We kept down tho left bank for
De- tie distance, and then struck into the WOO
asst 1t was night by this time; all at once the b
nd stopped, mounted snow bank, whirl
lis around two or three times, and said son
ch, thing to me which could not understal
,rn "Whats the mattcr?' asked; dis not I
his the road to Innertshe :" II don't know
Die | think not" he said. "Dou't you know
ish way, thcn9" asked again. s'No~ he y,
on ed in reply, whirled around several tin
more, and then drove on. Presently