The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-06
TOUR In SCANDINAVIA
Beautiful Lakes and Valleys
of the North Land.
A BIT OF SWEDISH HISTORY.
Along tho CLASSY Fjords That Thread
the Land of vikings-GIimpses
of Fair Denmark.

BERLIN, Aug. 20.-tspecial Correspondence !
There Ia one part OF Sweden so diversiheo py
countless lakes that the country people say That
"when God created the world he forgot 70
separate the land from the water" first view
of the Danish island Of Faister on wet day,
suggests that He never could have tried to
separate them in this region. Presently the
ground seems to solidify; spreading beech
forests take the place OF fats and marsh, and
after crossing the narrow strait from Amagee,
we reach Copenhagen. The old city is strange
combination Of widely different states of being.
1t was founded In the twelfth century by Bishop
Axel, whence its original name of Axelhus. IL
has a quiet dignity, consciousness OF past
military glory, and material prosperity. IL
honors its dead heroes with statues, and 10
aware that these unruly spirits
would today prove rather troublesome.
Christian w., who was the most popular OF
Danish monarchs, "great In war and great IN
peace" did much for commerce and INDUSTRY
and by no means neglected art and science he
built the fairy palace of Rosenberg, now occu-
pied as a museum of antiquities, and the strong
Notifications which defed Charles Y OF sweden
and the Swedish, British and Dutch meets IN
100, but could not protect the city from the ais
astrous bombardment by the English meet III
1907. When the tutelary hero, the DANISH par
barossa, awakes from his Thousand years siseP
TO defend his country, he viii have ready help
from the people Just now, however, Christian
TX. seems to satisfy the m, courteous and hand
some as they are.
Ones first visit In Copenhagen is invariably TO
the Thorwaldsen museum, the most wonderful
collection OF modern statuary in the world.
filing as IL does an entire building. During
forty years this gifted artist produced master
piece after masterpiece and made his name the
glory OF Denmark His statues of Christ and
the Apostles. in the Church OF Our Lads, are per-
haps the most often photographed and copied,
bur his representations OF the jewellers
OF Olympus" the "Glorv That Was Greece
and the Grandeur That Was Rome" the ''Siege
of Troy" the procession OF Alexander the
Great" the cages of Love, and the Seasons
are widely known. BY an arrangement worthy
OF imitation each statue occupies the center OF a
small room or cabinet, of which it is the chief
attraction: after it has been sufficiently studied
and the reliefs on three sides OF the cabinet OBJ
served, one goes on TO the next room, TO a new
revelation of perfection, instead OF standing
dazzled and confused at the entrance OF
crowded gallery, helpless among 80 many Won
ders.
We had followed the retreating steps of spring
and the city is all glorious without The fortif-
cations are mass of green, and the gray stone
English church stands against a fiowery back
ground, where the laburnum's golden rain vies
with the lilac, the syringa and the hawthorn.
All the Danes are driving out TO the park at
vehicles OF every description landaus. vietorias,
coach, carriage, wheelbarrow and dogcart. Past
the canals und bridges, past the parx, past the
harbor, past the statue OF Victory, raised in
memory of brave Commodore Stoitfeld. who
fought the Swedes in l7l0, and blew up his ship
and sank with her ill nei hbors, these lighting
Danesl: past the summer palace. past the villas
with their terraced lawns, aud then the
road turns abruptly and plunges into the deer
park. Here we see the Danish beeches in their
pride and oaks worthy OF Sherwood forest.
Those orange-tawny shapes which slip now
among the tree trunks, now into the open, are
surely deer--herds OF deer, now grazing quietly
among the cattle, now turning mildly watch
full gaze on us as we leave the carriage and
move gently towards them. They are not
startled, but evidently think discretion supe-
rior TO new and foreign acquaintances. King
Christian VI built the Hermitage, small shoot
ing lodge, OH a small elevation, but these deer
are never molested by hunters. Fredericksburg
ami Charlottenburg are other palaces of the
king of Denmark, and the grounds are worthy
OF any crown. The public Is allowed free en-
trance, and it must be said that this privilege is
never abused.
The sail from the harbor of Copenhagen
across TO Malmo in sweden occupies scarcely
two hours, and as the strait Is generally crowded
with shipping, the picture is brilliant and inter-
esdng. We have left Holger- Danske still asleep
and are off to Scandinavia. There can be no
greater contrast in nature than exists between
the coast lines OF these sister kingdoms. Nor
ways rocky fjords which defy and encrosch on
the Atlantic, and Sweden's fiat green meadows
which seem 10 Invite the sea- AS we go 1Qr[ner
north the scene changes. The cultivated
forests and lakes The characteristic
Swedish lake, ringed by dark-branched frs.
perpetual breeze We pass the birthplace
of Linn8us, then that of the poet Tegner. the
bishopric dating from the tenth century, and
though the night, as we reckon it, is upon us,
twilight is 80 clear that at IL o'clock we could
have read, had we not better use for our eyes.
last "a n "A
lsng stretch of water rosy silver, lies before us
Lake Vettern. We stop day at Jonkoping.
an enchanted land of constant alter
noon. The Swedish canal system has
not its equal under the sun. The project of
uniting the east and west coasts by means of a
wafer highway in connection with the navigab,e
lakes of Wenern, Nettern and Maaren occupied
the minds OF eminent men for centuries. A
bishop brought the plan to the attention of
Charles TX, as one had done TO Gustavus Vasa.
The first imperfect locks and canals were de-
stroyed by floating timber, and il was reserved
for Baron won Platen to finish the present canal,
steamer, the Per Brahe, making from eleven to
fifteen knots per hour, carries us and our
fortunes. We glide down a clear, green
river bordered by superb trees, in the distance
the everlasting hills Between these there may
be fields. but they are not TO be known as such
They serve as mere foundation for the "butter-
cups. the little children's dover" and we are in
Tom Tiddler's ground, where there is nothing
but gold TO pick up--a very Utopia OF unimetal-
lfSnl. The Ter Brake is preparing To descend a
stairway of six locks and we will go across the
fields 10 the old Nreta eloster church at Berg
waere lie buried many early kings and queens,
and u courageous mother OF queens, Lady Ebba
who would none of Luther. The little monk
might shake the world, but ne could not
shake this womRns faith, and Gustavus
Nssas mother-iulaw died a Catholic. Here
are also tombs ana escuteheons OF members of
the Douglas family who fought for Sweden. aad
are buried with kings. But il is pleasanter out
side among the hedge roses and columbines and
70 he all I'll 70 10
canal, iii il opens into lakes dotted with
wooded islands, where are met by boats
wreathed with evergreen ropes, gay with stream
ers and filled with midsummer holiday makers,
for by good fortune, we have chosen St John 5
day for our journey. We take little notice of
the flight of time The castle of steseborg in
Gustayus Nasas country, the Older one of Ho.-
nuugshoinl, belongn 10 the famous family OF
sture, have been LETT behind. lake Malaren
nRrrows we approach stockholm, and with
the sun the Venice OF the North riseS slowly as
from the waves.
six hundred years ago on the modern site
Of Stockholm was a small village, seeming To ex-
list for no other purpose than TO he prey of the
pirates and hostile tribes who repeatedly plum
dered and destroyed IL. About la one Burger
lari, or Earl. fortified the three islands which
form the center OF the present city. aud corsti-
tuted them his capital. From this time the in.
cessant conflicts of the Swedes, Danes and Nor
the sixteenth century were the citizens nor.
mltted 20 extend their borders in peace Rnt
their histery Is tull of dark chapters-surely the
darkest one the stockholm blood bath, Novenl-
her 10, iS-o, when eighty-two of the most illus
trious citizens, Including two bishops aud the
father OF GuStavus NsSs, were executed hy the
order OF the cruel Christian ii. of Denmark W 40
wished 10 consolidate hls power in Sweden.
But the svenger of blood had alresdv risen in
the person OF young VISA For time
he took refuge among the Daleca-lisn
miners, and from their hunters raised the mn.
rleus OF an army which put Christian into life
long imprisonment and established the fsmily