an autobiography-第68章

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f　the　Izak　Church。　　This　building　is　one　of　the　finest　in　St。　Petersburg。　　It　is　of　grand　proportions；simple；　noble；　and　massive。　　It　is　built　upon　a　forest　of　piles。　　The　walls　of　the　interior　are　covered　with　marble。　　The　malachite　columns　for　the　screen　are　fifty　feet　high；　and　exceed　everything　that　has　yet　been　done　in　that　beautiful　mineral。　　The　great　dome　is　of　iron　covered　with　gilt　copper。　　This；　as　well　as　the　Corinthian　capitals　of　bronze；　was　manufactured　at　the　foundry　of　the　Bairds。　　The　tympanum　of　the　four　great　porticos　consisted　of　colossal　groups　of　alto…relievo　figures；　many　of　which　were　all　but　entirely　detached　from　the　background。　　It　was　a　kind　of　foundry　work　of　the　highest　order；　all　the　details　and　processes　requiring　the　greatest　care。　To　my　surprise　every　one　engaged　in　this　gigantic　and　refined　metal　work　was　a　serf。　　The　full…sized　plaster　models　which　they　used　in　moulding　were　executed　by　a　resident　French　sculptor。　　He　was　a　true　artist；　and　of　the　highest　order。　　But　to　see　the　skilful　manner　in　which　these　native　workmen；　drawn　from　the　staff　of　the　Bairds'　ordinary　foundry　workers；　performed　their　duties；　was　truly　surprising。　It　would　make　our　best　bronze　statuary　founders　wince　to　be　asked　to　execute　such　work。　　Judging　from　what　I　saw　of　the　Russian　workmen　in　this　instance；　I　should　say　that　Russia　has　a　grand　future　before　it。

Having　satisfactorily　completed　all　my　business　arrangements　in　St。　Petersburg；　I　prepared　to　set　out　homewards。　　But　as　I　had　some　business　to　transact　at　Stockholm　and　Copenhagen　I　resolved　to　visit　those　cities。　　I　left　St。　Petersburg　for　Stockholm　by　a　small　steamer；　which　touched　at　Helsingfors　and　Abo；　both　in　Finland。　　The　weather　was　beautiful。　　Clear　blue　shy　and　bright　sunshine　by　day；　and　the　light　prolonged　far　into　the　night。　　Even　in　September　the　duration　of　the　sunshine　is　so　great　and　the　night　so　short　that　the　air　has　scarcely　time　to　cool　till　it　gets　heated　again　by　the　bright　morning　rays。　Even　at　twelve　at　night　the　sun　dips　but　a　little　beneath　the　bright　horizon　on　the　north。　　The　night　is　so　bright　in　the　Abo　latitude　that　one　can　read　the　smallest　print。

Nothing　can　be　more　beautiful　than　the　charming　scenery　we　passed　through　in　our　tortuous　voyage　to　Stockholm。　　We　threaded　between　the　granite　islands　which　crowd　the　shores　of　the　Baltic。　　They　are　covered　with　pines；　which　descend　to　the　water's　edge。　　We　swept　them　with　our　paddle…boxes；　and　dipped　their　bright　green　fronds　into　the　perfectly　clear　sea。　　For　about　two　days　our　course　lay　through　those　beautiful　small　islands。　　It　seemed　like　a　voyage　through　fairyland。　And　it　continued　in　this　exquisite　tranquil　way　until　we　reached　that　crowning　feature　of　allthe　magnificent　city　of　Stockholm；　sleeping；　as　it　were；　on　the　waters　of　the　Malar　Lake；　and　surrounded　by　noble　mountains　clad　with　pines。　　With　the　exception　of　Edinburgh；　Genoa；　and　Naples；　I　had　never　beheld　so　noble　a　city　with　such　magnificent　surroundings。

I　spent　but　a　short　time　in　Stockholm；　but　quite　sufficient　to　enable　me　to　see　much　that　was　grandly　beautiful　in　its　neighbourhood。　Lakes；　rocks；　and　noble　trees　abounded；　and　exquisite　residences　peeped　out　through　the　woods；　giving　evidences　of　high　civilisation。　Elegance　of　taste　and　perfect　domestic　arrangements　supplied　every　form　of　rational　comfort　and　enjoyment。　　My　old　friend　Sir　John　Ross；　of　Arctic　celebrity；　was　settled　at　Stockholm　as　chief　consul　for　Her　Majesty。　He　introduced　me　to　several　of　the　leading　English　merchants；　from　whom　I　received　much　kind　attention。　　Mr。　Erskine　invited　me　to　spend　a　day　or　two　at　his　beautiful　villa　in　the　neighbourhood。　　It　was　situated　on　the　side　of　a　mountain；　and　overlooked　a　lake　that　reminded　me　very　much　of　Loch　Katrine。　　Fine　timber　grew　about；　in　almost　inaccessible　places；　on　the　tops　of　precipices；　and　in　shelves　and　clefts　among　the　rocks。　　The　most　important　result　of　my　visit　was　an　introduction　to　Baron　Tam；　the　proprietor　and　chief　director　of　the　great　Dannemora　Iron　Mine。

I　was　at　once　diverted　for　a　time　from　my　voyage　to　Copenhagen。　I　was　most　desirous　of　seeing　in　person　this　celebrated　mine。　The　baron　most　willingly　furnished　me　with　several　letters　of　introduction　to　his　managers；　and　I　proceeded　to　Dannemora　by　way　of　Upsala。　　I　was　much　interested　by　this　city；　by　its　cathedral；　containing　the　tomb　of　Gustavas　Vasa；　and　by　its　many　historical　associations。　　But　I　was　still　more　impressed　by　Old　Upsala；　about　three　miles　distant。　　This　is　a　place　of　great　antiquity。　　It　is　only　a　little　hamlet　now；　though　at　one　time　it　must　have　been　the　centre　of　a　large　population。　　The　old　granite　church　was　probably　at　one　time　a　pagan　temple。　　Outside；　and　apart　from　it；　is　a　wooden　bell…tower；　erected　in　comparatively　modem　times。　　　In　a　wooden　box　inside　the　church　is　a　wooden　painted　god；　a　most　unlikely　figure　to　worship。　And　yet　the　Swedes　in　remote　parts　of　the　country　carefully　preserve　their　antique　wooden　gods。

The　great　sacrifices　to　Odin　were　made　at　Old　Upsala。　Outside　the　church；　in　a　row；　are　three　great　mounds　of　earth；　erected　in　commemoration　of　Odin；　Thor；　and　Freiahence　our　Wednesday；　Thursday；　and　Friday。　　These　mounds；　of　about　60　feet　high　and　232　feet　in　diameter；　were　in　former　times　used　as　burying…places　for　the　great　and　valiant。　　I　went　into　a　cottage　near　the　tumuli；　and　drank　a　bumper　of　mead　to　the　memory　of　Thor　from　a　very　antique　wooden　vessel。　I　made　an　especial　reverential　obeisance　to　Thor；　because　I　had　a　great　respect　for　him　as　being　the　great　Hammerman；　and　one　of　our　craft；　the　Scandinavian　Vulcan。

I　drove　back　to　Upsala；　and　remained　there　for　the　night。　It　is　a　sleepy　silent　place。　　The　only　sound　I　heard　was　the　voice　of　the　watchman　calling　out　the　small　hours　of　the　morning　from　his　station　on　the　summit　of　the　cathedral　tower。　　As　the　place　is　for　the　most　part　built　of　wood；　this　precaution　in　the　shape　of　a　watchman　who　can　see　all　points　of　the　city　is　a　necessary　one　in　case　of　fire。

Next　morning　I　hired　a　small　sort　of　gig　of　a　very　primitive　construction；　with　a　boy　for　driver。　　His　duty　was　to　carry　me　to　the　next　post…house；　and　there　leave　me　to　be　carried　forward　by　another　similar　conveyance。　　But　the　pony　No。　　2　was　about　a　mile　off；　occupied　in　drawing　a　plough；　so　that　I　had　to　wait　until　the　job　was　over。　In　about　an　hour　or　so　I　was　again　under　weigh。　　And　so　on　da　capo；　until　about　six　in　the　evening；　when　I　found　myself　within　sight　of　the　great　mine。　　The　post…house　where　I　was　set　down　was　an　inn；　though　without　a　signboard。　　The　landlady　was　a　bright；　cheery；　jolly　woman。　She　could　not　speak　a　word　of　English；　nor　I　a　word　of　Dannemora　Swedish。　　I　was　very　thirsty　and　hungry；　and　wanted　something　to　eat。　How　was　I　to　communicate　my　wishes　to　the　landlady？　　I　resorted；　as　I　often　did；　to　the　universal　language　of　the　pencil。　　I　took　out　my　sketch…book；　and　in　a　few　seconds　made　a　sketch　of　a　table；　with　a　dish　of　smoking　meat　upon　it；　a　bottle　and　a　glass；　a　knife　and　fork；　a　loaf；　a　saltcellar；　and　a　corkscrew。　　She　looked　at　the　drawing　and　gave　a　hearty　laugh。　　She　nodded　pleasantly；　showing　that　she　clearly　understood　what　I　wanted。　　She　asked　me　for　the　sketch；　and　went　into　the　back　garden　to　show　it　to　her　husband；　who　inspected　it　with　great　delight。　　I　went　out　and　looked　about　the　place；　which　was　very　picturesque。　　After　a　short　time；　the　landlady　came　to　the　door　and　beckoned　me　in；　and　I　found　spread　out　on　the　table　everything　that　I　desireda　broiled　chicken；　smoking　hot　from　the　gridiron；　a　bottle　of　capital　home…brewed　ale；　and　all　the　et　ceteras　of　an　excellent　repast。　　I　made　use　of　my　pencil　in　many　ways。　　I　always　found　that　a　sketch　was　more　useful　than　a　blundering　sentence。　　Besides；　it　generally　created　a　sympathy　between　me　and　my　entertainers。

＇Image＇　　The　order　for　dinner

My　visit　to　the　Dannemora　Mine　at　Osterby　was　one　of　peculiar　interest。　I　may　in　the　first　place　say　that　the　immense　collection　of　iron　ore　at　that　point　has　been　the　result　of　the　upheaval　of　a　vast　volume　of　molten　igneous　ore；　which　has　been　injected　into　the　rock；　or　deposited　in　masses　under　the　crust　of　the　earth。