MILITARY ENCAMPMENT.

219

churches are built in the Danish form, extremely narrow and high, with a gable front, zig-zagged at its edges, like steps meeting and terminating in a point at top.

On reaching Blekemosa, we got into the great road between Stockholm and Helsingborg; and after passing through a wild country, arrived at Aby, where the judges were sitting in the posthouse, attended by a crowd of persons. They meet twice a-year in every province, and hold their assizes two weeks, or sometimes more, according to the extent of business which comes before them. A camp of 20,000 men is pitched near this place once in every three years. There are also two other camps at Stockholm and Uxvalla, ten miles north of Gottenburg. These are said to occasion government an expence of 18,000 banco daily, and, independently of this, liberal sums are given by the King for entertainments. At Helsingborg the money we had paid as a duty on our carriage from Abo to Stockholm was returned to us, on our showing the receipt given us there. Travellers, who arrive here from Denmark, are obliged either to bring or buy a carriage, as there are no stage-coaches or post-chaises in the country. Should they purchase one, they may reckon upon having to pay a high sum; and after finishing their journey, obtain but a mere trifle for it. For the carriage, which cost us 50%., besides harness that

220

TRAVELLING EXPENCES.

cost 51. at Hamburgh, we were only offered by our landlord 81. 6s. 8d., and 13s. 4d. for the harness. And as he is the only person in the place who either furnishes carriages or purchases them, the traveller must submit to take his price, if he wishes to get rid of his vehicle. The business being a monopoly, he has turned it to a good account, as he again disposes of these carriages for, perhaps, four times the sum he paid for them.

Our passport was examined and indorsed, for which we paid 2s., and also 10s. for two boats, to the men 40 skillings, and 4 banco 8 skillings for putting the carriage on board. We here crossed over to Elsineur in two hours, and found the officers, by whom the baggage was superficially examined, unusually civil. Furnished here with another passport, which cost us four dollars; and having made a bargain for four horses at fifteen marks, we set out for the Danish capital. One good regulation here, which prevents all mistakes between driver and traveller, is, that the former has a ticket mentioning the precise distance the horses are to go, and the amount of hire. At the end of the journey he produces this; and it is material to observe, that there is a request subjoined to it, that if the tilion has acted in any respect improperly, his conduct may be complained of, on which he is liable to punishment. Soon after we entered

pos

COUNT SCHIMMELMANN.

221

Copenhagen, which has been fully described by me in a former tour.

This being the 28th of October, the anniversary of the birth of the Queen, a splendid dinner and ball were given at court. A vast multitude assembled before the palace of Amelienborg, who were gratified in seeing the company through the windows. On this occasion no guns were discharged from the forts or vessels, nor were there any illuminations, fire-works, or other demonstrations of joy; but the festivities were confined to the walls of the palace. Her Majesty, who was born in 1767, is daughter of the Prince of Hesse, nephew to our late monarch.

We partook of the hospitality of the venerable Count Schimmelmann, at a splendid entertainment, and were introduced to all the foreign ministers. The Count succeeded as Prime Minister to M. Rosencrantz, who was prematurely cut off in the prime of life, lamented by his sovereign and the nation. After we had had the honour of a long interview with their Majesties and Prince Christian, the Count suggested that we should pay a visit to Her Majesty's father, and favoured us with a letter of introduction to His Serene Highness.

Fair.

Storm.

Corsoer.

Arrival at Ny

borg. Odensee.-Jutland. - The Little Belt.-Colding. - Christianfeldt. Moravians. - Havershaven. - Flensborg. Bodies of criminals exposed. — Tumuli. — Machine for conveying letters by post. — Arrival at Sleswig.

Our horses were

On the morning of the 8th of November we left the capital of Denmark. uncommonly large and heavy, of English heavy cavalry.

almost like those On stopping to

bait, the carriage was driven under a large covered place, similar to a barn, with formidable folding doors at each extremity, and capable of containing a great number of carriages. At each side were mangers, fixed against the walls ; and the whole place was exceedingly commodious, as affording shelter during inclement weather. After we had passed through Roeskilde, the ancient capital of Denmark, still famous for its cathedral, and being the birthplace of the celebrated author, Holberg, the country became flat; and numerous ancient tumuli were in all directions. The church at Ringsted, a place that formerly ranked as a city, contains the tombs of the ancient kings of Den

CHURCH AT RINGSTED.

223

mark: among others, those of Erick and Canute. The building, which is in the Gothic style, and in the form of a cross, is of great length, and has a tower in the centre. It is crowded with portraits of nobility, and antique tomb-stones. The altar stands almost in the centre of the church, and has figures of the apostles round it.

The farm houses in this part of Denmark make a singular appearance, being covered with turf, on which are planted willows. The peasantry are well clothed, particularly the women, whose caps are edged with lace, and whose favourite colour for their gowns and petticoats seems to be green. We met no postchaises, but several vehicles, like carts, without roofs, with seats placed across, on which the body of a phaeton is often suspended on leather straps. We stopped at a house in front of the Lake Tuelsne, which was as neat a dwelling as any in England; after which we passed a fine wood of birch and oak, having occasionally a view of the lake, with a village and church on the opposite side.

Soroe, which was the next place we came to, consists of a few houses, and a large brick edifice, which is a royal college, supported by the revenues of what was once a richly-endowed convent. On a height beyond it was a gibbet, where a female had been lately decapitated for strangling her child. Her head was stuck on