obliged to wait for the morrow, and had the present day on my hands,
which I feared would be irksome, because the family, who possessed
about a dozen French words amongst them and not an English phrase,
were anxious to amuse me, and would not let me remain alone in my
room. The town we had already walked round and round, and if we
advanced farther on the coast, it was still to view the same
unvaried immensity of water surrounded by barrenness.

The gentlemen, wishing to peep into Norway, proposed going to
Fredericshall, the first town--the distance was only three Swedish
miles. There and back again was but a day's journey, and would not,
I thought, interfere with my voyage. I agreed, and invited the
eldest and prettiest of the girls to accompany us. I invited her
because I like to see a beautiful face animated by pleasure, and to
have an opportunity of regarding the country, whilst the gentlemen
were amusing themselves with her.

I did not know, for I had not thought of it, that we were to scale
some of the most mountainous cliffs of Sweden in our way to the
ferry which separates the two countries.

Entering amongst the cliffs, we were sheltered from the wind, warm
sunbeams began to play, streams to flow, and groves of pines
diversified the rocks. Sometimes they became suddenly bare and
sublime. Once, in particular, after mounting the most terrific
precipice, we had to pass through a tremendous defile, where the
closing chasm seemed to threaten us with instant destruction, when,
turning quickly, verdant meadows and a beautiful lake relieved and
charmed my eyes.