Wednesday, August 14, 1839 Travel Journal

1839

August

Wednesday 14

..

9 50/..

and from that time sick all night and till at 7 40 this morning, when had just passed the Swedish tower and battery, I left my night-berth (to which Ann and I had returned at 8 last night) on the sofa and looked about –

Gothenburg was in sight, but foremost Clippen and its piles of deals and much shipping – This fjord all bare low, granite (mammelonné) rock.  No wood or pasture till close to Götheborg.  Little bits here and there of garden and bits of garden or shrubbery or a few clumps of trees (not firs) – All bare here – all finely fir-wooded about Christiania – How striking the contrast – yet here the rocks are fine –

The Prinds Carl stops at Clippen till this afternoon (3 p.m.?) and then starts for Copenhagen – Here (Clippen) we arrived at 8 –

Were on board the little steamer (about 6 ladies and 6 gentlemen, and 1 or 2 men in the 2nd plads). at 8 1/2, and landed at Götheborg and were at Todd’s hotel in 3 or 4 minutes at 9 –

Thankful to be on terra firma again – Never passed a worse water-night – Sick at shortish intervals or retching all the night till 7 40/.. this morning, and even a little retching on board the little steamer – When sick, I had to crawl off my sofa to the tin-spitting box close to Ann – Only one between us), whose feet were vis à vis and touching mine – and while sick I sat on the floor – The captain very civilly [came] to offer me a mattress, but I was too ill to bear speaking or moving – Too ill even to be helped – Ann not much better, but she slept and snored towards morning, and I have no remembrance of having [slept] at all – The night was terribly long –

Did not hear it rain – Probably not much rain after that at 8 p.m. which sent us in –

The customhouse officers very civil – Just looked into our things on board the Prinds Carl, and let us bring all away – 2 Horse-Harness done up in matting – Ann’s portmanteau and her bag that I had had and our Norwegian wood hatbox instead of the little carriage box to pad in it our pelisse and habit and frills etc.

At Todd’s at 9 – at 9 1/2 breakfast (tea) and our 2 beds made ready in her son’s room – Could not give us better today –Enough – Thankful to be so well off –

Neither of us could eat breakfast.  Washed a little – Ann lay down at 10 and I at 10 1/2 but I could not sleep, and got up at 11 and sat on my bed writing all the above of today till now, 11 25/.. –

It began to rain just after our arrival here or began about 9 1/4 and rained for about an hour – Great deal of rain since our being away – Grotza expected us soon back on this account – thought the weather so against us – Think of posting to Stockholm, the sea – the water – is so terrible to us both –

Then till 1 looking over accounts – Entering and adding up – Our Norwegian journey seems to have cost in Norwegian money 182.4.18 = about £36.12.0 –

Out at 3 55/..to the bookseller’s – Very civil – Gave me a list of the Stations to Stockholm – Has no postbook – 1 1/4 hour there –

Horses         16 skilling banco  each per mile          

                     20      “        “        from towns        } 

                     24      “        “        from Götheborg }

Advises our seeing the celebrated old Castle of Leckö – about 2 Swedish miles from Lidköping and return to sleep.  Then from Lidköping, 1 1/2 miles go to Kinnekulle (pronounced Chinnah Kullah), fine mountain prospect.  Thence 1 1/2 mile to Westerplana, then about 1 1/2 mile Osterplana 2 hours –

And then to Björsätter – took a little turn to the barracks and home at 5 1/2 – Dinner at 6 – Unpacked bag etc. – Had just finished at 9 10/..

Rain soon after 9 a.m. and showers (at 12 and 1 very heavy) and gleams all the rest of the day – Fahrenheit 64° at 9 3/4 p.m.

WYAS Finding Numbers SH/ML/TR/12/0025 and SH/ML/TR/12/0026