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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。 In some cases the quarried ore yields from 50 to 70； and even as much as 90 per cent of iron。 The Dannemora Mine is a vast quarry open to the sky。 When you come near it the place looks like a vast deep pit； with an unfathomable bottom。 Ghostlike； weird…looking pinnacles of rocks stand out from its profound depths； but beyond these you see nothing but wreaths of smoke curling up from below。 The tortuous chasm in the earth； caused by the quarries beneath； is about half a mile long； and about a thousand feet wide。
＇Image＇ Dannemora iron mine。 After a drawing by James Nasmyth。
The first process of the workmen in the quarries below is devoted to breaking into small fragments the great masses of ore scattered about by the previous night's explosions。 These are sent to the surface in great tubs attached to wire ropes； which are drawn up by gins worked by horses。 Other miners are engaged in boring blast holes in the ore； which displays itself in great wide veins in the granite sides of the vast chasm。 These blast holes are charged with gunpowder； each with a match attached。 At the end of the day the greater number of the miners are drawn up in the cages or tubs； while a few are left below to light the slow…burning matches attached to about a hundred charged bore holes。 The rest of the miners are drawn up； and then begins the tremendous bombardment。 I watched the progress of it from a stage projecting over the wild…looking yawning gulph。 It was grand to hear the succession of explosions that filled the bottom of the mine far beneath me。 Then the volumes of smoke； through the surface of which masses of rock were sometimes sent whirling up into the clear blue sky； and fell back again into the pit below。 Such an infernal cannonade I have never witnessed。 In some respects it reminded me of the crater of Vesuvius； from which such dense clouds of steam and smoke and fire are thrown up。 In the course of the night； the suffocating smoke and sulphureous gases has time