738 THE VOYAGE OF TPIE VEGA. [chap. xx. 



On the 24th at 8 a.m. the Vega again weighed anchor in 

 order to steam on slowly, past Vaxholm into Stockholm. We 

 met innumerable flag-decked steamers by the way, fully laden 

 with friends, known and unknown, who with shouts of rejoicing 

 welcomed the Vega men home. The nearer we came to 

 Stockholm, the greater became the number of steamers, that, 

 arranged in a double line and headed by the Vega, slowly 

 approached the harbour. Lanterns in variegated colours were 

 lighted on the vessels, fireworks were let off, and the roar of 

 cannon mingled with the loud hurrahs of thousands of spectators. 

 After being greeted at Kastelholmen with one salute more the 

 Vega anchored in the stream in Stockholm at 10 P.M. 



The queen of the Malar had clothed herself for the occasion 

 in a festive dress of incomparable splendour. The city was 

 illuminated, the buildings round the harbour beings in the first 

 rank. Specially had the King done everything to make the 

 reception of the Vega expedition, which he had so warmly 

 cherished from the first moment, as magnificent as possible. 

 The whole of the Royal Palace was radiant with a sea of lights 

 and flames, and was ornamented with symbols and ciphers in 

 which the name of the youngest sailor on the Vega was not 

 omitted. 



An estrade had been erected from Logaorden to the land- 

 ing-place. Here we were received by the town councillors, 

 whose jDresident, the Governor, welcomed us in a short speech ; 

 we were then conducted to the Palace, where, in the presence 

 of Her Majesty the Queen of Sweden, the members of the 

 Royal House, the highest officials of the State and Court, &c., 

 we were in the grandest manner welcomed in the name of the 

 fatherland by the King of Sweden, who at the same time con- 

 ferred upon us further marks of his favour and goodwill.^ It 

 was also at the Royal Palace that the series of festivities com- 

 menced with a grand gala dinner, on the 25th of April, at 

 which the King in a few magnanimous words praised the 

 exploit of the Vega. Then fete followed fete for several 

 weeks. 



On the 26th the Swedish Yacht Club gave an entertainment 

 in the Grand Hotel under the presidency of Admiral Lager- 

 crantz. Among those who were present may be mentioned 

 his Majesty the King, the Crown Prince, Prince Oscar, Oscar 



^ Among others to all who took i^art in the Expedition a Vega medal, 

 specially struck, to be worn on a blue-yellow riband on the breast. It may 

 perhaps be of interest for numismatists to know that the medals distributed 

 on account of the Vega expedition are to be found delineated in the eighth 

 and ninth parts of the Swedish Family Journal for 1880. To those that 

 are there delineated there have since been added a medal struck by the 

 Finnish Society of Sciences, and the Anthropological-Geographical Society's 

 medal. 



