ITS IMPREGNABILITY. 311 



not modern inventions taught us the axiom that no walls 

 are so stable or so lofty that they cannot be beaten down 

 or surmounted, one might with safety call it impregnable. 

 Nevertheless, whatever art and nature united can effect 

 to counteract this fact, has in this instance been done. 

 Regularly to besiege the castle would, in the opinion of 

 experienced military men, be almost impracticable, because 

 westerly storms, coupled with the numerous rocks, 

 sunken and above water, that lie to the southward and 

 westward, would prevent troops from effecting a lodgment 

 on the island ; and to land heavy ordnance there would at 

 all times be an impossibility. But even supposing these 

 objects accomplished, it would be totally impracticable to 

 erect redoubts on sufficiently high ground as to batter the 

 fortress to advantage, or to form defences for the men, 

 owing to the almost total absence of soil on the rock. 

 Were the enemy landed on the island of Koon, however, 

 which is hardly to be imagined, they might certainly fire 

 from thence at Carlsten ; but then the land lies so low, as 

 compared with the fortress, and the distance is so great, 

 that the balls could effect but little against such massive 

 and gigantic walls. But even admitting a breach to have 

 been made, the worst would still remain, viz., to cross the 

 harbour, and storm the commanding heights in the face 

 of the many hundred port-holes vomiting forth death in 

 every direction, and that without the slightest shelter for 

 the assailants. We are here imagining the fortress being 

 left altogether to its own resources. But as must always 

 happen in war time, the assistance of the navy is to be cal- 

 culated on, which would render the attempts of the foe 

 hopeless. All these advantages have gained for Carlsten 

 the appropriate designation of the Gibraltar of Sweden, and 

 are a pledge that the Swedish flag, which from the Bastion- 

 Minerva now proudly caresses the wind with its forked 

 tongue, shall at all times wave over this the strongest of 



