385 



ANGERMANLAND. 



ANGERS. 



turns to the east, and descends from the high-lands to the coast, and 

 in this descent still receives some considerable rivers. The latter 

 part of its course is to the south-east. It is one of the swiftest rivers 

 of Sweden, full of rapids and cataracts, and only navigable for boats 

 and small craft for a short distance. Its inundations are much 

 dreaded. It runs about 140 miles. The third and most southern 

 river is the Ljuugan-Elf. It rises in that part of Ostersund Lan which 

 bears the name of Heryedalen, in the most elevated part of the 

 Scandinavian peninsula, from which it descends with a rapid course 

 through a narrow valley; but as it approaches the boundary of 

 Augermanland the valley widens and the course of the river becomes 

 less rapid. After its entrance into this province it receives its only 

 great tributary, the Giman, and falls into the sea to the south of 

 Sundswall. Formerly this river was not navigable ; but since the 

 cession of Finland to Russia it has been rendered navigable in 



rendered fit at least for floating down the wood and timber which 

 abound on its banks. Its course can hardly be less than 200 miles. 



The lakes though small are very numerous, and according to the 

 calculation of Forsell cover an area of 978 square miles. 



iil, and Produce. The climate, though very healthy, is very 

 severe. The winter commonly lasts seven or even eight mouths, and 

 people often travel in sledges in Slay. Then follows a spring of two or 

 three weeks, and the summer begins in the middle of June. The heat 

 increases rapidly, and the vegetation is so vigorous, that in a couple of 

 days the grass is ancle-high ; rarely eleven or twelve weeks pass between 

 the sowing and the reaping of the corn. The sky is generally serene 

 and clear ; rain is not frequent, and very rarely continues half a day. 

 But the valleys are covered in the morning by a dense fog, which 

 imparts the necessary moisture to the fields, and hinders the night 

 frosts in August and September from damaging the crops. The 

 summer ends in the beginning of September, a short autumn follows, 

 rarely longer than the spring, and then comes the winter with all 

 its severity. 



The soil in the valleys along the large rivers and in the low land 

 about the lakes is fertile. By far the greatest part of the surface is 

 sterile ; and all the broad and long ridges of the high country 

 contribute little or nothing to the maintenance of the inhabitants. 

 The arable land is calculated to occupy little more than 56 square 

 miles. The meadows are extensive, covering an area of 281 square 

 miles. The rest of the surface U covered with mountains, heath, 

 and forests. 



Bean, wolves, and foxes are numerous, but the first two only 

 in those parts which are distant from the coast. Deer were formerly 

 in great numbers, but have much decreased, except roe-deer, which 

 an still numerous in many parts. The elk is only met with in some 

 forests of Medelpad. The smaller animals whose skin is used as fur, 

 as ermelins, martens, &c., are found everywhere, but not in any great 

 numbers. 



Blackbirds of large size, woodcocks, heathcocks, and partridges 

 exist in the forests in such numbers as can hardly be conceived. 

 Many thousands are annually killed, and brought in winter to 

 Stockholm and even to Gothenburg, from which latter place some 

 are brought to England. Eagles of considerable size inhabit the 

 solitary mountains. 



Fish abound in the sea, the rivers, and the lakes. The sea-fishery 

 affords a livelihood to many families by the immense number of 

 stromlings, a smaller kind of herrings, which in summer-time are 

 caught along the coast. This fish is found along the whole eastern 

 coast of Sweden, but is nowhere so numerous as here, which brings 

 the fishermen from more southern places, especially from Gefle, to 

 pass the summer on the islands along the coast. The produce of this 

 fishery is not exported, but it forms an important branch of internal 

 commerce. In the rivers the salmon fishery is important, especially 

 in the Angerman-Elf and Ljtingan-Elf ; trout also abound in some 

 of them. 



The forest* which cover a great part of the low country, and the slopes, 

 and even sometimes the tops of the hills and mountains, consist 

 chiefly of pine, fir, and birch. These forests not only afford the 

 necessary firewood to the inhabitants, but also some articles of 

 exportation. In some of the higher parts of the country, where the 

 crops are scanty and subject to be destroyed by the early night-frosts 

 in September, the inner bark of the pine is mingled with flour in 

 making bread. 



The metallic riches of this province are not important. Iron, 

 indeed, is found in some places towards the boundary of Yamtland, 

 but is not much worked. 



Fruit-trees do not succeed to the north of 82" 80' ; apples do not 

 ripen above the latitude of Sundswall. At Hernosand apple-trees 

 are planted, but the fruit does not ripen. Nature, however, has 

 supplied this deficiency by numerous kinds of wild-growing berries. 

 Besides different sorts of vaccinium and rubus, which are common 

 in some other parts of Europe, there are two species of delicious 

 berries, which are peculiar to the north of Sweden, the /.''< ' 

 arctieui and the Kuttm i-lniininn<irii*, or cranberry, of which the 

 first is by far the more delicate, and very extensively used; all 



trials to transplant it to the south of 62 have been unavailing. 

 Cranberries are exported to England. 



Though only a very small portion of the whole surface is allotted 

 to agriculture, it cannot be said that this most important branch of 

 industry is neglected. Not only are the fields cultivated with great 

 care and attention, but continual efforts are made to extend the 

 dominion of agriculture more and more. The inducement is great, as 

 the produce is by no means sufficient for home consumption, and a 

 considerable quantity of corn is imported from Wasa and other towns 

 of Finland. Rye, barley, and oats succeed pretty well in seasons in 

 which they are not destroyed by early frost. Wheat culture has been 

 almost entirely abandoned. The culture of flax and potatoes is 

 extensive, though the former does not ripen to seed. Hemp is likewise 

 cultivated. The kitchen-gardens are commonly only planted with 

 cabbages and turnips. 



The rearing of cattle is an important branch of industry. The 

 pastures are very distant from the villages to which they belong. The 

 cattle are therefore sent in June to the pasture, accompanied by one 

 or two girls, who pass the whole summer in a cottage rudely constructed 

 of wood and branches of trees, take care of the cattle, defend them 

 from the bears, and perform the labours of the dairy. As the summer 

 pasture is so abundant, the inhabitants are much more intent on 

 extending their meadows than their corn-fields ; that they may be 

 able to increase their stock of cattle, and not be without the necessary 

 fodder for the winter. Many persons therefore who are obliged to 

 buy corn bring considerable quantities of butter to the market, and 

 even some cheese of indifferent quality. The cattle are small. Horses 

 are bred in great numbers ; they are also of a small size, but larger 

 than those of the southern provinces of Sweden. Sheep too are 

 numerous, but the wool is coarse, and only employed by the country 

 people for their own use.. Pigs are not numerous. In the higher 

 valleys goats are kept in great numbers. 



The manufacture of linen is very extensive. The finer sorts are 

 said not to be inferior to the flaxen tissues of Holland. It is made 

 by the women, by whom all the flax grown in the province, and a 

 considerable quantity brought from Russia, is worked up. No other 

 branch of manufacturing industry is carried on to any extent, because 

 the peasants, living at great distances from one another, have been 

 accustomed to satisfy all their necessities by their own labour. 



Great quantities of timber are floated down the Angerman-Elf and 

 the Ljuiigan-Elf, sawed, and sent to England. Tar is also made, but 

 much less than in the more northern province of Umea Liin. 



To maintain internal commerce some annual fairs are established 

 in the inland parts of the country. That of Sollefta, on the Anger- 

 msin-Elf, is known over all the north of Sweden, and visited by 

 Laplanders, Norwegians, and even by merchants of Stockholm. Here 

 are sold horses, fish, butter, hides, tallow, rein-deer, meat, &c., to a 

 large amount. Another fair is held at Hammar, likewise on the 

 Angerman-Elf, but it is not so considerable ; planks and boards, and 

 coarse linen are the chief articles sold here. But such fairs are a 

 poor substitute for a town, well provided with shops and every 

 kind of merchandise. This has induced some peasants to become 

 travelling merchants, and these people go on business as far aa 

 Stockholm and Trondhjem in Norway, whence they import many fine 

 horses. 



The chief town of the province is IfernStand, which is situated in 

 62" 38' N. lat., 17 59' E. long., on the island of Herniin, at the mouth 

 of the Angerman-Elf, and joined to the continent by a bridge. Tho 

 bays between the island and the continent form the spacious harbour 

 of the town, which itself consists of good houses, mostly built of wood. 

 The streets are wide, and for the most part paved. The principal 

 articles shipped here are planks and deals, and the linen made by the 

 country people ; the first go to England, the latter to Stockholm. But 

 the greatest part of the inhabitants, who number only 2114, gain their 

 livelihood by the fishery of the stromlings. A few vessels are built. 

 This town gives title to a bishop, and has an excellent grammar-school, 

 a council-house, public baths, an hospital, and a poor-house. The 

 import* are salt, corn, wine, and manufactured goods. 



Surutmall is situated in the southern part of the Liin, or in Medel- 

 pad, in i. very fine pleasant valley, on a bay into which the Ljungau-Elf 

 discharges its waters opposite the island of Alnon. The houses are 

 neat, though mostly of wood, but the streets are not paved. It has 

 some commerce in planks and deals; but the greater part of the 

 inhabitants, who amount to 1850, are engaged in the fishery of the 

 stromling. 



ANGERMUNDE. [BHANDENBTJRO.] 



ANGERS, an episcopal city in France; capital formerly of the 

 province of Anjou, now of the department of Maine-et-Loire ; the 

 seat of a high court of appeal for the departments of Mayennc, Sartlie, 

 and Maine-et-Loire ; the seat of tribunals of first instance and of com- 

 merce, of an exchange and chamber of manufactures, of a university, 

 college, medical school, theological seminary, and a school of arts and 

 trades ; stands in 47 28' N. lat., 33' W. long., on the banks of the 

 Mayenne, between the points of its junction with the Sarthe and the 

 Loire, on the railroad between Paris, Orleans, and Nantes, from which 

 cities it is respectively distant 218, 143, and 54 miles: population, 

 40,000. 



The town occupies the site of the ancient Juliomagui, capital of the 



