Eleventh International Geological Congress. 27 



of northern Sweden; and another excursion after the Congress took 

 us to the mines of central and southern Sweden. Others were made 

 to Tornetrask, the alpine lake of the mountainous country in the 

 north, and to the valley of the Lulealf, with its eruptive and meta* 

 morphic rocks, its glaciers and mountain climbing. Here the nights 

 were spent in tents, and the days were full of laborious tramping. 



In the vicinity of Stockholm excursions wer<« made almost daily 

 during the week of the meeting, always under the guidance of some 

 star of the geological firmament, and always with the satisfaction 

 of having seen with our own eyes phenomena of which heretofore 

 we may have read and regarding the interpretation of which we 

 were, perhaps, at heart somewhat skeptical. 



And for each excursion and each locality there was a printed 

 guide and description. For each day's work there was a plan. 

 Almost was there a daily assignment for each individual guest. His 

 comfort, conveyance, lodging, and three or more meals for each day 

 had all been arranged beforehand. 



The descriptive literature was today in German, tomorrow in 

 French, and next day in English; and most of the Swedish gentle- 

 men could converse or lecture in all three as well as in their own 

 tongue. In fact, they sometimes caused a laugh by unconsciously 

 lapsing from German or English into Swedish. 



The Russians spoke French fluently and usuallv some English. 

 The Germans spoke some French; the French a little German; and 

 both of them could generally understand some English. 



Besides our badges, we also wore ribbons; red, to show that we 

 spoke German; white, for English; and blue, for French. Proud and 

 fortunate, indeed, was he who sported all three. The English were 

 the poorest linguists and most limited in their command of any 

 tongue but their own. 



Personally the Scandinavians are charming people, hospitable 

 generous, courteous, thoughtful, agreeable in conversation, cultivated 

 and travelled. They are new and virile, without being raw and 

 crude. Up-to-date in the adoption of modern inventions, ahead of 

 us in some ways and in the' van of modern progress in all. They 

 are one of the most progressives nations in Europe today, and are 

 more than holding their own in the march of development. 



TUe museums of Stockholm are full of the most interesting and 

 complete collections of human remains of the stone and bronze 

 ages. Brief and measurable is the time that has elapsed since the 

 Goths and Vandals were just stepping out of the bronze age; and here 

 are their immediate descendants engaged in scientific studies and in 

 all the activities of an ultra modern people! Think bow Interesting 

 it would be if we could go out into the country only a tew miles 

 and discover the remains of our own great-greal great-gTandfajher's 

 dwelling. If we could find in it the furniture an.! utensils which he 

 and his family used, the ornaments they wore and the relics of the 

 very food they ate. This is done in Sweden. They do not there 

 find tumuli and say indifferently, "It was done by the Mound Build- 

 ers." The ancient human relics are those which tell of the habits 

 and civilization of their own people in the prehistoric times. They 

 are. therefore, personally and intimately interested in such matters, 



