132 VISIT TO DENMARK [1799. 



holm, and the town is said at this time to be very 

 gay. After a bad dinner and much imposition, we 

 set out. The road was good and smooth, so we drove 

 pleasantly enough with one horse, the country gene- 

 rally flat, though rising here and there ; a little cul- 

 tivated. Saw some hay in stacks, but it seemed very 

 indifferent. Some wood, however, was well scattered 

 over the country ; the rest appeared very marshy and 

 damp. We met many carts of the peasants in differ- 

 ent forms, all as simple as can be imagined, carrying 

 casks, tubs, and boxes of wood and iron, made up the 

 country. They were driven by peasants who put us 

 in mind of gypsies. Many of the carts were drawn 

 by oxen, and some by cows. 



We got to Astorp after a chilly drive. It is a 

 small hamlet of wood, pleasantly enough situated; 

 indeed all the Swedish hamlets are romantic in the 

 extreme. We were struck by the great difference 

 between the peasantry here and in the places near to 

 Denmark. We had tea, and despatched the forebote, 

 or courrier en avant, carrying our baggage, to travel 

 all night, after having the sedel, a paper of instruc- 

 tions, written by a learned peasant, the only one in 

 the parish. Had Swedish beds that is, lay between 

 two. 



Oct. 7. Got off between five and six to follow the 

 forebote. The country as before the roads also good. 

 Met scores of natives, and cars of iron, wood boxes, 

 &c. Saw some parties at breakfast on the road. 

 Crossed a shallow lake, as all in this place are : the car 



