JET. 22.] AND SCANDINAVIA. 215 



and so retired as never to feel its storms. At this 

 time all was frozen, and sledges with any burdens 

 could pass over the bays ; but the ice in these firths 

 is extremely treacherous, for a sudden change of wind 

 or weather carries off in a few hours every flake of ice 

 from masses which appeared before immovable. 



The valley of Christiania is extremely beautiful; 

 but we quite agreed with Mrs Wollstonecraft in won- 

 dering how Mr Coxe could discover glaciers, as the 

 flat is surrounded by rising grounds so gently sloping 

 and so trifling in height, as hardly to deserve the 

 name of hills. Among the houses which we remarked 

 as splendid were those of Mr Anker and Mr Collet. 

 Mr Anker's is a large building, disposed in a quad- 

 rangle, with every convenience of outhouses and 

 offices, and with all sorts of sumptuous and luxurious 

 accommodation as we afterwards experienced. After 

 dining on tolerable venison, we received an invita- 

 tion in the most polite terms, by express, from Mr 

 Anker, who was then spending the Christmas holi- 

 days (according to the custom of the place) at the 

 country seat of Mr Collet, fifty miles up the country. 

 Our letters of introduction had been sent off from the 

 town that morning, and we received the letter of 

 invitation at five in the evening no bad example of 

 expeditious travelling. 



Dec. 28. At seven o'clock in the morning a couple 

 of single sledges, with most excellent horses, were ready 

 at our door. After fortifying ourselves with coffee, 

 we set off, each sledge having a servant to stand be- 



