THE NORTH SWEDISH PROVINCES 149 



spot. I ascended on foot, with a guide, Knorby Kuylen, 1 

 the highest mountain in Medelpad, finding many un- 

 common plants in greater perfection than I ever saw 

 them before. The summit is crowned with a beacon 

 used as a signal during the war with the Russians. 

 Every sort of moss grows on this mountain that can be 

 found anywhere in the country round. When at the 

 summit we looked down on the country beneath, varied 

 with plains and cultivated fields, villages, lakes, rivers, 

 &c. Hares run about on the very highest part of this 

 hill. An eagle owl (Strix Bubo) rose up suddenly 

 before us as we were sliding down in the descent of the 

 steep south side. We found its nest. Here and there 

 among the rocks were a variety of herbaceous plants, 

 pansies and others. Of the heartsease some of the 

 flowers were white, others blue and white, others with 

 the upper petals blue and yellow, the lateral and lower 

 ones blue, while others again had a mixture of yellow 

 in the side petals. All these were found within a foot 

 of each other; sometimes even on the same stalk 

 different colours were observable a plain proof that 

 such diversities do not constitute a specific distinction. 

 ( Proceeding farther on my journey, I observed by 

 the road a large reddish stone full of glittering portions 

 of talc. The greater part of my way lay near the sea- 

 shore, which was strewn with the wrecks of vessels. To- 

 wards evening I reached Sundswall, a town situated in 

 a small spot between two high hills. On one side is 

 1 Norby Kullen. 



