THE LAND IN CERTAIN PARTS OF SWEDEN. 



reviewing- all the statements published previously to my late tour for and against the 

 reality of the change of level in Sweden, that my scepticism appears to have been 

 unwarrantable ; but it will not be disputed that too many proofs cannot be accumu- 

 lated to substantiate so remarkable a phenomenon. 



I propose, therefore, to lay before the Royal Society the observations which I made 

 during- the summer of 1834, wath a view of satisfying myself in regard to the data ap- 

 pealed to in support of the elevation of parts both of the eastern and western shores of 

 Sweden. As much of the evidence could only have been derived from personal inter- 

 course with the inhabitants, it may be proper to mention that I was accompanied 

 throughout my excursion by a well-informed Swede, Mr. Johnson, who by his thorough 

 knowledge of the English language was well qualified to assist me as interpreter. 



On my way to Sweden I examined the eastern shores of the Danish islands of 

 Moen and Seeland ; but neither there, nor afterwards in Scania, could I discover any 

 signs of a recent upward movement of the land, nor could I learn that the notion of 

 such a change was entertained by the natives. Proceeding northwards along the 

 coast of the Baltic, the first place which I visited where any elevation of land is 

 supposed to be going on was Calmar. This port is situated in latitude 56° 41'. To 

 the south of the town is the celebrated ancient castle in which was signed, in the 

 year 1397, the famous treaty of union between Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. The 

 castle is supposed to have remained in its present state from a still earlier period. 

 There was a fortress on the site so long ago as the year 1030*. Two round-towers 

 terminate the outworks of this fortress on the side of the sea ; and when I observed 

 that the base of one of these rested on the beach only two feet above the level of the 

 water, and when I found that sea-weed had recently been washed up, so as to touch 

 the lowest part of the building, I concluded, at first, that for the last four or five 

 centuries there could have been no lowering of the Baltic at this place, for otherwise 



we should be compelled to suppose that part 

 of the tower had been originally constructed 

 under water. But on nearer inspection I was 

 led to suspect that this had really been the 

 case, and that the foundation was originally 

 subaqueous. At the height of about two feet 

 above the base of the tower (see sketch, fig. 1 .), 

 and four feet above the level of the sea, a pro- 

 jecting band of stone (a), one foot deep, en- 

 circles the tower like a hoop. This projecting 

 „..,,, ., A..1 e band is of smooth stone, and the stones above 



a, Projecting band or hoop of stone; b, thin layers of i^<*"^ *^ "* '^ J 



slabs of stone and mortar, originally perhaps built under it arC large, and with aU CVCU, drCSScd SUr- 

 water ; c, the beach covered by water when the sea is high. ^^^^ -g^^ bcloW tllC hOOp are many COUrSCS 



of thin slabs of a different stone (b), with layers of cement between. It oc- 



* See Ankaesvaed's "Work on Calmar Castle. 

 b2 



Fig. 1. 

 Part of one of the round-towers of Calmar Castle 



