WESTBOTHLAND. 81 



to the earth, so that they could not be 

 passed without the greatest difficulty. The 

 aged pines, which for so many seasons had 

 raised their proud tops above the rest of 

 the forest, overthrown by the wrath of 

 Juno, lay prostrate in my way. The ri- 

 vulets which traversed the country in vari- 

 ous directions were very deep, and the 

 bridges over them so decayed and ruinous, 

 that it was at the peril of one's neck to pass 

 them on a stumbling horse. It seemed 

 beyond the power of man to make the road 

 tolerable, unless a Bjelke (Governor of 

 Gefle) had the command of the district. 



Many persons had confidently assured 

 me, that it was absolutely impossible to 

 travel to Lycksele in the summer season ; 

 but I had always comforted myself with 

 the saying of Solomon, that " nothing is 

 impossible under the sun :" however, I 

 found that if patience be requisite any 

 where, it is at this place. To complete 

 my distresses, I had got a horse whose 

 saddle was not stuffed, and instead of a 



G 



