io8 THROUGH THE FIELDS WITH LINN JE US 



of a Swedish mile from the town, set in meadows and 

 fine oak woods. 



The wind was just as strong on June 1, but they 

 were wearying in Kalmar, so in the afternoon at three 

 they undertook the rough passage, meeting a heavy 

 storm from the south-west. They were driven a long 

 way to the north of Kalmar, and to the north of Borg- 

 holm. It must indeed have been a furious gale thus to 

 be felt under the lee of the mainland. 



Hardly had they set foot on the shore of Oland when 

 they remarked that this land was altogether different 

 from the other Swedish provinces. They fell at once to 

 collecting and naming plants ; Linnasus gives two long 

 columns of names, chiefly of novelties, right off in high 

 glee, and then catalogues the other natural curiosities. 

 How glad they were to have left Kalmar behind them! 

 They stayed the night at the spot where they landed, and 

 at four in the morning travelled on towards Borgholm 

 Castle, accompanied by the druggist Norstedt from Kal- 

 mar. That they went on foot and slowly is evident from 

 the pages of natural-history descriptions that follow. As 

 they went through the embowered woods, with lime and 

 hazel, and the beautiful meadows, the fine and nu- 

 merous species of orchis reminded Linnseus of Fontaine- 

 bleau. ' Sweden is not yet adorned by these flowers 

 that are so exactly like flies, helmets, gnats, bees, and 

 other insects.' l ' Who imagined these flowers grow in 

 our country and in such plenty in Oland that they are 

 1 Oration on travel in one's own country. 



