OLAND AND GOTHLAND 115 



f June 13. We travelled to Gaxa, where the high 

 road on the island ends ; here we were to wait for the 

 post-boat to Gothland. Sunday the 14th, the fourth 

 after Trinity, we attended church at Hogby, where we 

 saw a great procession going to the altar. First came 

 nine maidens, then three women with little children, 

 followed by three women who had been churched ; next 

 came nine couples of other women, and lastly, half- 

 a-dozen peasant lads. The maidens sat towards the 

 north by the altar, the youths towards the south : the 

 women with the children were seated in front of the altar.' 

 A long description of the ceremonial follows. A model 

 of a ship, a sort of votive offering, such as one often 

 sees in maritime places in France, was hung up in the 

 church ; a runic stone lay in the churchyard. Linnaeus 

 does not seem to have noticed the saddle-shaped .build 

 of the ancient churches, of which Alboke is the best- 

 known example. They are called ' Klofsadels.' Linnaaus 

 only mentions Alboke Church in contrast, as being as 

 ill-cared for as the churches in Gothland are handsome 

 and neatly kept. 



1 The Oland horses, by which name we in Sweden 

 describe all very small horses, are not common in Oland, 

 being only occasionally seen. Oland horses are truly 

 only swift nags, but they are a good deal larger than 

 the little ponies we call Oland horses. A little pony 

 from the isle of Oland runs with extreme velocity ; for 

 though a great trooper's horse may get before it, the 



i 2 



