174 THROUGH THE FIELDS WITH LINN^US 



above Lake Venern, 916 feet above the sea-level, the 

 highest point, commands an extensive view. Husaby 

 Kyrka, with its royal tombs and gabled exterior, on the 

 hill-side towards Lidkoping, is the oldest cathedral 

 church in Sweden, dating from the dawn of Chris- 

 tianity in Scandinavia. Dragons are sculptured on 

 the font, and the elaborately wrought-iron doors are 

 interlaced with runic knots. 



Rain and the Sunday service hindered Linnaeus's 

 journey on June 22 till about noon. He stopped at 

 the Kallang Inn, and next day went on to Lidkoping, 

 which takes its name from the Lida River, in which its 

 spired church is reflected. This church is of no great 

 interest, which is a disappointment to readers of Fer- 

 gusson, who ranks it as next in importance to Upsala, 

 and dates it 1260-1500. 1 



1 The town of Lidkoping 2 lies on the south-eastern 

 shore of the Venern Lake, in a level and sandy situation, 

 and is divided in two parts by the Lida River, that here 

 falls into the Venern. To the east of the river lies the 

 old town, which is small and irregular. The new town, 

 built by Count Magnus de la Gardie, lying on the west 

 bank, has regular streets, with many cross-roads and 

 open spaces (small commons), that the origin of the 

 fires so prevalent in the wooden towns of Sweden may 

 be the easier seen and extinguished. The houses here 



1 This is a printer's error, repeated several times. The church 

 described is Linkoping. 



2 Linnseus's Journal. 



