THROUGH SWEDEN. 
55 - 
jullly, were fond of llretching out piers and building houfes on a 
foundation raifed in the fea : whims of this kind are to be met with 
in every age and in every country. The king, of whofe domains 
the park forms a part, has allotted portions of it to feveral noble¬ 
men, with a view of engaging them to build houfes there. The 
Spaniffi ambaflador, for the improvement of his fanciful manfion, 
has, at a very confiderable expence, carried the foundation of it 
farther into the fea; and thus created the moft delightful fum- 
mer refidence that can be imagined. 
On the twenty-fourth of June, or Midfummer-day, it is the 
cuftom to place lhrubs and flowers at the doors of great houfes, 
as they do in France on the firfh of May, and according to what 
I have heard alfo in England. On that day the king and royal 
family come to the park, where they take up their abode in tents 
for the remainder of the month, that is, for the fpace of nearly a 
week. A camp is formed of the garrifon of Stockholm, compofed 
of two regiments of foot-guards, fome companies of horfe-guards, 
and a corps of artillery. Along the lines of the camp they raife 
poles or polls, adorned with branches of cyphers, and fometimes 
fcutcheons with mottos or devices. At the foot of the polls are 
placed barrels of beer on wooden frames: about fix or feven 
o’clock in the afternoon, on a particular fignal, the barrels are 
opened; when each foldier is prefented with a pipe, a loaf of 
bread, two herrings, and fome money. All this is done at the ex¬ 
pence of the officers. In the mean time the military mufic plays, 
and the foldiers begin to drink and to dance. Upon each of the 
barrels 
