THROUH SWEDEN. 43 
In the winter 1799 , I beheld at Stockholm a fpectacle of a 
very uncommon nature, and fuch as I never, in all probability, 
fhall fee a fecond time. It was a fugar-houfe on fire in the 
fuburb, on the fouth fide of the city. The accident being an¬ 
nounced by the difcharge of cannon, all the fire engines were 
immediately hurried to the aid of the owners. The feverity of 
that winter was fo great, that there was not a fingle fpot near, 
where the water was not frozen to the depth of a yard from the 
furface. It was neceffary to break the ice with hatchets and 
hammers, and to- 1 draw up the water as from a well. Immedi¬ 
ately on filling the cafks, they were obliged to carry them off 
with all poffible fpeed, left the water fhould be congealed, as in 
fa<ft about a third part of it was by the time it could be brought 
to the place where it was wanted. In order to prevent it as much 
as poffible from freezing, they conftantly kept ftirring it about 
with a ftick ; but even this operation had only a partial effect. 
At laft, by the united power of many engines, which launched 
forth a great mafs of water, the fire was got under, after deftroy- 
ing only the roof, the houfe itfelf being very little damaged. It 
was in the upper ftories of the building that the ftock of fugar 
was depofited ; there were alfo many veffels full of treacle, which 
being broken by the falling-in of the roof, the juice ran down 
along the fides of the walls. The water thrown up to the top of 
the houfe by the engines, 'and flowing back on the walls, ftair- 
cafes, and through the windows, was flopped in its downward courfe 
by the mighty power of the froft. After the fire was extinguifhed, 
G 2 the 
