i9® 
TRAVELS 
father of Guftavus I. During the war between Suante Sture and 
John II. king of Denmark, it was burned, but rebuilt, and ferved 
as a prifon to the unfortunate Eric XIV. in the year 1571 . In 
the year 1556 it was granted, with all the ifles of Aland in fief, 
to duke John. After this, namely in 1603 , it devolved to Ca¬ 
therine, widow of Guftavus I. In 1644 that part of the caftle, 
which was conftrucded of wood was deflroyed by fire. Then 
it became the property Queen Ulrica Eleanora, the confort of 
Charles XI. and fince that it has been burned and rebuilt feveral 
times. 
Between the ifles of Vergata and Kumlinge we had for our 
guide a peafant of about fifty-five years of age, who aftonifhed us 
with the great freedom of his converfation, as well as the good 
fenfe of his obfervations. Very different from other rallies, who 
never open their lips, nor difcover any fparks of curiofity about 
any thing, he made many enquiries, and with great politenefs, 
concerning our native country, the nature of its government, its 
fituation, climate, natural produce, and feveral other fubje<fls; and 
his queftions {truck us as being greatly above the common under- 
{landing of perfons in his condition of life. Being informed that 
we were from Italy, he expreffed much aftonifliment: he had 
heard, he faid, that there was a war in Italy, and that there was 
in that country a warrior who {truck terror into all the world ; 
alluding no doubt to Bonaparte. We afked him how many miles 
he conceived Italy to be diftant from Aland ? He faid he could 
not tell; but that he imagined it to be a great deal farther off 
than 
