2 5 * ' TRAVELS 
him far in the icy defert; an accident which happened to us more 
than once. 
I have made no mention of Braheftad, a fmall town we pafled 
on the road, becaufe I did not think it at the time'of much con- 
fequence ; I {hall however give fome account of it here. This 
town is a flapelflad, and fituated under the (34th degree 43 minutes 
of latitude, in the bailwick and parifh of Salo, one hundred and 
thirty-five leagues and a half from Stockholm (by the common 
north road),* fixty-nine from Abo, eight and a half from Ulea- 
borg, and thirty from Wafa. It {lands on the gulf of Bothnia, 
at the top of a bay formed by two peninfulas : the town itfelf is 
upon the main land. It was founded by Count Peter Brahe, who 
confidered this fituation as particularly favourable for trade. The 
town became his property by purchafe, and in December 1649 
he provided it with a charter and certain privileges: in ] 052 it 
was called after his name. Thofe privileges were confirmed to 
the town in 1651, 1052, 1080 ; and the laft and moft important, 
by which it acquired the right of {lapelflad, to carry on foreign 
trade, is dated the 7th April 17 Q 1 . For its armorial bearings it 
has part of the arms of the family of Brahe, viz. a horfe, and a 
man with a lance and helmet. The harbour was once good and 
convenient; but at prefent it is choaked up with mud, infomuch 
that only fmall vefiels, or large ones with half their cargo, are 
able to enter it. Ships drop anchor at the mouth of the harbour, 
a quarter of a mile from the market place. 
* Which runs along the gulf of Bothnia to Tornea. 
The 
