JOURNEY TO OLAND AND GOTLAND 203 
upon the notable bird, the avocet. A cave of some 
interest was visited, and the customs of the place as 
to fishing, quarrying, lime- and tar-burning, agricul¬ 
ture, etc., noted. They saw with interest the women 
knitting stockings as they walked. Oppressive laws 
forbidding the natives to sell the Oland ponies, the 
breeding of them had almost ceased, and the bearing 
of firearms was also forbidden in order that the 
peasants should not shoot the deer. Both red deer 
and fallow deer had been introduced and had spread 
themselves over the whole island, doing much 
mischief, wild pigs also being a pest. 
Gaxa, where they arrived on the 13th June, was the 
starting point for Gotland, but as the post yacht would 
not start for some days, Linnaeus made an excursion 
to the little island of Blakulla or Jungfrun (the 
Maiden). Strong wind hindered the passage at first, 
but when it had moderated, the rowers told a tale of 
the witches who visited the island and raised storms. 
After hard work by everybody, they reached the island, 
narrowly escaping disaster against the rocks. 
The impression the island gave was not favour¬ 
able, for it was very steep and the bushes so grown 
together that it was hard to climb, but from the top a 
wide prospect was obtained. After noting the plants 
they returned to Gaxa late at night. 
To get to Gotland was not easy, the only craft for 
the transit being so wretched, as to be absolutely 
dangerous. The party therefore remained for several 
days on Oland, and going to the northernmost point, 
observed the scanty growth on the sand dunes. They 
found plants that were new for Sweden, with insects 
and fossils, also an abundance of the ant-lion. At 
last they were able to hire a sailing boat to pass over 
to Gotland. 
The party embarked on the 21st June, the sail was 
hoisted at nine in the evening, when the sun sank 
below the horizon. The next morning at two o’clock, 
having been well carried forward by a south-west 
