GOTHENBURG
Sweden is a country that is not very well known, but is one that is
most interesting to visit, because of the kindliness of the people and
beauty of the scenery as well as many historical associations. As soon
as you have reached the little island of Winga, with its lighthouse,
you are led to think of those days, long, long ago, when the Goths
left these shores in their Viking ships, to sweep the seas and found
kingdoms, or of those days when Gustavus Adolphus gathered the young
able-bodied men of the country, that they might go with him to Germany
to fight for the faith he loved, while the old men and women were left
to till the land. In many places you come across beautiful castles
containing great treasures which Gustavus and his Generals brought
home from the war. These were days when the Swedes were known
everywhere as heroes in the battle-field. Now, you do not think of
them so much as a warlike nation, but as one peaceful and industrious,
seeking to win honour and renown in the more peaceful field of
science, industry, and art. The poet Tegner says:
“We have conquered a world at the point of our sword,
Let us now win the world by our song and our thought.”
The rough seas of the ocean are past. The calm waters of the Göta have
been entered. You have still some hours to journey before you reach
Gothenburg, the second city of Sweden. The steamer threads its way
through a crowd of rocky islands, very bare, barren, and desolate,
with scarcely any vegetation. Here and there can be seen a lonely
fisherman’s hut, painted red, and perhaps an occasional lighthouse. If
it be a Sunday afternoon or a holiday, there is plenty of life. There
in summer can be seen hundreds of men and women bathing in the water,
or basking in the open air on the banks of the river or on the
islands. Every now and then you meet steamers crowded with
pleasure-seekers, who are to spend the day at Marstrand, Lysekil, or
one of the numerous watering-places in this northern archipelago.
These islands, bare as they are, have a wonderful fascination. Spend a
short time on one of them, and you have a desire to repeat your visit.
There is the restfulness of the lonely island with the clear water
dashing upon the rocky shore. What glorious sunsets, as the sun sinks
into the ocean beyond Winga!
As the steamer wends her way up the river, among other places you pass
Styrso, with its baths, sea-bathing, and many fine villas built by
Gothenburg merchants, and Långedrag, another of the numerous
sea-resorts. Your curiosity is aroused by the sight of large tin cans,
similar in appearance to those that convey the milk from the farms to
the towns in our country. These are water-cans. They have no fresh
water suitable for drinking in many of the islands, so that it has to
be carried every day from a town. Now you come to Elfsborg, an
abandoned and dismantled fort situated on an island rock in the
channel. The church of Majorna looks down upon you from the top of a
cliff. Then, after you pass the ship-building yard and factories, you
arrive at the Harbour of Gothenburg, the fortress of the Göta.
The origin of all towns is interesting. How did Gothenburg come into
existence? It dates back from the time of Gustavus Adolphus, who
founded it in 1619. We are told that he came on a visit to this
neighbourhood to decide upon the site of a new city. As he stood on
the top of the Mountain Otterhällen, surrounded by his advisers and
officers, a small bird, chased by an eagle, flew to the feet of the
King for refuge. The King thought this was a message from heaven, and
there and then decided that the new city should be built at the foot
of the mountain. To keep the memory of the founder fresh, the
inhabitants have erected a statue of King Gustavus Adolphus in one of
the squares. It represents him with big boots, military cloak, hat
with feathers, and finger pointing out the site of the city.
The steamer has arrived earlier than was expected. You cannot leave
the ship, as your friends are coming for you. You need not remain on
board because you cannot speak Swedish. Nearly every intelligent
inhabitant of Gothenburg can converse fluently in English. Wait
patiently for a little and the captain will allow you to telephone to
your friends from the ship. Very many ships have the telephone. By the
time the custom-house officer has examined and chalked your luggage,
the telephone connection has been made. It saves one’s friends many a
long and weary wait for the uncertain arrival of a steamer.
Thus you are introduced to one of the striking features of Swedish
life. The telephone is universal. Every place of business, of course,
has one, but also every private house, every farm, and even the little
kiosks on the street can boast of a connection.
After landing, as you drive through the streets you are struck by the
Dutch appearance of the city. Canals intersect the streets. This is
because the first inhabitants were chiefly Dutch merchants, called
into the country by the King.
The city makes a splendid impression on one, as the streets are well
laid out and the houses well built.
How bright and fresh everything appears in the King’s Port Avenue or
the Allée, lined, as they both are, with rows of spreading trees and
stately buildings! These are the fashionable streets and favourite
promenades, where can be seen the youth and beauty of Gothenburg.
The visitor must also see a large public park--Slottskögen--where the
working-men, with their wives and children, listen to the music of the
band. Then there are the Botanic Gardens, which are also a
pleasure-resort.
You should not miss the market where you buy your fish alive. Near by
is the fruit-market, where you see the old women behind their stalls
of flowers, fruits, and vegetables. One wonders how they move, they
are enveloped in so much clothing. There, too, can be seen the little
boat with its load of firewood. Near by are tables laden with sausages
and hams.