13th.[–16th].1
JQA
13th.[–16th].
Adams, John Quincy
This morning Mr. Schiebe set out for Gottenburgh Göteborg. I am to
overtake him to morrow morning in Linkiöping. I dined at old Mr. Wadström's and in the
evening I went to the assembly. At about 10 o'clock I return'd and supped at old Mr.
Wadström's; went to my Lodgings and ordered horses, and at about 2. o'clock. A.M. of the
14th. I set out for Linkiöping where I arriv'd at about 7. o'clock. It is only 4. Swedish
miles from Norrkiöping. I found here Mr. Schiebe, and at about 10 o'clock we set out to
continue our journey to Gottenburgh, where we arrived on Thursday the 16th. at about eleven
o'clock at night. The distance is about 250 Engh. miles. One part of the road is very good
because of the snow, but there are some places in the province of Scania Skåne where there is no snow at all. It is very troublesome to travel these roads in
the winter because from Stockholm to the entry of the Province you cannot go otherwise than
in slays, and then very often you find no Snow at all; thro' the whole Province of Scania
there is never Snow enough for 165Slaying
until the latter end of this month: and sometimes not even then.
1.
This diary entry continues through 16 Jan. without a pause or break; the datelines for
the 14th and the 16th (omitted here) are in the margin.
17th.
JQA
1783-01-17
17th.
Adams, John Quincy
This Day I went with Mr. Schiebe to the exchange, and met there with Count Greco, who has
been here already a week. He proposed to me to go with him and two other gentlemen to take a
tour to Drolhetta Trollhättan where there are famous water falls about
8. Sweedish miles from this Place; he told me they shall set out to morrow, and I agreed to
go with them. In the afternoon I went and delivered a letter of introduction to Mr. Lars
Kåhre, a capital merchant of this town.
18th.
JQA
1783-01-18
18th.
Adams, John Quincy
I left Gottenburg this morning in Company with Count Greco, Mr. Khrumppöck a Sea officer
in the Dutch service, and Mr. Gadelius a young Swedish gentleman who belongs to
Uddevalla, we are at present (10 o'clock. P.M.) about half ways to
Drolhetta; the roads are not very agreable (as we are with a coach,) on account of the
Snow.
19th.
JQA
1783-01-19
19th.
Adams, John Quincy
We arrived at Drolhetta at about 5. o'clock this afternoon, but at the last post we were
obliged to leave our carriage on account of the quantity of Snow, and take Slays.
20th.
JQA
1783-01-20
20th.
Adams, John Quincy
This morning we went to see the falls which did not answer my expectations, but this place
is still more famous for the expence the Sweeds have been at to cut a canal from hence to
the sea so that Swedish vessels might come from the Atlantic, without being obliged to pass
the Sound:1 but after all they have not been
able to succeed in their enterprize.2 After
having seen everything remarkable here, we return'd in Slays to the first Post and then we
took our carriage; but could not get further on than Wennersborg Vänersborg, which is the first Station. The road we took could have taken to return is not the same as the 166one we went. And there has fallen more Snow here than on the other
road. Here the Count left us at about 10 o'clock in the evening and set out to return to
Gottenburg in A Slay; as he is obliged to continue his journey.
1.
That is, Öresund (the Sound), the strait between Sjælland Island, Denmark (on which
Copenhagen is located), and southwest Sweden, connecting the Kattegat, an arm of the North
Sea, with the Baltic. At its narrowest point the strait is two and one-half miles wide.
2.
The Göta Canal, a waterway of canals, lakes, and rivers which passes around the
Trollhättan Falls and connects Göteborg with Stockholm, was not completed until 1832.