Diary of John Quincy Adams, volume 1

16th. Saturday. JQA

1782-11-16

16th. Saturday. Adams, John Quincy
16th. Saturday.

This morning at about 10 o'clock we left Åbo at the same time with the Prince Galitzin, but Mr. Gummer intends to stay there 159about a week because he has all his family here and has been a long time absent. We went this day 7 ½ Miles as far as the first passage at Helsings.

17th. Sunday. JQA

1782-11-17

17th. Sunday. Adams, John Quincy
17th. Sunday.

This morning we took boat and went as far as Varsala Wartsala i.e. two miles: we could go no farther.

18th. Monday. JQA

1782-11-18

18th. Monday. Adams, John Quincy
18th. Monday.

This morning we set off from Varsala in a boat and went 5. miles as far as Kůmlinge. Fine weather.

19th. Tuesday. JQA

1782-11-19

19th. Tuesday. Adams, John Quincy
19th. Tuesday.

This day we passed from Kůmlinge to Skarpans by water. The distance is, 6. Swedish miles. We went also two stations by land.

20th. Wednesday. JQA

1782-11-20

20th. Wednesday. Adams, John Quincy
20th. Wednesday.

This day at about 4 o'clock P.M. we arrived at Eckerö. The Prince Galitzin arrived at about eight o'clock.

21st. Thursday. JQA

1782-11-21

21st. Thursday. Adams, John Quincy
21st. Thursday.

This morning at 7 ¾ o'clock we set off from Eckerö in a boat and arrived at Grisselham distant 7. Miles at about 11.¼. We stay'd there till 2. o'clock P.M. and went 4 stations after.

22d. Friday. JQA

1782-11-22

22d. Friday. Adams, John Quincy
22d. Friday.

This evening at about 11.o'clock we arrived at Stockholm. We found all the taverns in the town shut up, and could not get one opened.

List of the roads from Åbo to Stockholm.
From Åbo to Swed: miles
Nussis Nummis 2.
Tursanparo 1.
Laertes 1 1/2
Botila 1 1/4
Helsings 1 3/4.
à Varsala (par eau) by water 2.
Bränden. Brandö do. 2 1/4
160
Kumlinge   do. 2 1/2
Wargata.   do. 3 1/4.
Skarpans.   do. 3.
Haraldsby (par terre) by land 1 1/2
a river
Enkarby Emkarby 1 1/4
Trebenby 1 1/4.
Marby. . (by water) 1/8.
Eskerö 7/8.
Grisselhamn (by water) 7.
a river
Taefta (land) Täfteå 3/4.
Stubby 1 1/2
Swanberg Svanberga 1 1/2
Kragstad 1 1/4.
Rylanda 1.
Hall 1 1/4.
Östby 1.
Enstad 2.
Stockholm 2.
Swedish Miles 44. 6/8

Better than one half of the way you are obliged to go by water. And what is worse a traveller is very often obliged to stop at one or another of the passages, especially, at that from Eckerö to Grisselham for whenever the wind is contrary, or if there is no wind at all, you will find no boats, because the mariners will not risk to go over. This is only at the great passage,1 for a calm weather is the best for the small ones because there are a great number of rocks on all sides, at the small passages, and the best way is to row. For the same reason, when the wind is strong, you can't pass the small passages. But at this season of the year it is impossible to row over the passage of the Ålandshaff in a day; and it is dangerous to arrive in the night. When we arrived at Eckerö we found there the post from Åbo, that had stay'd there for want of wind a whole week, and we were very lucky not to stay more than one night. Upon the whole all the passages are very disagreable especially at this season of the year, when the weather is commonly bad. There is another road which some travellers take in winter, which they call here, making the northern tour; but this is never done unless it is impossible to go 161the other way; because it makes a difference of noless than 240. Swedish miles which makes about 1700. English.

1.

That is, from Eckerö to Grisselhamn, across the Ålands Haf, or Ålands Sea, the body of water which separates the Åland Islands archipelago and the Swedish mainland, at the entrance of the Gulf of Bothnia.