IV.

Basaltic

posed of the same materials; being, in fact, a CHAP. part of the same stratum. The basaltic character is less visible here; because the mountain is so Rocks. thickly covered with fir-trees, that, comparatively, there are few places where the rock is visible'. There is nothing, either in the appearance of these mountains, or in the neighbouring country, to warrant a conclusion that the basaltic configuration here is due to any igneous operation. Not a vestige of any extinct volcano can be discerned.

Among the woods of Hunneberg, and beneath the shade of fir-trees, the author found, in flower, that beautiful plant, the Pyrola uniflora, rearing Pyrola its pale, pendent, and solitary blossoms, near to the base of the mountain. As it was the first

time any
of us had seen this plant, and as it af-
forded the first rare specimens for our botanical
collection, the sight of it was a gratification to
all of us. The flowers were snow-white, and
they had the fragrance of the Lily of the
Valley. Although this species of Pyrola has
been found in the South of France, and in
the North of Italy, it is so truly an inhabitant
of Alpine regions, that it was never seen in

༢་

uniflora.

(1) The specimens which we brought from Halleberg and Hunneberg are now in the Woodwardian Collection at Cambridge; and there is little perceptible difference between them.

IV.

CHAP. Britain until the year 1783 when it was observed for the first time in Moray, and in theo remotest western isles of the Hebrides. Before it expands its cups, the blossoms are of a globular form, and it always hangs its head like a snowdrop.

Celtic Antiquities.

The antiquities of Halleberg next claimed our attention; it was once the Holy Mountain of Westro-Gothland; its remarkable features having

given rise to many superstitious notions concerning it; and a Celtic coemetery, close to its base, within the defile between the two mountains, being still considered as the burial-place of giants. A fearful precipice rises perpendicularly behind a thick grove of trees, which

9

appear to have been self-planted among the broken
rocks at its base. There is also a circular range
of large upright stones, near to this
grove; like

what we should call, in England, a Druidical
Circle; and upon the left-hand, facing the pre-
cipice, a small circular pool of water. The tradi-
tion of the inhabitants concerning this place
maintains, that the giants of old, who inhabited
this country, when they wished to hasten their
departure for Valhall, (that future state of hap-
piness where all the Northern nations expected
to carouse full goblets of ale with the Gods',)
when any of them were seized with a tædium
wita, used to repair, in complete armour, to the
brink of the precipice, whence, leaping down,
they were dashed to pieces, and immediately
made partakers of Elysium. The same tradition
also adds, that the bodies of the giants were
washed, after their fall, within the circular pool
of water, previously to the ceremony of their
funeral, which was conducted with great public
solemnity; the body being burned, and the ashes.

.or,

(1) Ale and mead were the only nectar of the Northern nations, See Mallet's Northern Antiquities, vol. II. p. 326; Edinb. 1809. Also p. 315, Note.

(2) The Northern warriors believed that no persons were entitled to Elysium, but such as died in battle, or underwent a violent death. Ibid. p. 314, Note."

IV.

CHAP. placed in an urn and buried. At a small dis- tance from the bottom of the precipice, and beyond the pool, is the circular range of monu-k mental stones, consisting of seven upright pillars, that still preserve their natural forms, and were, originally, fragments detached from the mass of basalt above. Some of the stones are now

to the Celtic

by a King

of Sweden.

wanted, to complete the entire circle; and a most preposterous addition was made to those Visit paid which remain, by Adolphus Frederic and his Antiquities Queen, during a visit they made to the spot, acand Queen companied by the Lord-lieutenant of the province. It consists in a single upright stone, } placed in the centre of the circular range; as if the date of its erection had been coeval with the rest; but bearing an inscription in the Swedish language, containing names of the King and Queen, and stating the time of their visit to the place. When the late Pope converted the villa of Maecenas into a cannon-foundry, his Holiness did not betray more barbarism than the Swedish Monarch who thus violated a Celtic cœmetery.

Professor Malthus and Mr.

Otter set out for Norway.

9

Here, upon this spot, just as we had concluded our survey of the curiosities of the place, a melancholy separation took place amongst the members of our party. Professor Malthus, and Mr. Otter, who had accompanied us to visit Halleberg and Hunneberg, returned to Wenersburg,

to pass
the night there, previously to their de-
parture for Norway. It was our intention also
to visit Norway; but having a great desire to
witness the remarkable appearance exhibited in
the north of Sweden, at this season of the year,
by the presence of the solstitial sun through the
entire night, and to explore the arctic provinces
of Lapland, and our friends deeming such a pro-
ject too extensive for the time they had allotted
to their journey, we took a contrary road; con-
tinuing along the defile, to a little village called
Halby, distant four miles and a half from the
place where we parted from them. Then, for
the first time, we seemed to be fully sensible
that we were in a foreign land, without friends,
and without home. The loss of our companions,
by whose observations we had benefitted, and in
whose society we had passed so many agreeable
hours, depressed our spirits; and we thought
only of the probable chances there might be, of
our never meeting either of them again. We
had countries to traverse which to us were
entirely unknown; and the prospect of satisfying
our curiosity by a sight of those distant regions,
was clouded by the consciousness, that we
should no longer share any gratification it might
afford with those who had hitherto participated
in all our amusements.