The Argosy — page 384: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

303 UNDER NORTHERN SKIES. By CHARLES W. Woon, F.R.G.S., AuTHOR oF ‘‘ THROUGH HOLLAND,” &C. Goya again we set sail bahay | from Stockholm. This E si: time our destination was Gotland, also an island of the Baltic. In its way, is it not the most wonderful of all islands? Yet how few seem to know anything about it. They have heard of such a place, they may ey tell you ; perhaps will indi- eye; cate its position on the m2 map; believe that the title of the King of Sweden’s second son is Duke of Got- land; and there it ends. Yet if Gotland were only a little more accessible: if its shores were washed by the waters of the English Channel instead of those of the Baltic: it would be thought one of the wonders of the world. We left Stockholm about five o’clock in the evening. For the first and only time in our experience the air on Malar Lake was warm. The beauties of the lake were at their best. It was nothing Short of an earthly paradise. Time went on, and a glorious sun- set flushed earth and sky. Islands and the wooded shores were bathed in gold. The colours of the waters would have composed a rainbow. ‘They are no ordinary sunsets, in these northern skies ; skies varying every moment almost like the changes of a kaleidoscope. If they are brighter than usual old sailors say there is going to bea change of weather. No change to-night could have been for the better, and we hoped no change was in store. Malar Lake seems to have innumerable outlets, and this evening we soon turned into new waters. Now, in narrow straits, we almost touched the shore and looked far up into the deepening forest glades. Then we launched out upon wide crescents and circles. But always and at all times we were surrounded by a solitary, deserted land. Towns or villages there were none; few signs of life; a world given Si = Puy Aare ep tem ey is a MS = Ate + a —— je " LEIS ee i BOS i a = os \} = — i |! ui WES ; i vig ~ ‘ — ite ' . = = 7 " a it } ‘ i ili , iy \ | etl \ ah » 7 " H a . ny . ' { 5 ‘ b a fn Ws “ar ' e ' uy Z Ht Au ' i¥ | i 5 ’ j * 1 = ay ‘ ail iN { } } i wal tI a j | i ’ i} t { iad ‘ LL » a « re 4 it Iaale ae ~~ k \ } Y | } Pe i \ if : ' } tee j ' e | fh } 3) } i i . PHP! 3 Usp . ; ‘ { ? 1h) i 7 q \ Wotlnn —-——— Sis ate \i ——F—] = : ay .- \" a 0 ——i —— = r~ — = UC kere = a (CO) im COnnicboooks