em was built on low, flat land,
and they could see the entrances of various canals. Farther back was a
series of rugged hills, which were covered with pleasant residences
and beautiful gardens. After dinner the students were mustered on
deck, to listen to a few particulars in regard to the city, though it
was understood that the general lecture on Sweden would be reserved
until the arrival of the squadron at Stockholm.

"What city is this?" asked Mr. Mapps.

"Gottenburg," replied a hundred of the students.

"That is plain English. What do the Swedes call it?"

"G-oe-t-e-b-o-r-g," answered Captain Lincoln, spelling the word.

"Perhaps I had better call on Professor Badois to pronounce it for
you."

"Y[=a]t-a-borg," said the instructor in languages, repeating the
pronunciation several times, which, however, cannot be very accurately
expressed with English characters. "And the river here is Ya-tah."

"The French call the city _Gothembourg_. It is five miles from the
sea, and is connected with Stockholm by the Goeta Canal, which is a
wonderful piece of engineering. Steamboats ply regularly between
Gottenburg and the capital through this canal, the voyage occupying
three or four days."

"I intend to make a trip up this canal as far as the Wenern Lake, with
the students," said Mr. Lowington.

A cheer greeted this announcement, and then the professor described
the canal minutely.

"The principal street of Gottenburg," he continued, "is on the canal,
extending through the centre of the city. There are no remarkable
buildings, however, for the city is a commercial place. It was founded
by Gustavus Adolphus, and, like many other cities of the north, being
built of wood, it has several times been nearly destroyed by fire. The
buildings now are mostly of stone, or of brick covered with plaster.
The environs of the city, as you may see from the ship, are very
pleasant. Now a word about the money of Sweden. The government has
adopted a decimal system, of which the unit is the _riksdaler_,
containing one hundred _oere_. The currency in circulation is almost
entirely paper, though no bills smaller than one riksdaler are issued.
The silver coins in use are the half and the quarter riksdaler, and
the ten-oere piece; the latter being a very small coin. On the coppers,
the value in oere is marked. A riksdaler is worth about twenty-seven
cents of our money. Sweden is a cheap country."

The signal was made for embarking in the