e next morning, when the steamer was approaching the Wettern Lake,
the second in size in Sweden. The boat was on a broad arm of the lake,
called the Viken, for the canal is built only across the narrowest
section of country, between two natural bodies of water.

The Wettern Lake is ninety miles long and fifteen miles wide,
surrounded by hills, from which sudden gusts of wind come, producing
violent squalls on the water. This lake is noted for big trout. After
crossing the Wettern, the steamer approached Wadstena, which contains
an ancient church and convent, and a castle built by Gustavus Vasa,
and often occupied by his family. Ten miles farther brought the
steamer to Motala, which contains several iron founderies and
manufactories. Many iron steamers and steam engines are built at this
place. The scenery on this portion of the canal is very beautiful,
though not grand. Going through another portion of the artificial
canal, the boat enters the Roxen Lake, perhaps the most beautiful in
Sweden, and makes a landing at Linkoeping. There are half a dozen towns
with this termination in the country, as Norrkoeping, Soederkoeping,
Joenkoeping, the last two syllables being pronounced like _chepping_;
as, Lin-chep-ping.

Leaving the Roxen Lake, the steamer passes through more canals into an
arm of the Baltic, and then into the sea itself, voyaging among a
thousand small islands, stopping at Soederkoeping and Nykoeping,
important commercial and manufacturing towns. Night came, and our
tourists did not stay up to see the lights on the way. The steamer
leaves the Baltic, and passing another piece of canal, enters the
waters of the Maeler Lake, seventy-five miles long, and containing
fourteen hundred islands. The boys were up in season to see the
beauties of this lake. Many of the islands rise to a considerable
height above the water, and are so thick that one hardly believes he
is sailing on a large lake. For quiet beauty and "eternal stillness,"
the Maeler can hardly be surpassed. In the middle of the forenoon,
the spires of Stockholm were to be seen, and the tourists were all
attention. From the lake the city presents a fine appearance. Indeed,
Stockholm, seen from either of its water approaches, is hardly
excelled in beauty by any city in Europe.

The Wadstena made her landing at the Island of Riddarholm. As the
party were not burdened with any baggage, they decided to walk to the
hotel. Ole inquired the way to the Hotel Rydbe