June 1814
r Speyer this Morning to make
my arrangements for that purpose. I gave him 50 dutch ducats which he
undertook to get exchanged for Swedish money. I took them with me as the
money in most general Circulation throughout the North of Europe, but I
find there will be some loss upon the exchange of them here— I am
obliged to hire a driver for my Carriage, the Peasants who furnish
Post-Horses being able to drive no other Carriages than their little
Waggons— I must also send on a Messenger, a day before hand to order my
horses at the several Stages. I determined to send on my servant Axel, as the forebudd to
order my horses, and I engaged another man named Ericson, to drive my Carriage— Mr Speyer recommended to me to go from here
about six O’Clock in the Evening, for the convenience of obtaining
horses with more certainty— He made out three lists of the Stages, which
I signed and sealed—the first from hence to Oerebro; which I gave to
Axel to take on with him— At Oerebro he is to wait for my arrival, and
then immediately to proceed with the second list; about half way to
Gothenburg— There he is to wait for me again; and then go on the third
days Journey which is to bring me, by this Calculation to Gothenburg.—
The hours at which he is to order the horses are all marked down on the
first list; but I kept the two others, to ascertain by experience how I
shall get along by this mode of travelling with my Carriage— Axel went
from hence between 11 and 12 O’Clock this Evening. I went with Mr Speyer to a bookseller’s shop, and
purchased a Post-map of Sweden. The English Mail of 13 May. arrived this
day. Mr
Russell had a Letter from Mr Beasley of that date,
informing him that the 110British Government had
appointed three Commissioners, to meet those of the United
States—Admiral Lord Gambier,
Mr Adam, a Lawyer, and Mr
Gouldsbourn, a Secretary in the Colonial Department. That
the British Government would probably propose in form the removal of the
Seat of Negotiations from Gothenburg to Holland; and that it was to be
decided the day after he wrote— I made however a draft of a Letter to
Lord Castlereagh,
notifying our Appointment, and our readiness to meet the British
Commissioners at Gothenburg; which Mr
Russell after making some alteration in it signed, and which I am to
take on to Gothenburg, to be forwarded, if the removal to Holland has
not been finally agreed upon.— I went with Mr Russell, his Son,
and Mr
Lawrence to the Arsenal, and saw the Collection of
Curiosities deposited there. Complete sets of steel armour for knights
worn by the king’s of Sweden, from the time of the Statthalter Birger
Jarl in the 13th: Century; to the Carousel
Armours of the two last kings— Trophies, taken in War, from the time of
Gustavus Vasa, down to the
present Crown Prince
inclusively; for there are some danish Standards taken in Holstein last
December.— One of them the man who shews the things told us the king had sent for last week to have at
the Palace, at the reception of the Crown Prince, who has arrived at
Carlskrona, and is expected at Stockholm the day after to-morrow. There
is nothing at this place of much curiosity, but the Clothes of Charles the 12th: which he wore when he was killed— Hat, Gloves,
Coat, Waistcoat, Breeches, Shirt, Stockings, upper and under Boots and
Sword— The stain of blood is yet on the gloves and sword-hilt— There is
also a large staff upon which it is said he was leaning when he was
killed. The hole made by the bullet through the hat is so precisely at
the spot which must have covered the Temples, as certainly to
countenance the suspicion that he was assassinated— All the remainder of
the day, I was very busily engaged in writing and preparing for my
departure.