'This mine returns about £1250 sterling of silver per ann. Sixty miners are employed at £14 a year each! Bears, wolves and reindeer abound in this vicinity. There is plenty of iron, not worked, and gold has also been found in Kongsberg. From thence to Topam(?) we were surprised to find ourselves driven up to the door of a gentleman's place, out came Jack Butler, and the master of the house, pressing us to walk in; after excuses and proper hesitation we accepted, and found ourselves in a room with people at supper, ladies pretty ones too, who spoke English! 'The fact is that Topam, of which we had heard so much, is a gentleman's place; after dinner we were shown to our room (one only was vacant). Walrond had a bed and I slept in my cloak.' Next day they engaged a well-organised _chasse_. My father pronounces Topam (?) the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. 'Mr. Benker of Berlin, their host, purchased it from the King of Sweden for £150,000. It is the only thing on this scale in Europe.' The travellers now returned to Christiania, apparently to be received by the King. They intended dining with their old friend Count Plater, but the King commanded them to dine with him. After waiting some time they were ushered in by Baron Lamterberg, the head Chamberlain, and after a few minutes the King entered--(here follows the interview in Captain Yorke's own words): 'I apologised for being in plain clothes instead of uniform or court dress; he replied, "I do not want to see the dress but the man, I am glad to see you both." He then addressed his conversation in different topics, viz.: policy of Sweden, change of ministry in England, the navy, the country, and the mines of Sweden; all of which he enlarged much on. 'He remarked, speaking of England, "That she must have a strong government or things would not go right in a turn of affairs which he seemed to think must soon come. A strong government is absolutely necessary for England." He asked me if _I_ thought that much order or signals could be attended to after a naval fight had once begun? I answered, "I thought it depended much on the weather, and which fleet had the weather gage. With a strong wind and the weather gage I thought a well-conducted fleet could keep in good order, as long as spars stood." We stayed with the King for an hour before dinner which was served at half-past five, after taking schnapps and anchovies, &c. (at which preparation the King did not appear, they being served at side tables). The company, about thirty generals, Colonels and Officers of State, were scattered about in different rooms; the King suddenly entered and took his seat; everyone did the same, nothing was said; he fell to work, a very good dinner. I sat opposite the King who never spoke, or even changed his countenance, or his knife and fork, which were of gold, and wiped them himself on bread.