A Journal of the Swedish Embassy in the Years 1653 and 1654, Vol II.
John Locke · en
About eleven o'clock the last night the wind came about more to the
south, yet Whitelocke advanced in his course and gained some way, but not
much, the wind being almost against him; and so it continued in this
morning, when there appeared a chain of rocks advancing themselves more
than a Swedish mile into the sea, and not far from the isle of Oeland, to
which rocks it is not good to approach too near. They could not maintain
their course but to very small advantage, and by veering up and down to
gain a little of the wind, and in this manner they spent this whole day:
the wind continuing at south-south-east, they did not advance much all
this day, only kept what they had gained before, and held plying up and
down in that dangerous sea; their support was that this was the good
pleasure of their God, whose will the wind and waters do obey.
Though the weather was not foul, yet it was thick with fog which arose at
the foot of the horizon, and the mariners said this weather was ordinary
in these seas, but very dangerous. In the evening some of the company
made them pastime to divert the tediousness of the way and weather.
_June 3, 1654._
[SN: The island of Gothland.]
About midnight the wind came about somewhat fairer than before, and
Whitelocke gained a little in his course. At sunrising he discovered the
isle of Gothland, eight leagues distant to the east from the isle of
Oeland; afterwards the wind returned to the same quarter wherein it was
yesterday.
The isle of Oeland is near the continent, extending itself in length by
the shore eighteen Swedish miles, but hath not in breadth in any place
above two Swedish miles. This is the place where the Prince of Sweden,
now King, used to make his residence, in a fair castle built of stone of
this island, not inferior to marble,--these stones are in great request
for pavements, pillars, and other uses and ornaments in building. The
pillars of the King's Chapel at Stockholm, great and high, well polished
and of divers colours, were brought from this island, and they have many
of these stones in the buildings of the great lords. This island is a
place of the most field-pleasure of any in this country, being open and
stored with red and fallow deer, with hares and conies, and with
partridges, which are scarce in other parts; but here the game is
preserved for the Prince's pleasure.