At the end of the 18th century, traveling was as exciting as it was tedious and dangerous. Roads were not invested everywhere, railroads were yet to come, and the fastest (and often the only available) mode of transport was by ship. And although going on a cruise sounds romantic, the reality was definitely more prosaic. This is what she is described in her latest book Niklas Natt och Dag.
The trip to Stockholm took us a few days. We were supposed to go to the island by ship. On Friday, October thirty-first, at eight in the morning, we delivered our trunks to the shipowner's office. The manager, whose name was Schinkel, issued us the travel documents and sent someone to move our luggage to Skeppsbron.
Our ship docked at the stone wharf, but the rope was so weak that it could not hold it still, and the edge of the gangway kept rubbing against the sand-strewn shore. The gangway was made of several boards pressed together and was something like a border running along the line separating the ship from the wharf.
I took four steps, got on board, and immediately had a bad feeling:I found myself in a strange world where everything was in constant motion , accompanied by the creaking of boards and rigging. There was a strong smell of tar and seawater around us.
At the mercy of the wind
Then things moved quickly. Experienced sailors set off from the shore, drew their sails and a gentle wind brought us to Lake Saltsjön. The colorful buildings of Skeppsbron became more and more foggy, and as we passed Djurgården they completely disappeared.
On the first day, we reached Breviksbukten Bay on the Lidingön Island, and after a week we left the skerries behind. We had to get used to having an abundance of water around us for a long time from now on.
For seafarers, the sight of land at sea does not bode well. If they see a shore on the horizon, they feel fearful.
I soon found out how capricious the sea can be. Change could be virtually minute by minute. When a storm breaks the waves, fear sneaks on board, and life and death are the hands that hold the helm. In calm weather, the sea becomes calm and smooth, like planed floors. Its surface is even and transparent, so you can see strange fish that curiously swim under the hull.
For seafarers, the sight of land at sea does not bode well. If they see a shore on the horizon, they feel fear. They know well that a capricious wind can drive a ship aground or onto underwater rocks.
Life on board
Ours was called "Endräkt", meaning "Harmony" or "Harmony". Both the crew and passengers mocked the name in the context of quarrels, disputes and conflicts that usually occur when there is a large group of people in a small area.
The ship became our home for three and a half months. Much can be said about the life that went on there, but not that it is fair. The whole unit was cramped and there was not a single place on it where I could feel alone. The hammocks that we were condemned to because of seasickness or a storm when we were not allowed on board were made of several layers of fabric and tied with ropes to the beams. When we didn't use them, we untied them and put them against the wall.
Sleeping in hammocks is a real art, but after many hours of training, we finally learned it. At first we suffered from seasickness, but after the ship went out into the open sea, we managed to overcome it. We learned to walk with a sailor's pace, we stopped vomiting and only during severe storms did we feel sick.
The text is an excerpt from the newest novel "1794" by Niklas Natt oh Dag, just published by the Sonia Draga publishing house.
After two weeks, we passed Gotland, crossed the Kattegat in mid-December, and celebrated Christmas in stormy weather at Dogger Bank. At one point the ship heeled so much that the port side was underwater, and when the sailors tried to reef the large sail, the wind tore it to shreds.
We passed the white cliffs of Dover, and for a long time did not see any land. One day we drew a chessboard on a wide board, made primitive pieces and pieces and started to play chess. To win even one game with Johan Axel, I had to count on luck. We had nothing else to do though, so we just played to pass the time.
The weather in the Atlantic changed so slowly that it was almost imperceptible. A few weeks later we were sticking out next to the rail in our pants and fishing rod in hand. The sun was hot, coloring our skin a delicate red, and then a strong brown. I can't say much about the cruise itself, because the days were almost the same.
Letter in a bottle
Once upon a time there was an incident which I recall with real regret. It was a gray day, one of those that it is impossible to tell whether the clouds hung so low above us or the fog was so high. I climbed the stern mast and made myself comfortable on the boom. The sea was so calm that I hardly felt the rocking where I was.
It was the only way to get a little loneliness. We were surrounded by two immeasurable spaces - the sea and the sky - that were so blended together that it was difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins.
At this altitude, my sadness and my longing for Linnea Charlotte did not seem as strong as on the deck. I remembered our joy to be together and the tenderness we showed for each other. I was there until my shirt soaked with damp air began to stick to my body. My hair was hanging like pods on my head, and I was shivering with the cold. I wrapped my stiff fingers around the rope, went downstairs, and went below deck to put on my dry clothes.
The change could be practically minute by minute. When a storm breaks the waves, fear sneaks on board, and the hands that hold the helm determine life and death.
I found Johan Axel in the cabin. I caught him standing over my trunk, immersed in reading a few pages. He didn't notice me at first. It turned out he was reading a letter I had started writing to Linnea in Copenhagen. I didn't get the chance to ship it from there and didn't do it until after many weeks of voyage when we got to the port that was our destination. When Johan noticed me, he looked like a criminal, flushed with embarrassment and began to punch something to excuse himself.
I felt as if I had caught someone eavesdropping on secrets flowing from the depths of my soul and intended exclusively for Linnea . My feelings for her suddenly made me lose my temper. I grabbed Johan Axel's letter and shook with anger. With trembling fingers, I smoothed the torn pages with his hands and looked at him.
First Blood
And suddenly what happened after my argument with my father happened. I felt as if there was a gap in my memory. When I regained consciousness, it turned out that I was no longer in my cabin, but on board . I looked at Johan and only now realized what I had done to him and how far I had gone . My cousin had a torn shirt and he was bleeding from his nose, and I was shocked to see it.
I let my hands down, which a moment ago I had kept raised and clenched into fists. I was breathless, panting loudly, and gasping for breath. I could feel a sting in my side and the taste of iron in my mouth. Johan Axel also lowered his hands that he was holding raised to defend himself from me. He, too, finally understood what had happened, and then instead of anxiety in his eyes I saw surprise.
I started knocking something. Captain Damp suddenly appeared. He was just taking an afternoon nap when one of the sailors woke him up, a witness to the whole incident. The captain grabbed my collar and started screaming. He stated that he was close to ordering me to be locked in the hold for the rest of the voyage as ballast. I couldn't resist so he let me go.
Johan Axel got up from the deck and wiped his bloody face with his sleeve. He carefully took me by the arm and led me aside. The embarrassment in his voice was slightly less than I felt myself.
–Forgive me, but I had to do this… Your father paid for my trip. In return, I was to make sure that you don't do ill-considered things. Your father suspected you would find a way to communicate with your beloved and told me to check what you wrote to her. I agreed, but not for him or me, but for you. I have known you for a long time and I know that if there is someone to be watched over in this world, for sure it is over you. I was telling myself that what I was doing was in your best interests but I promise never to do it again. I give you my word for it. We can write the trip report together. I want us to remain friends. If you agree, I will be your best and most faithful squire that no knight has ever boasted.
Johan Axel smiled at the thought of the games and activities that occupied us in our childhood. He held out his hand to me and I shook it tightly. Two feelings filled me:gratitude to him and regret for what happened.
In mid-February, the shores of Antigua appeared on the horizon. We struggled against the wind for several days until we finally entered the port of Barthelemy.
Source:
The text is an excerpt from the newest novel "1794" by Niklas Natt oh Dag, just published by the Sonia Draga publishing house.