The Henson Journals

[15]

Wednesday, August 21st, 1901.

Before getting up, I wrote to Carissima. The Spectator, which arrived last night, has two bits of information which are more than ordinarily interesting. Rhodes himself gives the lie to Campbell Bannerman as to his famous subscription to the Liberal funds: & has sent for the correspondence from South Africa. Balfour & Chamberlain announced at the Blenheim demonstration of Unionists that the over–representation of Ireland must be dealt with. If they stick to their guns, this is the best thing they have done yet, but will they? A reduction of the Irish members would go far to banish the Home Rule spectre from our politics: & so make possible the revival of an English Opposition.

After breakfast I strolled in the town for an hour, & was hailed by a substantial old gentleman, cruizing about the streets, who succeeded in conveying to me his impression that I was a clergyman, & his consequent desire to shake my hand. The first was accurate – the last amiable. We bowed, shook hands, & parted murmuring mutually unintelligible benedictions. At noon we got aboard the steamer, & made a start for Stockholm. The river or canal ran through a cultivated valley, lined with low wooded hills; everywhere the view was varied & pleasing. The steamer, tho' small, was clean & well–ordered; & the dinner provided at 2 p.m. was ample & excellent. We reached Trollhätten at a little past 5 p.m.; & while the steamer worked its way thro' the series of canals, which form a gigantic stair–case, effecting a descent of more than 100 feet, we walked under the escort of boy–guides to the Falls. They are astonishing in many respects. The volume of water is immense, & grows on you as you look at it: but the falls are scattered over a great area: they are not all seen from any point; & none of them is of any great height. So that the effect is disappointing. They are rather a series of gigantic cataracts than a waterfall.

At Trollhätten the steamer took on board a cargo of new passengers, including the American we thought we had dropped at Gothenberg, so that we became inconveniently crowded. About 9.30 p.m. we reached Wenersborg, at the foot of the great lake. Here we got rid of a few passengers, & took in some provisions. About 10.30 p.m. I went to bed.

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