's flame, the soot being spent and
burnt, the fire went out of itself; and it was a mercy that the wind set
to carry the flame towards a house which was tiled, whereas, if it had
set the other way, it had carried the flame upon houses all built and
covered with wood, to the extreme danger of Whitelocke's lodging and the
whole city.

_May 22, 1654._

[SN: The harbour of Stockholm and Swedish fleet.]

In the morning Berkman conducted Whitelocke to the haven, where lay many
boats and vessels great and small, and much iron upon the quay, which is
convenient, but not much stored. They passed by many fair houses
belonging to the great Lords.

In the afternoon Wrangel came to Whitelocke, and conducted him to see the
Queen's ships, which lie round about an island called by them the Holm,
into which island none are permitted to enter without special license.
This is a good harbour for the ships there to anchor safely. There lay
about fifty ships of war, some of them carrying eighty pieces of cannon,
some sixty, some fifty, some forty, some thirty, and all of them well
fitted and useful, strongly built, but not so nimble and serviceable for
fight as our English frigates. Wrangel was now in his element, and
discoursed much with Whitelocke about the make and force and goodness of
these ships, their force and brass cannon, which were commended by
Whitelocke, who showed the difference in the make between these ships and
the English frigates; that these, for strength to endure an assault and
make defence, were very good, but that the English frigates had much
advantage in their nimble tacking about, their fleet sailing to fetch up
another ship, and the lying of their guns for use of fighting; with which
discourse Wrangel seemed much pleased, and he preferred their brass
cannon before those of iron, which Whitelocke assented unto as not so
soon hot with firing, nor so apt to break and splinter, and do harm to
their own men as the iron ordnance are.

Within this island is the office of the Admiralty, in a fair brick house
built for that purpose; in another building there are the forges for all
the iron-work belonging to the ships; there also are the timber yards,
well stored, and places for the workmen and ship-carpenters. They were
shown there likewise the magazine of powder, bullet, match, grenadoes,
with other fire instruments; also the bake-houses, where they make
provision of biscuit for the ships; it is a great room paved w