a
sandbank in sight of the Salsette, which had then only four feet water
to spare; the former, immediately they struck, turned bottom up, and
all hands perished, being instantly covered with the ice. The
thermometer, in January 1809, sank to forty-five degrees below zero;
the Sound and Belt were completely frozen over, and many passed
between Sweden and Denmark on horseback over the ice.

The Author did not escape the infection at Carlscrona, but was one of
the first who recovered, and was sent for by the King to Stockholm; it
was, however, the middle of February before he could undertake the
journey.

There were at one time nineteen packets due from England.

Things in Sweden began to take a different turn. The conduct of the
King in disgracing his guards, because, after beating three times
their number of Russians in Finland, they were obliged to retreat, and
could no longer defend Abo, the capital of that province, rendered him
unpopular; and a conspiracy was formed, at the head of which was
Aldercreutz, the general who had been in Finland, in conjunction with
Aldersparre, who commanded the western army, which was secretly set in
motion for Stockholm from the frontiers of Norway, and had arrived at
Orebro before reports of its progress reached the King.

On the night of the 8th of March, his Majesty issued orders for all
the troops to get under arms at daylight; and on the morning of the
9th he demanded the specie from the bank, intending to set off with it
to Scania. The ministers and officers of state were summoned to the
council; and others, among whom was the Author, were required to
attend his levee at nine o'clock, which was the moment fixed on by the
conspirators, who entered, and told the King that he must not leave
Stockholm. Drawing his sword, his Majesty made a pass at one of the
conspirators: in the mean time the General seized the _staff of
power_,[8] and ordered the others to seize the King, which they
immediately obeyed by forcing him into the next room. They forgot,
however, when they locked the door, that there was a private entrance,
out of which the King immediately escaped, and appearing on the
staircase, below which the Author was standing, he called loudly for
help. Some of the conspirators, however, with great presence of mind,
called to the soldiers on duty, "The King is mad;" on which they again
secured him, and in the evening he was removed to Drottningholm, where
his family resided.