Seite - 203 - in Maximilian Hell (1720–92) - And the Ends of Jesuit Science in Enlightenment Europe

203The North Beckons Having received practical advice, scientific equipment, assistance with the logistics as well as dinners worthy of royal guests, the expeditionists left Co- penhagen on July 2 and set forth via Helsingør and Helsingborg along the coast of southwestern Sweden to Fredrikshald (now Halden), and Christiania (Oslo). Christian Horrebow and his family were in the escort of the imperial astrono- mer for the first stretch of the journey, but as soon as they entered Swedish territory, Hell and his associates were handed over to a young student, who served as their interpreter and factotum all the way up to Christiania. During their five-day rest in this administrative center of the Norwegian part of the realm, Hell and Sajnovics were again celebrated as true representatives of the royal courts. Accordingly, neither the senior district stipendiary of Christiania, Caspar Herman von Storm (1718–77) nor the vice-governor of Norway Jacob Benzon (1688–1775), spared any effort—or expense—in facilitating the over- land journey ahead.98 While Sajnovics was amazed by the condition of the roads in Sweden (where it was the duty of the villagers to maintain a stretch assigned to them in good repair, and they did it so well that “the roads in this region are splendid, and perhaps even better than Austrian ones”),99 the cart roads across the mountains of southern Norway to Trondheim were far from comfortable. Though the journey was arduous, the natural beauty and the fer- tility of the land did not escape Sajnovics. Arriving in Trondheim on July 30, another rest of three weeks followed, with frequent mixing with local society, whose excessive drinking habits—and the resulting drinking pressure— proved hard to cope with. There were benefits, too, at least of the meetings with the bishop, whose collections of natural history specimens and books earned the travelers’ esteem, and who as president of the local society of sci- ences inducted Hell as its member. With the title of professor, Hell traveled more or less incognito. His real sta- tus, however, was well known at least to members of the higher echelons of society. In Trondheim, there was a fortress (Kristiansten) with a substantial percentage of mercenary troops from Catholic parts of Europe. As they be- came enrolled, these had been promised pastoral care according to their own rites, a promise that had proven difficult to keep given the general scarcity of Catholic clergy in the country. Thus, when word spread of Hell’s arrival, the commander of Kristiansten, General Johann Wibe von der Osten (1708–1800), immediately approached Hell and Sajnovics with a suggestion that they 98 Sajnovics, travel diary, proofread version (wus), July 14–18, 1768; letter from Jacob Benzon to Rentekammeret (i.e., the ministry of finance) in Copenhagen, dated July 16, 1768 (RA, Stattholderembetet 1572–1771, C vi Kopibøker, no. 7). 99 Sajnovics, travel diary, draft version (wus), on July 5, 1768.