“  This internal passport – issued by the magistrates in Göteborg and Bohuslän provinces in Sweden was drawn up for “the Medical Master and Demonstrator at the Academy of Uppsala, Adam Afzelius, who intends to travel abroad”. Such a document was needed for his journey overland from Uppsala to Göteborg before boarding a ship to England. For Swedes and foreigners who moved within the country, the strict regulations of having a passport from the authorities applied, rules which had been in place in various forms since 1555. During the time of Afzelius’ travels, at every staging post, he had to certify his intent by presenting his document to get free passage. The staging posts along the country roads were not even allowed to provide fresh horses to any traveller who did not have a passport. After several years in England (where he arrived in 1789) and two voyages to Sierra Leone – during the spring of 1796, Afzelius sailed back to London, where he stayed for a few more years after his African sojourn. His journey back home to Uppsala via Norway only started in April 1799 after almost ten years abroad, also evident via this rare and well-preserved passport dated 20 October 1789.”