CHAP. I. discernible ing Fin land. journey this night than Kjanfraniemi; passing through Rautiola, about two English miles from Kiemi, and also Maxaniemi; at each of which places we changed horses. We had often found as good accommodation in Lapland as we met with in Kjanfraniemi. Upon entering Fin- Difference land, a very evident difference of manners is upon enterdiscernible. The disposition, habits, dress, and other national distinctions of the people, are very strikingly opposed to those of Sweden. We have already pointed out some of the discriminative characteristics of the Finns; and shall have occasion to mention more. We might say, perhaps generally of them, that, like the territory they inhabit, they are intermediary between the Swedes and the Russians; being nevertheless superior to the Russians in every amiable qualification. The inhabitants of this Kjanfrapart of Ostero-Bothnia, and indeed the Finns in general, are a healthy and athletic race of men, inured to labour, and by nature active, and fitted to undergo the severest trials of bodily (2) Parnassia palustris grows to a magnificent size between Rautiola and Kjanfraniemi. The Dianthus superbus also flourishes near the road, and attains much greater magnitude than in Lapland. The forests are low, and little varied in appearance: they consist of birch and dwarf firs. Several Lapland plants were here in seed; especially the Pedicularis Sceptrum Carolinum; but this was becoming rare, and only reared its exuberant stems here and there. niemi. I. CHAP. strength. The King of Sweden has not in his dominions a finer nursery for soldiers than Finland: of this Russia is well aware; and never loses sight of that decided policy of her Cabinet which directs her, by all manner of means, fair or foul, to get possession of Swedish Finland'. The custom of transporting houses from place to place, which is everywhere prevalent near the Gulph, is similar to what one sees in Russia. The houses are built in the forests: then they are taken to pieces, and conveyed to the spot where they are to be inhabited. The horses are, as usual, small, but beautifully formed, and very fleet. The peasants take them from the forests when they are wanted for travellers, and, with very little harness, fasten them to the carriage. In this state, they are without shoes, and seem perfectly wild; but it is surprising to observe how regularly and well they trot. A pair of them, with our little waggon, went frequently at the rate of twelve miles within the hour. The carts which we hired to follow with the baggage were large and clumsy, without any tire to the wheels; but they are so con (1) The Reader will perceive that these and other remarks respecting the relative political interests of Sweden and Russia were written previously to the peace between the two countries, by which Russia at last wrested this territory from Sweden. trived, that the shafts act as springs. A person sitting upon the shafts, close to the horse's tail, and journeying upon the superb roads which he everywhere finds in Sweden, but especially in this part of the country, might travel conveniently in one of these carts, without being jolted. CHAP. About a quarter of a Swedish mile from Kjanfraniemi we passed a sawing-mill of great magnitude: finding that it was conducted upon a very extensive scale, we wished to have examined the works; but no business was going on, and the owners were absent. Just before we arrived at Alafua, we came to a glass-manu- Alafva. factory, by the road side. Here we visited the laboratory, but observed nothing more than what is usual in such places. They were occupied in blowing cylinders about six inches in diameter and two feet in length: these cylinders are afterwards again heated, for the purpose of being cut, and rolled out into plates of windowglass. One of the men, to amuse the servants, made a glass trumpet, ten feet in length, upon which he afterwards performed with wonderful skill: the tones were so loud, shrill, and clear, that they might be heard at a great distance. From Alafua we came to Ijo, or I, pronounced Æ, 2 (2) There is a river with the same name in Kuban Tahtary. See Vol. II. of the Octavo Edition of these Travels, Chap. I. p. 10. CHAP. Ijo. I. so called from the river I, which is named Ijocki. We crossed this river by a ferry to the town; which, like many other towns on the Gulph of Bothnia, consists chiefly of empty houses, repositories for merchants during the annual fairs. The fair of jo succeeds that of Kiemi. Fresh salmon sold here at one penny English the pound; exactly the price at which the author remembered it selling some years before at Cardigan in Wales. The Church at Ijo is a picturesque object: in its style of building, like many of the smaller churches in OsteroBothnia, it resembles those of Switzerland. In our road from ljo to Haukebodas, we were frequently followed by women and children offering raspberries and whortleberries. Fahrenheit's thermometer, this day at noon, 68°. We now began to pass villages, which is rarely the case on the western side of the Gulph, and never so in Lapland; the different stages extending always, in Lapland, from one place of settlement to another, without any appearance of habitation in the intervening district; unless, indeed, it be some wild Laplander's tent, which is never a Population fixed abode. The population of Ostero-Bothniå is very considerable, and the ground is better cultivated than in any other part of Sweden. The harvest for rye and barley had commenced: and Agri culture. CHAP. bodas. the crops of rye were everywhere excellent; those of barley bad; some of the latter hardly worth reaping. Throughout the whole of this district, the soil was in fine order; the ground being well cleared, and kept remarkably clean. The Finland farmers are particularly neat in husbandry. Wild currant-trees were in great abundance upon this road. We dined at Hauke- Haukebodas, upon fresh salmon, and cloudberries and cream. Leaving this place, we proceeded to Juhuri, where we changed horses. Here the Jukuri. road became bad, a very unusual thing: it had been newly made, and consisted of deep sand. The country, unlike that of the western side of the Gulph, lies open to view. The town of Uleå, or Uleåborg, makes a conspicuous figure, in its approach. It has two churches, as have also almost all the other towns in this country; one for the people of the town, the other for the peasants. During divine service, they never mingle together; the peasants rather choosing to supply the expense requisite to maintain a church and minister of their own. We crossed a ferry to Uleå; being conducted, round a point of land, to the Custom-house, which is opposite the town. The officer had retired to rest, and did not choose to be disturbed by the usual examination of the luggage. The approach by Arrivalat Uleåborg. |