I. CHAP. especially of Mr. Pipping, our Lapland interpreter, who was transacting his father's business; and whose good offices we can never sufficiently acknowledge. We found him at his favourite diet of raw salmon, surrounded by a crowd of Finns and Laplanders promiscuously mingled, all merry, and very noisy. A consciousness of the many pleasant hours we had passed together, added to the thoughts of never meeting again, depressed all our spirits, casting a gloom over the otherwise gay scene which was here exhibited. When we returned back to the ferry, we had another melancholy separation from little Pyppon, whose attachment to us would not allow of his remaining without us, even among his acquaintance: he therefore accompanied us to the other side. His request, when we asked him what we might send him from England, will add another trait to the sketch we have given of his character. “If you should remember me," said he, “when you arrive in your own country, send me Drosera longifolia: I am told it is a common plant in England." We then shook hands and parted: the poor boy, shedding abundance of tears, set out for Torneå; and we gained the main road Departure leading to Uleåborg. It was now towards evening, and we did not proceed farther upon our from Kiemi. CHAP. I. discernible upon enter 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 discernible. 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 Kanfrapart 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 (1) 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. person trived, that the shafts act as springs. A 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 CHAP. I. we arrived at Alafva, 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, pronunced Æ,* (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 jo 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-Bothnia 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. |