Part 13 (1/2)

The meadow of Limingo is two miles in length. The best part of the land, near the village of that name, was now occupied by the horned cattle. The land here is more elevated and less marshy, though somewhat impaired by tumps (of _Carex caespitosa_). If but a third part of it were cultivated, according to the Scanian mode of husbandry, it would be of more value than the whole is at present. I was told that the whole marsh might be laid dry, by cutting a channel down to the seash.o.r.e; but it was feared that the land might in consequence become covered with White Moss (_Sphagnum pal.u.s.tre_), which would render it altogether unprofitable.

About a thousand hay-c.o.c.ks were now before me on the meadow, but none of them consisting of more than a horse could draw. They never here use more than a single horse or ox at a time for draught. Each of these c.o.c.ks was raised from the ground on a kind of scaffold, supported by several cross poles. Some of the Water Iris (_Iris Pseud'acorus_) was mixed with the hay.

The milk-strainers are made of straw, and not very clean.

_September 20._

Brabestad, not far distant, is a small town, though twice the size of Tornea, standing on a peninsula by the sea.

In the hospital of Cronby are many maniacs, whose insanity is said to have arisen from jealousy of the conduct of their wives. One of them, whose wife was a very old woman, took this fancy, supposing her to intrigue with several other men. Possibly in these cases impotence, or perhaps some fantastic concupiscence, may have been a cause of the derangement.

About this neighbourhood it is the custom to administer to women in labour a very nauseous medicine, which is called _Hittatran_, or Casual Train-oil; so termed because it is obtained from the carcases of such seals as, having been killed early in the spring, have been left among the broken ice till they are by chance cast upon the sh.o.r.e. They are consequently putrid, and the oil is so offensive, that few persons, except such as are in great extremity, or not very nice, can be brought to take it. In general Castor is here considered as a sheet-anchor in such cases, as being found by long experience very effectual in bringing on the labour-pains. Others take saffron infused in wine. For after-pains they swallow, as at Kimi, a few drops of blood from the umbilical cord, not only in the woman's first lying-in, but every subsequent one.

Some Finlanders, as I was told, have a method by which they pretend to catch bears, with a sort of magic. This is done by procuring some of the bear's dung, fresh and warm if possible, and mixing it with that of one of their own cows. The consequence is said to be, that the bear will be attracted by sympathy to come after the cow; an effect certainly not more wonderful than many sympathies upon record.

There is a fish in the lakes near Pyhejorki which is called _Muicu_.

Bishop Terserus, a Dalecarlian, bishop of Abo, says that he has seen at this place a fish named _Muicu_, which is no other than the _Blikta_, taken in the lake of Silian in his native country. How true this may be I know not, but I saw plainly that this _Muicu_ is the _Small Sijk_ (_Salmo Albula_), such as is found in Smoland.

The following figure represents a plough used here, drawn by an ox. The share, a, is of iron, a span long. The part b is four spans high; c is four spans long; d and e, three spans each; f, g, four spans. The ends of the shafts are connected by a curved piece of wood, which keeps them from the shoulders of the animal, and supports them.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_September 21._

Being the feast of St. Matthew the apostle, I went to church at Gambla Carleby. Here is an introductory school, to prepare children for that at Cronby.

I pa.s.sed on to Jacobstadt, which has a remarkably good harbour. s.h.i.+ps are able to load and unload close to the quay.

_September 22._

Leaving Jacobstadt, I arrived at the town of New Carleby, which is nearly as big as Wexio. Every one of the streets is laid with timbers, placed cross-wise, instead of stones, like a bridge, which has a handsome appearance. The harbour of this place is near the river, a quarter of a mile from the town. Vessels when laden indeed can scarcely come within half a mile. On the sh.o.r.e lay vast piles of wood, destined to be conveyed to Stockholm for fuel.

The country-people have, in every one of their mills, an instrument made of six or seven blades or hatchets, serving to cut chaff into small pieces in a trough, in order to grind it afterwards with their barley.

_Rotkal_ (_Bra.s.sica oleracea_ ?, Sp. Pl. 932, _Napo bra.s.sica_, or Stalk-cabbage) is dried for winter use; when it is boiled, and given with the liquor to the cattle.

The women at this place wear a hood, or neckcloth, as they call it, of grey walmal cloth, but only in bad weather. It is tied with a black ribband in the fore part. When they ride on horseback, they carry the whip slung at their back.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

To stir up the pot, when boiling, they use a stick with several projecting bits of wood at the bottom, (not unlike a chocolate-mill,) which is rolled between their hands.

In the evening of this day I arrived at Wasa.

_September 23._

I went to church at Wasa, and visited also the palace, situated on the south-west side of the city, the school, and other public buildings.