Part 14 (1/2)

Near Sastmola I first recognised the _Acer_ (_platanoides_) and _Filix fmina ramosa_ (_Aspidium Filix-fmina_?)

The road from Hwisbofiahl to Giolbohl lies along the coast. The gra.s.s here was remarkably tall, and full of all sorts of plants; as the _Ribes insipidum_ (_alpinum_), called by the inhabitants _Degbaer_, in the greatest abundance. (_Viburnum_) _Opulus_ and (_Lonicera_) _Xylosteum_ here first re-appeared after my long absence.

N. B. The shrub which Mr. Hojer informs us grows on this island, with blackish-brown berries, may perhaps be the _Xylosteum_, as the colour of the leaves seemed to agree very well. (Were it not for the above indication of the colour of the berries, it might, from the _Flora Suecica_, be suspected that Linnaeus had, in these two paragraphs, written by mistake _Xylosteum_ for _Periclymenum_.)

The alpine Stone Bramble, _Rubus saxatilis_, was extremely plentiful; and the Cultivated Hop (_Humulus Lupulus_), growing wild, afforded me great pleasure, as I contemplated its ingenious manner of curling round the Aspen trees (_Populus tremula_). Here also (_Anemone_) _Hepatica_, and the _Cracca_ with toothed wings (_stipulae_) and striated flowers, (_Vicia sylvatica_,) as well as the _Orobus vernus_, once more greeted me. The gra.s.s with a dense spike-like panicle, whose stems serve for cleaning the inside of tobacco-pipes, (_Agrostis arundinacea_,) grows copiously in this part of the country; and reached higher than my head.

The marshes abound with _Iris_ (_Pseud-acorus_) and with _Cyperus_ (probably _Scirpus maritimus_).

The greater part of the road I had travelled hitherto from Kimi lay so near the sh.o.r.e, that, even in the woody parts of it, the sea was frequently visible through the forests.

_September 29._

I travelled the whole of Michaelmas-day.

When a Finlander has fired at a bear, he immediately runs to one side, for the animal, if not killed, is sure to run directly forward, towards the smoke; by which means the man escapes out of his reach.

The peasants who reside near the cliffs or rising ground judge by the crows (_Corvus Cornix_), of the approach of bad weather; for these birds seek the marshy country in the evening, before it comes on.

Ulvila churchyard seemed to abound with sculls. I reckoned forty of them in one heap. This churchyard is built round, after the old fas.h.i.+on.

On entering one of the stove-huts of the inhabitants here, it was so hot, that I thought my nose would have been burnt off. Nevertheless, the people within seemed comfortable enough, and the boys, clad in skins, were running up and down the couch. The stove is constructed like that of a bagnio in Smoland, but upon it is piled a great heap of flat stones, to the height of a man. The old women sit in these huts half naked.

Between Hyfoeda and Taftnen is a river almost navigable. In some parts, as I was told, it is nine fathoms deep, and in one place is a ferry across this river. Half a mile from hence southward, close to the road, between two small bridges which are near each other, I noticed a sand-hill of very fine sand, in differently-coloured strata, some white, others reddish-purple.

In the evening I arrived at the town of Abo, which is as large as Orebro, and well built. It has often been ruined by the enemy, and often burnt down by accidental fires, which, if not occasioned otherwise, might easily happen from the stoves of the huts. I remarked that these stoves were less lofty than some I had seen, and that several stones lay loosely piled on one another above the opening, which serve to retain the heat.

_September 30._

The Finnish liquor called _Lura_ is prepared like other beer, except not being boiled, instead of which red-hot stones are thrown into it. Hence its purgative quality from the iron.

Here I saw a flying squirrel (_Sciurus volans_) from Tavasthia.

The long black rat, with a white lower lip, catches birds, both on trees and in the water. He holds fast by his claws, and bites with his four prominent teeth. The Finlanders call this animal _Mink_. (This seems to be _Viverra Lutreola_, Faun. Suec. ed. 2. 5.)

A quarter of a mile from the city is a mineral spring, of which Tillands has taken notice. (See _v._ 1. 43, _note_.) It is older than that of Medevi (near Vadstena). The current is so strong that one of the burghers of the city has built a mill, to which the water is led, but it does not always go. Near the town a mine has lately been opened, containing iron here and there, with small quant.i.ties of pyrites. The mountain itself is a black mica, immediately adjoining to the city.

The library here is miserable. There are two colleges close together.

_October 5._

I departed from Abo. The corn-fields of Finland are beautiful, and resemble those of East Gothland in their wide extent and level surface.

There are regular ferry boats at stated times to take pa.s.sengers to the isle of Aland.

_October 6._