Part 28 (2/2)
CHAPTER XIV
THROUGH SAVOLAX IN CARTS
We were in despair!
By the kindness of the Governor of the district everything had been arranged for a drive of a couple hundred miles through some of the prettiest parts of the country from _Kuopio_ to _Iisalmi_. We were to have a carriage with a hood (a rare honour) and two horses, to dawdle as we liked by the way, and just order our vehicle when and as we wanted it, so that we might really peep into the homes of the people, as well as avail ourselves of the Baron's many kind introductions. But late on the afternoon before that named for leaving, our cicerone Grandpapa found it was imperative for him to remain a couple of days longer in _Kuopio_ to receive his sisters who were to join our party, therefore we found ourselves stranded so far as his escort was concerned.
”How were we two Englishwomen to travel alone through the very centre of Finland, where no one spoke a word except his own language?” asked the Governor.
”Perfectly,” we replied; ”we can travel anywhere, so far as that goes, by signs and with a map; but, of course, we shall _learn_ nothing more than what we can see with our eyes, for we shall not know how to ask for information, and therefore half the pleasure and interest of the journey will be lost.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: BURNING THE FORESTS.
(After Eero Jarnefelt.)]
”Were I not compelled to go on an official journey to-morrow,” replied the fine, tall, and charming Governor, ”I should come myself--as it is, will you accept the escort of my son?”
”Willingly, thankfully,” we replied.
Baron George spoke French, German, and Swedish, and was a good Finnish scholar besides. _He_ was to have gone on a bicycle tour that very afternoon, but kindly altered all his plans to pa.s.s a couple of days as our guide, cicerone, and friend, and a third on his return journey alone.
Accordingly we started at nine A.M. on the next morning, and drove over sixty miles through Finland during the two following days, by a route soon to be followed by railway engines, for it had already been surveyed for that purpose, and little posts here and there denoted the projected route.
Seen off by the Governor's family, who had shown us the greatest hospitality and kindness during our stay in _Kuopio_, we were peeped at by half the town as we started; for English people, and a hooded vehicle driving through _Savolax_ was no mean event, especially when these same visitors had been entertained by the Governor of the district.
After a spin of five kilometres, or about two and a half English miles, we reached the _lossi_, and our adventures began. A mile and a half of water had to be crossed; naturally there was no bridge, nor was there any friendly ice on those hot days, therefore a _lossi_ or boat, rather like a river barge, conveys pa.s.sengers--a _rara avis_--horses, and carriage right over that wide expanse of lake. Our hearts sank when we saw the boat. It was simply a sh.e.l.l, without seats or even a platform for the carriage. The old boat was big, but our equipage appeared even bigger, and we looked on in dismay, wondering how on earth we were ever to get across unless we took half a dozen journeys, in bits, to and fro.
Afterwards our dismay turned to admiration at the skill with which the whole thing was accomplished. First, our pair of mustard-coloured ponies, with long tails, big bodies and small legs--who, by the bye, went splendidly for two long days--were unharnessed, their primitive trappings, much mended with string and rope, being thrown into our carriage; then two planks of wood were laid from the empty boat to the top step of the landing-stage on which we stood, men, seizing each of the four wheels, slowly trundled the heavy carriage along those planks to the barge's side. So far so good; but the boat was in the water, and the carriage some feet higher up on the pier; more planks being speedily arranged, however, it was most cleverly slipped down the pier's side on them, and after others had been placed the right distance apart for the wheels to stand on, into the boat itself. So there our victoria--if we may call our vehicle by so grand a name--stood right across the boat, its pole and bar being reflected in the lake, over which they hung on the one side, the luggage and hood of the vehicle projecting over the water on the other.
As though accustomed to such strange feats, those ”mustard pots” walked down the steps of the primitive pier, lifted their feet over the boat's side most dexterously--as a lady in fine shoes might daintily cross some muddy road--and stood head and tail next the carriage.
A Finnish pony is a marvel. He has no chest, is so narrow, one almost wonders, when standing before his head, where his body can really be. He has fine legs with good hoofs and fetlocks; he looks ill-groomed and ill-cared for, his tail is long and bushy, and his mane unkempt. Yet he goes up hill or down dale at a good pace (averaging six miles an hour), and he will do thirty miles easily in a day and not turn a hair. They are wonderful little animals these mustard-coloured steeds of Finland, and as agile and sure-footed as a cat, although not so famous as the fast trotters of _Suomi_.
Then we three got in and sat down, in what little s.p.a.ce remained, finding room on planks placed between the wheels. We certainly made a boat full, and a queer cargo we were.
Two women ”ferrymen” found room to row in front, the coachman attended to his horses, one of which was inclined to be restive, while a man, whose flaxen hair was so light it looked positively white against his red burnt neck, stood rowing behind us; and thus in three-quarters of an hour we reached the other side, in as wonderful a transport as the trains we had seen put on steamers in Denmark, Sicily, or the States, but much more exciting and primitive.
Gaily and cheerfully, meantime, we discussed the prospects of our visit to Lapland; for the Northern part of Finland is the country of reindeer and Laps, and thither we had made up our minds to go as a fitting finish to our summer jaunt. From _Uleborg_ we were to take the steamer to _Tornea_, and there to commence a drive which promised to be most interesting, if a little cold and perhaps not quite so pretty as our long journey through _Savolax_ in _karra_ or carts.
We drove on through lovely scenery till twelve o'clock, when we arrived at a post-house for luncheon.
What a scene met our eyes! An enormous kitchen, a wooden-floored, ceilinged and walled room about thirty feet square, boasting five windows--large and airy, I was about to say, but it just missed being airy because no fresh breeze was ever allowed to enter except by the door. At one end was the usual enormous fireplace, with its large chimney and small cooking stove, into which wood had continually to be piled, coal being as unknown to the inland Finn as the sea-serpent itself. At the other end of the room, opposite the fireplace, was a large wooden table with benches arranged along two sides, at which the labourers were feeding, for the one o'clock bell hanging above the roof had just been rung by the farmer, and they had all come in for their mid-day meal. It was really a wonderful scene; five men wearing coloured s.h.i.+rts, and four women, with white handkerchiefs over their heads, were sitting round the table, and between each couple was a small wooden, long-handled pail, from which the pair, each duly provided with a wooden spoon, were helping themselves. Finnish peasants--and until lately even Finnish town servants--all feed from one pot and drink from one bowl in truly Eastern fas.h.i.+on. The small wooden receptacle, which really served as a basin, contained _piimaa_ or skimmed milk that had gone sour, a composition somewhat allied to _skyr_, on which peasants live in Iceland, only that _skyr_ is sheep's milk often months old, and _piimaa_ is cow's milk fairly fresh. This _piimaa_ with sour black bread and salted but uncooked small fish (_suolo-kala_) is the peasant's fare, yesterday, to-day, and to-morrow, almost always the same! These people never taste meat, unless it be for a treat salted, while fresh vegetables are unknown, cabbage even being a luxury. Each labourer pulled his _puukko_ (knife) from its sheath at his waist--alas, too frequently pulled in anger--and cutting hunks of brown bread, dragged a fish like a sardine (only it was dry and salt) from another wooden tub, and cutting off bits ate them together, after the fas.h.i.+on of a sandwich, helping himself every now and then with a wooden spoon to a lump of the sour milk, or, when his companion was not doing the same, raising the pail--the wooden walls of which were half an inch thick--to his lips and drinking the more watery part of his harmless liquor.
_Haili_ also haunted us in every peasant home. It is another species of small fish which the peasants eat raw, a little salt being its only preparation. They seem to buy or catch _haili_ by the ton, and then keep them for months in the cellar. We were always seeing them eat these _haili_, which looked something like sprats, and tasted ineffably nasty.
On high days and holidays they partake of them accompanied with baked potatoes; but potatoes are somewhat rare, and therefore the fish on black bread alone const.i.tutes the usual meal. Sometimes better-cla.s.s folk eat _haili_, but then they have them grilled on charcoal; these are rich people, for coal is as great a luxury to them even as potatoes to the poor.
They seemed very happy, those men and women who had been up and hard at work in the fields since three or four in the morning, and would not have finished their day's labour till between eight and nine P.M., for the summer is short, and while it lasts the peasant gets little or no sleep, his entire livelihood depending upon almost incessant work during the light warm days. I believe many people only sleep for a couple of hours during the summer light, and make up for it in the provinces in winter when it is dark. It was the 10th of July; the hay was cut everywhere, and thrown up on the wooden palings erected for that purpose, or the old pine trees stuck here and there, to dry before being piled up on little sledges that were to convey it to the nearest wooden shanty, to be stacked for winter use.
<script>