Part 8

The sledges, or beams, a, b, differ from the common ones in being broader, and in the elevation or thickness of each at d. The transverse beam c, on which the load is laid, is bored through at each end, to receive the supporting pieces. The slender bars e, e, which may be termed clavicles, are broadest in the fore part, where they also are bored through, and fastened with pegs, serving to give stability to the cross beam c. Two of these carriages are tied together, one behind the other, through the hole in the cross beam, at k. The loop, i, is made of birchen twigs.

At Calix I found the _Hippuris_ (_vulgaris_) with forked branches; _Pentaphylloides facie fragariæ_, (_Potentilla rupestris_?); and _Eruca foliis sinapeos_. (What this was does not appear.)

I noticed lime-stone in the cliff at Calix and Tornea.

The scythe which serves at Cronby in East Bothland, for mowing barley, is made exactly like the common one of the Finlanders, with the foremost handle underneath, but, that nothing may be wasted or lost, the machine b c is fixed to the scythe, b being stuck into the hole at a, and fastened with a pin through it at the other side. A cord is tied from the other end c to the handle d, before the scythe is used. The lower, or shortest, bar of this appendage scarcely extends beyond the extremity of the scythe at f. Its position is regulated by a cord, according to the inclination of the blade f g.

The length of the main handle of the scythe, e f, is two ells.

_August 31._

I collected and described various species of _Fungi_.

(Here follow descriptions or characters of several species of _Agaricus_, _Boletus_ and _Hydnum_, given more correctly in the _Flora Lapponica_.)

_September 3._

I stood sponsor to the son of the Burgomaster Geyer Svanberg, who was born the preceding night, or rather between one and two in the morning. He was named Geyer.

Mr. Svanberg told me the (_Cotyledon_) _Umbilicus Veneris_ grew on a hill called _Karvick_, near Wallivari to the north. (This probably was not confirmed, as the plant does not occur in _Flo. Suecica_.)

_September 4._

I went to Biorknas, in order to be instructed in the art of assaying.

_September 9._

I examined the fish called in West Bothland _Natting_, (_Petromyzon fluviatilis._) Its upper jaw is acutely notched, resembling two teeth. The lower has seven small teeth, of which the two outermost are largest. Mouth in the under side of the head, gaping, oval, rather compressed. There are seven openings in a row behind the eyes, gradually larger as they recede from thence. The fins have no visible rays, but merely streaks, yet they are not adipose, or fat, fins. There is a prominent orifice on the top of the head. The _pericardium_ is cartilaginous. The fish is a span long. Its hind fin triangular.

These (lampreys) are caught at this time of the year, when the nights grow dark, in hollow timbers of a conical shape, resembling the wicker baskets used for catching eels. The entrance is made smooth and even. These timbers are laid, at the depth of two ells, in the river, and kept down with stones, the opening being turned to meet the current.

Some such traps are made of willow-twigs not bigger than goose-quills, platted close together into the same shape, and are two ells in length.

I was told that the Laplanders are accustomed to preserve blood of the reindeer in rennet-bags through the winter till spring, when they boil it with water, and drink it.

Tar is obtained in the following manner. A cavity, of an inversely conical shape, is dug in a hill, and then lined with hewn timbers, nine ells in length each, so as to form a sort of funnel. This again is lined with bark of pine-trees, so as to prevent the tar draining away into the ground between the timbers. At the bottom is another funnel or vessel of wood to receive the tar, which runs from thence into a trough, closed on all sides, except a hole where the point of the said funnel is inserted, and another at the extremity, closed with a moveable plug, from which the tar is received into vessels and taken away. Roots of fir, cut to pieces, are placed upright in the large funnel above, so as to leave a convexity over the bottom, and the whole being covered with turf is set on fire, against the wind. Care is taken, by varying the admission of air, to prevent its burning too fast, or unequally; and by this means they procure both tar and charcoal.

_September 14._

I took my leave of Biorknas. The weather was cold and rainy. Such of the forest trees as are of a deciduous nature had now assumed a pallid hue, in consequence of the cold nights; but the evergreens, with their needle-shaped leaves, standing among them, seemed to defy the cold, and were rendered conspicuous by their dark-green colour. The high wind scattered the withered leaves over my path. How useful are the usual storms of autumn to disperse ripe seeds, and plant colonies far from the parent trees! The hills appeared sandy; and such places as had been burnt were now perfectly white with Reindeer Moss, (_Lichen rangiferinus_,) which grew so close together, as hardly to leave any room for the Ling. It ornamented the sides of the roads like the Iceland Moss, (_Lichen islandicus._)

Some part of the road consisted of a reddish-brown earth, such as I had observed in the early part of my journey near Um[oe]a. I was told that it was excellent for red paint. At length I reached Zingis, and in the evening arrived at Tornea, entirely wet through.

_September 15._

I observed how they manage their corn at this season. They have no barns to lay it into, but it is placed between poles, all the ears directed to one side, in stacks two or three ells long, and very high. If the corn be not quite dry, it is first spread abroad. Afterwards it is dried in a kiln, and thrashed on a floor. How liable must it be to take fire, and how much must unavoidably be spilt in consequence of such management!

I received 100 dollars, of copper-money, from the chief clergyman.

I learned here that Tansy (_Tanacetum vulgare_) and Mugwort (_Artemisia vulgaris_) are used to make a fomentation or bath, wonderfully useful for women in labour, who are accustomed to sit over the steam of these herbs. I had observed the people at every house drying Tansy, but could meet with nobody who would inform me to what use it was destined.

_September 16._

This day I again left Tornea for Kimi. There are six ferries between these two places, over the river Kokama, which passes near Kimi. Two miles from hence are the boundaries of East and West Bothnia. Lime-stone attracted my notice all the way along the road to Norbotn; it was yellow on the outside, whitish within.

_September 17._

I departed from the posthouse of Kimi. The weather was unfavourable, for it rained all day long. I took up my lodging in the evening at the posthouse of Jö. This part of the country lies very low, abounding with marshes and numerous small rivulets, but few hills. There is plenty of grass. The buildings are bad. The forests consist chiefly of Birch, intermixed with the _acifoliæ_ (slender-leaved evergreens). Of these last the Juniper was remarkable for its abundance and large size, so as to be almost arborescent. The Birch and the dwarf Willows had now become pale, but the _Sorbus_ (Mountain ash, _Pyrus aucuparia_, _Fl. Brit._) had assumed a red hue, as well as all the mosses. (_Pedicularis_) _Sceptrum Carolinum_ appeared every where by the roadside. _Thalictrum_ (_flavum_) and _Scutellaria_ (_galericulata_) were less frequent, but Golden-rod (_Solidago Virga aurea_), _Trollius_ (_europæus_), (_Spiræa_) _Ulmaria_, and _Epilobium_ (_palustre_?) were plentiful, as was the sweet _Milium_ (_effusum_), with the _Gramen ramosum_ (probably _Aira cæspitosa_.)

The inhabitants were in their smoky huts, with their eyes full of smoke, and the tears running from them. Nevertheless they seemed more studious of warmth than careful of their eyesight.

The same sort of plough is used here as at Kimi.

I had frequent views of the sea through the woods on the right hand. Wherever the waves had thrown up sand-hills grew a pea with a triangular stem, a white creeping perennial root, and thick leaves alternately pinnate, (_Pisum maritimum_).

Near Jö I noticed a pit-fall designed to catch wolves. This was dug in a hill, at no great distance from the house. Around it within were eleven pales or stakes, placed upright and close together. In the centre stood a pole, which, as well as the pales, was on a level with the surface of the ground. The pole supported a wheel, over which were laid boards, so as entirely to cover it, in such a manner that if the wolf, when caught, should be able to climb up as high as the wheel, he might not get any further.

The peasants of this upper part of East Bothnia, children of darkness in their houses, are no less so in their slovenly appearance, chiefly owing to their uncombed hair. Their breeches reach as low as the feet, and are white, and they wear a sort of short cloak, sewed together in front.--Their disposition is quarrelsome. Their habitations are infected with a smell of sour fish, like sour Str[oe]mming, for they are kept very dirty. These people speak no other language than the Finlandish.

Here and there by the road I had this day travelled, I noticed the Sea Wheat-grass, (_Elymus arenarius._ See _Fl. Lapp. ed._ 2. _n._ 34.)

_September 18._

I travelled from Jö to Ulaborg. The rye was bound into sheaves, ten of which were piled up together in a heap, the ears at the top of each being brought close together, and another sheath being placed, in an inverted position, upon them, the whole was sheltered from wet. The barley was not set upright, but laid on one side, in such a manner that the ears were all turned inward, and the straw stood outward all round. On the top of each little stack thus formed, a reversed sheath was put, as a kind of covering.

The villages consisted of the same kind of smoky huts I have already described.

(The annexed cut seems to be a representation of one of these dwellings, at which Linnæus was so indignant.)

Near the ferry of Haukipudas, stones are collected from the shore, which, though nothing but concretions of sand and small pebbles, are so firm as to serve for the construction of ovens. At one spot, where the river had excavated the sandy bank, it was evident that the cement, which combines these particles together, is no other than a rust of iron. The stones in general hereabouts are very fine-grained, and break easily. They have all the appearance of containing a portion of iron. Some were more rugged and rusty than the rest.

A kind of boats used here to navigate rapid and dangerous parts of the rivers, are made of thin planks of spruce fir, and are four or five fathoms long, and about one broad in their middle. The sides are five or six quarters of an ell deep; the extremities compressed. The middle of the boat is nearly semicylindrical, the keel being raised up, or hollowed as it were by the dilatation of the sides, in which all the importance and peculiarity of the contrivance consists, for without this the vessel would be much more easily overset in rapid and shelvy places. Some of these boats have no prominent keel at all; others are furnished with a slight one, chiefly in their forepart, which is a little the highest, in order to bear the better any shocks from striking against stones; so that if this part be able to pass, the rest of the vessel may go in safety.

One sort of nets used for catching Sijk-fish, (_Salmo Lavaretus_, or Gwiniad, before mentioned) are five spans high, and of a considerable length, the meshes very small. There are loop-holes at the top, large enough to admit two fingers, bordered with birch bark, whose edges are sewn together. (See 1, 2, 3, 4 in the figure.) The stones (5, 6, 7) at the bottom are but small, covered with birch bark. The nets are set near the sandy shore.

Another kind of net, used for catching the same fish, is placed in the strongest part of a current or water-fall. It resembles a receiving net, except being not so deep. The length is three ells, breadth two, and depth one. This is fixed very steadily, by means of poles, in the middle of the very strongest and most confined current, against the stream, so that when the fish attempts to pass upwards, by the narrow passages on each side the net, he finds it impracticable, and is thrown back by the force of the water, generally into the net, out of which he can never escape, but is taken out at leisure.

Near Ulaborg is a mineral spring, not yet made any use of. The taste of the water seemed good. This spring is situated close to the town, on a small island, where there is a sawing-mill.

In the church I noticed the monument of Messenius, with his effigy made to the life. He is actually buried here[14]. This church is one of the longest I ever saw built of wood, but its height is not correspondent. The arms of the town are displayed on the pulpit. Ulaborg is almost as large as Lund.

_September 19._

After attending divine service I left this place. Sledges in use here are constructed with a cross board to rest the feet against. (a, seems to be a bandage or belt, to keep the traveller from being suddenly jolted out of this vehicle, and b is the part to rest the back or head against; but there are no references in the manuscript to these letters of the sketch.)

I now came in sight of the extensive meadows of Limingo, more spacious than all the meadow-ground of Tornea and Rödbeck together. (Tuneld says in his Geography, that the meadows of Limingo, and cornfields of the neighbouring parish of Storkyrro, are famous to a proverb for their great extent.) At first the land seemed a perfect marsh, filled with Horsetail (_Equisetum fluviatile_), and especially with Reed, _Arundo_ (_Phragmites_), which last grew in such abundance as to resemble a forest. The Water Hemlock, _Cicutaria aquatica_, _Cicuta virosa_; (see p. 136), was very plentiful by the road-side. This led me to inquire whether the cattle ever fed there? I was answered by the peasants in the affirmative, with a question in my turn, whether I could give them any advice on the subject, for they had lost a great many; adding similar particulars to what I had heard at Tornea.

Red Currants (_Ribes rubrum_) grew all the way by the road, as well as _Lenticula_ (_Lemna_ or Duck-weed), and the _Lichenoides_ of which powder is made was observable on the trees. (_Lichen prunastri_, said to have been used for hair-powder.)

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 cæspitosa_). 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 seashore; but it was feared that the land might in consequence become covered with White Moss (_Sphagnum palustre_), which would render it altogether unprofitable.

About a thousand hay-cocks 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 cocks 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 shore. 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.

_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 passed on to Jacobstadt, which has a remarkably good harbour. Ships 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 Wexiö. 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 shore 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.

_Rotkäl_ (_Brassica oleracea_ [kappa], Sp. Pl. 932, _Napo brassica_, 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.

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. This is a handsome little town enough. It is the residence of the governor.

Not far from the town, and indeed close to the walls, is a reputed copper-mine, the working of which was discontinued, after an excavation had been made to the depth of five or six fathoms. The ore has a glittering micaceous appearance, and gives a stain like black lead. The sand about it is a loose talc, as if spontaneously decomposed. I do not indeed believe that it contains any copper or other metal; which seems to have been the opinion of those who so soon gave over the pursuit.

The rustics here trust to three doctors, Beaver's-gall, Bear's-gall, and Pallavinus. (By a chemical sign annexed, it appears that Linnæus here meant brandy, but the word itself is not explained.)

This day being Sunday, I saw the girls all going bare-headed to church. They each, however, carried an oblong-oval hat, supported by broad coloured ribbands, the ends of which hung down.

_September 24._

In my way from New Carleby to this place (the day before yesterday) I had observed a kind of plough in use, different from any I had before seen. This was almost always drawn by a horse, seldom by an ox. The latter, when used, had the same harness as the horse, but without a girth. Over its back indeed passes a band like a saddle-girth, which is kept upon the neck of the animal to prevent the harness sliding forward; but for horses they use no such thing. See the figure.

The shoes worn at this place in some measure resemble half-boots. The soles are of untanned leather, with the hair upon it; the upper leathers made of tanned seal-skin, and tied round the ankle with strings. (A representation of one of these shoes accompanies the last figure.)

_Hypericum_ (_perforatum_), _Scrophularia_ (_nodosa_), _Bidens_ (_cernua_?) occurred to me here, for the first time in all my journey. The three species of _Ribes_ (_rubrum_, _alpinum_ and _nigrum_,) were in prodigious abundance.

_September 25._

At sun-rise I took my departure from Wasa. The pines in the forest were stripped of their bark, so that vast tracts were covered with nothing but such naked trees. No more was left on each trunk, to the height of three ells or three and a half, than a small strip of bark, about the breadth of four fingers, generally on the north side, to prevent its being ... (here is a word not to be decyphered). The trees are left standing for six or seven years afterwards, and are then cut down close to the roots, being also headed a little above the naked part. The heads or branches either serve for firing, or, as often happens, are left to rot on the ground.

Three miles below Wasa I recognised the Climbing Nightshade (_Solanum Dulcamara_). In the town itself I had noticed (_Leonurus_) _Cardiaca_, and Henbane (_Hyoscyamus niger_). Near the shore grew _Salix oleæfolia_ with its berries, _(Hippophaë rhamnoides_). It is known by the name of _Finnbær_ or _Surbær_, (Finn-berries, or Sour berries). The fruit is situated below the leaves, as in the Alder. The footstalks are two lines long. Berries bluntly oval, of a tawny orange-colour, three or four lines long, smooth, sour, having a watery pulp mixed with ochraceous matter. Seed solitary, roundish-oblong, slightly compressed, obtuse, attached by its lower edge to a membrane which enfolds it. When this cover is removed, the seed itself appears brown and polished, having a longitudinal groove at each side. The fishermen eat these berries bruised, by way of sauce to their fresh fish, but I thought them rather too acid.

_September 26._