286 STUDIES OF NATURE, 



The fécond rural fcenery, which I furveyed with 

 rapture, and of which I am going to attempt a de- 

 fcription, was in Ruffian Finland, when I was em- 

 ployed, in 1 764, on a vifitation of it's fortrefles with 

 the Generals of the corps of Engineers, in which I 

 then ferved. We were travelling between Sweden 

 and Ruffia, through a country fo little frequented, 

 that the firs had encroached on the great line of de- 

 markation which feparates the boundaries of the 

 two countries. It was impoffible to get through 

 in a carriage, and we were under the neceffity of 

 employing the country people to cut down the 

 trees, that our equipages might follow us. We 

 were able, however, to penetrate, in every direc' 

 tion, on foot, and frequently on horfeback, though 

 we were obliged to infpeâ: the windings, the fum- 

 mits, and the fmallefl recefTes of a great number 

 of rocks, in order to afcertain their natural capa- 

 bility of defence, and though Finland is fo covered 

 with thefe, that ancient Geographers have given it 

 the furname of Lapidofa (ftony.) 



Not only are thofe rocks fcattered about in 

 great blocks, over the furface of the earth, but the 

 vailles, and entire hills, are there, in many places, 

 formed of a fingle mafs of folid rock. This rock 

 is a foft granite which exfoliates, and whofe fcurf 

 fertilizes the plants, at the fame time that the 



enormous 



