44 THE FOREST LANDS OF FINLAND. 



The least important of these basins is the West Tavast- 

 land one, the waters of which meet in the lake of 

 Pyhajarivi, near Tammerfors, and there debouches into 

 the Gulf of Bothnia by the river Kumo. Although the 

 basin be, as has been said, the least considerable of the 

 three, it is one, the affluents of which give collectively a 

 river-flow of 1200 kilometers, and they are navigable 

 throughout nearly the half of their length. 



'Amongst the other water-systems of some importance, 

 mention may be made of the Oulujaervi, with an area of 983 

 square kilometers, which receives affluents from a number 

 of lakes, some of them extending to the Russian frontier, 

 and pouring its waters into the Gulf of Bothnia by the 

 large river Ulea. It is calculated that the area of the 

 basin is about 24,000 square kilometers. There is a basin 

 of still greater extent situated further to the north. It 

 has an area of 50,000 square kilometers, and debouches 

 into the same gulf by the Kemi Finally, still further to 

 the north, we find the large lake Enare, or Inari, measur- 

 ing 1400 square kilometers, covered with ice during ten 

 months in the year, and which flows into the frozen 

 ocean.' 



In connection with further details given by him, Dr 

 Ignatius remarks : ' One may from these form some idea 

 of the great development of inland sheets of water which 

 there is in Finland, and of the importance of these natural 

 means of communication, and of how connections may be 

 established, more especially those relating to trade and 

 commerce/ 



I have given details of what has been experienced by 

 others in descending rivers. In connection with the last 

 citation, Dr Ignatius goes on to say : ' In general the 

 rivers of Finland are encumbered with rapids, and con- 

 sequently they are only partially navigable. They are, 

 however, of great commercial importance, in so far as they 

 serve for the floatage of timber, and thus bring the great 

 forests of the interior into communication with the sea.' 



