GREAT RIVERS OF FINLAND. 207 



Good post roads exist for a certain distance upon 

 both, the Swedish and Eussian banks, and up the 

 latter we drove with a capital pony and cart, through 

 picturesque hamlets, to where we were to have 

 middag off sea trout, black bread, and curds with our 

 friend the District Assessor; after which we caught 

 endless numbers of grayling from the shore, which 

 are confined principally to the rapid portions of the 

 river, as though to escape the pike which exist else- 

 where ; we were then rowed to and fro by a man who 

 seemed thoroughly to know his business, as he 

 doubtless did, and caught a sea trout; the natives' 

 boats could be seen in every direction as they trolled 

 for the same species of fish, other persons being 

 similarly occupied from the banks, and if the water 

 had not been so much fished, we should doubtless 

 have caught a larger number. 



The atmosphere of northern Finland is indescrib- 

 ably bright and clear. If there were any mountains 

 in this intensely flat wooded country, sufficiently 

 high to be visible, one might discern them from afar. 

 Eighteen continuous hours of a burning sun, reflected 

 from a dazzling surface, made one feel like a column 

 badly papered of a blood-red colour. Cool seemed 

 the evening air as we drove back at midnight, with 

 the orb just below the horizon due north ; blowing 

 upon the inflamed surface, which had been exposed 

 to its malign influence, like a breath from an ice- 

 berg; which perhaps was the reason the skjutspojka 

 dropped the reins and allowed the pony to meander 



