B INARA NE ESD: 
the fhore near Dantzic, not lefs than feven hundred and feventy-eight : an amazing 
fpace, to be fo ill ftocked with fifhy inhabitants. 
From the ifle of Rugen, the courfe of the Baltic is {trait and open, except where 
interrupted by the famous ifle of Gott/and, the place of rendezvous from whence the 
Goths made their naval excurfions. In 811, on this ifland, was founded the famous 
town of Wi/buy, the great emporium of the north: it was, for ages, the refort of 
every Chriftian nation. The Engli/h long traded here, before they ventured on the 
diftant voyage of the Mediterranean. It became an independent city, and made its 
maritime laws the ftandard of all Europe to the north of Spain. In 1361, Walde- 
mar III. of Denmark, attacked, ravaged, and plundered it of immenfe riches ; all 
which perifhed at fea after they were fhipped *. Its prefent inhabitants are huf- 
bandmen and fifhermen, fecure from the calamities of war by the happy want of 
exuberant wealth. 
Beyond Stockholm the Baltic divides into the gulphs of Bothnia and Finland: 
the firft runs deeply to the north, and the country is compofed chiefly of granite 
rock, or f{trewed over with detached mafles of the fame. Its greateft breadth is 
between Geffe and Abo, in Finland, where it meafures a hundred and fixty-two 
miles: its greateft depth a hundred and ninety-five yards +. It terminates in 
Lapland, acountry divided by the river Tornea, which runs navigable far up between 
a continued mountanous foreft. It is fuppofed to have been peopled in the 
eleventh century by the Fimni: a fact not eafy to be admitted ; for the Finzi, or 
Fennones, are a brawny race, with long yellow hair, and brown irides. The 
Laplanders are, on the contrary, fmall in body, have fhort black hair, and black 
irides. It is certain that a party of Fins deferted their native country, Finland, in 
the age before mentioned, rather than relinquifh the brutality of heathenifm. 
Their offspring remain converted, and in fome meafure reclamed, b-tween Nor- 
way and Sweden||; but are a moft diftin@ race from the Laplanders, who poflefied 
their country long before. In the ninth century, the hero Regzer flew its king or 
leader in battle §: at that period it was in a favage ftate ; nor was its conqueft at- 
tempted by Sweden till 1277, when Waldemar added it to his kingdom, and in vain 
attempted its converfion q. Scarcely two centuries have elapfed fince it has fin- 
-cerely embraced the doétrines of Chriftianity. In confequence of which, cultiva- 
tion and civilization have fo well fucceeded in the fouthern parts, that many deferts 
are peopled, morafles drained, and the reafon of the natives fo greatly improved, 
that they have united with the Swedes, and even fent their reprefentatives to the 
* Hift, Abregé de Nord. i. 206. t Prof. Ritzius of Lund. || Pb. Tr. Abr, vii. part iy. 
Ps 440 § Hift, Abrege du Nord. iie 59+ q The fame, p. 3. 
Houfe 
LXI 
Istz or Gort- 
LAND, 
Lapianp- 
