FINLAND: INHABITANTS. 217 



with the Russians. According to Van Haartmann, the Tavastians, who call them- 

 selves Hamalaiset, are the typical Finns, with strong thick-set frames, broad head, 

 features, and nose, square shoulders, large mouth, and small eyes, usually straight, 

 but at times slightly oblique. The iris is always blue, varying from the lightest 

 to the deepest azure. To these Finns the Russians formerly applied the expression 

 " Blue-eyed Chûdes." The hair is fair, and even of a yellowish white, whence the 

 Russian saying, " Fair as a Finn." Thus, while the brachycephalous peoples of 

 Central and West Europe are generally brown, those of Finland are pre-eminently a 

 fair race. But the skin is not white, and they lack the transparent rosy tint of the 

 fair Teutons, w^hether Scandinavians, Germans, or Anglo-Saxons. The beard also 

 is but slightly developed, and Tavastians are rarely met with features answering 

 to the idea of the beautiful as understood by the peoples of "West Europe. 



Morally they are slow and dull, often moody, suspicious, spiteful, chary of speech, 

 grateful for kindness, enduring, long-suffering in sickness and distress. Fatalists in 

 a high degree, they represent the conservative element in the Finnish nation. In 

 the eleventh and twelfth centuries the centre of their power seems to have been 

 much farther east, between Lake Ladoga and the IS'orthern Dvina ; but assailed 

 by the Kurelians on the north, and the Russians on the south, they were obliged to 

 migrate westwards, although some 20,000 Tavastians are still said to dwell in the 

 eastern districts towards Petrozavodsk and Belozersk. 



Proceeding from west to east, a gradual transition may be noticed between the 

 Tavastians and Karelians, or Karialiiiset. The Savolaiset, or people of Savolaks, 

 in the Ny-Slott district, may be taken as the natural link between the two races. 

 The Karelians, who occupy East Finland proper, besides vast tracts in Russia, 

 stretching as far as the neighbourhood of the White Sea, are brachycephalous, like 

 the Tavastians, but otherwise resemble them neither in their features, stature, nor 

 character. Most of them are above the middle size, some being almost of gigantic 

 proportions, with slim, lithe, and elegant figures, regular features, straight and 

 long nose, broad forehead, well-chiselled mouth. The eye is seldom oblique, like 

 the Mongolian, or light blue, like the Tavastian, but of a deep grey blue, and the 

 hair, mostly abundant and of a chestnut colour, falls in thick ringlets round the 

 head. They are generally cheerful, lively, attractive, full of spontaneous vigour, 

 but less persevering than impulsive. Their kindly disposition is no less pleasing 

 than their inborn grace, and even beauty. 



History frequently represents them engaged in warlike excursions. In 1187 

 and 1188 they invade Sweden itself, penetrate through Lake Malar, burn the city 

 of Sigtuna, and kill the Bishop of Upsala. Three years afterwards they burn Abo, 

 and destroy all the Swedish colonies in Finland. Later on, although evangelized 

 by the people of Novgorod in the beginning of the thirteenth century, they 

 frequently attack them, but likewise join with them to fight the Swedes. By their 

 help also they drive the Tavastians from the shores of Lake Ladoga. About 1850 

 Castrèn estimated them at over 1,000,000, of whom 830,000 were in Finland proper. 

 Here they have increased to upwards of 1,000,000. 



On their appearance in their present homes the Finns seem to have been scarcely 



