THE WATER SYSTEMS. 45 
The following’ more detailed account of the different 
water-systems which constitute’ so’ important a feature of 
“the physical geography of Finlana, are supplied by Dr 
Helm, in alittle book entitled #innlund, und die Finlénder, 
published in 1869. 
‘ The sea-coast,’ says Dr Helm, ‘is rocky—so rocky that. 
it may be said to’ be rock-bound—crags, cliffs, islands, 
everywhere beyond the shore, and that to such an extent 
that they render navigation dangerous. Through the 
different directions in which these rocks extend trom the 
coast, and the different spurs and branches thrown out by 
the mountain-ridge, or—call it if you will—the land-ridge 
of Maanselki, in the interior, arise the different water- 
‘systems of Finland. Through the arrangement of these 
the ‘country is divided into five distinct river courses or 
water-systems, 
‘1. The northern water-system with the Haupt-See, 
” Enare. 
ain The ‘Bothnia water-system with the Haupt-See, 
Jlea. 
‘3.'The south-west water-system with the Central ac 
Pyhajarvi, the mouth of which is in the Gulf of Bothnia — 
‘4. The central water-system, with the fifty miles long 
Hauptbecken, or principal stream, Paijinna, which, through 
the Kymenfluss, flows into the Gulf of Finland. 
‘5, The eastern water-system, 150 miles long, with the 
Central See, Enonvesi, which, flowing through the Falls 
of Imatra, empties itself into Lake Ladoga. 
‘ By the Saima Canal, proceeding from the Saima Lake, 
which is the largest in the land, the whole of these water- 
systems are brought into communication with the sea 
through the Gulf of Finland at Wyborg. 
‘Out of Northern America—neither in the Old World 
nor in the New—is there a country so rich in waters as is 
Finland. Were it under a milder climate these riches of 
water-communications would tell upon the ‘inland trans- 
‘port trade and traffic; but as things-are, they at present 
are more of an impediment or hindrance to communica- 
