170 THE FOREST LANDS OF FINLAND. 
of the University of Helsingfors; and as he spoke English 
fluently, and was going on with us, he was soon on sociable 
terms with all the Americans on board. Two hours or 
more were spent very pleasantly with this party, visiting 
points of interest at Hango, which is little else than a long, 
narrow, rocky promontory, with a railway station and a 
few summer hotels. It is somewhat noted as a place of 
fashionable resort in the warm season, and has considerable 
quarries of red granite. Upon an island some distance in 
front the Russian flag floats over a strong fortification, 
that would meet the first attack from a foreign naval 
power. The other lady of the party was the wife of the 
Governor at Tavastehus, who assured us of his kind 
reception upon arriving at that place. 
‘¥rom the map purchased at Abo, and by the aid of 
Professor D., we got a very intelligent idea of the com- 
munications of the country, and upon our landing at 
Helsingfors we received from him and his brother, who 
was the American Vice-Consul, the most courteous atten- 
tions, and most excellent advice. The city is the capital 
of Finland, and has a population of about 46,000. Besides 
containing the only university in the country, it is the 
centre of considerable commerce and inland trade. Fin- 
land, although subject to Russia, is in every thing but 
military dependence, self-governing throughout. The 
Emperor is ex officio the Grand Duke, but every thing is 
left with a local Governor and Parliament. They have 
their coinage, their postal service, their import duties, and 
their finances, quite independent of Russia, and the country 
shows many traces of the laws and customs of Sweden, to 
which before 1809 it belonged. 
‘ We received from Professor Doner a letter to General E. 
d’Ammondt, of the Emperor's suite, Governor of the Pro- 
vince of Hamenleena, and as we got seated the next morning 
in the railway car for Tavastehus a young Russian military 
officer took his seat in front. He inquired in English if 
the writer was not going to Evois; and at every station 
where we stopped he was at our side. He mentioned the 
