TRAVELS 
182 
CHAPTER XI. 
Griflehamn—The Paffiage acrofs the Gulf to Finland dangerous in 
Summer to navigate, and in Winter frozen over fo as to hear Sledges 
-—The Author s Journey acrofs the Ice. Difficulties attending it, 
and Adventures that happened — Seals, or Sea-Calves, living on and 
under the Ice. Manner of hunting them—The Ijles of Aland . 
Some of them mentioned hy Name: the Fortrefs of Cafleholmen 
-—Anecdotes from a Converfation with a Peafant. 
RISLEHAMN is a fmall poft town, where all travellers {top 
in their w r ay to or from Sweden or Finland, whether in 
fummer or winter. The navigation of the {traits here is extremely 
dangerous, as well as difagreeable. There is only one palfage for 
large veffels, and the mariners are always in terror of linking on 
the rocks which are every where fcattered in this formidable fea. 
In wdnter a palfage is very rarely attempted, but when the w r hole 
furface is frozen to fuch a degree of folidity as to bear a fledge. 
When this is not the cafe, as fometimes happens during a mild 
and open winter, thofe perfons who have occafion to travel from 
Sweden, either to Finland or Ruffia, are under the neceflity of 
going by the way of Tornea all round the gulf of Bothnia. Grifle- 
hamn is not remarkable on any account, except its being a place 
of 
