THROUGH FINLAND. 
2 5 * 
hooks, and we did not leave them till we had caught fome filh 
ourfelves. Afterwards, w’ifhing to try whether we could run on 
the ice with their pattens, we afforded no fmall diverfion to thofe 
good people by our awkward manner of ufing them, as well as 
by feveral falls, which were more amufing to the fpedators than 
agreeable to the performers. 
You meet often in thofe parts wdth what may be termed dif- 
ruptions of the ice, which form a flrange pidturefque appearance, 
fometimes refembling the ruins of an ancient caftle. The caufe 
of thefe difruptions is the rocks, which happen to be at the depth 
of fome feet under the furface of the water. During the preva¬ 
lence of the intenfe cold, the water freezes frequently three feet 
or more in thicknefs; the elevation of the fea is confequently di- 
miniflied, and finks in proportion to the diameter of the ice that 
is formed: then thofe fhelves and rocks overtop the furface, and 
break the cohefion of the ice, while accident depofits the detached 
maffes and fragments in a thoufand irregular forms. It is ex- 
tremely dangerous to traverfe the ice in thofe parts during night, 
unlefs you have the compafs conflantly in your hand, and even 
with it you are not always fafe. The traveller is frequently in¬ 
terrupted by thofe obftacles; he often lofes fight of the coaft, 
while the whitenefs of the fnow dazzles his eyes, and makes it 
extremely difficult to difeern the traces of the fledges which have 
pafled that way before: thus he is in no fmall danger of lofing 
the road, and of going on in a different direction, which may lead 
K k 2 him 
