THROUGH FINLAND. 
393 
ture, her gaiety, and by a fharp and decided manner in her de¬ 
portment. She had fuch ffrength of arms, that when we were 
difpofed to toy w 7 ith her, and feek perhaps to be a little too fami¬ 
liar, fhe would repulfe us with a blow that forced us back four 
or five paces. Her limbs were a&ive and agile, fhe w ? as remark¬ 
ably tall, and in fhort would have been a very fine woman, had 
not a long waift with very fhort petticoats, disfigured her perfon. 
Her face was not extremely delicate, but her features were well 
formed ; her hair chefnut, her eyes lively, and her complexion full 
of health and vigour. She was dreffed entirely in white of rather 
a fine linen cloth, w 7 hich fhe had probably bought at Tornea of 
fome travelling merchant: all her companions were perfectly clean, 
and every thing upon them was either new or recently wafhed. 
We fpent about an hour in the company of thefe girls, all 
which time we kept conflantly talking without underflanding 
each other: wefexchanged many heavy blows, enough to make 
. 4 .... 
one half fenous; but this is a kind of affectionate carefs among 
peafants in all parts of the world. The girl of Kollare was fo 
ftrong, and made fuch i'mprefhon with her Herculean arm, that 
fhe had driven us to a man almoft off the field. Our interpreter 
hinted to us that we muft take care how we offended this young 
woman, as fhe was to give us lodging at Kollare, a place we mufl 
pafs on our route. She Teemed pleafed when fhe learned that w e 
fhould be at her houfe next day, and promifed that fhe would 
do every thing in her power to have her dwelling comfortable for 
us at our arrival. 
3 E 
Vol. I. 
This 
