Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Travels through Finland - Chapter XXIX
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
THROUGH FINLAND. 373
wind, and we afcended, with the help of a fail, amidft falls and
rocks, where we expected every moment to go to the bottom. It
requires a moft accurate knowledge of the bed of the river to
venture on this navigation ; and for this reafon it is but prudent
to change boat and boatmen at each village, as the peafants are
all perfeétly mafters of the channel in their refpe@ive bounds. At
certain intervals you will find in the whole breadth of the river
but one opening where the boat can pafs, and whoever is not ap-
prized of it will probably run his boat amongft a thoufand rocks
without fucceeding, but not without the moft imminent danger
of perifhing.
Having arrived at Kattila Kofki, the boatmen took down their
fail and fhewed us their addrefs in afcending againft the rapid
current of the cataracts. Kattila Kofki is a long feries of water-
falls, formed by the ftony bed of the river, and by huge rocks
which rife above the furface of the water. Thefe cataraéts are
particularly famous on the map, as being the place which cor-
_refponds to that divifion of the globe known by the name of the
Polar Circle. To afcend ina {mall boat fuch a formidable fuc-
ceffion of cataracts, where the water is almoft every where roll-
ing down in foam, would at firft fight feem impofflible; but no-
thing is impoffible to man, whom habits have rendered familiar
to danger. Thofe Finlandifh Laplanders, befides an addrefs pe-
culiar to themfelves, have what perhaps is of ftill more confe-
quence—the moft perfect coolnefs and apathy. They take their
places, one at the head and the other at the ftern of their canoe,
and
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
