PLATE III.
A PEASANT OF FINLAND.
1 HE inhabitants of Russian Finland were formerly very similar to those
of Lapland, and have indeed the same origin; but they are much less
rude and barbarous. Those of the towns are engaged in commerce and
vario-as trades, while the inhabitants of the country follow agriculture,
hunting, and fishing. The latter are laborious, and in general very
prudent. Their dress also is similar to that of the Swedish peasants.
They most commonly let their beards grow; some, however, only
wear mustachios. Their clothes are generally made of a coarse kind
of cloth, called walmar, which is manufactured by the women; but
they sometimes purchase a finer sort. In winter they wear pelisses,
made of sheep or other skins. Some wear shoes made of skin, some
wooden shoes, and others make their shoes of the bark of some tree,
laced together. They wear a leathern girdle, generally untanned, in
which they carry a large knife. Their hair hangs loose; and they cover
their heads with a sort of felt hat.
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