where morals have become the vidtim o f felfilh and corrupt paf-
fions. It is the traveller, who, conftantly carrying about with him
his ideas o f civilization (which is often only a different name for a
lyftem o f refined ielfiihnefs), introduces his degraded notions into
the bofom o f a fimple people, obliging from inftinit, and generous
and beneficent from nature. W e for ever confider it as incumbent
upon us to reward every little attention with money;
and knowing no gratification equal to that o f receiving pecuniary
acknowledgment, we render the pureft pleaiures o f our nature
venal by the recompences we beftow, and corrupt and debafe, by
views o f intereft, that fenfe o f duty which is cheriihed by a fenti-
ment o f pleaiiire, and enjoyed by every moral heart upon performing
a good action to his fellow men.
CH A P T E R X V I.
The Journey continued— Brightnefs and Transparency o f the Ice, and
the probable Reafon o f it— Stop at Sillanpe— Arrival at Wafa—
Account o f this Tow n: its Situation, Trade, and Inhabitants-—
The Tribunal fo r the Government o f the North o f Finland, at
Wafa The Prefdent and Governor— Anecdotes o f Limueus.
BEFO R E we reached Wafa, we were ftill not without fome
apprehenfion from travelling.on the rivers o f Finland. Hitherto
the ice being covered with fnow o f a dirty furface, and far from
{hewing the fmalleft tranfparency, made us for the moft part forget
that we went upon water; we were now to learn what fort of
fenfation we ihould experience in paffing over a river, where the
ice, tranfparent as cryftal, difcovered under our feet the whole
depth o f the element below, infomuch that we could fee even the
fmalleft fifties. In the firft moment o f furprize, having had no
previous notice o f the change, we fancied ourfejves inevitably loft,
and that we ihould be fwallowed up, and periih in the awful gulf.
Even the horfe himfelf was ftartled at the novelty o f his fituation ;
he fuddenly flopped ihort, and feemed unwilling, to go forward. But
the impulfe he had acquired in travelling puihed him forward in
fpite of himfelf, and he Hid, or rather ikated upon his four jointlefs
legs,