as every where elfe, give occafxon to different occupations analogous
to the climate, and the nature o f the country. It is ne-
ceffary to have even more activity and induftry in the northern
diftridls than in the foutherly ones, inafmuch as the means of
maintenance are more limited, while the wants o f the natives are
more preffmg. How many things are men in want o f in the
North, that are fcarcely known in the South ? In the North fur-
gloves, caps, fur-boots, woollen cloths lined with furs, and fnow
ihoes; thefe are not much known to the inhabitants o f the
fouth of Europe, but are here articles o f the firft neceflity. I f to
the variety o f things which are required to cover the body, we
add a greater appetite for food, and defire for fpirituous liquors;
if we confider the increafed difficulties that the women have to
undergo in rearing their children, we ffiall be fenfible how arduous
a talk, for inftance, a peafant in the North has to perform
in difcharging the common duties o f life. Compared to him,
the very beggars o f other countries live, in eafe. and even luxury ;
nor can he be put upon a par, in point o f comfort, with the
famous lazaroni of Naples, who, though ragged or rather naked,
eafily obtain a living if they will but take a walk on the key, or
faunter along the harbour, with no farther trouble than that o f
turning firft their faces and then their backs to the fun.
The inhabitants o f the North, haraffed by a much greater
number o f wants, muft neceffarily acquire a larger lhare o f activity
in order to fupply them ; and from this circumftance arife a
thoufand little diverfities o f character, which ferve to diftinguilh
them,
them, even 111 their moral habits, from the nations o f the South.
The peafants during the winter are occupied, not only in the laborious
performance o f fuch bufineffes as are moft advantageouily
accomplilhed when the earth is covered with ice and fnow, but alfo
in preparing for their neceffary avocations during the fummer.
They employ themfelves in making nets, cutting wood, conftruct-
ing cart wheels, and in tying up faggots for the fire. Tha t o f tranf-
porting things from one place to another, is one o f the principal
occupations o f the Finlandiih peaiantry in winter. They proceed
to the foreft and cut down timber for building, and making their
fledges, as well as for fuel and other purpofes: they drag over
fields o f ice and fnow fuch enormous trunks o f trees, as they
could fcarcely be able to move in fummer.
Hunting and fifhing are alio avocations that are attended to in
winter. Their mode of fitting is as follows: a couple o f openings
are made in the ice, and by means o f ropes and long poles,
they then contrive to pafs their nets from one opening to the
other: the drawing out o f the nets is attended with infinite labour.
T he y have another method o f fiihing on the ice, which
feemed to me extremely curious, at leaft the novelty o f it excited
my furprife. It is in catching filh by a ftroke o f a mallet or club.
In autumn, when the froft begins to fet in, the fiiherman courfes
along the rivers ; and when he obferves a fiih under the ice in
Ihallow water, he ftrikes a violent blow with his wooden mallet
perpendicularly over the fiih, fo as to break the ice. T h e fiih,
ftupified by the blow communicated to it by the water, in a few
feconds