mon father, and the moil perfedt harmony reigns among all its
members.
W e were two days at his houfe, and in different excurfions
vifited the environs o f Kemi, which, compared with thofe o f
Uleaborg, appeared like a paradife. The profpedl is more diver-
fified, the grounds are bolder, here and there fwell into little hills,
and are by no means fo flat and fandy as in the vicinity o f the
former city. Here the river is confiderably broad, nor is it without
danger, infomuch that at Kemi and other places they have
pilots to navigate their trading veffels to its junction with the fea.
In fome places there is not a fufficient depth o f water for boats
o f a large fize. Tw o years ago a merchant in the neighbourhood
wifhed to conftrucl a much larger boat than had ever been feen
before on this river; and he conceived it would be very feafible to
float it down when the river happened to be overflown. The
boat was laden with grain, and had fome perfons on board: it
fortunately efcaped the three principal dangers, or falls, and had
only to pals two more, which they confidered o f lefs confequence;
but the boat ftruck, was daihed to pieces, and many lives were
loft. A large portion o f the wreck remains in view to this day
between the rocks o f Kemi, ierving as a melancholy memorial
o f this unfortunate enterprife, and as a warning' to the imprudence
and avidity o f projedlors and merchants.
The river Kemi abounds in falmon; and their fifhery is fo lucrative
as to afford a principal part o f the minifter’s income,
amounting to more than a thoufand rix dollars annually. Oppofite
fite to the church, and in the middle o f the river, is a fmall iiland,
where the inhabitants o f Kemi hold a fair once a year, at which
they fell and exchange falmon, either for money or for other articles.
The church is an edifice which offers a Angular and furpriffng
contrail to a foreigner travelling in this country, where he would
not expedí to fee any public building in the ftyle o f regular archi-
tedlure, and in all reípeéts worthy o f one o f our own towns. This
ftructure being of ftone, muft have coil an immenfe fum, confider-
ing the few refources o f thofe poor people, who could eafily difpenfe
with fuch an expenfive building, and pray to the Deity as effectually
in a wooden temple. The defign o f this church was made
by the academy at Stockholm, and was honoured with the approbation
o f Guftavus III. It is adorned with a dome or cupola, and
three principal entrances, with doric pillars, and hence has the
appearance o f a Grecian temple. Placed in thole favage regions,
in the midll o f woods o f fir trees, and contrafted by the fcattered,
contemptible huts around, it forms a wondérful and ftriking object.
It is with fincere pain I muft here remark, that clofe to this
magnificent temple I entered the hut o f a poor Finlander, the
diminutive fize and external meannefs o f which had attracted my
notice.. He was probably the pooreft native of Finland I liad met
in the courfe o f m y travels to this place: the fpace o f ground on
which his houfe flood was twelve iquare feet, and the roof fix
in height. This unfortunate man had a complaint in one o f
his hands, which rendered him unfit to gain his livelihood by
labour.