T R A V E h S
I N T O
S W E D E N.
B O O K VIL
C H A P . I.
Entrance into Swediih Finland.— Louifa.— Helfingfors.—
Abo.— Journey in Jledges over part o f the frozen furface
o f the Gulf o f Bothnia.— of Aland.— Pajfage by fea to
the coajl o f Sweden.— Journey to Stockholm.
b o o k n p H E limits o f Ruffia and Sweden, as fettled by the peace
' _ ' , •*. o f Abo, are formed by the river Kymen, on the fouth
fide whereof was a wooden houfe, a rampart of earth, and
a fmall battery. Being admitted through a wooden barrier,
guarded by a Ruffian foldier, we crofted a bridge to a fmall
iiland, palTed another bridge over a ftream which was a
branch o f the Kymen ;; and went through afecond barrier, at
which flood a Swediffi eentinel. In quitting the Ruffian
sdqminiQns aur.baggage was ilightly fearched; and in entering
ing Swediffi Finland, the fame.ceremony was performed CHAP-
by thé cuftom-houfe officers o f that diftriéh Clofe to the ■ ■
frontiers we changed horfes at Lilla-Abbors, and in lefs than
an hour arrived at Louifa.
Soon after our departure from Wiburgh, the weather
changed from very near a thaw to a fevere froft, the mercury
in the thermometer finking to a a below freezing point.
This fudden alteration in the ftate o f the atmpfphere was in
no wife difagreeable : the warmth o f our clothing enabled
us to defy the moft intenfe froft nor had I once oc-
cafion to ufe all the coverings with which I had the precaution
to provide myfelf. The face: was the only part which
I found difficult to fecure againft thé attacks, o f the cold, and
more particularly at night, when I was inclined to ileep. In
that ftate I generally covered my cheeks and forehead with
the flaps of my velvet cap, leaving only my nofe and mouth
free for refpiration ; and over them I fometimes held my
muff, or placed my handkerchief, which was attended with
•this inconvenience : as the breath inftantly . congeled, the
parts of the muff or handkerchief, in contact with my mouth,
became in a fhort time fo clotted with icicles, that I was
obliged repeatedly to change their poiition, in order to prevent
an accumulation o f the frozen particles. •
Louifa is an open town upon a bay of the Gulf o f
Bothnia : and is guarded- towardsthe fea by a fmall fortrefs.
The ho.ufes are all o f wood, and o f two ftories ; they are
painted with a red colour, and look much neater than thofe
of the common towns and villages in Ruffia. Soon after our
arrival we waited upon the governor, to obtain an order for
P°ft horfes, and to procure information with refpect to our
intended route to Stockholm. In fummer travellers, in pafs-
mg from Peterfburgh to the capital o f Sweden, commonly go
Vol. II. s s by