BOOK wind is high or the fea rough ; and this danger is increafed by
___ ■ the unlkilfulnefs of the failors, and the frail condition of the
open boats employed on thele occalions. In my fecond expedition
into the north, in 1784, I paffed from Grifleham to Abo,
and was again expofed to fome difficulties.
Oftober 16. We embarked at Grifleham at fix in the morning,
and a favourable breeze carried us in lefs than three hours
and a half to the finall ifle of Eckeru, diftant about 36 miles
from the coaft of Sweden. From Eckeru we ferried over the bay
of Markfund to Fredenby, on the ifle of Aland, and eroded that
ifland to Bomarfund, a finall village at its eaflern extremity.
From that place there are two paflages to Abo j the one is to
ferry over the feveral ilraits and firths to Kumlinge, Brando, and
feveral other fmall iflands, to the continent of Finland, about fix
miles from Abo; the other is to proceed the whole way by fea
from Bomerfund to Abo. As the removal of our carriage from
the feveral boats at the numerous ferries would have been attended
with unavoidable delays in the former paffage, we preferred
the latter, and accordingly hired two open boats to convey
us dire illy to Abo.
The next morning we embarked at feven, and were ex-
peditioufly carried forwards by a fide breeze. But as the wind
blew freih, and the fea ran high, a Swedilh gentleman, whom we
had accidentally met at Grifleham, and who had defired to accompany
us to Abo, was fuddenly alarmed; and communicating
his fears to the boatmen, prevailed upon them to land upon Long
Ifland,
P A S S A G E T O A B O . *°9
Ifland, about four miles from Bomerfund. Here they con- c H A P.
tinued three hours upon the beach, refilling all our importuni- t---- — 4
ties and offers to induce them to proceed. The wind at length
fomewhat abating, they were prevailed upon to fet fail; but
in a fhort time the failors (if they deferve that appellation) were
foon again ferioufly alarmed, and their panic was ilill farther increafed
by the terrors of the Swediih gentleman, who, like
Gonzalo in the Tempeil, “ would have given a thoufand furlongs
of fea for an acre of barren ground, long heath, brown
furze, or any thing.”
At length, the mail cracking towards the bottom, the boatmen
took down thé fail, and put in at a little ifland, or rather
rock, where we all landed.
It was now two o’clock ; and as the failors declared their re-
folution of not venturing again to fea till the wind abated, we
had the profpeél of paffmg the night on this dreary fpot. We
accordingly examined our ilation. It was a fmall rocky ifland
o f red granite, about a quarter of a mile in circumference,
yielding a few blades of ruffet-grafs, and twenty or thirty flubbed
trees ; expofed on all fides to I the pitilefs winds,” and fur-
rounded by inhabitable crags flarting up in the midfl of the
dafhing waves.
Having landed our provifions, we made a comfortable meal on
fome cold ham and chicken, collected fome branches, kindled a
fire, and felled two trees, in order to fupply us with fuel during
the cold night we were preparing to pafs in fo deferted a fpot.
Vo l . III. E e Towards