l
ridges and honeycombed with the inland waters known as "The Thousand
Lakes" (although ten thousand would be nearer the mark), one of
which is three times the size of the Lake of Geneva. The rivers
are small and unimportant, the largest being only about the size
of the Seine. On the other hand, the numerous falls and rapids on
even the smallest streams render their ascent in boats extremely
difficult and often impossible. But lakes and canals are the natural
highways of the country; rivers are only utilized as a motive power
for electricity, manufactories, and for conveying millions of logs
of timber yearly from the inland forests to the sea. A curious fact
is that, although many parts of the interior are far below the
level of the Baltic, the latter is gradually but surely receding
from the coast, and many hitherto submerged islets off the latter
have been left high and dry by the waves. You may now in places
walk from one island to another on dry land, which, fifty years ago,
was many fathoms under water, while signs of primitive navigation
are constantly being discovered as far as twenty miles inland!
It is therefore probable that the millions of islands which now
fringe these shores, formed, at some remote period, one continuous
strip of land. How vessels ever find their way, say from Hangoe to
Nystad, is a mystery to the uninitiated landsman. At a certain
place there are no less than 300 islands of various sizes crowded
into an area of six square miles! Heaven preserve the man who finds
himself there, in thick weather, with a skipper who does not quite
know the ropes!

The provinces of which the Grand Duchy is composed are as follows,
running from north to south: (1) Finnish Lapland, (2) Ostrobothnia,
(3) Satakunta, (4) Tavastland, (5) Savolax, (6) Karelia, (7) Finland
proper, (8) Nyland, and (9) the Aland Islands.

Finnish Lapland may be dismissed without comment, for it is a wild,
barren region, sparsely populated by nomad tribes, and during the
summer is practically impassable on account of its dense forests,
pathless swamps, and mosquitoes of unusual size and ferocity. In
winter-time journeys can be made quickly and pleasantly in sledges
drawn by reindeer, but at other times the country must be crossed
in cranky canoes by means of a network of lakes and rivers; and
the travelling is about as tough as monotony, short rations, and
dirt can make it. I am told that gold has lately been discovered
there, but it