inferred from the geographical position of the country. It is for the most part a vegetable mould, and exceedingly moist. Forests similar to those of Sweden and Lapland are abundant. Iron was formerly produced here, but no mines are worked at present. The country furnishes great quantities of

nitre.

5. FACE OF THE COUNTRY. The northern part is hilly. The eastern part is covered with sand hills and rocks, and intersected by marshes, lakes and rivers, which diffuse cold and unwholesome mists.

6. DIVISIONS AND TOWNS. Finland is divided into 12 circles. Kexholm, Friedrichshaw, Lerdobol, Viburg, Vilmarstrand, Neuschlot, Kymmenegard, Tavastehuas, Abo, Kuopio, Vasa and Uleaborg. Helsingfors, the capital, is situated on the Gulf of Finland, and has a good harbor and considerable commerce. The university has been removed to this place from Abo, since the destruction of the latter place by fire.

Abo, at the entrance of the gulf of Bothnia, was formerly the capital. It was one of the most agreeable towns in the country, and had manufactures of silk and woolen, ship-building and sugar refineries, with a pop. of 12,000; but it was almost totally consumed by fire in 1827.

7. INHABITANTS. The Finlanders are of small stature, light complexions, and fair hair, worn uncombed down each side of the face; they are sharp fea

tured, and generally without any apparent beard. The appearance of one differs little from that of another. They wear woolen kaftans, short to the knee, with

loose black pantaloons and caps. The women wear a linen robe over their clothes.

The houses of the peasants are well built and comfortable. The general food is milk, salt herring, and salt meat. The Finlanders are cheerful, kind and very hospitable. A stranger receives much attention. He is always the principal person in a company and much pains are taken to please him. When he has succeeded in rendering himself agreeable, it is a custom at an assemblage for all the women present to give him on the back a sudden slap, when it is least expected; and the compliment is in proportion to the weight of the blow.

8. EDUCATION. Education is much less diffused than in Sweden, though there is a university at Helsingfors.

9. AMUSEMENTS. Amusements are not rare among so cheerful a people, though they are not much given to dancing. They have many athletic sports, and the bear dance, from the strength required, may be considered one. It is practised sometimes by the peasants. It is performed on all fours, or the dancer rests on his hands as well as feet, and by leaps and jumps keeps time with the music. It is so fatiguing that the dancer in a few minutes falls into a violent perspiration. The peasants shoot the rifle with much skill, and seldom miss the smallest mark. They hunt the wild animals in various ways, and engage the most dangerous of them singly, and fearlessly. They sing to the harpu or sort of harp: two men sitting opposite, with locked hands, accompany the song with alternate verses, raising each other alternately from their

seats.

The violin is not uncommon, and the Finlanders have some turn for poetry as well as music. Every event of public or private interest, finds a poet to celebrate it. The poets condole with friends at a death, and rejoice with them at marriages. They have also satires and tales.

Almost all the peasants have a house built for the purposes of a bath which they use generally, and with little regard to delicacy. It is a small chamber in which are a number of stones. These are heated till they become red hot, when water is thrown upon them and the company is involved in a cloud of vapor. The bathers rub themselves and lash their bodies with twigs, till they become red with the scourging. In winter they go from the bath, which is so hot that it is barely tolerable, and roll themselves in the snow. This they do in the coldest days.

10. RELIGION. The religion is Lutheran, but there are some pagan superstitions. There are charms for the bite of a serpent, for scalds, burns, wounds, &c diseases are supposed by many to be the effect of witchcraft. marriages are attended with ceremony and rejoicing.

The

11. AGRICULTURE, &C. The inhabitants cultivate barley and rye and fell timber. The fir trees of the interior afford great quantities of tar; and potash is manufactured to some extent. The products of the forest are sufficiently abundant for exportation. Fisheries are largely carried on.

12. GOVERNMENT, POPULATION, &c. Finland is a portion of the Russian Empire, with the title of a government. The population is 1,350,000. The prevailing religion is Lutheran. The country was formerly a province of Sweden, but came into the possession of Russia in 1809.

CHAPTER LXXXV. - REPUBLIC OF CRACOW.

THIS republic consists of a territory of 494 square miles, formerly a part of Poland, and now surrounded by the Russian and Austrian territories. The country is a plain extending along the banks of the Vistula, which becomes navigable immediately under the walls of the capital. The soil is fertile, and the climate warmer than in the rest of Poland. The general appearance of the country is picturesque. The city of Cracow is the capital, and was once the capital of Poland. It has a large dilapidated castle, and a cathedral remarkable for its altars and 20 chapels, and as the burial place of many of the kings of Poland. Here are 70 churches and several magnificent convents. The streets are irregular. The city contains a large square, but the buildings which surround it are mean. The university is a magnificent edifice and is the most ancient seminary in Poland. Pop. of the city 30,000.

Kressovice, has a pop. of 4,000. Chrzanao, 1,300. The whole population of the republic is 100,000.

The chief production is grain. The agriculture is superior to that of the other Polish countries, yet in bad seasons the land does not produce sufficient corn for the subsistence of the inhabitants. Cattle are raised in considerable numbers. Fruits are reared in the neighborhood of the capital, and the vegetables are in high reputation. At Kressovice are several iron works, but there are no other manufactures except domestic fabrics. The government is democratic. The chief magistrate is a President, chosen every 3 years. The revenue is 133,248 dollars: the debt 10,000 dollars. The inhabitants are mostly Poles, and the Polish language is everywhere predominant. The religion is Roman Catholic, but all sects are tolerated. There is no distinction of rank among the inhabitants, except that the members of the chapter of the cathedral and of the university possess a few unimportant privileges.

This little community owes its existence to the disputes of the three despotic powers that partitioned the kingdom of Poland. In 1815, when the final destiny of Poland was decided at the congress of Vienna, the Austrian and Russian monarchs respectively laid claim to the city and territory of Cracow, situated at the point where the newly acquired territories of these two powers join those of Prussia. To this fortunate position, Cracow is indebted for its exemption from the fate of the rest of Poland. The holy allies unable to determine which of their number had the best right to the territory, resolved that neither should possess it; and Cracow was declared a republic under the protection of the three surrounding powers.

1. BOUNDARIES AND EXTENT. The present Kingdom of Poland is bounded north by Prussia, east by Russia, south by Galicia and Cracow, and west by Prussia. It is nearly a square of 200 miles in extent, and contains 48,730 square miles.

2. RIVERS. This country is intersected by the Vistula and its head streams. The Niemen forms a part of the northern boundary. There are a variety of smaller streams, and the country is in general well watered.

3. SOIL, PRODUCTIONS, &c. The soil is generally thin and sandy. There are many marshy tracts, and the face of the country is diversified with fruitful fields, steppes, heaths, impenetrable forests, and wide moors. The forests

Joose black pantaloons and caps. The women wear a linen robe over their

The gener cheerful, kind

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The bases of the peasants are well built and comfortable. fond is mija, salt herring, and salt meat. The Finlanders are and very hospitable. A stranger receives much attention. the principal person in a company and much pains are taken to please hi When be has succeeded in rendering himself agreeable, it is a custom at a assentlige for a the women present to give him on the back a sudden slay, when it is least expected; and the compliment is in proportion to the weight of the tow.

SESATION. Education is much less diffused than in Sweden, though there as a university at Helsingfors.

9 AMUSEMENTS. Amusements are not rare among so cheerful a people though they are not much given to dancing. They have many athletic sports and the bear dance, from the strength required, may be considered one. I practised sometimes by the peasants. It is performed on all fours, or the dan cer rests on his hands as well as feet, and by leaps and jumps keeps time with the music. It is so fatiguing that the dancer in a few minutes falls into a vi kat perspiration. The peasants shoot the rifle with much skill, and seldom mass the smallest mark. They hunt the wild animals in various ways, and engage the most dangerous of them singly, and fearlessly. They sing to the kara or sort of harp: two men sitting opposite, with locked hands, accom pany the song with alternate verses, raising each other alternately from the

The violin is not uncommon, and the Finlanders have some turn for poetr as well as music. Every event of public or private interest, finds a poet! celebrate it. The poets condole with friends at a death, and rejoice with them at marriages. They have also satires and tales.

Almost all the peasants have a house built for the purposes of a bath which they use generally, and with little regard to delicacy. It is a small chamber in which are a number of stones. These are heated till they become red hot when water is thrown upon them and the company is involved in a cloud vapor. The bathers rub themselves and lash their bodies with twigs, till the become red with the scourging. In winter they go from the bath, which is s hot that it is barely tolerable, and roll themselves in the snow. This they do in the coldest days.

10. RELIGION. The religion is Lutheran, but there are some pagan superstitions. There are charms for the bite of a serpent, for scalds, burns, wounds, &c diseases are supposed by many to be the effect of witchcraft. The marriages are attended with ceremony and rejoicing.

11. AGRICULTURE, &c. The inhabitants cultivate barley and rye and fell timber. The fir trees of the interior afford great quantities of tar; and pat ash is manufactured to some extent. The products of the forest are suff ciently abundant for exportation. Fisheries are largely carried on.

12. GOVERNMENT, POPULATION, &C. Finland is a portion of the Russian Empire, with the title of a government. The population is 1,350,000. The prevailing religion is Lutheran. The country was formerly a province of Sweden, but came into the possession of Russia in 1809.

CHAPTER LEK — POLAND.

1. BOUNDARIES AND EXTENT

d north by Prussia, east by Rossa, south by Galicia and Cracow, and west The present Kingdom of Poland is boundPrussia. It is nearly a square of 200 miles in extent, and contains 4,730 quare miles.

2. RIVERS. This country is intersected by the Vistula and its head treme The Niemen forms a part of the northern boundary. There are a turm, of maller streams, and the country is in general well watered.

3. SOIL, PRODUCTIONS, &c. The soil is generally thin and art

are many marshy tracts, and the face of the countrs firopuret Ful fields, steppes, heaths, impenetrable forests and mude mer.

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