But these streets are not paved; they have quite the look of so many fields or meadows

Torneo does not satisfy the expectation which we are led to form of a town, from which, as a central point, the trade with all the polar regions as far as the Frozen Ocean is carried on; and it disappoints us the more, as it is so much connected with the rich and cultivated country down the river. There are a number of streets, it is true; they are generally straight, and intersect one another at right angles. A plan of the town would exhibit it as large and regular. But these streets are not paved; they have quite the look of so many fields or meadows, they are so grown over with grass. We see few traces of footsteps in them, and carriages only go through the lower principal street. The upper streets are actually barred. The inhabitants have the exclusive right of feeding their own cows on them, and perhaps also of making hay; and hence it not unfrequently happens that when the people of the more southern parts of Sweden wish to divest themselves at the expence of Torneo, they assert that the market-place and the hay made from it belong to the regular revenues of the mayor ( burger meister ). However, the road from Stockholm to the Bothnian Gulph goes through the market-place , and the streets which run from it towards the river-side. In this quarter, therefore, every thing looks better and more respectable. We see several houses two stories high, painted and ornamented; and at the river-side the house of M. Carlenius, the merchant, has a most distinguished appearance. All the other houses are merely low huts, and they are situated at a distance from one another; for every hut has generally its little garden beside it, containing flowers, garden stuffs and herbs, and beautiful mountain-ash trees. The life and stir is confined to the landing-place on the banks of the river, and it is soon lost in the empty streets. The country round is altogether flat, and almost Dutch. Three windmills with the church cover the almost imperceptible hill before the town; and in the adjoining church-yard wall there is probably the same wooden steeple on which Charles XI. once saw the sun at midnight, and from which Manpertuis and his associates began to calculate their degree. The sea is not visible, and the stir in the harbour is not at present very great; I saw only two or three yachts. But the prospect down the river is rather beautiful; for the church of Nieder Torneo, on an island on the other side of the Elv, has a beautiful appearance . It is a shining stone building in the shape of a cross, and the steeple a high cupola rising from the middle with lanterns on it. There is something unexpected and singularly attractive in this view .

Leopold von Buch: Travels through Norway and Lapland, during the years 1806, 1807, and 1808. 1813

I did not expect to find any such place as this away up here

The appearance of Helsingfors, approaching from the sea, is very imposing, for its public buildings are large, elegant structures, the principal ones being on elevated ground. The inner harbor is nearly in the shape of a square, and vessels go up to the wharves on the left.

"What is that large building, Dr. Winstock?" asked Commodore Lincoln, as the ship stood up the harbor.

"That is the Russian church."

"It is a magnificent building," added the young officer, as he gazed with admiration upon the lofty building with its gilded dome.

"All the Russian churches are beautiful buildings; and you will find that those in St. Petersburg and Moscow far excel this one. The large structures in front of us are the Lutheran church, the University, - which was moved from Abo to this place, - and the Senate House."

" I did not expect to find any such place as this away up here. VWhy, it is one of the finest cities I ever looked upon! " exclaimed the commodore.

"I was as much astonished as you are when I first came here," added the doctor. 

William T. Adams: Northern lands or, young America in Russia and Prussia ; a story of travel and adventure . 1872

We hired, at a rouble each, a little miniature steam-boat

After dinner, unappalled by an inky sky, we hired, at a rouble each, a little miniature steam-boat, with a machine scarce bigger than a tea-kettle, which whizzed and fumed us about at the will of two Swedish lads, and landed us at Sveaborg. This island is about five acres in extent, loaded with crown buildings and a population of military, and sacred to the memory of Field-Marshal Count Ehrensward, whose monument stands here. Thence we steered for the Scheeren, literally the Scissors, a beautiful chasm of sea, between meeting and retreating islands, where trees with leaves grow by the water's edge; and where the Helsingforstians in their holiday expeditions land and bear off a leaf with as keen a pleasure as we should the choicest bouquet. But "pleasure suits itself to all,-the rich can but be pleased." The rain fell occasionally in torrents around us; but our little puffing bark seemed to bear a charm, or, as a ready Russian officer of the party observed, " pas un, mais plusieurs ;" and we passed dry on, while some delicious voices on board gave us alternately German and Russian melodies.

John H. Drummond: Letters from the Baltic. Kirjassa Western Barbary: its wild tribes and savage animals. 1844

When I arrived at Helsingfors, the whole city was in motion

 A steamboat plies several times a day between Helsingfors and Sveaborg, and conveys passengers to the foot of the fortress. If you penetrate the enclosure, you find only convicts dragging their chains, and soldiers. If you attempt to pause before an inscription, or to cross the threshhold of a gate, a sentry, with sabre at his side and gun on his shoulder, addresses to you immediately an energetic command which cuts short conversation and exploration.

When I arrived at Helsingfors, the whole city was in motion; they were awaiting the hereditary prince, and preparing for him a pompous reception. At last salvos of artillery resounded on the ramparts of Sveaborg. The Grand Duke arrived in a magnificent steamboat. He went at first to the church, according to the custom of Russian sovereigns; he is a tall and handsome young man, of a mild and interesting countenance. In the hasty conversation which he did me the honor to grant me, he spoke with great justice of several foreign countries, with a lively sympathy of this beautiful country of Finland, which he now saw for the first time, and whose aspect enchanted him. He was accompanied by Prince Menschikoff, governor-general of the province, admiral of the empire, and one of the most intelligent and well-informed men among the high Russian officers. The Grand Duke turned towards him at every instant, and seemed to consult him with the deference of a modest pupil who is interrogating his master. If the atmosphere of the court, and the exercise of power, do not affect his natural endowments, the Grand Duke promises to Russia a sovereign of noble character and rare amiability.

Anne T. Wilbur. Sveaborg. Translated from the French for Ballou's Pictorial. Ballou's pictorial drawing-room companion vol IX. 1855

We should have liked to remain in Uleaborg much longer

 Had circumstances permitted we should have liked to remain in Uleaborg much longer, but, had we done so, should have been obliged to abandon going to other attractive places. So, with heart-felt thanks for all his kindness, we bade adieu to the Consul, who accompanied us to the steamer, and started upon our journey up the Ulea river.

The steamer touched at many little villages on either side all the way. It was always interesting to see the people at the wharves, and we were not a little amused over the way the man who attended to the landing of the boat gave his orders. When he wished it to be stopped he made the same peculiar noise the drivers both in Finland and in Russia make to their horses to stop them. The sound is not difficult to imitate, but it is impossible to illustrate with letters or words, and I know of nothing to which it can be compared. The noise they make to start their horses is like the popping of champagne corks, that is if two popped in quick succession.

In about three hours we reached Muhus, which is the end of the steamer's run, as there is a five-mile rapid above. The rapid is a wild one; we could hear its roar very plainly as we drew near Muhus. Upon reaching the posthouse, and finding that the people spoke nothing but Finnish, we expected to experience some difficulty in making our wants known, and no doubt our anticipations would have been realized had it not been for the thoughtfulness of a lady residing some two miles distant, who, learning a party of Americans had arrived, and fearing we might be inconvenienced, very kindly came to see if she could render us any assistance. She spoke Finnish and French, and as two of our party spoke the latter language fluently we had no trouble whatever.

Harriet Cornelia Hayward, From Finland to Greece; or, Three seasons in Eastern Europe. 1892

Each passenger is provided with descriptive folders

The 10-kr. “joy flight” over Stockholm, mentioned in an earlier chapter, is a mere appetizer for this air classic to Finland and Esthonia. Your pilot taxis the big seaplane into the wind, rushes over the water, skims the wavelets with swift rat-tat-tat, rises decisively and — you're off! Over the garden city, the civilized suburbs, the lush inner skerries, the bleak outer skerries, and finally a fifteen-minute dash over the open Baltic, and then appear the myriad dots and dashes which are the outer isles of Finland.

Each passenger is provided with descriptive folders of the trip, a clear large-scale map, and (to wet flying whistles) a free bottle of mineral water. The only comfort which is denied is that of the smoking weed, for severe signs state not only Rökning Förbjuden but Tupakkaan Poltto Kielletty, which is the crisp Finnish warning against smoking.

Two and a half hours after quitting Stockholm you seem to be settling down upon a pine forest, but the plane slides just over the tree tops and settles as gracefully as a silver gull in the haven of Åbo, Finland's western port. It is but an hour thence across "The Land of Forty Thousand Lakes” (the more enthusiastic brochures say sixty thousand) to the bright capital of Finland, known in that nationalistic country as Helsinki, though its more limpid Swedish name, Helsingfors, refuses to die out.

Sidney A. Clark: Sweden on fifty dollars. 1936

It is appropriate here to present the reader with some account of Abo

It is appropriate here to present the reader with some account of Abo. "The city of Abo, pronounced Obo (the Finnish name is Turtu), contains about 14,000 inhabitants. It has four or five barracks, some of them built of wood, which in time of peace have in them from 3000 to 4000 Russians, as the Fins call all soldiers. The town is defenceless as to forts and fortifications. 

There is an old Swedish palace at the mouth of the river, called the Slott (palace or castle), now used as a prison and barrack; but it has no guns or defence except its walls, strongly grated with thick bars of iron. The low buildings in front appear much older than the two long wings. There has been a moat in front, from the river to the sea to the right; but it has little water, and resembles a large ditch. 

Behind the Slott is a bridge, half a mile long, made of piles, and connecting the island of Runsalla with the main-land. Runsalla was given by the government a few years ago to the town; it is one of the very few islands off the Finnish coast upon which the oak grows; it is divided into lots, which are sold for building villas upon; but the purchaser may not cut down an oak, even if it interferes with his view or his building, as they are reserved by the crown for shipbuilding, though they are nearly all rotten. 

Opposite Runsalla is the island of Beckholm, where large ships anchor and discharge into lighters, as there is not water enough in the river for vessels drawing more than twelve to fourteen feet. Passenger steamers proceed up to the lower bridge, though they sometimes get aground in the river when the water is low, as it is when there is an east wind."

The illustrated history of the war against Russia. 1857