August 6.
The day of the holy sabbath, and therefore a day of recreation for both mind and body. I saw in the church (of Tornea) a memorial of King Charles the XIth's own observation of the sun on the 14th of June, 1694. The sun was visible on that night till very near twelve, when a small cloud hid it from the sight. It was however above
the horizon[12]. In winter the sun does not rise above the horizon, but at the solstice it becomes visible. Could it be seen from the pole?
The young women in Finland have much more swelling bosoms than those of Lapland; the latter accord best with the description of the poet,
"Quales cruda viro puella servat."
(Mart. lib. 8. ep. 63.)
August 7.
The town of Tornea stands on a small island, inhabited close to the shore on the south-west side. I call it an island, because it is bounded on the north by a swamp; on the south-east by the great river of Tornea; on the west and south-west by an arm of the sea, like a large river in appearance, but so shallow that no vessel can approach within a mile of the town on that side. This arm of the sea was formerly the king's road, (a channel obliged to be kept open,) but now it is almost dry in summer time, on the north side, towards the swamp.
I ascended the steeple from whence his majesty king Charles the Eleventh saw the sun at midnight on the 14th of June, 1694.