Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-10-15
THE FINLAND RS
Something About the People Who ART
the Backbone of Russia.

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the Backbone Of Russia.
The Firms, traces Of whose almost
%unrecorded way are to be found today
from the Balkan peninsula to present
Finland, have played no inconsiderable
part in the development Of Great
Russia, says a bulletin issued by the
National Geographic society. In Rus
sia proper, the Firms predominant in
the lake region Of the north, 1.-The
Lake District" where forests replace
farm and pasture land and where the
chief means for livelihood are hunt
ing and fishing. The whole Of this
country, likely, was n occupied by
the Lapps, whom the Firms drove
northward. The Firms. in turn, were
pressed backward by the Slavs, but
they left many thousands Of stragglers
behind and a strong strain Of Finnish
blood runs in the veins Of Muscovy.
The Russian tsar rules over some
millions Of Firms in Russia proper. a
people distinguished for their honesty
and stu~bbornness, all Of them plain Of
feature, with light hair, often al white
as prepared flax. with prominent
cheek bones, broad, fiat noses. wide
nostrils, fiat foreheads and pointed
chins. The general type has been
largely varied by inter-marriage be-
tween Slavs and Firms and the re-
sulting product has proved a most
heavy M LAS firm rs our own gran
ite," the Firms say Of themselves, and
their Russian neighbors bear witness
also to their quality Of being head
strong in the proverb. "Once light a
fire among the Firms and it will burn
throughout eternity"
The Finn is the most highly priced
servant in Russia, because, in sharp
est contrast with the Russian peasant,
he will not steal. In FINLAND, or
among Firms, the Russians say, it is
and key. The Russian and the Finn
display the same love for getting
drunk and for going to church. The
peasants Of both races are admirably
regular in their pursuit Of these pleas
ures. Moreover, the Finn and the
Russian are alike superstitious. The
head Of the newborn child is thrust
into the open fireplace in order that
the family's hearth spirit may become
acquainted with it. Now and again,
this introduction has been fatal to
the baby. The Firms also believe that
the dead member Of the family fingers
in the household 40 days before taking
its final departure.
The Finn thoroughly enjoys bathing,
and shares with the japanese the
custom Of both sexes bathing together.
Firms predominant in the country
north Of the Duna, or Dvina river,
which the Germans are now attack
ing. Here they are agriculturists.
Farther north they are Russia's fish
ermen, trappers and hunters. They
catch 40 or more kinds Of fish in the
Lake District, the best Of which they
send to the big markets t the south.
Their WI diet consists. almost entire
ly Of fish and coarse bread. They mix
stale fish with their flour and make
a fiat cake to enjoy which the stranger
first needs considerable experience and
resolution.
The peasants hunt squirrels in win
ter, when their fur Is thick and valu-
able. The pelts are sold at the Mini
Novgorod fair. They also hunt otter,
Zeal and game birds, the last Of which
are killed as recklessly for the big city
markets as was once the case in this
country. Russia's store Of game
birds still appears inexhaustible, and
with her vast northern forests and
plains teeming with this life, with her
ten thousand lakes rich feeding and
breeding grounds for duck and goose,
there has been little need of c~urtailing
the activity Of the peasant huntsmen.
Many thousands of tons Of hare are
killed for the city tables. The north
ern peasants, however, are satisfied
with their fish, their coarse bread,
their onions and their turnips. One
marked difference between the Fin
nish and the Russian peasant is that
the Finn much prefers coffee to tea,
while the Russian seldom goes be-
yond an hours march Of the steam
ing samovar and the teacup beside it,