I.K. Inha - Photo Set 7 (Industries)

.

Six plates from the book

Suomi Kuvissa (Pictorial Finland)

by photographer I.K. Inha, 1895-1896:

Log-floating in rapids.

The small rapids which ever and anon interrupt the calm flow of the river, give much trouble to the log-floaters. In some of these rapids floating-channels have been made, along which the logs glide down at lightning speed. Where these are not available log-lines must be formed and men posted at the most difficult places, to help the logs along. If a log sticks fast or lays right across the river, the following logs pile themselves upon it and stagnation occurs which is difficult and tedious to remove.

Kymmene (Kymintehdas) and Kuusankoski

The Woodpulp-mills and Paper manufactories of our country, the more important of which we here name, are about thirty in number. On the banks of the river Kymmene are Kymmene paper-manufactory and Ingerois pulp-mill, from which we have taken the views of factory interiors which are given in this work; on the same river Kuusankoski and Högfors mills are also situated, besides many other smaller factories. The watercourses above the river Kumo drive Mänttä paper-manufactory in Keuru, two pulp-mills and a large paper-manufactory at Tammerfors, Nokia works in Birkkala, Kyrökoski mill in Tavastkyrö and Walkiakoski papermanufactory in Sääksmäki. On the river Vuoksen is Enso large pulp-mill.

The woodpulp-mill.

The woodpulp-mill is the ancient money-mill of popular legend actualized, which, in our modern times, grinds money from the forestdepths of the wilderness. The tree, which is to be transformed into woodpulp, is barked and sawn in blocks, which are boiled and freed from knots, and afterwards put in a mill, such as here illustrated. In this mill the wooden fibres are torn asunder by means of a large grindstone, and from the pulp thus made, which proceeds from the mill in a liquid form, mill-board is produced, or, by varying the process, all sorts of paper.

The wood-paper.

The wood-paper, mill-board and cellulose trade of our country had attained a considerable degree of developement in recent years. Finland also possesses many characteristics for this: a multitude of waterfalls for motive power and vast forests, which supply the raw material. In proportion to the extension of railways, new mills are erected, and the products of this trade are now among the principal articles of our export trade. We have here illustrated a part of the large machine room at Ingerois pulp-mill.

Our picture shows cellulose rolls, which the operatives are clearing of waste.

Cellulose is the name for wood-pulp prepared by chemical process. The barked, boiled and knot-cleared blocks are cut in small pieces, which are afterwards boiled in large rotary iron cylinders, together with chemicals, which separate from the wood all the component parts which would have an injurious effect on the durability of the paper. Finer qualities of paper are manufactured from the pulp prepared in this manner, it is also utilized in improving wood-pulp paper, or is exported as raw material.

I.K. Inha - Photo Set 6 (Suursaari - Hogland)

.

Three plates from the book

Suomi Kuvissa (Pictorial Finland)

by photographer I.K. Inha, 1895-1896:

Hogland (Suursaari)

In the middle of the Finnish gulf, outside the town of Kotka, Hogland's mighty rocks tower aloft out of the sea. In sailing along the south coast of Finland, the lofty outlines of this island can be seen already at Pellinge, and even beyond Fredrikshamn they loom faint on the distant horizon. Högland is easily recognizable by its three mountain-peaks. Pohjoiskorkia is furthest north, Haukkavuori in the middle of the island and furthest south is Lounatkorkia, which rises 158 metres above the level of the sea. Our illustration depicts Haukkavuori, seen from the shore of a small marsh close to the foot of the mountain.

Vegetation on Hogland.

This solitary island in the middle of the sea has an exceptionally barren soil, stony and full of crags and ravines. But even here nature displays her verdant sward. Wherever there is a rocky crevice, where a root can penetrate, a spruce- or gnarled coastfir shoots up. The mountain slopes are covered with sparse fir-woods, which the islanders carefully preserve. Our illustration displays the crest of Haukkavuori, where vegetation carries on a hard struggle for existence. The pines and firs creep along the ground like heather and constitute an almost impenetrable wall for the wind. But should any solitary treetop raise itself over this intrenchment of the vegetable world, the storm speedily deprivesit of all its branches.

Hogland.

Hogland's views are most striking by their desolate grandeur. The mighty sea, the solitary position of the island, its precipitous cliffs and gigantic rocks exalt the mind of the spectator. The most extensive views of both island and sea are got from Lounatkorkia; whilst from Haukkavuori the landscape is more characteristic and the precipices more terrible, and Pohjaskorkia affords the liveliest scenery. The panorama of Högland included in this work is taken from Pohjaskorkia. The picture on next page represents one of the many ravines wherein Högland is so wealthy.

Hogland's inhabitants.

Holland's inhabitants, who number rather less than a thousand, live in two villages, Suurikylä, which lies furthest north on the island's eastern shore, and Kiiskinkylä on the same shore, but farther south. The islanders get their living by fishing and sealing and also as pilots and shippers. Agriculture is scarcely known, an occasional patch of meadow has been cleared hy incredible toil among the stone cairns so that winter-fodder may be got for the establishment's solitary cow. Our view depicts Kiiskinkylä shore one morning, with the fish cleaning in full swing. The harbour is exposed to the east wind, so that even the larger boats must be drawn up on land, as they might otherwise be dashed to pieces on the rocky beach.

I.K. Inha - Photo Set 5 (Winter Activities)

.

Three plates from the book

Suomi Kuvissa (Pictorial Finland)

by photographer I.K. Inha, 1895-1896:

S. S. „Express".

Ere an ice-breaker had yet been procured to Hangö, the 5...5. »Express» carried on the winter trade to Stockholm. This steamer has gone through many adventures. Sometimes it has disappeared for weeks, with both passengers and mails — causing great anxiety and much trouble on both sides of the Bothnian sea — but has always with singular good fortune escaped the greatest dangers. On our picture we see the boat in Hangö harbour, just returned from a voyage, during which the sea and the frost have covered its bows with thick layers of ice.

Snow-skating" match.

Snow-skating sport gets more and more popular and will soon occupy the foremost place among winter athletics. Snow-skating matches are held everywhere throughout the country, and great advances have also been made in the manufacture of snow-skates. The honour of leading the van in these endeavours must unquestionably be awarded to Uleåborg the principal town of Northeast Bothnia. Our illustration is from the grand snow-skating match at that town. The competitors are skating along the frozen Uleå river.

Murtaja.

A regular steamer traffic the whole year round is an absolute necessity for the development of the butter and timber export, both of which branches of trade have of late attained such a promising degree of prosperity. In consequence of this, the goverment procured the ice-breaker »Murtaja», which ever since 1890 has kept the fair-way to Hangö winter harbour open. »Murtaja» has performed its duties well, although the battle has been tremendous with ice, snow and storm. — We see it on our picture, in the act of assisting the »Bottnia» through masses of ice into the harbour.

I.K. Inha - Photo Set 4 (The Everyday)

.

Four plates from the book

Suomi Kuvissa (Pictorial Finland)

by photographer I.K. Inha, 1895-1896:

Secret distillery.

It is hard for the people to forget the times, when they could distil brandy, and equally difficult to forget the art of its preparation. As brandy has besides become more and more difficult to procure, the illicit still is in many districts a besetting sin. Where the proper utensils for distillation cannot be had, ordinary pots are utilized, and the tubes are made of sheet iron. In summer the still is erected by a spring, from which cold water is got for the condenser, — in winter they use snow for this purpose. The »forest-nectar's» boiler is never far away from the most distant wood-cutters and floaters.

Lynx hunting.

In the middle of winter, ere the frozen snow will bear a dog, hunting the lynx is carried on in the following way; two men on snow-skates chase the animal, till it drops of fatigue. Hunting the lynx by running on snow-skates, is a sport demanding quite unusual powers. When the animal is hard pressed, it takes refuge in a dense forest of spruce-firs or on rough hilly ground, where it is difficult to pursue it. During their break-neck pace the hunters, heated in the chase, throw off the one outer garment after the other, taking no heed of the frost, which covers their warm bodies with rime. A third man, who snow-skates after them, gathers together the clothes and carries the gun, wherewith the lynx shall be shot, in case the hunters have not already killed it with their strong staves.

Fishing at a hole in the ice.

Up, down, round about, everywhere enormous masses of snow, and fantastical snow-men meet the gaze on all sides. The forest has a heavy burden to bear. The young spruces are to be pitied, whilst they so humbly and deeply bow their heads. One could believe they would never more raise themselves. Bat as the sun arises higher and the weather becomes milder, the snowy covering is opened. Thence peeps forth a fresh, sprightly tree-top, and every bough shakes off its snowy bonds.

Cottage interior from Replot.

The population on the seaboard near Wasa support themselves chiefly by the produce of the sea; the children begin at an early age to get into the habit of helping their parents and thus learn to know the various branches of fishing life. Those who cannot yet make nets, try at least to make themselves useful in threading the netting-needles. The cottage is furnished in the same manner as everywhere along the south-eastern coast of the Gulf of Bothnia. The floor is carpeted and cleanliness prevails everywhere. The most conspicuous article of furniture is a gigantic curtained bedstead, in one end of which cupboards and shelves are fitted, and which contain the crockery-ware of the household

The Ridou Report: I.K. Inha - Photo Set 3 (Winter)

.

Three plates from the book

Suomi Kuvissa (Pictorial Finland)

by photographer I.K. Inha, 1895-1896:

Snow-clad forest.

Up, down, round about, everywhere enormous masses of snow, and fantastical snow-men meet the gaze on all sides. The forest has a heavy burden to bear. The young spruces are to be pitied, whilst they so humbly and deeply bow their heads. One could believe they would never more raise themselves. Bat as the sun arises higher and the weather becomes milder, the snowy covering is opened. Thence peeps forth a fresh, sprightly tree-top, and every bough shakes off its snowy bonds.

Imatra in winter.

The accompanying view gives an idea of Imatra, as it is in winter, with its dark rolling waves between snow-clad shores. During last winter the cataract was illuminated by powerful electric lamps and attracted hither crowds of winter tourists. Besides the magnificent illumination spectacle, the rapids also offer the tourist in the wintertime the lovely appearance of their shores sparkling with hoar-frost and manifold ice formations.

Snow-clad forest.

Midwinter is the time of never-ceasing snowstorms. In the forest, where the wind cannot penetrate, the snow falls softly and uninterruptedly, and the snow-flakes rest on every bough, which comes in their way. Everything is lulled to sleep and weighed down by them. The branches of the lofty spruce-firs hang benumbed along the trunks of the trees, the slender birches bow their heads down to the ground, the young spruces are shrouded in purest white, and all shorter vegetation is completely buried under the dense masses of snow.

Venehjarvi Children

.

These two photos are scans from the book 'I. K. INHA  KALEVALAN LAULUMAILTA' isbn 951-746-066-X, as part of my on-going series of highlighting Inha's work. The photos were actually included in the original Inha book published in 1911 in Finland.

Aging...

.

Finnish photographer I.K. Inha (12.11.1865 – 3.4.1930)

(click on label I.K. Inha for more of my posts on him)

I.K. Inha - Photo Set 2

.

Two plates from the book

Suomi Kuvissa (Pictorial Finland)

by photographer I.K. Inha, 1895-1896:

Punkaharju, photo by Inha, from Pictorial Finland.

Punkaharju, photo by Inha, from Pictorial Finland.

Unearthing a Soulmate

.

I know, it can be seen as obnoxious, me showing off as identifying myself with 

somebody I've just researched, a person, who's regarded as a brilliant figure in 

travel writing and authorship in general, not to mention his significant 

achievements in photography and translation.

However, the fact that I.K. Inha is a Finn, and hardly known in his home country, 

and totally unknown outside, gives me kind of a licence: I'm not comparing 

myself to a public figure as such.

But I am truly taken and moved by both his literary and especially photographic 

achievements, and the story of his troubled personal life, and will be researching 

further.

I'll be doing more posts about the things I find of interest about him later. This 

post, however, has images scanned from his book 'Kalevalan laulumailla' 

(published a hundred years ago in 1911) that I've been reading today. It's about 

rune singers in remote Eastern Finland, in Karelia of the old. They were 

immortalised in Kalevala, the national epic of Finland. My dad's family comes 

from Karelia. The set following them, the sepia images, are from his published 

set of booklets called 'The Pictorial Finland', which was published in 1896.

Into Konrad Inha, 1865-1930

Iivana Lesonen, photo by Inha, from Kalevalan Laulumailla.

Children from Uhtua, photo by Inha, from Kalevalan Laulumailla.

Poavila and Triihvo Jamanen, photo by Inha, from Kalevalan Laulumailla.

Ilja from Venehjärvi, photo by Inha, from Kalevalan Laulumailla.

Imatra Rapids, photo by Inha, from Pictorial Finland.

Punkaharju, photo by Inha, from Pictorial Finland.

Pitkälahti Station, photo by Inha, from Pictorial Finland.

Monrepos Park, Vyborg, photo by Inha, from Pictorial Finland.

Saimaa, photo by Inha, from Pictorial Finland.

Linnavuori, Sulkava, photo by Inha, from Pictorial Finland.