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

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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.