Seen off by the Governor's family, who had shown us the greatest hospitality and kindness during our stay in _Kuopio_, we were peeped at by half the town as we started; for English people, and a hooded vehicle driving through _Savolax_ was no mean event, especially when these same visitors had been entertained by the Governor of the district.
After a spin of five kilometres, or about two and a half English miles, we reached the _lossi_, and our adventures began. A mile and a half of water had to be crossed; naturally there was no bridge, nor was there any friendly ice on those hot days, therefore a _lossi_ or boat, rather like a river barge, conveys passengers--a _rara avis_--horses, and carriage right over that wide expanse of lake. Our hearts sank when we saw the boat. It was simply a shell, without seats or even a platform for the carriage. The old boat was big, but our equipage appeared even bigger, and we looked on in dismay, wondering how on earth we were ever to get across unless we took half a dozen journeys, in bits, to and fro.
Afterwards our dismay turned to admiration at the skill with which the whole thing was accomplished. First, our pair of mustard-coloured ponies, with long tails, big bodies and small legs--who, by the bye, went splendidly for two long days--were unharnessed, their primitive trappings, much mended with string and rope, being thrown into our carriage; then two planks of wood were laid from the empty boat to the top step of the landing-stage on which we stood, men, seizing each of the four wheels, slowly trundled the heavy carriage along those planks to the barge's side. So far so good; but the boat was in the water, and the carriage some feet higher up on the pier; more planks being speedily arranged, however, it was most cleverly slipped down the pier's side on them, and after others had been placed the right distance apart for the wheels to stand on, into the boat itself. So there our victoria--if we may call our vehicle by so grand a name--stood right across the boat, its pole and bar being reflected in the lake, over which they hung on the one side, the luggage and hood of the vehicle projecting over the water on the other.
As though accustomed to such strange feats, those "mustard pots" walked down the steps of the primitive pier, lifted their feet over the boat's side most dexterously--as a lady in fine shoes might daintily cross some muddy road--and stood head and tail next the carriage.