Last Sunday afternoon I left Polvila with the intention of being an entire year away from home. I was accompanied by Mr. Ståhlberg and secretary Elfving as far as Turunkorva. They came with me another 3 km to Tahkosaari, where we parted. From there we travelled 5 km to Muurahaissaari, a small, high, bare hill of an island in Lake Nuasselkä. We went ashore and ate lingonberries, which have been hard to find this year despite a general belief to the contrary that a good year is followed by an abundant berry crop.

They said Muurahaisaari was a burial ground in ancient times, and you can still see several markers. "Don't you fear that death might be contagious?" asked one of the rowers, when I was eating lingonberries with gusto. In spite of his remark, he followed my example and started eating himself. There were signs of digging on many parts of the island, and this had led to tales that treasure was buried there. We then went on to Kärnälä and from there 17 ½ km to Juurikkalahti, where we spent the night. From there we went on to Saviho 15 km and then a short 10 km to Maanselkä. This village is partly in the district of Sotkamo, but mostly in the district of Nurmes. We went another 10 km to Rumolampi and then a further 20 km to Haapajärvi. It wasn't until Rumolampi that I could get a carriage with a seat. They had not had a chance to carry out the governor's order that all inns, under threat of fine, had to acquire a carriage with a seat. When one comes to Nurmes from Kajaani, one soon notices the benefits that have come from land being reparcelled and cannot help hoping that the general parcelling of land will soon be implemented in the province of Kajaani as well.