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diff --git a/22727-h/22727-h.htm b/22727-h/22727-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6588475 --- /dev/null +++ b/22727-h/22727-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,9881 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Land of the Long Night, by Paul Du Chaillu + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em;} + + h1,h2 { + text-align: center; + clear: both;} + + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both;} + + .vthin {margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 0em; width: 10%;} + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + .tab1 {width: 80%;} + .tab2 {width: 50%;} + .td1 {text-align: right; vertical-align:top;} + .td2 {text-align: justify; padding-left: 2.5em; text-indent: -2em;} + .td3 {text-align: right; vertical-align:bottom; padding-left: 2.5em;} + .td4 {text-align: left;} + .td5 {text-align: left; padding-left: 3em;} + .td6 {text-align: right; padding-left: 3em;} + + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 94%; + font-size: smaller; + font-style: normal; + text-align: right;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .figcenter {margin: 1.5em auto; text-align: center; font-size: .8em;} + + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: 0.25em; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + + .trans1 {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em; text-align: center;} + + img {border: none} + + a:link {text-decoration:none;} + a:visited {text-decoration:none;} + + .author {text-align: left; margin-left: 65%;} + .signing {text-align: left; margin-left: 65%; text-indent: -10em;} + + p.cap:first-letter {float: left; clear: left; + margin: 0 0.1em 0 0; + padding:0; + line-height: .8em; font-size: 3em;} + + .illo {margin-bottom: 2em; margin-top: 1.5em; font-size: smaller; + font-style: italic; text-align: center;} + + .head1 {text-align: center; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 2em;} + .head2 {text-align: center; font-size: smaller;} + .head3 {margin-bottom: 5em; margin-top: 3em; font-style: italic; text-align: center;} + .head4 {font-variant: small-caps; margin: 2em 15%;} + .head4 p {padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em;} + .head5 {text-align: center; font-size: larger;} + .head6 {text-align: center; letter-spacing: .4em; font-size: larger; font-weight: bold;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Land of the Long Night, by Paul du Chaillu + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Land of the Long Night + +Author: Paul du Chaillu + +Illustrator: M. J. Burns + +Release Date: September 22, 2007 [EBook #22727] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LAND OF THE LONG NIGHT *** + + + + +Produced by Peter Vachuska, Chuck Greif, Stephen Blundell +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + + + + + +<h1><big>The<br /><br /> +Land of the Long Night</big></h1> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 373px;"><a name="fronti" id="fronti"></a> +<img src="images/001.png" width="373" height="550" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + + +<h1>The<br /> +<br /> +Land of the Long Night</h1> + +<p class="head1">By</p> + +<h2>Paul Du Chaillu</h2> + + +<p class="head2">Author of "The Viking Age," "Ivar the Viking," "The<br /> +Land of the Midnight Sun," "Exploration<br /> +in Equatorial Africa," etc.</p> + +<p class="head3">Illustrated by M. J. Burns</p> + + +<p class="center">New York<br /> +Charles Scribner's Sons<br /> +1901</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p class="center"> +<small><i>Copyright, 1899,</i><br /> +<span class="smcap">By Charles Scribner's Sons.</span><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<b>University Press:</b><br /> +<span class="smcap">John Wilson and Son, Cambridge, U.S.A.</span><br /></small> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + + + + +<p class="center"> +<i>TO<br /><br /> +EX-CHIEF JUSTICE CHARLES P. DALY</i></p> + +<p style="margin-top:2em;"><i>As I write this dedication, dear Judge Daly, a flood of recollections +comes over me of unbroken friendship and great kindness +on your part and that of your wife, whose memory I venerate and +cherish. This friendship has never faltered for a moment, but has +grown stronger and stronger as the years have rolled by. Fortunate +is the man who wins for himself two such friends! I have never +ceased to remember the warm interest you and your noble-hearted +wife took from the first in my explorations in Africa. I can only +give you in return love and devotion for all the kindness I have +experienced at your hands.</i></p> + +<p class="signing"><i>Your devoted friend,</i> +<br /><i><span class="smcap">Paul Du Chaillu.</span></i></p> + +<p><i>September 1,<br /> + 1899.</i></p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[vii]</a></span></p> +<h2>Introduction</h2> + + +<p><span class="smcap">My Dear Young Folks:</span></p> + +<p>Friend Paul has led many of you into the great +Equatorial Forest of Africa. We met there many +strange and wild tribes of men, and lived among cannibals +and dwarfs or pygmies. We hunted together, +and killed many elephants, fierce gorillas, leopards, +huge crocodiles, hippopotami, buffalos, antelopes, +strange-looking monkeys, wonderful chimpanzees of +different varieties,—some of them white, others yellow +or black,—and many other kinds of animals.</p> + + +<p>In this book I am going to take you to a very different +part of the world. I am going to lead you +towards the far North, to "The Land of the Long +Night,"—a land where during a part of the year the +sun is not seen, for it does not rise above the horizon, +and in some parts of the country does not show itself +for sixty-seven days, during which time the moon, +stars, and the aurora borealis take its place.</p> + +<p>"The Land of the Long Night" is a land of darkness, +of snow, of wind, and at times of intense cold; +and we shall have a long journey before us, and shall +have to change horses and vehicles at many post +stations, and at those places we shall get meals and +lodgings.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[viii]</a></span></p> + +<p>When once in "The Land of the Long Night," +we shall roam far and wide—east, west, north—over +a vast trackless region, covered with deep snow, drawn +by reindeer instead of horses, and sometimes we shall +walk or run with skees, which are the snowshoes of +that country, and very unlike those used by our +Indians.</p> + +<p>We shall sleep on the snow in bags made of reindeer +skins, follow the nomadic Laplander and his +reindeer, live with him and sleep in his <i>kåta</i> or tent. +We shall hunt wolves, bears, and different kinds of +foxes and other animals, and sail and fish on the +stormy Arctic seas.</p> + +<p>We shall have plenty of fun, in spite of the snow, +the terrific wind, and the cold we shall encounter; and, +thanks to the houses of refuge which we shall find in +our times of peril, we shall not perish in these Arctic +regions. But woe to the man who wanders in that +far northern land without a guide or without knowing +where these houses or farms of refuge are to be found, +for he will surely succumb in some one of the storms +that are certain to overtake him.</p> + +<p>We shall cross the Swedish and Norwegian mountains +of the far North, which rise to a height of several +thousand feet, and come to the desolate shores of the +Arctic Ocean, and there live among the people.</p> + +<p>In a sunny room at the Marlborough in Broadway +I have written this book. It is a dear little room, +made bright at night with electric lights, and full of +delightful reminiscences of cheerful evenings with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[ix]</a></span> +friends, all kinds of knick-knacks, tin horns, "booby" +prizes, mugs, etc.,—souvenirs of frolics at which I +have had fine times. My two windows look out on +the roof of a church; it is all I can see; the noise +of a wheel never reaches my ears. It is an ideal +room to write books in.</p> + +<p>I am surrounded by pictures of boys and girls, and +many older friends; they look down upon me and +cheer me, and when I write they all seem to say, +"Go on, Paul," and at other times, they cry, "Stop, +Paul, you have written enough to-day; go and take +a walk, go and see people and life, dine with friends; +you will work much better to-morrow. 'All work and +no play makes Jack a dull boy.' We shall be here +to welcome you when you come back."</p> + +<p>How good it is to have friends, no matter how +humble some of them are. I love them all. No +one ever has too many friends, and life without them +is not worth having.</p> + +<p>Now, as I am ready to lay down my pen, I draw a +long breath—"The Land of the Long Night" is +ready for the printer. I am just thinking: all my +books have been published in New York, and all but +two have been written, in the dear old city.</p> + +<p class="signing">Your friend,<br /> +<span class="smcap">Paul Du Chaillu.</span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">[xi]</a></span></p> +<h2>Contents</h2> + + + +<div class='center'> +<table class="tab1" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> + +<tr><td class="td1"><small>Chapter</small></td><td class="td1" colspan="2"><small>Page</small></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">I.</td><td class="td2">On the Way to "The Land of the Long Night."—Homesick.—Tempted +to Return.—Girls and Boys Say "No; Go on, Go on, +Paul."—Decide to Continue my Journey.—Winter Coming +On.—Don Warmer Clothing.—From Stockholm North.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">II.</td><td class="td2">Snow Land.—A Great Snowstorm.—Fearful +Roads.—Snow-ploughs.—Losing the Way.—Intelligence of the +Horses.—Upset in the Snow.—Difficulty of Righting +Ourselves.—Perspiring at 23 Degrees below Zero.—Houses +Buried in the Snow.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">III.</td><td class="td2">Halt at a Farmhouse.—Made Welcome.—A Strange-looking +Interior.—Queer Beds.—Snowed In.—Exit through the +Chimney.—Clearing Paths.—I Resume my Journey.—Reach +Haparanda.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_17">17</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">IV.</td><td class="td2">Good Advice from the People of Haparanda.—Warned against Still +Colder Weather.—Different Costume Needed.—Dressed as a +Laplander.—Lapp Grass for Feet Protection.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">V.</td><td class="td2">What the Arctic Circle is.—Description of the Phenomenon of the +Long Night.—Reasons for its Existence.—The Ecliptic and +the Equinoxes.—Length of the Long Night at Different +Places.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_36">36</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">VI.</td><td class="td2">Fine Weather Leaving Haparanda.—Windstorms succeed.—A +Finlander's Farm.—Strange Fireplace.—Interior of a +Cow-House.—Queer Food for Cattle.—Passing the Arctic +Circle.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_40">40</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">VII.</td><td class="td2">Skees, or the Queer Snowshoes of the North.—How They Are +Made.—Learning to Use Them.—Joseff's Instructions.—Hard +Work at First.—Going Down Hill.—I Bid Joseff Good-bye.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_48">48</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">VIII.</td><td class="td2">A Primitive Steam Bath House.—How the Bath was +Prepared.—What are the Twigs for?—I Ascertain.—Rolling +in the Snow.—Fine Effect of the Bath.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_56">56</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">IX.</td><td class="td2">How the Laps and Finns Travel.—Strange-looking +Sleighs.—Different Varieties.—Lassoing +Reindeer.—Description of the Reindeer.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_60">60</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">X.</td><td class="td2">Harnessing Reindeer.—The First Lessons in Driving.—Constantly +Upset at First.—Going Down Hill with Reindeer.—Thrown Out +at the Bottom.—Queer Noise Made by Reindeer Hoofs.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_66">66</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XI.</td><td class="td2">The Last Days of the Sun.—Beginning of the Long Night.—A +Mighty Wall of Ice.—The Long Night's Warning Voice—The +Aurora Borealis and its Magnificence.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_73">73</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XII.</td><td class="td2">The Snow Getting Deeper.—Lapp Hospitality.—A Lapp +Repast.—Coffee and Tobacco Lapp Staples.—Babies in +Strange Cradles.—How the Tents are Made.—Going to Sleep +with the Mercury at 39° Below.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_77">77</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XIII.</td><td class="td2">Toilet with Snow.—A Lapp Breakfast.—Lapp Dogs. Talks with +my Lapp Friend about the Reindeer.—Their Habits and +Various Forms of Usefulness.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_89">89</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XIV.</td><td class="td2">Moving Camp.—Another Great Blizzard.—A Remarkable +Sight—Deer Getting their Food by Digging the Snow.—How +Reindeer are Butchered.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_99">99</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XV.</td><td class="td2">Watching for the Reappearance of the Sun.—The Upper Rim First +Visible.—The Whole Orb Seen from a Hill.—Days of Sunshine +Ahead.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_109">109</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XVI.</td><td class="td2">Wolves the Great Foe of the Lapps.—How the Reindeer are +Protected against Them.—Watching for the Treacherous +Brutes.—Stories of their Sagacity.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_112">112</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XVII.</td><td class="td2">In Search of Wolves.—A Large Pack.—They Hold a +Consultation.—Their Fierce Attack on the +Reindeer.—Pursuing Them on Skees.—Killing the Chief of +the Pack.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_122">122</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XVIII.</td><td class="td2">Great Skill of the Lapps with Their Skees.—Leaping over +Wide Gullies and Rivers.—Prodigious Length of Their +Leaps.—Accuracy of Their Coasting.—I Start Them by Waving +the American Flag.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_129">129</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XIX.</td><td class="td2">We Encounter More Wolves.—My Guide Kills Two with his +Bludgeon.—A Visiting Trip with a Lapp +Family.—Extraordinary Speed of Reindeer.—We Strike a +Boulder.—Lake Givijärvi.—Eastward Again.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_136">136</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XX.</td><td class="td2">The Lapp Hamlet of Kautokeino.—A Bath in a Big Iron Pot.—An +Arctic Way of Washing Clothes.—Dress and Ornaments of the +Lapps.—Appearance and Height of the +Lapps.—Givijärvi.—Karasjok.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_142">142</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XXI.</td><td class="td2">Leave Karasjok still Travelling Northward.—The River +Tana.—River Lapps.—Filthy Dwellings.—On the Way to +Nordkyn.—The Most Northern Land in Europe.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_150">150</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XXII.</td><td class="td2">Leave Nordkyn.—Frantic Efforts of the Reindeer to Keep their +Footing on the Ice.—The Bear's Night.—Foxes and +Ermines.—Weird Cries of Foxes.—Building Snow +Houses.—Shooting-boxes.—Killing Foxes.—Traps for +Ermines.—A Snow Owl.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_155">155</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XXIII.</td><td class="td2">Jakob Talks to Me about Bears.—The Bear's Night.—Watching +a Bear Seeking for Winter Quarters.—They Are Very +Suspicious.—I Tell a Bear Story in my Turn.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_165">165</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XXIV.</td><td class="td2">Preparations for Crossing the Mountains to the Arctic +Ocean.—Decide to Take the Trail to the Ulf Fjord.—Houses +of Refuge.—A Series of Terrific Windstorms in the +Mountains.—Lost.—Gloomy Reflections.—A Happy Reunion.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_170">170</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XXV.</td><td class="td2">A Dangerous Descent.—How to Descend the Mountains.—The Most +Perilous Portion of the Journey.—Exhaustion of the +Reindeer.—All Safe at the Bottom.—Arrival at the Shore of +the Arctic Sea.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_183">183</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XXVI.</td><td class="td2">Sail on the Arctic Ocean.—The Brig <i>Ragnild</i>.—Ægir and +Ran, the God and Goddess of the Sea.—The Nine Daughters +of Ægir and Ran.—Great Storms.—Compelled to Heave To.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_190">190</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XXVII.</td><td class="td2">A Dark Night at Sea.—Wake of the <i>Ragnild</i>.—Thousands +of Phosphorescent Lights.—A Light Ahead.—An Arctic +Fair.—A Fishing Settlement.—How the Cod are Cured.—Fish +and Fertilizer Fragrance.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_199">199</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XXVIII.</td><td class="td2">Among the Fishermen.—Their Lodgings and How They +Look.—What They Have to Eat.—An Evening of Talk about +Cod, Salmon, and Herring.—The Immense Number of Fish.—A +Snoring Match.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_205">205</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XXIX.</td><td class="td2">Departure for the Fishing Banks.—Great Number of +Boats.—More than Five Thousand Oars Fall into the Water at +the Same Time.—Quantities of Buoys and Glass Balls.—A +Notable Catch of Cod.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_211">211</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XXX.</td><td class="td2">A Great Viking Sea Fight.—Svein King of Denmark, Olaf King of +Sweden, Erik Jarl of Norway, against King Olaf Tryggvasson +of Norway.—They Lie in Ambush.—Magnificent Ships.—The +<i>Long Serpent</i>.—Ready for the Fight.—The Attack.—The +<i>Jarn Bardi</i>.—Defeat of Olaf Tryggvasson.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_219">219</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XXXI.</td><td class="td2">Sailing along the Coast of Finmarken.—Hammerfest, the Most +Northern Town in the World.—Schools.—Fruholmen, the Most +Northern Lighthouse in the World.—Among the Sea +Lapps.—Men and Women Sailors.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_227">227</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XXXII.</td><td class="td2">A Sea Lapp Hamlet.—Strange Houses.—Their +Interiors.—Summer Dress of the Sea Lapps.—Primitive +Wooden Cart.—Animals Eat Raw Fish.—I Sleep in a Sea +Lapp's House.—They Tell Me to Hurry Southward.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_232">232</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XXXIII.</td><td class="td2">Comparison of Finmarken with Alaska.—The Two Lands Much +Alike.—What Must be Done for +Alaska.—Colonization.—Importation of +Reindeer.—Protection of Fisheries.—Houses of Refuge.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_241">241</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XXXIV.</td><td class="td2">Preparation to Leave the Arctic Coast.—Great Danger of +Encountering Melting Snow, or Rivers Made Dangerous by the +Ice Breaking.—Reindeer Come.—Farewell to the Sea +Lapps.—I Leave for More Southern Land.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_244">244</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XXXV.</td><td class="td2">We Enter a Birch Forest.—The Reindeer are Soon +Fagged.—Sleep on the Snow.—The Rays of the Sun Melt +through the Snow.—Great difficulty in Travelling.—Meet +Herds of Reindeer.—Reindeer Bulls Fight Each Other.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_249">249</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td1">XXXVI.</td><td class="td2">Variable Weather.—Snowy Days.—An Uninhabited House of +Refuge.—Animals Changing the Color of their Fur.—Mikel +Tells Me about a Bear.—Killing the Bear.—Hurrying on over +Soft Snow and Frozen Rivers.—The Ice Begins to +Break.—Pass the Arctic Circle.</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_256">256</a></td></tr> + +</table></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xvii" id="Page_xvii">[xvii]</a></span></p> +<h2>List of Illustrations</h2> + +<div class='center'> +<table class="tab1" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> + +<tr><td class="td2">"Your friend, Paul Du Chaillu."</td><td class="td3"><i><a href="#fronti">Frontispiece</a></i></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2"> </td><td class="td3"><small>FACING PAGE</small></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"On the road were many snow-ploughs at work levelling the snow."</td><td class="td3"><a href="#Page_8">8</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"The husband suddenly disappeared through the trap-door and soon +came back with potatoes and a big piece of bacon."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_20">20</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"The boys got hold of my hands and pulled me through."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"It was, indeed, a fearful wind storm."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_40">40</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"Paulus, try again!"</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_54">54</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"The man had to use all his strength."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_64">64</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"I was shot out of the sleigh."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_68">68</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"At noon I saw the sun's lower rim touching the horizon."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_72">72</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"What a strange abode these nomadic Lapps have!"</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_80">80</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"I went outside the tent with my host."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_92">92</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"They were really working hard for their living."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_104">104</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"The Lapp passed him like a flash and gave him a terrible blow."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_124">124</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"It was a fight for life!"</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_128">128</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"Suddenly I saw them fly through the air."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_132">132</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"I advanced cautiously."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_160">160</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"The mist was so thick that I could not see ahead."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_172">172</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"We remained seated on the ground, back to back."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_180">180</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"Once in a while I gave a look towards the ugly precipice."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_184">184</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"I am clad in the garb of a fisherman."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_190">190</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"I saw a big towering wave rolling towards the stern of the ship."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_194">194</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"It is hard work to haul in the nets."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_212">212</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"We sailed towards North Cape."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_228">228</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td2">"He sat on his haunches and looked at us, uttering a tremendous +growl."</td> +<td class="td3"><a href="#Page_262">262</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> +<h1>The<br /> +Land of the Long Night</h1> + + +<h2>CHAPTER I</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>On the Way to "The Land of the Long Night."—Homesick.—Tempted +to Return.—Girls and Boys say "No; +Go on, Go on, Paul."—Decide to Continue my Journey.—Winter +Coming On.—Don Warmer Clothing.—From +Stockholm North.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">AT the time when this narrative begins I was +travelling on the highroad that skirts the +southern coast of Sweden, then turns northward and +follows the shores of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of +Bothnia. I had reached that part of the highway +overlooking the narrow part of the Sound which separates +Sweden from Denmark, and had just left the +pretty little city of Helsingborg, and was looking at +the hundreds of vessels and steamers which were +moving towards the Baltic or coming out of that +sea. It was a most beautiful sight.</p> + +<p>I intended to follow the road as far north as it +went, and enter "The Land of the Long Night" when +the sun was below the horizon for many weeks. I +had plenty of time to spare, for it was the beginning +of October.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span></p> + +<p>On that day my horse was trotting at the usual gait +of post-horses, going at the rate of six or seven miles +an hour. He knew every stone, ditch, bridge, and +house on the road, for many and many a time the +dear old animal had made this journey to and fro, +often twice each way in a day. He had been a post-horse +for over twelve years.</p> + +<p>His master, my driver, was very kind to him. He +always alighted when there was a hill to ascend, and +walked by his side, gently urging him to go on. +When the top of the hill was reached, he stopped to +give the animal time to take breath; then, before +starting again, he would give him a piece or two +of black bread, sometimes a potato, which he had put +in his pocket before leaving. The people of Scandinavia +are always kind to their dumb animals. Believe +me, dear young folks, there is something mean +and cowardly about a man who is not kind to dumb +creatures. Do not have him for a friend!</p> + +<p>As I looked at the ships sailing from the Baltic, a +sudden yearning to go home took hold of me, and I +forgot all about "The Land of the Long Night." I +thought of all my dear friends, of all the school girls +and boys whom I knew, and I wanted to see them +ever so much, even if it might be only for a day. It +would have made me so happy to look upon their faces +once more. Sometimes one feels very lonely when +away from home, and that day I could not help it. I +thought of dear Jeannie, of sweet Gertrude, and +Hilda, of Marie, of Pauline, of Helen, of Laura, of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span> +Blanche, of Julia, of Melissa, of Rowena, of Beatrice, +of Alice, of Maude, of Ethel, of Evelyn, of Louise, of +Iphigenia, and others that were also dear to me. Then +I thought of Charles, of Arthur, of William, of Louis, +of John, of Robert, of Frank, of George, of Anson, +of Mortimer, of Eddy, of Fred, and of many others.</p> + +<p>Many of the girls and boys call me either "Paul," +"Friend Paul," or "Uncle Paul;" some of the girls +call me "Cousin Paul." These are my chums, and +it is lovely to have chums! I thought of the fun and +good times I had had with all of them; and I felt on +that day that I loved them more than ever as the +great ocean separated us.</p> + +<p>I thought of all the young folks whom I had talked +to in the public or private schools in many of the +States,—for if there is a thing Friend Paul likes, it is +to talk to the young folks at school. As I thought +of this, it seemed as if I could see them listening +to me.</p> + +<p>I suddenly became very homesick. I said to myself: +"I will go to America and see my dear friends, +and then return to go to 'The Land of the Long +Night.'" I could cross the Sound, go to Copenhagen,—the +city was almost in sight, and a nice city it is,—and +take one of the comfortable steamers of the Thingvalla +Line, now called Scandinavian-American Line, +for New York.</p> + +<p>As I was thinking of this, it suddenly seemed to +me that I heard voices coming across the Atlantic,—voices +from friends, from school girls and boys, calling:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +"Friend Paul, go on, go on to 'The Land of the +Long Night' first, and then come and tell us how it is +there. Be of good cheer; no harm will befall you; +you will be all right."</p> + +<p>Friend Paul cheered up when in imagination he +had heard the voices of his young friends urging him +to go on, and he answered back: "Girls and boys, +you are right. I am going to 'The Land of the +Long Night' first, and on my return I will tell you all +that I have seen there."</p> + +<p>The dear old horse did not know what I was thinking, +and was trotting along—until suddenly he made +a sharp turn and entered the post station, the end of +his journey. There I changed horse and vehicle, +took some refreshment, and started again. During +the afternoon, I came to the town of Landskrona. +There, looking towards the Sound, I saw a steamer +of the Thingvalla Line gliding over the sea on its way +to New York, and I said aloud, "Steamer, you are +not going to take me home this time. I am going to +'The Land of the Long Night' first, to the land of +snow and of gales, the land of the bear, of the wolf, of +the fox, and of the ermine. Good-bye, good-bye, dear +steamer! I hope you will have a successful passage, +and also that you have on board many Scandinavians +going to our shores to make their home with us."</p> + +<p>I thought I again heard the same voices as before +cry in response, "Good for you, Paul, good for you!"</p> + +<p>I felt now that I was a different man. It was as +if I had actually heard the voices of the dear young<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +people encouraging me to go forward. I suddenly +became very restless and full of energy. I wanted +my horse to go faster. The young folks wished me +to go to "The Land of the Long Night." To that +country I should go.</p> + +<p>From that day I was ready for any amount of hardships, +of bumping and knocking about in sleighs. I +did not care if my ears and nose were frozen. All +I wanted was to go ahead as fast as I could until I +reached "The Land of the Long Night."</p> + +<p>I was in splendid condition for the journey. I had +been roughing it all summer in the mountain fastnesses +of Norway. I had been living on cream, +butter, cheese, and milk, and had had bacon twice a +week, on Sundays and Wednesdays.</p> + +<p>There were about one hundred and forty or fifty +post stations before I reached Haparanda, the most +northern town on the Gulf of Bothnia.</p> + +<p>Every day's travel brought me nearer to "The +Land of the Long Night," but it was still a very long +way off. I had yet to sleep at many post stations and +to change horses and vehicles many times.</p> + +<p>I entered and left many towns—Malmö, Skanör, +Falsterbö, Trelleborg,—these last three were quaint, +and the most southern towns in Sweden. How +charming, clean, and neat are those little Swedish +towns! I wished I could have tarried in some of +them. Then I made a sweep eastward, following the +coast, and passed the town of Ystad, and then I gradually +drove northward, for now the road skirted the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +shores of the Baltic. I passed Cimbrishamn, Sölvesberg, +Carlshamn, and Carlskrona.</p> + +<p>From Carlskrona the country was very pretty, and +on my way to Kalmar, and further north, I could see +the Island of Öland with its numerous windmills.</p> + +<p>The continuous driving, often in vehicles without +springs, was rather hard on my trousers, and I had not +many pairs with me. In a word my outfit was very +modest. To travel comfortably, one must have as +little baggage as possible; for if you have too much +baggage it is as if you were dragging a heavy log behind +you; you are not your own master, all kinds of +difficulties come in the way, and you have become the +slave of your own baggage. I bought clothing as I +went along. I wished I could have found some +trousers lined with leather, like those used by cavalry +soldiers and by men who ride much on horseback; +these would have lasted a long time.</p> + +<p>The weather was getting colder every day, winter +was coming, and we had had a few falls of snow. I +passed Oscarshamn and Westervik, and at last about the +middle of November I arrived in Stockholm. But I +had yet to travel more than nine hundred miles to the +north before I came to the southern border of "The +Land of the Long Night."</p> + +<p>I had to give up my New York overcoat for warmer +clothing and get a new winter outfit. I bought a long, +loose overcoat coming down to my feet. It was lined +throughout with thick, hairy wolf skin, which is said +by the people of the far North to be the warmest lining<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> +after the skin of the reindeer. I also purchased +big top-boots lined inside with furry wolf skin, and a +round beaver cap with a border which, when turned +down, protected my ears and came to my eyes. I had +besides a big, heavy hood, lined with fur, to be used +when it was very cold. I had a pair of leather mittens +lined inside with fur (mittens keep one's hands much +warmer than gloves, because they are not so tight and +they do not impede the circulation of the blood). +The collar of my coat rose above my head and almost +hid my face, and when I wore my hood only my eyes +could be seen. In this winter costume I could drive +all day long without feeling cold.</p> + +<p>From Stockholm I drove to Upsala by road—for I +did not care for railway travelling—changing horse +and vehicle at every post station. When I reached +Gefle winter had come on in earnest. Now all the +houses in the hamlets and towns which I passed had +double windows, and at the bottom, between the two, a +layer of cotton was spread to absorb the moisture. +Instead of sliding sashes, French windows opening +like doors are used, and one of the panes of each is +free for ventilation. The rooms were uncarpeted, just +as in summer, but rugs were spread on the floors.</p> + +<p>As I drove along it was pleasant to see at the windows, +behind the panes of glass, pots filled with roses, +carnations, geraniums, and other plants, all bending in +the direction of the sun. The sun gave scarcely any +heat, yet all the plants in a room liked to look +towards the light.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span></p> + +<p>I was always so glad at the end of the day's travelling +to rest at a post station, to enter the "stuga," the +every-day room, where the family lives, and see the +blazing open fireplace. How nice it was to jump into +a feather bed, and sink deep and be lost in it, and +to cover myself with a quilt filled with feathers or +eider down!</p> + +<p>When I found a pleasant station I would remain +there a day or two to rest, for it was hard to drive +day after day, for ten, twelve, or fifteen, and sometimes +eighteen hours. It was interesting to see the whole +family at their daily occupations; to see the women +spin, weave, or knit; to see the men make skees, +wooden shoes, etc., and the girls and boys go to school +and have fun and play together, throwing snowballs +at each other; making snow forts and defending them +against other girls and boys that came to attack them. +I wished sometimes to join in the fray, for I love fun.</p> + +<p>The snow was deep, and the snow-ploughs, drawn +by three horses, were seen pretty often on the road. +The streets in the little hamlets or towns were often +blocked.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/002.png" width="600" height="388" alt="" title="" /> +"On the road were many snow-ploughs at work levelling the snow."</div> + + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Snow Land.—A Great Snowstorm.—Fearful Roads.—Snow-ploughs.—Losing +the Way.—Intelligence of the Horses.—Upset +in the Snow.—Difficulty of Righting Ourselves.—Perspiring +at 23 Degrees below Zero.—Houses +Buried in Snow.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">AFTER I left the town of Gefle the blue sky +became obscured by clouds, a few flakes of +snow began to fall, then more and more came down, +and soon they covered the old snow, that was already +of good depth.</p> + +<p>I had never before had a post-horse that went so +fast, and I wondered why. The horse knew, but I +did not: a big snowstorm was coming! He was +afraid of being caught in it, and wanted to reach his +stable in time. After a while the snow fell so thick +that I could see nothing ahead. To make things worse +it began to blow hard. Then I dropped the reins and +let the horse go as he pleased. As he knew that the +snowstorm was coming, so he would know how to get +home. Suddenly he gave three or four loud neighs; +this announced his arrival. Then he turned to the +right and entered a yard. He had reached home!</p> + +<p>The next morning it was still snowing; nevertheless +I started. On the road were many snow-ploughs<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +at work levelling the snow. These ploughs were of +triangular form, made of heavy timber braced with +crossbeams. They were generally from eight to ten +feet in width at the back, which was the broadest part, +and above fifteen feet long. They were drawn by +four horses and attended by two men.</p> + +<p>The ploughs were followed by heavy rollers of +wood to pack the snow.</p> + +<p>Erik, my driver, said that every farmer is obliged +to furnish horses to clear the road and level it after +a snowstorm. The number of horses he furnishes is +regulated by the size of his farm. It is very important +that the road should be kept in good order, and +the rules are strictly enforced.</p> + +<p>As we travelled along the road, it was amusing to +see horses and dogs roll in the snow; they enjoyed +it! The horses that we drove would often take a nip +of the snow, and the dogs that followed us did likewise.</p> + +<p>One day when I was looking at two horses rolling +in the snow near a farmhouse, I suddenly felt a great +jerk and we were pitched out headlong! Our horse +wanted to have some fun! So he fell on his side and +was about to roll over and enjoy himself, taking the +sleigh with him; but we did not see the joke. We +succeeded in putting him on his legs. The driver +gave the animal a good scolding: "Shame on you, +shame on you!" he said to him. The horse listened, +and seemed to understand him. I think he felt +ashamed.</p> + +<p>As I journeyed further north the snow got deeper<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +and deeper every hour. Snow-ploughs were now drawn +by five horses and generally attended by three men.</p> + +<p>The snowstorm still continued. It had now lasted +over four days, and with no appearance of holding up. +The wind at times blew very hard.</p> + +<p>In spite of the snowstorm I continued to travel, +and had passed the towns of Söderhamn, Hudicksvall, +Sundsvall, and Hernösand, with their streets deep in +snow. On the fifth day we had great difficulty in +getting along. In some places the ploughs had not +passed over the road since two days before, for we +were now going through a very sparsely inhabited +country. Some parts of the road were honeycombed +with holes about fifteen inches deep, made in this +way: each horse that had passed stepped in the tracks +of the one that had preceded him, and made the holes +deeper and deeper, which made walking very difficult +for the poor animals.</p> + +<p>The further north I went the deeper became the +snow, and travelling became tedious. Our sleigh +tumbled on one side or the other, upsetting before we +could say "Boo!" At each effort the poor horse +made to extricate himself, we had either to get out of +the sleigh or be thrown out. The poor brute would +often sink to his neck, and sometimes almost to his +head when he got out of the snow-plough's track! +In order to make some headway and to make up for +the slowness of the horses and bad roads, I travelled +sixteen and eighteen hours a day, and when I came to +a post station I was pretty tired.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span></p> + +<p>The ploughs I now met were drawn by six horses +and attended by four or five men. The struggles of +the poor animals as they sank continually in the deep +soft snow and tried to extricate themselves, were +sometimes painful to behold.</p> + +<p>We always had to be careful to drive in the middle +of the road, where the snow had been cleared and packed +by the snow-ploughs and the rollers. Sometimes we +could not tell where it was, for the land around was +deeply buried and the track of the snow-ploughs was +hidden by the fresh-fallen snow.</p> + +<p>When my driver made a mistake and drove one +way or the other outside of the track, the first intimation +we had was that of the horse sinking suddenly, +being ourselves upset or nearly so. Then we had a +lot of trouble putting him on the track again.</p> + +<p>After several of these mishaps, the driver would +say to me: "Now I am going to let the horse go by +himself. He is accustomed every year to go in deep +snow on this road and he will know the way." "You +are right," I would reply.</p> + +<p>When let alone the horse would walk very slowly, +and he would hesitate each time he put either his +right or his left foot on the snow, to make sure he +was on the right track. If he thought he was on the +left of the road, it was his left foot that came down +first; if he thought he was to the right of the road, he +put his right foot down, but not until he had made +sure that he was right. If he saw that he had made a +mistake, he turned quickly to one side or the other.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span></p> + +<p>One day the horse suddenly dropped one leg in the +soft snow, on the right side of the track; this unbalanced +him and—bang! he fell on his side, taking +the sleigh with him. We were pitched out, and +as we got up on our legs we found ourselves in +snow up to our necks. Only after frantic efforts did +the horse succeed in regaining his footing.</p> + +<p>As I looked around and saw our situation, and that +our three heads were just above the snow, with the +horse's head looking at us, his eyes seeming to say, +"Are you not going to help me out of this?" I +gave a great shout of laughter, for the sight was so +funny that I forgot being pitched out—and I said to +the driver, "Don't we look funny, the horse included, +with only our heads and shoulders above the snow!"</p> + +<p>What a job we had to extricate ourselves, put the +poor horse on the track again, and afterwards right +the sleigh. Then we found that the harness was +broken in several places, and we had to mend it the +best way we could with numb fingers. I had stopped +laughing, for there was no fun in that.</p> + +<p>"At this rate of travelling," I said to the driver, +"it will take a whole day to go three or four miles. +I do not know whether our poor horse will be able to +stand it. Look at him! He looks as if he were a +smoke-stack, so much steam is rising from his body. +He may become so exhausted that he will not be able +to go further, and we shall have to abandon the sleigh."</p> + +<p>"It is so," coolly replied Lars the driver, and he +remained silent afterwards.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span></p> + +<p>I felt sorry for the poor horse, and reproached myself +for not having tarried at the last post station.</p> + +<p>Then I said to Lars, "If the horse gives out, we +will try to build a snow house for us three. You +have some hay, and he will not starve. As for ourselves, +we will try to reach some farm and get some +food and some oats for our poor dear horse. I am +very sorry we have no skees with us."</p> + +<p>There was so much snow over the land that I +thought I had come to "Snow Land." It was over +twelve feet in depth; it had been snowing for six +consecutive days and nights, and it was snowing yet. +I was now between the sixty-third and sixty-fourth +degrees of north latitude, and I had to travel on the +road nearly two hundred miles more before I came to +the southern part of "The Land of the Long Night." +The little town of Umeå for which I was bound was +still far away. I said to myself, "I have to cross this +'Snow Land' before I reach 'The Land of the +Long Night.' What hard work it will be!"</p> + +<p>A little further on we came to the post station—and +how glad I was to spend the night there—to +get into a feather bed. The following day the snow-ploughs +and the rollers were busy, and the centre of +the highway was made passable for some miles further +north. So bidding good-bye to the station master +and to my driver of the day before, I started with a +fine young horse and a strong young fellow for a +driver.</p> + +<p>As I looked around, I could see snow, snow, deep<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +snow everywhere. The fences, the stone walls of +the scattered farms, and the huge boulders with +which that part of the country is covered were buried +out of sight; only the tops of the birches and of +the fir and pine trees could be seen. I had not +met such deep snow before! I had never encountered +such a continuous snowstorm! "Surely," I +said to myself again, as I looked over the country, +"this is 'Snow Land.'" I wondered how long it +would take to cross it. The snow was nearly fourteen +feet deep on a level.</p> + +<p>I next came to a part of the country where thousands +of branches of pine and fir trees had been planted +in two rows to show the line of the road. I could +not tell now when I was travelling over a river, a lake, +on land, or over the frozen Gulf of Bothnia!</p> + +<p>As we were passing over one of the barren districts, +a swamp in summer, full of stones and boulders, +without a house in sight, I said to my driver: "When +are we coming to the next farm?"</p> + +<p>"At the rate we are going," he replied, "it will +take us two hours at least."</p> + +<p>"Then let us stop and give a little of the hay you +have brought with you to the horse. After he has +rested a while, we will start again."</p> + +<p>After the horse had eaten his hay, we started. We +had not gone long, however, before we were upset. +The horse had not kept to the road. We had a hard +time to right the sleigh and bring the horse back to +firm snow. It was such hard work that the perspiration<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +was dripping from our faces, though it was 23 +degrees below zero.</p> + +<p>"I have had enough of this travelling," I said to +the driver; "the snow is too deep and soft to go on. +The snow-ploughs have not done much good here. +They evidently could not go far."</p> + +<p>"I do not believe," he replied, "that horses will +be given to you at the next post station, even if we +should reach there to-day. But I am sure we cannot +do it, and we shall have to stop at the first farm we +meet and ask the farmer for shelter until people can +travel on the road again."</p> + +<p>Two hours afterwards I saw in the distance a little +hamlet, or a number of farms close together. What +a sight! Many of the small houses were buried in +the snow, and only their roofs or chimneys could be +seen. From some of the chimneys smoke was curling +upwards. I was delighted.</p> + +<p>Every one was busy digging and making trenches, +so that the light and air might reach the windows, or +that communication could be had between the buildings, +especially those where the animals were housed. +In some cases the exit had first to be made through +the chimney.</p> + +<p>It was a very strange sight indeed! and I said to +myself, "Surely I am in 'Snow Land.'"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Halt at a Farmhouse.—Made Welcome.—A Strange-looking +Interior.—Queer Beds.—Snowed in.—Exit Through the +Chimney.—Clearing Paths.—I Resume my Journey.—Reach +Haparanda.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">SOON after we stopped at one of these farms. A +trench about fifteen feet deep had been made, +leading to the door of the dwelling-house. Here lived +friends of my driver. I alighted and walked through +the narrow trench and opened the storm door. In +the little hall hung long coats lined with woolly sheepskin; +on the floor were wooden shoes, shovels, axes, +etc. A ladder stood upright against the wall.</p> + +<p>I opened the other door. As I entered I found +myself in a large room. I saluted the farmer and family. +They all looked at me with astonishment, for I +was not one of the neighbors, and who could I be!</p> + +<p>The farmer said: "What are you doing, stranger, on +the highroad with snow so deep, and when travelling +is suspended, snow-ploughs abandoned, horses belonging +to them gone to the nearest farms? You cannot +go further until the snow packs itself with its own +weight, and the snow-ploughs and rollers are able to +work on the road. Did you come here on skees?"</p> + +<p>"No, I drove," I replied.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Where is your horse?"</p> + +<p>"At the gate," I answered.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"I am going north as far as the extremity of Northern +Europe. I want to be in that land during the +time of 'The Long Night,' when no sun is to be seen +for weeks; but I am afraid I cannot travel further for +a few days on account of the deep snow, and I +shall have to wait; and as we cannot go further and +reach the post station, I come to ask you if you can +give shelter to a stranger far from his country."</p> + +<p>"You are welcome," he replied; and his wife added, +"We are poor people, we have a humble home, for +our farm is small, but you will have the best we have."</p> + +<p>"I thank you ever so much," I replied.</p> + +<p>The farmer put more wood on the fire, the sticks +being placed upright, in which manner they throw out +much more heat, and a sudden blaze filled the room +with a bright glow.</p> + +<p>I like these farmers' fireplaces. They are always +built of masonry in one of the corners of the room. +The platform is about one foot above the floor and +generally four or five feet square, with a crane to hang +kettles or cooking pots on; and when only the embers +remain a trap in the chimney is closed, to prevent +the heat from getting out.</p> + +<p>The wife put the coffee kettle over the fire, and one +of the daughters kept herself busy with the coffee +mill.</p> + +<p>In the mean time my driver came in and was welcomed,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +and they asked him about me. When they +heard I was from America they shouted, "From America!" +and when they had recovered from their astonishment, +the husband said, "I have a brother in +America." The wife said, "I have a sister and two +nieces in America," and tears came into her eyes. +They did also into mine; there was at once a bond of +union between us. To them the United States was so +far away, and I was so far from home. They often +thought of their folks and friends who had emigrated +to our land.</p> + +<p>The family was composed of three daughters and +two sons. The girls had fair hair and large blue eyes, +and were strong enough to be victorious in a wrestling +contest with big boys.</p> + +<p>The sons helped their father on the farm. The +names of the girls were: Engla Matilda, Serlotta Maria, +and Kajsa Maria; the mother Lovisa Kristina; the +father Carl; the sons were Nils and Erik.</p> + +<p>The big room was strange-looking. In one corner +was the large open fireplace. A large hand loom, +with an unfinished piece of thick coarse woollen stuff +or cloth which was being woven, was in another corner. +Near by were three spinning-wheels; upon one +was flax and on the two others wool. On the walls +were shelves for plates, saucers, glasses, mugs, dishes, +etc.</p> + +<p>The ceiling was about eight or nine feet in height. +There was an opening in it which was accessible by a +ladder. I wanted very much to know what there was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +above. Along the walls were several wooden benches +like sofas, upon which the people sat. A large wooden +table with wooden benches and two or three wooden +chairs completed the furniture. There was a trap-door +in the middle of the floor, leading into the cellar; +and as this never froze, the potatoes and other vegetables, +the butter and cheese, and ale were kept there.</p> + +<p>By the side of the living-room were two doors leading +to two small rooms. One had shelves for +pails containing milk and the churn to make butter +with. In the other room were a number of painted +chests, with the initials of the owners upon them, and +lots of dresses hanging along the walls, and a bed.</p> + +<p>The husband suddenly disappeared through the +trap-door and soon came back with potatoes and a +big piece of bacon. The sight roused my appetite. +The potatoes were washed and boiled, and the pan +was put over the fire and the bacon cut into slices +and fried.</p> + +<p>The meal was put on a very clean table without +tablecloth, and then the driver and I were bidden to +sit down and eat. Our coffee cups were filled to the +brim, and every two or three minutes we were urged +to eat more, to drink more coffee. How good were +the potatoes! How good were the bacon and the +cheese and the butter! I thought that that meal +tasted better than any I had eaten in my life.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/003.png" width="600" height="383" alt="" title="" /> +"The husband suddenly disappeared through the trap-door and soon came back with potatoes and a big +piece of bacon."</div> + +<p>When we stopped, for we had eaten to our hearts' +content, with one voice husband and wife said: "Eat +more, eat more;" and before I knew it, our two cups<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +were filled for the third time, and more potatoes and +bacon were put on our plates. They all seemed so +happy to see us eat with such an appetite.</p> + +<p>The dear farmers of Norway and Sweden were +always so hospitable and kind to me. Do not wonder +that I love them. No one in these countries +has ever tried to do me harm or ever robbed me of +a penny.</p> + +<p>After our meal we stretched our legs before the +open fireplace. I was more happy than if I had been +in a splendid palace. I forgot the snow and storm. +How nice it was to be in front of a fireplace when the +storm was raging!</p> + +<p>The farmer put more sticks on the fire. The +room was in a perfect blaze of light. Gradually the +fire died out, and when there were only embers left +he stirred them with the poker until not a particle +of flame appeared, and when there was no danger of +fumes he shut the trap so that no heat would escape +through the chimney. The time of going to bed had +come.</p> + +<p>I was wondering all the time where we were all +going to sleep, for there were no beds in sight. "Perhaps," +said I to myself, "we are all going up the +ladder to sleep upstairs. Perhaps we are going to +sleep on the floor." But I did not see any mattress, +sheepskins, or home-made woollen blankets +anywhere—and these when together would have +made a big pile.</p> + +<p>Suddenly I saw the daughters come to the bench-like<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +sofas and pull out a drawer out of each sofa. +These were to be the beds. They were filled with +hay, with two sheepskins on the top to be used as +sheets and blankets.</p> + +<p>These sliding boxes could be made of different +widths, according to the number of occupants that +were to sleep in the same bed.</p> + +<p>I said to myself, "Strange-looking beds these," +when one of the girls said, "Sometimes we can +squeeze five or six into one of these beds." I was +glad I was not going to be the fifth or sixth, for we +should have been packed like sardines or herring.</p> + +<p>When everything was ready the boys ascended the +ladder and went to sleep upstairs. A bed was given +me, and the rest of the family slept in their own, +two girls sleeping in one bed. Then we bade each +other good-night. How warm and comfortable were +my sheepskins!</p> + +<p>In the middle of the night I heard the howling of +the wind; a terrific gale was blowing. How thankful +I felt to be under shelter! Early in the morning, +while still in bed, I was startled by the shouts of one +of the boys: "Father, we are snowed in! We cannot +get out of the house!"</p> + +<p>"Are we snowed in?" I exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"Yes," shouted the two boys at the same time. +I jumped out of bed to find out if it was a joke. It +was true!</p> + +<p>The boys were delighted, and said with great glee: +"The wind has filled all the trenches with snow.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +We shall have to get out through the chimney. +What fun that will be!"</p> + +<p>I thought also that it would be fun. I had never +got out of a house through the chimney, and I was +anxious now to do it, for I might never get another +chance.</p> + +<p>Everybody was now out of bed. "It is good that +the cellar is full of potatoes and that a sack of the +Russian flour has not been touched, so we have plenty +of food," said the father. "Besides, there is bacon, +cheese, and butter," said one of the girls. Another +added, "We have inside firewood for three days without +being obliged to go to the woodshed."</p> + +<p>The farmer said, "There has never been so much +snow during living man's memory. Old Pehr, my +neighbor, whom I went to see yesterday, and who is +eighty-four years old, said that he never remembered +such a snowstorm."</p> + +<p>I thought of the poor horse that had worked so +hard to bring us here. "Boys, we must make the +way clear to the stable and feed your horse and +mine," I said. "Let us hurry and go out through +the chimney."</p> + +<p>"They are all right," said the father; "I left so +much fodder before them that they will not starve even +if we could not reach them to-day."</p> + +<p>"Dear horses, how useful to us," I said. "I often +wonder that there are some men so cruel and so hard-hearted +as to beat the poor animals when they have +not strength enough to carry the heavy load put upon<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +them, or to make them work when they are ill. It +is a good thing that there are societies in many countries +for the prevention of cruelty to horses and other +animals."</p> + +<p>"It is so," said they all with one voice; "we do not +know of any one among our neighbors who is unkind +to his horse. We do not know what we should do +if our poor horse were ill."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said one of the girls, "when he was a colt +our horse used to put his head through the door to +get pieces of potatoes and apples. We love him!"</p> + +<p>The ladder was fetched and put into the chimney. +There was no trouble about that, for the chimney +was so wide. The shovels were brought in. There +were three of them. Then Nils ascended the ladder, +and afterwards crept to the top. This was a hard job. +Erik followed, and succeeded also in reaching the roof. +Then we heard voices coming down the chimney.</p> + +<p>"Father," called the boys, "tie the shovels to +the cord we drop." They had taken the precaution +of carrying a cord with them. The shovels were +hauled up.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/004.png" width="600" height="387" alt="" title="" /> +"The boys got hold of my hands and pulled me through."</div> + +<p>Then my turn came to go through. I got into +the chimney first, and saw the faces of Nils and Erik +peeping down. "It is all right. Come on, Herr +Paul." I ascended the ladder, then crept up the rest +of the chimney. The boys got hold of my hands +and pulled me through. What a sight! I was black +with soot. Nils and Erik were likewise. We gave +three great hurrahs. We shouted through the chimney<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +to the folks with great glee, "Be patient, you +will get out by and by."</p> + +<p>We worked with a will, and succeeded in clearing +the trench leading to the door, and there was a great +shout of joy when it opened. Then the girls came +out and joined us in making the way clear to the barn, +to the two horses, five cows, and twelve sheep. When +we opened the door of the barn the horses neighed, +the cows lowed, and the sheep baaed. It was a fine +concert of voices. They were glad to see us. It was +their way of bidding us welcome.</p> + +<p>Returning to the house we cleared the windows, +then the well, of snow. The well was surrounded by +a mass of ice. We drew water and gave a good drink +to the horses and the other animals. The girls milked +the cows, and gave fresh fodder to all.</p> + +<p>When our work was done we were all as hungry +as the wolves are in winter, when they have had no +food for days.</p> + +<p>In the mean time the mother had prepared a big +meal for us, and we entered the house. We were +ready to do justice to the food. The potatoes and +the bacon quickly disappeared. After the meal we +cleared the other windows of snow, and made passages +to them, so that light might come through. It was +a hard day's work all round!</p> + +<p>When supper time came we seated ourselves before +a big wooden bowl of porridge called "gröd," made +from barley meal. On each side were two wooden +bowls filled with sour milk. We ate with wooden<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +spoons from the same dish. There were no plates +for supper, and once in a while we took a spoonful of +sour milk to help the gröd go down. I always enjoy +eating with wooden or horn spoons.</p> + +<p>I went to sleep in the loft this time. I wanted +to be near Nils and Erik. They were fine boys, +and we were friends. Did we not sleep well that +night! We did not awake until their father came to +shake us.</p> + +<p>"There is nothing like shovelling snow to make +one sleep," we all said, after we awoke.</p> + +<p>The next day the women were very busy a great +part of the day. Engla spun flax on her spinning-wheel, +Serlotta carded wool, and Maria wove a thick +woollen cloth to be turned into garments for three +new suits for her father and two brothers, while the +mother knitted woollen stockings.</p> + +<p>I remained three days on this farm. During that +time the snow had packed and the snow-ploughs followed +by the rollers had made their reappearance on +the highroad. It was time for me to leave, for I was +in a hurry, and I had to travel nearly nine hundred +miles before I could reach Nordkyn.</p> + +<p>When I left I put some money into the hands of +the wife, and when she felt it in her hand she said, +"No, no; to be paid for giving food and shelter to a +person who is overtaken by a storm, is a shame. +What would God think of me for doing that? No, +no;" she said again, with more earnestness.</p> + +<p>I succeeded at last, after much insistence, in overcoming<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +her scruples and making her take it; and once +more I was on the road leading northward.</p> + +<p>Travelling was still very difficult. I came late to +a post station where I intended to spend the night, for +I was very tired. The place was filled with travellers +and all the beds were taken. Men slept on benches, +on the top of the table, and on the floor. These +were travellers who had been detained on the road +and were once more on their way southward.</p> + +<p>I saw a space on the floor between two men—just +enough for me to get in—and I quietly stepped over +three fellows who were fast asleep and made for the +empty place, and went to sleep in my fur coat.</p> + +<p>The next morning I was once more on the long +and tedious road leading north, towards "The Land of +the Long Night." That afternoon I reached the +little town of Umeå.</p> + +<p>The days had become shorter and shorter. The +sun was very low at noon and was not above the +horizon more than one hour. As I travelled further +north I was surprised to notice that the snow diminished +rapidly. I had left the great "Snow Land," or +snow belt, which seemed to be between 62 and 64 +degrees north, behind me.</p> + +<p>After changing horses at several post stations I +came to the little towns of Skellefteå, Piteå, and Luleå, +and at last I reached Haparanda, situated at the extreme +northern part of the Gulf of Bothnia, at the +mouth of the Torne river, the most northern town +in Sweden.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span></p> + +<p>At Haparanda I had driven about seven hundred +and forty miles from Stockholm, and over twenty-five +hundred miles since I had left the mountains of Norway. +I was only forty-one miles south of the Arctic +Circle, which is the most southerly part of "The Land +of the Long Night."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Good Advice from the People of Haparanda.—Warned against +Still Colder Weather.—Different Costume Needed.—Dressed +as a Laplander.—Lapp Grass for Feet Protection.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">I HAD hardly arrived in Haparanda, when the +leading people of the place came to welcome me. +I was not unknown to several of them, on account of +some of my books which have been translated into +Swedish; and they were my friends at once.</p> + +<p>They heard with astonishment that I intended to +go further north. They looked serious and remained +silent for a while. "We will give you letters of +introduction to our friends," they said; "but after +a time you will be too far north, where we do not +know anybody. You will find only Finlanders and +Laplanders until you come to the Arctic shores of +Norway."</p> + +<p>After saying this they began to fill their big meerschaum +pipes with tobacco and lighted them, and +smoke came out as if from a small funnel. They +gave puff after puff and were again silent; the +wrinkles over their foreheads showed that they were +thoughtful and anxious.</p> + +<p>One friend said: "The country which lies between<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +the head of the Gulf of Bothnia and Nordkyn, the +most northern part of the mainland in Europe, is very +stormy in winter, the winds blow with terrific force, +and midway between the shores of the Baltic and the +extremity of the land snow is also very deep. It is +a roadless land."</p> + +<p>When I heard this, I said to myself: "Is 'The +Land of the Long Night' 'Snow Land' as well?" +Then I thought of the great "Snow Land" I had +left behind me, and how hard travelling had been, +and I wondered if it would be worse in this second +"Snow Land." If it was, then I had a hard task +ahead of me.</p> + +<p>Another friend said, "This big overcoat of yours +will never do in the country you are going to. These +long boots you wear will not be serviceable."</p> + +<p>"Yes," they all said together. "This costume of +yours will be unmanageable on account of the wind. +You cannot travel in 'The Land of the Long Night' +dressed as you are. You must dress like a Laplander. +Theirs is the only costume that can stand the weather +you are to encounter, the only one in which you will +be able to get into their small sleighs, and face the +fierce wind and the intense cold."</p> + +<p>"Remember," said another of my new friends, +"that you are going to travel over a roadless country +covered with snow, the reindeer will be your horse, +and you will not be able to go about without going +on skees, for at every step one sinks deep into the +snow."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span></p> + +<p>Then another added, to reassure me: "Our country +is a country of laws; we have order, and hate lawlessness. +You will feel safe among the people. You +will find where the country is uninhabited, or where the +farms are very wide apart, houses or farms of refuge +where you can get food and reindeer to take you +further on. These are post stations where you can +remain until the weather is good. There you are as +safe as among us."</p> + +<p>I thanked them for all the advice and information +they gave me and said that I would follow their +admonition in regard to my dress. They then bade +me good-night. The next day I remembered what my +friends had said to me the day before, and with one +of them I went to get the garments worn by the Lapps.</p> + +<p>I bought two "kaptor."<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> These are also called +"pesh." They are long blouses reaching down to the +knee or below, made of reindeer skins, with fur +attached; with a narrow aperture for the head to pass +through, and fitting closely round the neck.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Plural form. Singular, "kapta."</p></div> + +<p>One of the kaptor was much larger than the other, +for in case of intense cold one is worn beneath the +other with the fur inside, and the outside one with +the fur outside.</p> + +<p>I got a pair of trousers made of skin from the legs +of the reindeer, of which the fur though short is considered +the warmest part of the animal, as it protects +his legs, which are always in the snow. The provisions +of nature are wonderful!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span></p> + +<p>There are no openings to the Lapp trousers, so +that no cold air can reach the body. They are +fastened round the waist by a string and are tied +above the ankle. There the fur is removed and the +leather is made very soft so that it may go round the +shoe.</p> + +<p>I got two pairs of shoes made of the skin of the +reindeer near the hoof, with the fur outside. This +part is said to be the warmest part of the whole skin. +All the Lapp shoes are sharp pointed, the point turning +upward. They are bound at the seams with red +flannel. The upper part fits above the ankle. They +were large enough for me to wear two pairs of thick, +home-knitted stockings and Lapp grass to surround +the foot everywhere without pinching it. Long +narrow bands of bright color are attached to them. +These bands are wound around the legs above the +ankles, thus preventing snow and wind from penetrating. +These shoes can only be used in cold weather +when the snow is crisp, and are especially adapted for +skees, as they are pointed and have no heels.</p> + +<p>I procured also four pairs of mittens, one made of +the skin of the reindeer near the hoof, another of +wool with a sort of down, the third of cow's hair, and +the fourth of goat's hair; the two latter are the warmest, +but they are very perishable.</p> + +<p>I also got two pairs of very thick home-knitted +stockings. These were of wool. I succeeded in getting +two other pairs made of cow's hair, and another +pair made of goat's hair, and I was especially cautioned<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +to handle them gently when I put them on or took them +off—likewise with the mittens of goat's and cow's hair.</p> + +<p>I also got a vest made of soft reindeer skin to put +on over my underwear, and two sets of thick underwear +of homespun, for these are much warmer than +those that are made by machinery.</p> + +<p>I added to my outfit one pair of long and another +shorter pair of boots for wet weather in the spring, +when the snow is damp and watery. These boots +were made of the skin of the lower part of the hind +legs of reindeer, the fur being scraped off. The +leather is black and it is prepared in such a way as to +exclude water or moisture. They were rubbed with +a composition of reindeer fat and tar.</p> + +<p>Then I bought a square Lapp cap, the top filled +with eider down. The rim could be turned down to +protect the ears and the forehead.</p> + +<p>After procuring my Lapp outfit, I thought I would +try to dress myself in my new garments. The friend +who accompanied me said: "I will show you how to +prepare your feet before you put your shoes on. +One can never be too careful, otherwise the feet are +sure to be cold on a journey."</p> + +<p>I put on my two new pairs of hand-knitted stockings. +He surrounded my feet over the stockings +with Lapp grass; then he put my shoe on most carefully, +with the lower part of the trousers inside, and +then wound the bands not too tight round my ankle, +saying, "Now your feet will be warm all day even if +you spend all your time on skees. You see how careful<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +I have been in putting on your shoes. Dressed +as you are you can defy the cold. If you follow the +advice I have given you, you will never have cold feet +no matter how long you drive or walk in the snow. +But take great care that neither shoes, nor stockings, +nor grass be damp. I think it will be well for you to +let a Lapp or a Finn put your shoes on before you +start on a long journey—until you can do it yourself +quite well."</p> + +<p>The "shoe grass" of which I have spoken grows +in the Arctic regions in pools in the summer. It is +gathered in great quantity by the Laplanders and Finlanders, +who dry it and keep it carefully, for it is +indispensable in winter in their land of snow and cold. +It has the peculiarity of retaining heat and keeping +the feet warm and absorbing the moisture. I always +travelled with a good stock of that grass, twisted and +knotted together in small bundles.</p> + +<p>Then I looked at myself in the looking-glass, and +for the first time saw how I appeared in my new outfit, +my Lapp costume. The frontispiece will show +you exactly how I was dressed (without a hood), +for it is from a photograph. Unfortunately, being a +bachelor, I don't know how to take care of things, and +my costume, gloves, stockings, and mittens have been +eaten up by moths, and I have had to throw them +away. But I appeared before the American Geographical +Society in New York dressed in this suit, seated in +my Lapp sleigh, with a stuffed reindeer harnessed to +it, and my bearskin over me.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span></p> + +<p>To complete my outfit I added two large reindeer-skin +bags, one larger, so that the smaller one could be +put inside it without much difficulty. I was to sleep in +these bags when obliged to rest out doors on the snow. +One bag was sufficient in ordinary cold weather—say +15 or 20 degrees below zero; the other I would use +when the thermometer ranged from 25 to 40 or 50 +degrees below zero.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER V</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>What the Arctic Circle is.—Description of the Phenomenon of +the Long Night.—Reasons for its Existence.—The Ecliptic +and the Equinoxes.—Length of the Long Night at Different +Places.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">NOW I was ready to go further northward beyond +the Arctic Circle, and roam in "The Land +of the Long Night."</p> + +<p>The Arctic Circle is an imaginary line, just as are +the Equator and the two Tropics, going round the +earth, and begins at 66° 32' north latitude and is 1623 +miles from the North Pole. It is the southernmost +limit of the region where the sun disappears in winter, +under the horizon, for one day.</p> + +<p>At the North Pole on the 22nd of September the +sun descends to the horizon and then disappears till +the 20th of March, when it reappears and remains in +sight above the horizon until the 22nd of September. +So at the pole the year is made of one day and one +night. On the 22nd day of December it disappears +at the Arctic Circle for one day only. The space between +the Arctic Circle and the pole is therefore called +the Arctic region, or the Frigid Zone. Consequently, +the further one advances to the north, the longer the +duration of the night.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span></p> + +<p>I will tell you the causes of this phenomenon of +the Long Night. The earth revolves about the sun +once every year, and rotates on its axis once in twenty-four +hours, which makes what we call a day.</p> + +<p>Rotate means to move round a centre; thus the +daily turning of the earth on its axis is a rotation. Its +annual course round the sun is called a revolution.</p> + +<p>The axis about which the daily rotation takes place +is an imaginary straight line passing through the centre +of the earth, and its extremities are called poles, hence +the names of the North and the South pole. The diurnal +movement is from West to East and takes place +in twenty-four hours.</p> + +<p>The earth's orbit, or the path described by it in its +annual revolution about the sun, is, so to speak, a +flattened circle, somewhat elongated, called an ellipse. +The axis of the earth is not perpendicular to the plane +of the orbit, which is an imaginary flat surface enclosed +by the line of the earth's revolution, but is inclined to +it at an angle of 23° 28', which angle is called the +obliquity of the ecliptic. The ecliptic is the path or +way among the fixed stars which the earth in its orbit +appears to describe to an eye placed in the sun, for the +sun is the fixed centre and not the earth. The earth, +therefore, in moving about the sun, is not upright, but +inclined, so that in different parts of its course it +always presents a half, but always a different half, of its +surface to the sun.</p> + +<p>Twice in the year, 21st of March and 21st of September, +the exact half of the earth along its axis is illuminated.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +On these dates, therefore, any point on the +earth's surface is, during the rotation of the earth on +its axis, half the time in light and half the time in +darkness,—that is, day and night are twelve hours each +all over the globe.</p> + +<p>These two dates are called equinoxes, March 21st +being the vernal, and September 21st being the autumnal, +equinox.</p> + +<p>As the earth moves in its orbit after March 21st, +the North Pole inclines more and more towards the +sun, till June 21st, after which it turns away from it. +On September 21st day and night are again equal all +over the earth, and after this the North Pole is turned +away from the sun, and does not receive its light +again till the following March.</p> + +<p>It will thus be seen that from the autumnal to the +vernal equinox the North Pole is in darkness and +has a night of six months' duration, during which time +the sun is not seen. Therefore, any point near the +pole is, during any given twenty-four hours, longer +in darkness than in light.</p> + +<p>The number of days of constant darkness depends +on the latitude of the observer. At the pole the sun +is not seen for six months, at the Arctic Circle it is +invisible, as I have said, for only one day in December. +At North Cape and Nordkyn the sun disappears +November 18th, and is not seen again till January +24th. That is the reason I have called the land +between North Cape and the Arctic Circle "The +Land of the Long Night."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span></p> + +<p>This "Land of the Long Night" commences at +Nordkyn, or the most northern point of the continent +of Europe,—or at North Cape, but five miles +distant—on the 16th of November. The whole sun +appears on that day, its lower rim just touching above +the horizon at noon. The next day, 17th of November, +the lower half of the sun has disappeared, and the +following day, the 18th, it sinks below the horizon +and does not show itself again until the 24th of January—hence +the night there lasts sixty-seven days +of twenty-four hours each. And at the Arctic Circle +the sun is only completely hidden on the 22nd of +December.</p> + +<p>The following table shows you the dates of the +disappearance of the sun, and of its reappearance at +the principal places to which we are going.</p> + +<p class="head1">THE CONTINUOUS NIGHT</p> + +<div class='center'> +<table class="tab2" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td class="td4" colspan="2"><i>Where the sun is last seen, begins at:</i></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td5">Karasjok</td><td class="td6">November 26th</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td5">Vardö</td><td class="td6">22nd</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td5">Hammerfest</td><td class="td6">21st</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td5">North Cape or Nordkyn</td><td class="td6">18th</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td4" colspan="2"> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td4" colspan="2"><i>Where the sun is first seen again, begins at:</i></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="td5">Karasjok</td><td class="td6">January 16th</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td5">Vardö</td><td class="td6">20th</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td5">Hammerfest</td><td class="td6">21st</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td5">North Cape or Nordkyn</td><td class="td6">24th</td></tr> + +</table></div> + + + +<p>I hope that I have been successful in giving you +an idea of day and night in the Frigid Zone.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Fine Weather Leaving Haparanda.—Windstorms Succeed.—A +Finlander's Farm.—Strange Fireplace.—Interior of +a Cow-house.—Queer Food for Cattle.—Passing the +Arctic Circle.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">I LEFT Haparanda in the beginning of January, +surrounded by the friends who had taken such +an interest in me. The atmosphere was clear, and +not a cloud was to be seen in the pale blue sky, turning +into greenish as it approached the horizon. There +was not a breath of wind. Once the thermometer +marked 30 degrees below zero.</p> + +<p>"Be careful," said my friends. "This is treacherous +weather for ears and noses, there is danger of their +getting frozen; rub them, and also your face, now and +then with snow. Keep your ears covered, and protect +them with your hood. If it becomes colder put +on your mask."</p> + +<p>I thanked them for their kind advice, but replied: +"No mask for me just now, I want to breathe this +pure invigorating air as much as I can. I want it to +reach my lungs."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/005.png" width="600" height="381" alt="" title="" /> +"It was indeed, a fearful wind storm."</div> + +<p>"Be careful in such weather," they repeated. +"This is beautiful weather indeed, but sometimes it +does not last long and is followed by furious gales,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +or great snowstorms; but we hope this fine weather +will follow you for many days. Often it lasts quite +a while."</p> + +<p>Then we bade good-bye to each other. They tucked +the sheepskin round me, and bade the driver to take +good care of Paulus.</p> + +<p>Soon after this we were out of Haparanda and on +the highroad leading to Pajala, which was about one +hundred and ten miles further north, there being ten +or twelve post stations between the two places.</p> + +<p>Sleighing was fine, the road had been used much, +so we went on at a very fast pace. It was just the +weather people, horses, dogs, and reindeer liked. I +liked it also very much, for it was so exhilarating, +and I felt so well and so strong. I was ready, nevertheless, +for all kinds of weather, and I was fully +prepared to meet great storms, for I wanted to encounter +the blizzards of the Arctic regions just to find +out how strongly the wind could blow. I found out +later!</p> + +<p>I changed horses at several post stations during the +day, among them the stations of Korpikyla, Niemis, +Ruskola, and Matarengi. I found that the Finnish +language was now prevalent, Swedish being only spoken +by comparatively few people.</p> + +<p>That day was the end of the fine weather. Towards +evening the wind was blowing very hard, and +it increased in strength every minute until it blew a +perfect hurricane. Then what my friends had said to +me came to mind. It was indeed a fearful windstorm!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span></p> + +<p>The gale had become such that the horse at times +did not seem to have strength enough to pull our +sleigh. The snow flew in thick cloudy masses to a +great height, curling and recurling upon itself and +blinding us. Fortunately our robes were fastened +very securely. I wore my hood, and it was so arranged +that my eyes were the only part of my face +that was not covered. The wind was so powerful +that our sleigh was in continual danger of upsetting, +and was only saved because it was so low.</p> + +<p>I was glad indeed when I reached the hamlet of +Matarengi with its red-painted log church, two hundred +years old, and separate belfry of the same color.</p> + +<p>The windstorm lasted three days. During that time +I found that the temperature varied from 8 to 22 +degrees below zero.</p> + +<p>Then it became calm, the sky was perfectly clear, +and the mercury marked 40 degrees below zero. +There was not a breath of wind. It was fine, and I +made ready to continue my journey.</p> + +<p>Wherever I changed horse and sleigh, before starting +I shook hands with the station master and his family, +and after this bade good-bye to the driver who had +brought me to the place. One must not forget that +little politeness in these northern lands, otherwise the +people would think you ill-bred or proud and would +dislike you. No man has ever made friends by being +proud or conceited. It is, after all, very silly, and +often very ill-bred. I have found that one gets along +much better in the world by being polite and obliging.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +It is so much easier to be pleasant than sour +and gruff. In the former case you are happy; in +the latter discontented and wretched. I always feel +sorry when I meet people who are proud or conceited. +Often I laugh at them in my sleeve, and +when that pride or conceit becomes overbearing I +have great contempt for them, and do not wish to +have anything to do with them.</p> + +<p>I approached very fast the regions of "The Land +of the Long Night." The road was filled with +freshly made, huge snowdrifts, which greatly impeded +our progress. Towards noon the wind increased again, +and soon I was in a worse gale than before. I said to +myself, "Now I am indeed in 'The Land of the +Wind.'"</p> + +<p>Suddenly I saw dimly through the clouds of snow +the dwellings of a farm. "Let us go there," I said +to my driver, "for we cannot reach the post station +to-day." Our horse evidently thought as we did; +he had made up his mind to go no further, and preferred +to be in a stable. He suddenly turned to the +right, entered the yard, and stopped before the dwelling-house +of the farm. I alighted. I was so dizzy +from the effects of the wind that I could not walk +straight, and tottered about for a minute or more. +My driver was in the same condition.</p> + +<p>I entered the house and found myself in a large +room, in the midst of a family of Finlanders, whose +language is very unlike the Swedish or Norwegian. +I was welcomed at once by all.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span></p> + +<p>I looked around, and saw a queer-looking structure, +built of slabs of stone plastered over. It was about +seven feet square, the inside oven-like in shape. They +were just lighting a fire; then the door was closed. +In one section of the structure was an open fireplace +used for cooking.</p> + +<p>Poles were secured to the ceiling near the fireplace, +upon which hung garments,—stockings, shoes, boots, +and other articles. In the middle of the room was +the usual trap-door leading into the cellar. There +were two large hand looms upon which two girls +were weaving. These two looms were very old and +had been several generations in the family. Three +other girls were occupied with wheels, spinning wool +and flax.</p> + +<p>Along the walls of this large room, which was +about twenty feet square, were a number of bench-like +sofas, used for beds. Two or three wooden chairs, +and a large wooden table surrounded by wooden +benches, made up the rest of the furniture.</p> + +<p>The stove began to heat the room fearfully, for +after the firewood had been reduced to charcoal, and +the fumes from it were gone, the sliding trap-door in +the chimney had been closed, thus preventing the heat +from escaping. The thick walls of the oven-like +stove had been heated, and threw out a great deal of +heat, which to me soon became unbearable.</p> + +<p>The farmer said to me that the walls would remain +warm for two or three days. The windows were all +tight; none could be opened, and the only ventilation<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> +came through the door when some one came in or +went out.</p> + +<p>I went out and looked at the farm buildings while +my sleigh was being made ready. I was surprised to +see the buildings of the farm and the big timber of +the log house, for I was so far north. The yard was +enclosed by houses on three sides. The dwelling-house, +the barn, and the cow-houses were the largest +buildings. There were besides a blacksmith shop, a +storehouse, and a shed for carts. All these buildings +were painted red.</p> + +<p>In the middle of the yard was an old-fashioned +well, with its sweep, having at one end a bucket and +at the other a heavy stone, and surrounded by a thick +mass of ice. From the well there was a trough +going into the cow-house, which I entered. The +cattle were small and well-shaped and in good order. +The building was very low, the windows very small +and giving but little light. The floor was entirely +planked over, and there were pens on each side.</p> + +<p>Looking towards the end of the building I saw a +girl standing by a huge iron pot, about four feet in +diameter and three feet deep, encased in masonry. +She was putting coarse marsh grass into the pot, +which was filled with water made warm by a fire +underneath. "Much of the grass we gather," said +the farmer, "is coarse, and it is so tough that the +cattle cannot eat it; so we have to prepare it in this +way before we give it to them."</p> + +<p>A number of sheep were penned in a corner. "Our<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +three horses," said the farmer, "have a stable for +themselves." This farm was one of the good farms, +and there were a number quite as good. In some +the dwellings are of two stories, but these were the +great exception.</p> + +<p>In the mean time supper had been prepared. Dry +mutton as tough as leather but cut very thin, smoked +reindeer meat, hard bread, butter, cheese, two wooden +bowls of buttermilk, and fish were put on the table. +This was a great repast, in my honor. There was no +tablecloth, no napkin, no fork, the flat bread was +used instead of plates, we had wooden spoons for the +sour milk, and helped ourselves to it from the common +dish.</p> + +<p>A little after supper came bedtime. The girls, +looking at the clock, which marked nine, suddenly +got up to make the beds ready. They pulled out the +sliding boxes, in one of which three of them were to +sleep. The boxes were filled with straw and hay, and +had homespun blankets or sheepskins, and eider down +or feather pillows. The sofa-like beds were all along +the walls, for there was a large family.</p> + +<p>It was well that I was at the farm. A more terrific +windstorm than all those I had seen before, arose +during the night. In the morning the snow swirled +to an immense height, hiding everything from sight; +the whole country was enveloped in a thick cloud; +the huge snowdrifts were carried hither and thither. +The storm lasted two days, and after it was over the +weather became calm, the temperature was 40° below<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +zero, and when the atmosphere was very clear we had +about three or four hours of twilight.</p> + +<p>Then I bade farewell to the good farmer and his +wife, and once more I was on my way to "The Land +of the Long Night," which was now very near.</p> + +<p>The next day I came to a little lake the natives +called Kunsijarvi, and further on I came to still +another lake called Rukojarvi; and between these two +I had crossed the Arctic Circle. But it was January, +the sun showed itself above the horizon at noon. +Near the shore of Lake Rukojarvi was a solitary +farm, where I stopped.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Skees, or the Queer Snowshoes of the North.—How They +Are Made.—Learning to Use Them.—Joseff's Instructions.—Hard +Work at First.—Going Down Hill.—I +Bid Joseff Good-bye.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">IN the morning Joseff, the owner of the farm, said +to me: "Paulus, before you go further on your +journey you must learn to go on skees; otherwise you +will not be able to travel, for the snow is very deep further +north. I will teach you how to use skees, but in +order to learn you must remain with us for some time."</p> + +<p>Then pointing to the lake near by, he said, "This +is the place where you are to learn. It will be easy for +you to walk with them, for the surface of the lake is +smooth and flat."</p> + +<p>After saying this, he went into one of the outer +buildings of the farm and came out with several beautiful +pairs of skees, and handed one of them to me +with these words: "I give them to you; when you +wander further north and walk with them, think +of me." I thanked Joseff for his gift and said: +"I will always remember you, also your wife and +your children, without these skees." Then looking at +them, I added, "How beautiful they are! How +proud I shall be when I walk with them."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span></p> + +<p>These skees, or snowshoes of northern Europe, are +made of wood from the fir tree; at their thickest +part, in the centre, they are between four and five +inches in width. Here, where the foot rests, there +is a piece of birch bark fastened, over which there is +a loop, and through this loop the foot passes. That +part of the skee under the foot is concave, and here it +is thickest, so that where it supports the weight of +the person it cannot bend downward. The under +part of the skee is grooved and polished, and soon +becomes by use as smooth as glass. The forward +end turns slightly upward, as you see by the pictures, +so as to pass over the snow easily.</p> + +<p>Joseff left me, and soon came back with a good +many more skees; some were not more than six feet +long; one pair was much longer than mine.</p> + +<p>After I had looked at them, he said, "The short +ones are used in the forest, especially among the +Lapps, where pine, fir, or birch trees are close together, +for there long skees cannot be used; but a +heavily built man must have longer ones." Then +pointing to the long pair, which were about fourteen +feet long, he said, "These long skees are used chiefly +in the province of Jemtland, which you passed on the +shores of the Baltic on your way here. The snow is +generally very deep there, and after a great snow fall, +when it is very soft, long skees are needed so that +they can bear up the weight of a man and not sink +too deeply. Here we use skees of about the size of +the pair I gave you, sometimes a little longer; but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +you are not a heavy man, so longer ones are not +necessary for you. They will be able to support +your weight without going deeply into the snow, even +when it is soft."</p> + +<p>Then showing another pair, he said, "These have +sealskin under them. They are used in the spring +when the snow is soft and becomes watery; the skin +prevents the snow from sticking to the skee."</p> + +<p>The following morning we started with our skees +for the lake, I carrying mine on my shoulders. When +we reached the lake Joseff said, "Put your feet under +the loops, and you must manage to keep them there, +just as you would do if you had an old pair of slippers +much too large for you. You would have all the +time to push your feet forward to keep them on. Do +likewise with the skees. Your sharp-pointed Lapp +shoes will help you to do this, as they somewhat prevent +the slipping of the skee. It will be a little difficult +at first, but it will not take long for you to learn +to do this. Constant practice will be the best teacher, +and you will soon be able to walk with them."</p> + +<p>Then Joseff gave me two staves to propel myself +with. At the end of each was an iron spike, and +above it a guard of wicker-work, about ten inches in +diameter, to prevent the stick from sinking deeper. +"These staves," he added, "are very useful when the +snow is soft and the skees do not glide easily. Then +propelling oneself with them makes one go faster. +Though the snow is packed they will help you, as you +are a beginner. The most important point to learn<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +is to keep the skees always parallel with each other; +this is somewhat difficult at first. Never raise your +feet or skees above the ground; make them glide on +the snow; push one foot forward, then the other, +just as when you walk."</p> + +<p>Then he got on his skees, and said: "Now, look +at me and see how I go." I saw him gliding on the +snow, pushing first one foot then the other, the two +skees running parallel with each other; and when one +had a tendency to go inside or outside, he corrected +the deviation at once by a slight movement of his leg +and foot. I noticed afterward that with many persons +the ankle was very flexible, owing to their going so +much on skees.</p> + +<p>After going some distance he returned to me, and +we started slowly together. I pushed first one foot +then the other forward, and tried to do exactly what +he had told me to do; but before I knew it the end +of one skee overlapped the other and stopped my +advance at once. Fortunately I was going slowly, +otherwise I should have landed on the snow. "The +overlapping of one skee over the other is quite common +with a beginner," said my teacher to me.</p> + +<p>Putting my skees in position again, we started. +This time one of my skees left me. Several times the +two left me, and I found myself seated on the snow +every time. I made slow progress that day. At the +end of the lesson Joseff said, "Do not be discouraged, +Paulus, you will soon learn the knack. I will +now show you how fast a man can go on skees.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +Look at me." Then he started; he seemed simply to +fly over the snow, and before many minutes he was +far away, almost out of sight. He was going at the +rate of at least twenty miles an hour.</p> + +<p>I said to myself: "O Paul, when will you go as +fast as Joseff!" I was filled with ambition. I wanted +to learn as fast as I could, and I thought I would take +lessons every day.</p> + +<p>When he returned the perspiration was dripping +from his face, though the cold was 39 degrees below +zero.</p> + +<p>I spent several hours every day on the lake, learning +and practising, and when Joseff had time he would +come with me; and after three days I was able to +manage the skees tolerably well. I kept them in line +and they did not slip out from my feet any more. I +could go several thousand yards without stopping and +with no mishaps.</p> + +<p>After I could do this, Joseff said to me: "Paulus, +you know now how to go well on skees upon level +land; now you must learn how to go down hill with +them. This is difficult, and I do not know whether +in one winter you can learn how to do it—at least so +as to go down the slopes of mountains; one has to +have learned that in boyhood—but I will teach you +anyhow to go down hill safely."</p> + +<p>We left the farm and went on with our skees until +we came to the foot of a pretty steep hill. Then +Joseff said: "We will stop here, and I will teach +you to go down hill."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span></p> + +<p>I noticed that he said this with a roguish eye, which +was full of fun, and I began to suspect that things +were not to go as smoothly as when I was taught on +the lake. "We cannot ascend this steep hill straight +forward, for the skees would slip backward. We +must ascend in zigzag," said Joseff; and then with +his staff he showed me how we were to go. "Follow +my furrow, then it will be easier for you," said he. I +found it hard enough, and slow work. When we +reached the top of the hill we were very warm, though +that day it was 32 degrees below zero. I was wet with +perspiration.</p> + +<p>After a rest, Joseff said: "Paulus, look at me." +Straightening his skees and armed with his staff he +leaned his body forward, and down he went, faster +than boys coasting down a very steep hill at home. +It was fine, and I wished I could learn quickly and +go down hill as fast as he did.</p> + +<p>When he had ascended the hill again, Joseff said +to me: "Now, Paulus, get ready." He saw that my +skees were in position, and saying, "Bend your body +far forward as you go down," he shouted "Go!" At +this word I bent my body forward as he had told +me, and down I went; but I got scared, as I was +going very fast, and forgot to follow his advice; +straightened myself and bent backward, and before +I knew it my skees slipped from my feet. I was +unskeed just like a man who is unhorsed, and was +seated on the snow looking at my skees, which were +going forward down the steep hill and only stopped<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +at its base, to the great amusement of Joseff, who +evidently expected something of the kind. "The +tendency of a beginner," he explained, "is to bend +backward, thinking that by doing so he will be able +not to go so fast; this invariably brings about the +same result, and he falls."</p> + +<p>After a good laugh from both of us, Joseff said: +"Paulus, try again; but this time I will teach you to +go down hill in another way." He gave me his big +stick, and said, "Ride this, and rest upon it as heavily +as you can, so that a great part of your weight shall be +on the end that sinks into the snow, and before you +start let the stick be in the snow about three inches +deep. Thus you will be prevented from going down +too fast. Don't forget to start with your skees running +straight along side of each other." I went down +riding the stick, and reached the bottom of the hill in +safety. I felt very proud of my success, but thought +that if I could ever do this like Joseff how happy I +should be.</p> + +<p>Then Joseff gave me another warning. "Paulus," +said he, "people must look out carefully not to run +into boulders as they go down hill, and a hill full of +boulders only those who can guide their skees well +can venture to go down. Avoid such hills when you +are further north, for otherwise you might even be +killed."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 394px;"> +<img src="images/006.png" width="394" height="550" alt="" title="" /> +"Paulus, try again!"</div> + +<p>Shortly after our return to the farm the wind began +again to rise, and another terrific windstorm blew over +the land. The hillocks of snow were swept from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +where they stood and new hillocks were made in +other places. When I went out the wind almost took +me off my feet.</p> + +<p>I found that my friends in Haparanda were right. +The Lapp costume is well adapted for cold weather. +Nothing is warmer than reindeer skin, and it is convenient +either when the wearer is driving in his Lapp +sleigh, walking or travelling on skees, or when breasting +violent windstorms.</p> + +<p>I finally bade good-bye to Joseff, and thanked him +for having taught me to go on skees. And I continued +my journey northward, with a guide to show +me the way.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>A Primitive Steam Bath House.—How the Bath was Prepared.—What +are the Twigs for?—I Ascertain.—Rolling in the +Snow.—Fine Effect of the Bath.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">A FEW miles further on I came to a little hamlet +composed of a few farms. The inhabitants +were all Finlanders. Travelling was so bad, on account +of the big drifts of snow, that I decided to stay a +few days in the place. The following day was Saturday +and the afternoon was the beginning of Sunday, +and the boys and the young men of the place said to +me: "Paulus, to-day is bathing day. Every Saturday +we have a bath."</p> + +<p>"All right, boys," I replied, "I will have a bath +with you." Of course they did not mean a water +bath, but a steam bath.</p> + +<p>Pointing to a little log building, they said, "Paulus, +this is the bath house. Come, and we will show you +how we work out a steam bath in our country. You +see the bath house stands away from other buildings, +to prevent the fire from spreading in case it should +start anywhere."</p> + +<p>So I went with them to the bath house and got in. +It was dark, and no light or air could come in except +through the door. The room was about fifteen to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +eighteen feet long and about ten or twelve feet wide. +In the centre there was an oven-like structure, made of +boulders piled upon each other without any cement +whatever. Along the walls were three rows of seats, +made simply from the branches of trees and rising one +above the other, just like seats at a circus, the first one +being near the ground. The people had brought +wood beforehand. This they put into the oven and +set fire to it. They said to me, "We are going to +keep the fire burning all the time, to heat the stones, +and when they are burning hot this afternoon we will +stop the fire, the place will be cleaned, and then we +will take our bath."</p> + +<p>We were soon obliged to go out, on account of +the smoke. And the fire was kept up all day, +boys coming now and then with more firewood to +add to it.</p> + +<p>Late in the afternoon I went with two women who +cleaned the place thoroughly and took away the ashes, +and a big vessel put next the oven was filled with water. +Slender boughs of birch trees were brought in, and I +wondered why. I found out later! Finally word +was sent round that everything was ready.</p> + +<p>Then my new friends said to me, "Paulus, you +will undress in your room and come to the bath +room with nothing on, for there is no place there +to dress or to hang your clothes. We all go there +naked."</p> + +<p>"But," said I, "it is 30 degrees below zero."</p> + +<p>"That is nothing," they answered, laughing. "The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +bath house is close by—just a stone's throw from +your place, and you will find it warm enough there," +upon which they left me to get ready themselves.</p> + +<p>When I was undressed I looked through the windows +and saw men and boys without clothes on running +towards the bath house, which they entered +quickly and shut the door.</p> + +<p>It did not take me much time to reach the bath +house. I ran double quick to it. Oh! wasn't it cold +on the way! But as soon as I was in I could feel the +great heat from the oven. It was so warm, and felt so +good after coming from the icy air.</p> + +<p>Then water was taken from the large vessel and +thrown over the stones with a big dipper. Steam rose +at once; then more water was thrown, until the place +was full of steam. I could not stand it. It was too +hot for me. "Don't stand up, Paulus," they said; +"sit on the lower seat." Even that was too high for +me. I sat on the floor until I got accustomed to +breathing the hot air. The perspiration was fairly running +down my body. More water was poured and +more steam was raised.</p> + +<p>Then one of the fellows said, "Paulus, let me give +you a switching with the birch twigs. It is fine; it +brings the blood into circulation." One of the boys +began to switch my back, and soon I cried, "Enough, +enough, enough!" Soon all were switching one another, +and the one who had switched me said, "Paulus, +give me a good switching—harder than the one I gave +you." I thought mine had been strong enough; my<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +back must have been as red as a boiled lobster. I followed +his injunctions until he said it was enough.</p> + +<p>Then more steam was raised after a while, and after +this was done all shouted, "Let us have another +switching before we go." At last I went out with a +few of the men, when, lo! they rolled over two or +three times in the snow, calling out to me to do likewise; +that it felt so good. I did what they bade me to +do. How nice it was! It was a delightful sensation. +Then we got up and ran as fast as we could for our +houses.</p> + +<p>As we ran, they called to me, "Paulus, do not dress +at once, and not before you have stopped perspiring." +So I walked up and down in my room for more than +an hour before I dressed. After this I felt like a new +man.</p> + +<p>The Finlanders do not dress like the Laplanders +when they are at home; it is only when they travel +that they wear the kapta or pesh. The men wear +long overcoats, lined with woolly sheepskin. The +women's dress is composed of a body of black cloth, +with skirt of thick homespun wool. Their long and +heavy jackets are also lined with sheepskin inside, +and they wear hoods.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>How the Lapps and Finns Travel.—Strange-looking Sleighs.—Different +Varieties.—Lassoing Reindeer.—Description +of the Reindeer.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">AFTER leaving this hamlet where I had such +an odd bath, I came to a farm where I saw +sleighs the like of which I had never seen before. +To many of these were harnessed reindeer with superb +horns, while others were without animals.</p> + +<p>These sleighs looked exactly like little tiny boats, +just big enough to carry one person and a very small +amount of luggage, but not big enough for trunks. +They were all made of narrow fir-tree planks, strongly +ribbed inside just like boats, about seven feet long and +two and one-half feet in width at the end, which was +the broadest part. The forward part of some was +decked. They all had a strong leather ring to which +the traces were fastened. They had holes pierced in +their sides for strings to pass through from one side +to the other to keep everything fast. They had keels +like sailing boats; these were very strong and about +four inches wide, and varied some in thickness or +height; many of the keels were much worn from +constant use.</p> + +<p>As I was looking at these sleighs, strange-looking<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +people of very small stature came out of the farmhouses. +These were Lapps, and they were dressed +as I was. We saluted each other and began to speak +together in Swedish, and they wondered where I came +from.</p> + +<p>One of them said to me, "You are looking at our +sleighs as if you had never seen such ones before."</p> + +<p>"You are right," I replied, "I have never seen +such sleighs before, and if these had been on the +shores of a river or lake, I should have taken them to +be boats."</p> + +<p>Then the Lapp explained: "The higher the keel +is the quicker the sleigh can go and the faster we can +travel. The keel acts like a runner, and when the +snow is well packed and crisp, the sides of the sleigh +hardly touch it; but this makes it the more difficult +for a beginner to remain inside, for the sleigh rocks +to and fro."</p> + +<p>Then pointing to a sleigh, he said, "This kind is +called 'Kerres.' They are used to carry merchandise +or people." Then pointing to another, "This kind +is called a 'Lakkek.'" These were somewhat larger +than the other, and had decks like a vessel, with a sort +of hatchway. These were used as trunks; two had +their decks covered with sealskin to make them more +surely water-tight.</p> + +<p>"In these," said the Lapp, "we carry our woollen +clothing, our fine handkerchiefs, our jewelry, our +silver spoons, our prayer-book and psalm-book—everything +that is precious. In them we also carry<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +our provisions, our coffee, our sugar, salt, and everything +that has to be protected against snow or +dampness."</p> + +<p>Another kind was called "Akja," especially built +for fast travelling, and had keels about two and a half +to three inches thick. The forward part of these was +over-decked to about a third of the length, and +covered with sealskin. The decked part was a sort +of box or trunk to keep provisions or other things +necessary for a journey which required to be protected. +The backs of most of these were leather-cushioned.</p> + +<p>After I had looked carefully at all the sleighs, I +went to the farmhouse with the Lapps and was welcomed +by the Finlander who owned the place. His +name was Jon. We were soon friends.</p> + +<p>The people asked me whither I was bound, and I told +them that I was going as far north as the Arctic Ocean, +as far as Nordkyn. Then they said to me, "You +cannot go further without learning how to drive reindeer, +for you must give up horses. The snow is too +deep and we do not use dogs in our country. We +will teach you how to drive reindeer and use our +sleighs; then, when you know, some of us will take +you where you want to go, either north, east, or west."</p> + +<p>I bought a very pretty sleigh with the forward part +decked over, where some of my things could be +stored. The back was cushioned and covered with +sealskin made fast with broad rounded-top copper +nails. This was a really "swell" sleigh.</p> + +<p>The next day Jon said to me, "Let us go together<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +where my herd of reindeer is, and lasso those I +want to use, for I am going to teach you myself +how to drive," adding: "I own over one thousand +reindeer."</p> + +<p>He called two other Lapps, and we put on our +skees and started, and soon after we were out of sight +of the house. After an hour's travel we reached the +reindeer. I noticed that the snow was not very deep.</p> + +<p>"In this herd I have over sixty reindeer that have +been broken to harness," said Jon.</p> + +<p>"How can you find them out of such a great +number?" I asked. "To me so many of them look +alike, in fact they would all look alike if it were not +that with some the horns are not as big as those of +the others."</p> + +<p>"I know them all," he replied. "I could even tell +the ones that are missing."</p> + +<p>Then I remembered that I had heard that a shepherd +knew every sheep of his flock.</p> + +<p>"Stay where you are," said Jon. "Many of the +reindeer are shy, and do not come to us when we are +trying to lasso them."</p> + +<p>Jon and the other two Lapps let their skees slip off +their feet, so that they could have a stronger footing, +looked round so as to recognize the deer they wanted, +and then with their lassos in their hands, ready to +be flung, walked very carefully towards two reindeer +somewhat apart from the others. When they +were near enough, some ten or fifteen yards from +them, which is about the distance one can lasso with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +a chance of success, they stopped and threw their +lassos over the horns of the animals. One made no +effort to escape, for he had been used to this for more +than five years; but the other cut up any amount of +pranks, though in his efforts to get away the rope got +tighter and tighter at the base of his horns.</p> + +<p>The man had to use all his strength before the +animal was subdued. Once or twice he was pulled by +the reindeer and almost fell. In his efforts to get +away the reindeer entangled his legs in the lasso and +fell powerless. In the mean time Jon had come gently +towards his reindeer and knotted the cord of the lasso +round his muzzle.</p> + +<p>"We always do this," said he to me, "as a measure +of precaution. When thus corded the reindeer move +with far more difficulty if they wish to run away."</p> + +<p>The other reindeer, which fought so desperately for +freedom, had only been used twice during the winter +and was not accustomed to being lassoed.</p> + +<p>These two animals were tied to trees, and then Jon +and the Lapps went to capture two others. Jon +missed the second reindeer, a splendid bull, on the +first throw, the lasso falling on his back; but the next +throw caught him. At the same time the other man +had succeeded in lassoing the fourth one.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/007.png" width="600" height="387" alt="" title="" /> +"The man had to use all his strength."</div> + +<p>Then Jon, pointing to the second reindeer he had +lassoed, said: "Paulus, I wanted this one especially +for you. He is thirteen years old. He is one of +my favorites and has been often under harness. He +does not go quite as fast as he did formerly, but he is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +just the reindeer for you, for he is more easily managed +than any others I own."</p> + +<p>I looked at the reindeer. I noticed that the animal +had much stouter legs than the common deer, or even +than the elk, and the hoofs were particularly large. +They are smaller than our own big elks, and looked +very much like our caribou. The hair of the majority +of the reindeer was gray, very coarse and thick, +and almost white under the belly. Some of the animals +in the herd were white.</p> + +<p>Then we went homeward. Two or three times +one of the reindeer made a light show of resistance +and had to be pulled for a minute or so, and the +wilder one was even less easy to manage; he struggled +hard several times, and twice the Lapp who held him +was almost thrown down.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER X</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Harnessing Reindeer.—The First Lessons in Driving.—Constantly +Upset at First.—Going Down Hill with Reindeer.—Thrown +Out at the Bottom.—Queer Noise +Made by Reindeer Hoofs.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">ON our return we tied our reindeer securely and +went to a small house where the harness was +kept. There I saw along the walls many collars, +leather straps, and traces, but no bits. I thought +this was singular, and I wondered how the reindeer +could be driven, but I said nothing. But when harnesses +for the reindeer were brought out I found +that harnessing a reindeer was very unlike harnessing +a horse, and far more simple. A collar was put on, +and at the lower part of the collar a strong plaited +leather trace was fastened. This passed between the +reindeer's legs and was made fast to the forward part +of the sleigh. No bits are used. The rein (there +was only one) was also of plaited leather and fastened +at the base of the horns.</p> + +<p>During this process the reindeer seemed very restless +and several times were on the point of running away.</p> + +<p>"The harnessing, as you see," said Jon to me, +"though simple, has to be done with great care, for +no matter how well trained a reindeer is, as soon as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +he is harnessed he wants to go; besides, he is easily +scared when in harness." So while things were being +made ready for the start the reindeer were tightly held.</p> + +<p>"I will now show you how to take your place in +the sleigh," said Jon. Then he sat upright at the +bottom, with his legs stretched before him and his +back resting against the end of the sleigh. Then he +got out and said, "Now you get in." I found the +position a very uncomfortable one; but this is the +only way one can sit in these little sleighs. And it +took me some time to get accustomed to it without +getting tired, though afterwards I could sit for hours +without getting out.</p> + +<p>Jon handed me the rein and twisted it round my +wrist, and said with a rather roguish smile: "Now, +if you upset, the reindeer cannot run away without +you! After a while he will stop when he knows you +are tipped over. You will roll over several times in +the snow before he stops."</p> + +<p>"All right," I replied, "there is plenty of snow, no +harm can come to me. My head is safe."</p> + +<p>"Be careful, Paulus," he added; "see that your +rein never touches the snow, for if it should get under +the sleigh your arm might become entangled and +your wrist or shoulder be dislocated. If you upset, +let the rein go. If you want the reindeer to stop, +throw the rein to the left. If you want him to go +fast, keep it on the right. Keep your rein always +loose, almost touching the snow. Have a sharp lookout +about this.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I myself will ride with my legs outside, my toes +touching the snow to guide my sleigh; but you are a +beginner, and you cannot do so. Never ride with +your legs out, for it is dangerous for a man who is +not accustomed to it to ride that way. Sometimes +accidents happen even among the most expert, and +some Lapps get seriously injured. Here is a stick +to guide your sleigh, and to prevent your reindeer +from going too fast push the stick deep into the snow. +It will not be as good as feet, but it is much better +than nothing.</p> + +<p>"I will take the lead, you will follow, and two +Lapps will come behind to watch over you. Do not +mind if you upset often; do not be discouraged; a +beginner has to upset many times before he knows +how to drive a reindeer and keep in his sleigh."</p> + +<p>In the mean time our reindeers had become very +restive and they were held with difficulty. Suddenly +Jon gave the order to start.</p> + +<p>We started at a furious speed, and my sleigh rocked +to and fro. It was awful. I swayed first one way, +then another. I knew that I could not keep my +equilibrium long without being thrown out, and I was +right. Each reindeer wanted to go faster than the +others; they kept on at a terrible gait. I was shot +out of the sleigh, heels over head, and rolled over and +over in the snow. Finally the animal stopped.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/008.png" width="600" height="386" alt="" title="" /> +"I was shot out of the sleigh."</div> + +<p>The Lapps behind me came to the rescue. After +brushing the snow from my face I got in again, and +my reindeer started off at a fearful speed, and in less<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +than thirty seconds I was once more shot out of my +sleigh. This time the rein slipped from my wrist, as +I had not secured it well enough, and the animal sped +away, leaving me on my back, blinded by the snow. +The Lapps went on their skees after my reindeer, +which in the mean time had stopped, and brought it +back to me.</p> + +<p>Then they said to me with a laugh: "Often reindeer +start that way when they feel frisky. To-day is +the right sort of weather for them. The mercury +marks 40 degrees below zero. The starting is the +most difficult part."</p> + +<p>I thought so! I got into my sleigh, and the animal +started at a furious speed, and once more I was shot +out of the sleigh. I got up half stunned, covered +with snow. Fortunately I had twisted the rein so +well round my wrist this time that the reindeer could +not run away without me, and he stopped after I had +been dragged a few seconds.</p> + +<p>I was not disheartened—so I kept on driving and +being thrown out. It happened so often that I +began to tire of counting the number of times I upset. +It must have been nearly one hundred times that day. +It had been a very hard day's work for me.</p> + +<p>The second day I took more lessons, and began to +learn how to balance myself. It is a knack, and I +began to improve and had fewer upsettings. The +third day I did better. I gradually learned pretty +well how to balance myself on level ground, and did +not upset any more.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span></p> + +<p>After a few days I knew how to drive reindeer on +level ground, and I could guide my sleigh with a stick +as well as a sailor steers his boat with the rudder.</p> + +<p>When I had reached this stage of expertness Jon +said to me: "Paulus, now you can drive in a level +country, but soon you will come where there are +many steep hills, and mountains. So you must +learn how to drive down steep hills. This is often +very exciting. The weather is beautiful, and this +afternoon I want you to take your first lesson going +down hill. I have sent men for a fresh set of reindeer; +they will soon be back."</p> + +<p>In the course of the afternoon the reindeer came out +harnessed, and as we were ready to start, "I will lead," +said Jon, "you will follow, and another Lapp will +come third. It is far more difficult to go down hill +than to drive on a level surface. You must put your +stick deep into the snow to slacken the speed and +guide your sleigh. Don't be frightened at the speed, +which is very great, and be careful not to be thrown +out when you reach the bottom of the hill; this is the +most difficult part of driving, for the reindeer turn +sharply so as not to have the sleigh strike their legs." +At this remark I thought of my going down hill +on skees. That was hard enough, and I wondered +what would happen to me with the sleigh.</p> + +<p>The surface of the country was slightly undulating, +and our reindeer followed each other in good order +and at a short distance from one another.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Jon slackened the pace of his reindeer so<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +that I should overtake him. Then, when within hearing +distance, he called out: "We will soon go down +a steep hill," and he started again.</p> + +<p>He had hardly said these words when he was out of +sight. I reached the crest of the hill, then down went +my reindeer at a terrible pace, railway speed in fact, and +as the animal reached the bottom of the hill he made +a sudden sharp curve. For a few seconds my body +swayed from one side to the other, and before I knew +it I was flung headlong out of the sleigh.</p> + +<p>This took place in a great deal less time than I can +tell it in. I had been thrown out with great force +against the snow, face forward, and as the snow was +granulated it hurt.</p> + +<p>I had learned to be quick. I was in my sleigh in +the twinkling of an eye and followed the track made +by Jon, and we rode quietly on the plain. Soon Jon +stopped and a moment after I joined him.</p> + +<p>"Paulus," said he, when I had caught up with him, +"we must try another descent." We ascended the +bank in a zigzag way (I following his track) until we +reached the summit. It was hard work. This hill +was very long and steep. When ready Jon shouted: +"Paulus, look out; we are going to have another descent." +The pace of my reindeer was tremendous +as he went down. The animal seemed to know that +if he did not go fast enough the sleigh would strike +against his legs as he descended the hill. Down we +went; we simply seemed to fly, and as the reindeer +got to the bottom he made the same sharp turn again,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +the sleigh whirled round with a great jerk, and I was +thrown out head over heels as before.</p> + +<p>During the descent, as my animal ran his hind feet +threw particles of granulated snow in my face—they +were like small stones striking it with great force. It +hurt awfully. After this I was obliged to put on my +mask for protection that day.</p> + +<p>Ever since I had begun driving reindeer I had +heard a noise, a sharp sound, as if sticks of wood were +striking against each other, when the animals were trotting +at full speed. It occurred to me to ask what was +the cause of this curious noise. My Lapp replied, +"Every time the hoof of the reindeer touches the snow +it spreads wide apart, broadening in this way and keeping +the animal from sinking too deep in the snow; and +when the foot is lifted, the two sides of the hoof +are brought together again, striking against each other +and making the noise you hear."</p> + +<p>I continued to improve every day in going down +hill, and succeeded at last in keeping in by throwing +my body in the opposite direction when the reindeer +made his sharp turn. This difficulty conquered, I +bade Jon a hearty good-bye, thanking him for his +patience in teaching me, and continued my journey.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/009.png" width="600" height="383" alt="" title="" /> +"At noon I saw the sun's lower rim touching the horizon."</div> + +<p>From Rukojarvi I had followed the highroad, +passed the post stations of Korpilombolo with its +church, Sattajarvi, and came to the hamlet of Pajala, +in latitude 67° 10'. The hamlet is situated near the +junction of the Torne river with the Muonio, and had +a church.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>The Last Days of the Sun.—Beginning of the Long Night.—A +Mighty Wall of Ice.—The Long Night's Warning +Voice.—The Aurora Borealis and its Magnificence.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">THE day I left Pajala I saw the sun at noon; it +was hardly above the horizon; it had barely +risen and shown itself when it was sunset and it disappeared +under the horizon.</p> + +<p>Then came a long snowstorm, and for a wonder +one without a gale. After the snowstorm the sky +suddenly cleared, and at noon I saw the sun's lower +rim touching the horizon. It was of a fiery red. +Then after a while it disappeared.</p> + +<p>The next day only the upper half of the sun was +above the horizon at noon, and just as the rim was +ready to sink I fancied I heard the sun say to me: +"To-morrow you will not see me; then you will have +entered 'The Land of the Long Night,' and when you +go further and further north you will be in that land. +Good-bye, good-bye."</p> + +<p>Then I thought I heard the "Long Night" say to +me: "For one night of six months I rule at the +North Pole. Then I am most powerful. In the +course of countless years I have frozen the sea and +I have built a wall of ice so thick, and so broad,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +and so hard, that no vessel will ever be strong enough +to break through, and no man will ever reach the +pole. I guard the approach to the pole and watch +carefully the wall of ice I have built around it. When +the sun drives me away and rules in his turn one day +of six months at the pole (for the whole year is equally +divided between us), he tries with his steady heat to +destroy the wall I have built. On my return I +repair the damage the sun has done and make the +wall as strong as it was before. I send terrific gales +and mighty snowstorms over oceans and lands, and +even far to the south of my dominion, for my power +is so great that it is felt beyond my realm."</p> + +<p>There was a pause; then I thought I heard the +sardonic laugh of the "Long Night." I shuddered +when I remembered the words the "Long Night" +had just spoken, and the laugh had in it something +sinister. I fancied I saw the dim figure of a woman +with long flowing hair standing at the pole, looking +towards me. She was the "Long Night." I remembered +the names of the valiant and daring commanders +who had led expeditions towards the North +Pole, and had perished in their endeavors with the +gallant men who had trusted and followed them.</p> + +<p>Then I thought of the brave explorers who had +followed in their wake with better fortune, for their +lives had been spared, though they failed to reach the +pole. The wall the "Long Night" had built could +not be passed.</p> + +<p>As these thoughts came over me, I exclaimed:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +"'Long Night,' great and terrible indeed has been +the loss of life among those who have tried to reach +the pole, but the ingenuity of man is great, and in +spite of the ice barrier thou hast built around it we +have not lost hope that man by some device of his +own may yet be able to reach the pole."</p> + +<p>After uttering these words I imagined I heard, +again coming from the far north, another laugh of the +"Long Night." It seemed like a laugh of defiance in +response to what I had said.</p> + +<p>Near me was a forest of tall fir trees; looking up I +saw the great blue of heaven studded all over with +brilliant stars shining down upon the snow-covered +land where I was.</p> + +<p>The next day the sun did not appear. I was now +in "The Land of the Long Night." It was strange +now to see stars all the time, and the moon in the +place of the sun. The great pines and fir trees of +the forest contrasted strongly with the snow of the +land.</p> + +<p>The sun had disappeared below the horizon, but in +clear days its glow could be seen. I could not tell the +hour of the day, for the stars set and rose in continuous +succession in this kingdom of the "Long Night." +I did not know when it was morning or when it was +evening, but in fine weather the glow over the horizon +told me when it was about noon. It was indeed a +strange land; but the Lapps could tell from the stars +whether it was night or day, for they were accustomed +to gauge time by them according to their height above<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +the horizon, just as we do at home with the sun. I +had my watch, but could not look at it often, for it +was under my garments.</p> + +<p>For many days the land was illuminated for a while +every night by the aurora borealis, or Northern Lights. +Sometimes the aurora seemed to imitate the waves of +the sea and moved like big heavy swells, changing +colors, bluish, white, violet, green, orange. These +colors seemed to blend together. Then the heaving +mass would become gradually intensely red. This +red mass broke into fragments which scattered themselves +all over the blue sky. It gave its reflection +to the snow. It was the end of the aurora or electric +storm. They were never twice alike; they varied +in forms and colors. The auroras are like everything +in creation: on our earth there not two men or +women exactly alike, there are not two leaves alike, +two blades of grass, two trees, two stones alike, neither +two waves, for the sea is ever changing in its ripples.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XII</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>The Snow Getting Deeper.—Lapp Hospitality.—A Lapp +Repast.—Coffee and Tobacco Lapp Staples.—Babies in +Strange Cradles.—How the Tents are Made.—Going +to Sleep with the Mercury at 39° Below.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">WHEN I had left Pajala I travelled on the +frozen Muonio, passed the stations of Kaunisvaara, +Killangi, and Parkajoki, and came to Muonioniska. +All the hamlets or farms had comfortable +log buildings. Some of the dwelling-houses +were quite large. Wood was not lacking and the +houses were quite warm. Forests of the fir were +abundant.</p> + +<p>The sun was now hidden below the horizon. The +snow was getting deeper every hour—and was about +seven or eight feet deep on a level after being packed. +I was coming to another great "Snow Land." From +Muonioniska I travelled on between the Muonio and +Ouanasjoki rivers. (Joki means river in Finnish.) +I became acquainted with many nomadic Lapps who +wandered with their reindeer over that great snow land—among +them were two very pleasant men of the +name of Pinta and Wasara, who agreed to travel with +me for a while.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span></p> + +<p>Wasara, the younger, was the son of a very rich +Lapp who owned nearly ten thousand reindeer, and +possessed besides a good bank account.</p> + +<p>Pinta was poor, the possessor of only about one hundred +reindeer, which pastured with those of his elder +brother. Pinta was about thirty years old; Wasara +about twenty-five. Both were men of splendid physique; +broad shouldered with very muscular legs and +arms, which were apparently as hard as wood. They +had blue eyes and fair hair. One was four feet eight +inches and a half in height, the other was four feet ten +inches. They were very skilful on skees; in summer +they could make tremendous leaps over rivers and +ditches with the long poles they carried with them, +and could drive the most intractable reindeer, which +are even worse than our broncos.</p> + +<p>While travelling, I drove next to the leader, for +reindeer follow each other mechanically in the same +furrow. The leader is the one that has the most +work; but if he follows a furrow, his reindeer gives +him little trouble.</p> + +<p>Pinta generally took the lead, I came next, and +Wasara third. Pinta and Wasara had their faithful +dogs with them.</p> + +<p>Travelling was fine; the snow was well packed, and +so crisp that the sleighs glided over it lightly. Often +we travelled at the rate of fifteen miles an hour, for +our animals were strong and had not been used for +several days.</p> + +<p>How I shouted, for I had such an exuberance of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +spirits. I felt so strong and healthy. I wanted to go, +to go onward, to go all the time. Sometimes I felt like +running, like jumping. One could not help it, for it +was the atmosphere that made one feel so. I could +not get tired.</p> + +<p>The fine weather, however, lasted but a few days. +Then the sky became gray, there was not a star to be +seen, the wind began to rise, and snow fell. We +could see nothing. Wasara thought we were near the +tent of his father, but we could not see any landmark +to guide us.</p> + +<p>The two dogs ran in every direction, to try to scent +people. They seemed to know that we were looking +after the tent of Wasara's father; but each time they +would return looking in the face of their masters +silently, as if to say "We find nothing."</p> + +<p>We were somewhat afraid of wolves, but trusted in +the dogs to warn us of their approach. We at last +concluded to stop; we kept the reindeer harnessed +and stood near them. We fixed our hoods carefully +over our faces, put on our masks, and seated ourselves +on the snow. Soon I heard heavy snoring—Pinta +and Wasara were fast asleep, with their heads +downward and arms crossed on their breasts. The +Lapps sleep often in that way when travelling. But +the weather cleared after three or four hours and +we continued our journey. My two friends then +knew where they were.</p> + +<p>After an hour's drive we saw in the midst of the +snow, near a large forest of fir trees, a tent. "Here<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +is the tent of my father," said Wasara, pointing out +the tent to me.</p> + +<p>We hurried our reindeer, and as we approached the +place more than a dozen Lapp dogs, wolf-like in +appearance, announced our arrival by their fierce +barking.</p> + +<p>Wasara's father came outside of the tent, drove the +dogs away, and told them to be quiet. He recognized +his son and bade us come in.</p> + +<p>"What a strange abode these nomadic Lapps +have," I said to myself, as I looked around inside of +the tent. According to Lapp etiquette the left side +of the tent was given to us, soft reindeer skins being +first laid on the top of branches of young birch trees +that were spread on the floor of earth, the snow +having been removed where they had pitched their +tent.</p> + +<p>The father took his snuffbox from a small bag and +offered me a pinch of snuff. This ceremony meant +that I was welcome, and I passed the snuffbox to his +son who, in turn, offered a pinch of snuff to Pinta.</p> + +<p>I looked with astonishment at the people that were +in the tent, and everything that surrounded me. +These Lapps had blue eyes; their faces, owing to exposure +to the blustering winds, were very red, but the +protected part of the skin was as white as that of the +whitest people. There were a number of women and +men, several young girls and two lads. I was told +that there were two men with the reindeer.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 394px;"> +<img src="images/010.png" width="394" height="550" alt="" title="" /> +"What a strange abode these nomadic Lapps have!"</div> + +<p>The women were all busy; one was weaving shoe-bands<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +of bright colors, red predominating; another +was just finishing a "kapta," and a third one was putting +a lining of red flannel over the seams upon a tiny pair +of reindeer-skin shoes for a child; the girls were sewing +some undergarments.</p> + +<p>Wasara's father's first name was Pehr,—he was a +fine-looking Lapp, about seventy years old. His +father was living, and was about ninety years old. +The outdoor life agrees with the Lapp. Give me the +plateaus of the Arctic regions for health. There are +plenty of mosquitoes in summer, but no malaria at +any time. Nor is there any sore throat there. I do +not remember, indeed, ever to have heard a person +cough in that country.</p> + +<p>The material of the tent was of very coarse woollen +stuff, called "vadmal." The tent was about thirteen +feet in diameter at the ground. Its frame was composed +of poles fitting each other; the wood had +become black from being smoked for years. These +poles are so well knitted together that they can resist +the terrific winds which blow over the land. A cross +pole high up sustained an iron chain, at the end of +which is a hook to hold the kettle and cooking pot. +The coarse woollen stuff which covered the frame was +composed of two pieces that were made fast by +strings. The nature of the vadmal permits the wind +to go gently through. The entrance is by a small +sliding door made of the same material.</p> + +<p>Inside, along the lower part of the tent, were boxes +of different shapes and sizes, packages lying on the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +top of skins to prevent the wind from blowing in +from the bottom; the outside was protected by snow.</p> + +<p>As I glanced around I saw two queer-looking things, +resembling in shape the sabots or wooden shoes of +the peasantry of Europe, only very much larger, hanging +near the sides. I looked in, and to my great astonishment +saw a Lapp baby in each. They were +Lapp cradles, called "katkem" or "komse." They +were made of a single piece of wood and were about +two and a half feet long by fifteen or eighteen inches +wide. In one was such a sweet Lapp baby, a dear +little girl, with her eyes wide open. As I looked at +her she smiled. In the other was a big fat boy, fast +asleep.</p> + +<p>Two women went out and collected a lot of snow, +which they put on to melt in a big iron pot hanging over +the fire. This is the way the Lapps have to do to +procure water. When the snow had melted she put +the water in a coffee kettle that had a spout. One of +the women ground coffee in a mill. Then the +ground coffee was put into the kettle and left to boil +for quite a while, the woman watching it, taking +off the pot when it was about to boil over, and then +putting it over the fire again. The third woman was +attending to the cups and saucers. When the coffee +was ready they put in a little bit of salt to give it +flavor, then set the coffee kettle on the ground and +put into it a small piece of dried fishskin to clarify it +and precipitate the grounds at the bottom of the +kettle.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span></p> + +<p>When the coffee was ready to be poured, one of the +women went out and came back with reindeer milk +which had remained frozen for over three months. +Then the coffee was served. The wife bit several +pieces of rock candy from a big lump, to sweeten +each cup of coffee, and after putting in frozen reindeer +milk with a spoon, licked it with her tongue—"What +is the use of being particular when one +travels," I said to myself. If one were, he would +starve. We had silver spoons, round in shape, with +twisted handles. "These," said the father, "have +been in the possession of our family for nearly two +hundred years." I saw different initials and different +dates from the year 1700 down.</p> + +<p>After coffee men, women, and the young girls filled +their pipes and had a good smoke. They were very +much astonished when I told them I had never smoked +in my life.</p> + +<p>"There are two things we Lapps have always with +us—coffee and tobacco. After a hard day's work +or a long journey there is nothing so refreshing as +coffee," said Pehr Wasara, smacking his lips at the +very thought.</p> + +<p>While we were chatting, Pehr was busy cutting +reindeer meat and putting the pieces in a pot hanging +over the fire which had been filled with snow that +had melted. When he had finished, he said: "By +and by you will have something to eat." I was prodigiously +hungry; travelling over the snow in a temperature +between 35 and 45 degrees below zero, as I had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +done for several days, gives one such a good appetite! +While waiting for the meal to be ready, I went outside +the tent with my host.</p> + +<p>The sight outside was quite as strange as the inside +of the tent. Numerous Lapp sleighs were scattered +here and there, skees were lying on the ground in +different directions. Quarters and other large pieces +of reindeer meat, out of the reach of wolves, foxes, +and dogs, were suspended to the branches of trees. +On two racks about eight feet high above the ground +were pieces of reindeer meat piled upon each other. +Collars, traces, reins, everything for the harnessing of +reindeer, were seen all round the tent; buckets full +of frozen reindeer milk, filled late in the autumn, +were on the ground. Hanging on trees were bladders +filled with congealed milk or blood.</p> + +<p>The sleighs were of different kinds; several were +decked over and used as trunks. Others were empty. +Four were filled with hoofs of the reindeer they had +killed to subsist upon during the winter.</p> + +<p>Skins of wolves, of white foxes, of reindeer, were +stretched on frames, so that they could not shrink. +Reindeer pack-saddles, empty pails, wooden vessels, +lay here and there. Fur garments and underwear +were hanging to the branches of trees. It was a +strange sight indeed! But a sight I met thereafter at +almost every camp.</p> + +<p>When the meal was ready we were called in. The +host served the meat, which had been put in a large +platter, in portions, guessing what would satisfy the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +hunger of each person. The fattest parts, which are +considered the most dainty, were given to me, being +the guest of honor, and the meat was served to us in +wooden plates. We had nothing but reindeer meat. +I was getting accustomed to eat meat without bread or +potatoes.</p> + +<p>During the meal small pieces of roots of fir trees, +which are full of resin, were thrown into the fire for +light. After the meal I thanked all for it, according +to the custom. Then the Lapps lighted their pipes +again.</p> + +<p>Pehr Wasara employed a man and a woman servant. +From their clothing you could not tell them apart +from the other people. They were treated like members +of the family. The girl was paid three reindeer +a year, the man six.</p> + +<p>"How much can you buy a tent for?" I inquired +of Pehr Wasara. "Thirty or forty dollars," he replied. +"This is a great deal of money for us poor +Lapps." Pehr had plenty of money in the bank, but +pretended poverty. I learned also that a trained reindeer +costs eight dollars.</p> + +<p>I asked many questions. How long a tent lasted? +He replied: "The vadmal is very durable, and a tent +lasts about twenty years, but it has to be patched very +often during that time." I looked round and saw a +good many patches, and I thought of the story of the +knife and handle,—first the blade broke, then a new +blade was put in; after this the handle broke, and a +new handle was put on. I remembered that once a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> +dear old aunt of mine said to me: "Paul, this black +silk dress has lasted me twenty years." I exclaimed, +"Twenty years, aunty! Are you sure of this?" +Then in the course of a few days, by indirect questions +I found out that she had had three new bodices +put on at different times, and three different skirts. +I thought the tent of the Lapp might be twenty years +old in the same way.</p> + +<p>After the meal had been finished the babies were +taken from their cradles, and their little beds were +made afresh. The cradle bottoms were covered with +fine, soft, well-dried lichen or reindeer moss, over +which a little cotton sheet was spread. The babies +were stark naked, and were wrapped in little sheepskins +while their beds were being made. Then they were +laid in, the sheet turned down, with a coarse piece of +vadmal and sheepskin over it; the whole was made +fast by a cord fastened through holes on each side of +the cradle and laced across.</p> + +<p>One of the mothers said to me: "When a child is +born it is the custom among Lapps to give him or +her a reindeer. When baptized the sponsor, too, +often gives a reindeer to the babe, and these animals, +and the increase thereof, become the child's own +property."</p> + +<p>This woman, pointing out her sister to me, observed: +"When my baby had his first teeth, my sister +here presented him with a reindeer. This is a +custom among us Lapps."</p> + +<p>Then two of the men and two of the women with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +their dogs and their skees went to relieve the people +who were watching the reindeer herd, and Pehr Wasara +remarked, "My reindeer are divided in a number of +herds—for they could not all pasture together. We +are afraid of wolves. These people are to remain on +the watch all night."</p> + +<p>The family was very pious; they were, like all the +Lapps, Lutherans. Before going to sleep they sang +psalms and hymns, praising God for the blessings of +the day.</p> + +<p>Then they dressed themselves for the night, putting +on over the garments they wore during the day +a long reindeer kapta, a sort of nightshirt reaching +below the feet. More reindeer skins were put over +the skins on which we were seated. Then a big bearskin +was given to me as a blanket, Pehr saying, "I +killed this bear myself."</p> + +<p>Before retiring I took off my shoes, the Lapp grass, +and my stockings, and hung them on the cross poles +to dry. All did likewise. I carefully arranged my +precious Lapp grass so every vestige of dampness +would be absorbed when I should put it on again +in the morning. One of the women lent me a pair +of her own stockings, which she took from one of the +little chests by her side.</p> + +<p>The fire had gradually died out. "We seldom +keep fires burning at night," said the head of the +family, "for it would be dangerous." The dogs +were driven out and the door made secure, comparatively +speaking. We were all huddled close together.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> +Then we bade each other good-night. I looked at +my thermometer, it marked 39 degrees below zero +inside the tent; it was 46 degrees outside and everything +was perfectly still, there was not a breath of air +stirring. Through the opening in the tent for the +smoke to pass, I could see the stars twinkling in the +blue sky as I lay on my back. Then putting my head +under my bearskin I soon fell asleep, though some dogs +succeeded in smuggling themselves in, and two or three +times they awoke me by trying to get under my bearskin +and lie by me. They did likewise with the other +people. Once I was awakened by a big booming +sound. It was the cracking of the ice over a lake not +far off from us.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Toilet with Snow.—A Lapp Breakfast.—Lapp Dogs.—Talks +with my Lapp Friend about the Reindeer.—Their Habits and +Various Forms of Usefulness.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">WHEN we awoke in the morning it was 40 +degrees below zero in the tent and 48 degrees +below outside. I felt like washing my face and my +hands, but melted snow was sure to turn into ice as +soon as it was on my face. I did not want to wash +in warm water, for it would have made my skin too +tender. So I rubbed my face and hands with snow +and dried them thoroughly. This was my usual +morning wash when I slept out of doors.</p> + +<p>A big fire was lighted and the maidservant went +to work kneading dough—yeast was not used. The +loaves were baked on charcoal, as is often done among +the Lapps, and at the same time coffee was made.</p> + +<p>The breakfast was composed of the dry powdered +blood of reindeer, mixed with flour, diluted in warm +water and made into pancake. We had a porridge of +dried reindeer's milk that had been stirred in warm +water with a wooden spoon. The milk of the reindeer +is very rich and thick. When it was served +to me, the wife remarked: "This food is very nutritious." +We also had some reindeer meat and finished<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +up with reindeer cheese and a cup of coffee. +It was a fine breakfast. I ate heartily of everything. +When it is so cold one is always hungry. After the +breakfast, all the household with the exception of the +host and hostess started on their skees for the reindeer +herd, which was to be removed to some other +quarters, for the moss had been more or less eaten and +they were to take them to a place where the snow was +not so deep. The mothers had slung their cradles +with their babies on their shoulders. Each Lapp was +followed by his dog.</p> + +<p>About one hour after breakfast the night watch +returned with their dogs. Immediately the wife gave +to each a cup of coffee; then they took their breakfast. +They gave their dogs some of the powdered blood +mixed with flour and warm water. The dogs relished +this greatly. Then they were given the bones, which +they had been watching with glaring eyes. They +went out with them and gnawed them until there was +nothing left of them. Such is generally the meal +given to the dogs every day. Once in a while they +get a small piece of meat, which they swallow voraciously +in a single mouthful.</p> + +<p>When the night watch had done eating they went +to sleep; so did their dogs. These Lapp dogs are +thickset. They resemble the Pomeranian breed, +but are larger; their hair is long, very thick, and +bushy. Their ears stand upright; they seem to have +some wolf blood in them. The tail is curly. Pehr +Wasara said to me: "Lapps could not do without<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +their dogs. They are faithful animals; they are our +helpmates; they keep our reindeer together when we +are on the march, watch them when they are pasturing; +they look out constantly for wolves, and warn us +when they are in the neighborhood, and of their +approach beforehand, and attack them without fear. +Neither are they afraid of bears. They are very brave.</p> + +<p>"Every man, woman, manservant or maidservant +and grown-up child, has his or her dog which obeys +and listens to his master alone. They are never +allowed to stay behind; wherever their master goes +they go, and watch with him night and day if necessary. +Occasionally, for some reason unknown to us, or +because the deer scent the wolves afar off, a panic seizes +the herd of reindeer, and instinctively they move away. +That is the time when our dogs prove most useful and +of the greatest service to us. They go around in every +direction and bring the reindeer together. They seem +to know that there is some unseen danger. When the +wolves come into the herd, the dogs attack them +fiercely and act with great cunning, taking care not to +be bitten by them and waiting for the opportunity to +spring on the wolves."</p> + +<p>While Pehr was talking I wished I could see a +pack of wolves attacking reindeer, to see how the dogs +fight them.</p> + +<p>"Do not think," added Pehr, "that it is our inclination +to be harsh towards our dogs. We never +overfeed them; it is the only way to keep them hardy, +strong, and healthy. They are not allowed to rest<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +until their master or mistress has returned to the tent. +Then we want them to stay out doors."</p> + +<p>"I should like very much," I said to Pehr, "to +see how you break in reindeer and accustom them to +harness."</p> + +<p>"Well," he replied, "you will see how we train our +reindeer to draw sledges. You came just in time, for +we are now training some, as we have several that are +getting too old. The males are used as draught animals, +as they are stronger than the females. When +the snow is in good condition they can draw as much +as four hundred pounds, or two or three logs of pine +or fir."</p> + +<p>So he sent two men after the reindeer. They took +their lassos with them, and in less than an hour they +returned with two reindeer.</p> + +<p>"The process of teaching a reindeer to draw a sleigh +or carry a pack on his back," observed Pehr, "is very +tedious and very hard work. Some of the reindeer +are more difficult to teach than others, and in spite of +the best training the wild nature and restlessness of +the animal shows itself not infrequently."</p> + +<p>I thought so. I remembered my first lessons.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/011.png" width="600" height="386" alt="" title="" /> +"I went outside the tent with my host."</div> + +<p>"We begin to train the reindeer," he continued, +"when he is about three years old, and he does not +become a well trained animal before he is five. When +they are under training a daily lesson is given them +to let them know their masters, and also a lesson to +accustom them to be lassoed, of which they are very +much afraid at first. We give them salt and angelica,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +of which they are very fond, every day, to make them +come when they are needed, and in that case the lasso +is not necessary. They are never subjected to ill-treatment +at any time; if they were we could do +nothing with them."</p> + +<p>The work of teaching the reindeer to draw a sleigh +began. Salt was first given to one of the deer, which +he seemed to enjoy very much. Then without trouble +a very strong leather cord with a loop was put carefully +over his horns, and the loop was drawn tight +at the base. The collar was carefully put on his neck +and more salt given to him. The trace attached to the +sleigh was much longer than those used when driving; +it was several yards in length, so that the sleigh could +not be touched when the animal kicked; then it was +tied to the collar of the reindeer. As soon as the +animal was urged to move, and felt the weight of the +sleigh, he plunged wildly forward and kicked, then +plunged first in one direction and then in another. It +was a great sight. I thought they would never be able +to break the animal in. It required all the strength +of the Lapp not to be dragged by the animal. The +other man, with a cord, held the sleigh. After a few +trials both man and beast were exhausted.</p> + +<p>A short rest was then taken and another trial was +made. With repeated rests for the trainer and the animal, +the day's lesson proceeded. The trainer was in +profuse perspiration, though it was 38 degrees below +zero. My host said to me: "This exercise is repeated +day after day until the animal submits to it.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +They are in their prime at seven or eight years and can +work till the age of fifteen or seventeen years. The +reason we have to wander so much with our reindeer +is that we have to go where the snow is not so deep as +in other parts, for the reindeer has to dig into the snow +to find his food, the lichen, and he cannot go deeper +than three or four feet. We generally know where +these places are, for the wind, which blows every year +more or less in the same direction, blows away a part +of the snow. When we come to such a place we pitch +our tent."</p> + +<p>"When the reindeer is left to himself can he find +such a place?" I inquired. "How can the animals +know that the snow is only three or four feet deep?"</p> + +<p>"I do not know," he replied, "but the wild reindeer +can find it, otherwise they would starve."</p> + +<p>"How can they dig through the snow?" I asked +with a smile. "They have no shovels."</p> + +<p>Pehr laughed at my remark. "Their fore feet are +their shovels," he replied. "You will see for yourself +how they dig the snow."</p> + +<p>I asked Pehr also about the speed of the reindeer.</p> + +<p>"The speed of the reindeer," he replied, "varies +very much according to the time of the year and the +state of the snow, October, November and December +being the months when they are the fleetest, as they are +fresh from the summer pastures. January and February +are also very good months for them. The cold +weather strengthens them, and they are not yet exhausted +from digging through the snow, as they are at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +the end of the season. The rapidity of their gait depends +very much also on the state of the surface of the +snow. If it is well packed and crisp, they go very fast. +Much depends, too, upon the distance and whether +the country is hilly or not, or with a long range of +slopes. On the rivers, over well packed snow, and a +good track that has been furrowed by previous reindeer, +they can average twelve or fifteen miles an hour +when in good condition, sometimes twenty for the +first hour; down a mountain slope twenty and twenty-five. +They can travel five or six hours without stopping; +the first hour very rapidly, the second more +slowly, and towards the fifth and sixth hours still +more slowly, perhaps not more than eight or ten miles +an hour, for by that time they require rest and food, +and we unharness them in places where the snow is +not deep, and let them get their food. Early in the +winter, when they are in good condition, one can travel +with a swift bull reindeer one hundred and fifty miles +in a day, and even two hundred miles if the condition +of the snow is favorable and the cold is 30 or +40 degrees below zero. The colder the weather is the +greater is the speed. Seventy or eighty miles a day is +a good average for a reindeer."</p> + +<p>When this talk was ended, Pehr Wasara said to +me, "Let us take our skees and go to one of my +herds near by." After a run of about two miles we +came into the midst of a herd of about three thousand +reindeer. "There are more," he said with pride. +"Are they not fine animals?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed, they are," I replied.</p> + +<p>While I was looking at the magnificent horns of +some of the beasts, Pehr remarked: "The horns of +the males, which often weigh forty pounds, attain the +full size at the age of six or seven years, those of the +cow at about four years. The time the reindeer drops +his horns is from March until May. In the adult +animals they attain their full size in September or at +the beginning of October. After the age of eight +years the branches gradually drop off. They are the +easiest animals that man can keep. They require no +barns. They are never housed. They like cold +weather and snow. Food has not to be stored for +them. They will not touch the moss that has been +gathered unless brought up to do so by farmers. +They get their food themselves. We do not give +them water. When thirsty they eat the snow. When +our people go among them they will often not even +raise their heads, and remain quiet when we pitch our +tents. Once in a while there is so much snow in +some districts that it is impossible for reindeer to get +at the moss; then the only way is to go to the lowlands, +or into the forest, where the reindeer can feed +on the moss hanging from the firs or pines.</p> + +<p>"Some of the reindeer," he went on, "though +trained to eat kept moss, hay, and even bread, thrive +only when they are free to roam about; they cannot +be kept all the time in their stables. They must wander +over the snow and eat it. Otherwise they are sure +to degenerate and become useless as draught animals."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span></p> + +<p>"How many reindeer," I asked, "does a family +require for its support?"</p> + +<p>He replied, "A thousand at least. A herd of two +thousand to two thousand five hundred gives from +two hundred to two hundred and seventy-five, perhaps +three hundred, calves a year. Sometimes we +have bad years with our reindeer. Some years prove +unfavorable to their increase. Some years the snow +is very deep, which prevents them from digging for +food; the herd then become emaciated from their +exertions and want of sufficient food, and many +die.</p> + +<p>"Some Lapps," he added, "own five or six thousand +reindeer, one or two among us, eight or ten +thousand. The spring is a bad time for them; the +snow melts during the day from the sun's heat, and +a thick crust forms at night from the frost, so that +their feet break through, causing lameness and +disease. At that time we move them as much as we +can only during the day, but it is hard work for them +to go through the soft snow.</p> + +<p>"Without the reindeer we could not exist in this +northern land of snow. The reindeer is our horse, +our beast of burden. On him we feed. He gives +us our clothing, our shoes, our gloves; his skin is +our blanket and our bed; his sinews our thread. +On the march a herd of reindeer is easily managed. +We keep them together without much trouble, and +in winter they remain where we leave them to get +the moss; but if the wolves are after them, then they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +flee in every direction, and many herds then become +mixed together."</p> + +<p>"When your reindeer get mixed with those of +other herds, how can you tell which are yours?" I +inquired.</p> + +<p>Pehr answered, "Every owner has his own mark +branded on the ears of all his reindeer, and no other +person has the right to use the same, as this is legal +proof of ownership; otherwise, when several herds +were mingled together the separation would be impossible. +The name of the owner of a herd, and each +mark, have to be recorded in court like those of any +owner of property."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Moving Camp.—Another Great Blizzard.—A Remarkable +Sight.—Deer Getting their Food by Digging the Snow.—How +Reindeer are Butchered.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">THE next day after our conversation about reindeer +Pehr Wasara said to me: "We are going +to move away our camp and take our reindeer to a +new pasture," an expression that struck me as somewhat +singular, as the country lay under snow to the +depth of five or six feet. "Some of us are going to +fetch the draught animals, and I will be back in a +short time." With these words he left with some of +his people.</p> + +<p>They returned with a fine lot of trained reindeer.</p> + +<p>In the mean time there had been a great commotion +in the camp; everybody was busy; the tent had been +packed in two bundles; its frame made three packages; +the frozen reindeer milk, all the provisions, +meat, garments, robes, skins,—in a word, everything +they had was loaded on different sleighs and secured.</p> + +<p>The babies were carefully fixed in their queer-looking +cradles, and made quite safe against blustering +winds.</p> + +<p>Everything being ready, the reindeer were harnessed +and we started. Soon after, we came to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +herd which had been bunched by the Lapps, the +dogs keeping them together. Then we began our +march.</p> + +<p>The herd moved in advance, in a body. Men, +women and children on their skees moved after them +with great rapidity, with their dogs to help them in the +work of keeping the herd together. They all shouted +and urged the dogs to look out, but this required, I +thought, no urging, for the dogs were on the alert and +knew what to do. In the rear were three Lapps with +their dogs driving the reindeer forward; the dogs +barked behind the heels of the animals, and once in a +while would bite the legs of those that did not move +fast enough.</p> + +<p>The women worked just as hard as the men, and +those who had babies carried them in their cradles, +slung on their backs, and went as fast on their skees as +if they had been free from burdens. The babies were +evidently very comfortable, for they were very quiet.</p> + +<p>It was a fine sight to see the herd of over three +thousand reindeer on the move over the vast plain of +snow. After two hours we arrived at the place of our +encampment.</p> + +<p>The Lapps hurried the putting up of the tent. +The snow had been shovelled from the place where it +was to stand. They were laying the birch twigs for a +floor, and skins were put on the top of these; alongside +of the tent inside boxes and firewood were +placed, and outside snow was piled along the sides, +also. This was to prevent the wind coming in. In<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +the mean time the reindeer had been unharnessed and +some of the sleighs unloaded.</p> + +<p>Just then Pehr Wasara exclaimed: "Paulus, we are +going to have a great windstorm very soon. That is +the reason we are in so much of a hurry."</p> + +<p>He was right. Soon after the wind began to rise +and blew stronger and stronger, hissing and striking +against the tent. In another moment we were in the +midst of a hurricane. I thought every instant that +our tent would be blown away and the woollen canvas +torn to pieces.</p> + +<p>The snow was flying thickly in the air. I said to +myself: "If our tent is blown away I will get into +my reindeer bags." I was astonished to see that the +tent could withstand the storm, but the frame was +well knit together, and the woollen vadmal being +porous allowed the wind to pass through and did +not give the resistance that canvas would have done. +If the tent had been made of canvas I am sure the +frame could not have withstood the pressure and fury +of the blast. The door was protected from the +violence of the wind, which struck against the tent on +the other side.</p> + +<p>The reindeer had huddled close together and stood +still, except that now and then those which were outside +wanted to go inside and let some of the other +animals bear the brunt of the storm. I noticed that +many of the bulls formed the outer ring, thus protecting +the female reindeer. The poor fellows on the outside +had a hard time of it. All the herd faced the wind.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span></p> + +<p>Inside the tent, when everybody was in, we were +packed close together, including the dogs. In spite +of all the drawbacks the tent was comfortable compared +with the weather outside. A blazing fire, over +which hung a kettle full of reindeer meat, sent the +smoke into our faces; but we were thinking of the +warm broth and of the good meal we were going to +have, and we laughed merrily and did not care for +the storm. The Lapps knew that the tent would +stand the hurricane. The dogs were in the way of +everybody; the Lapps continually drove them out, +but soon after they were in again.</p> + +<p>How nice the broth was when we drank it! How +good the meat tasted! This was a splendid meal.</p> + +<p>When it was time to go to sleep I took off my +shoes and stockings, and carefully put the Lapp grass +with the stockings on my breast to dry the moisture, +for the fine snow came through the smoke hole. +Then I got into my two bags and said good-night to +the family.</p> + +<p>I was bothered by the dogs during the night. +They were no sooner driven out than they would +come in to huddle with the people. One tried to +come into my bag and awoke me. I did not blame +the poor dogs, for it was far more comfortable inside +than outside. When I awoke in the morning the +weather was fine, there was no wind, and some of the +Lapps took the reindeer to their new pasture.</p> + +<p>After breakfast, my host and I drove to see some +of his friends who had pitched their tent some forty<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +or fifty miles from us. On our way we entered a +large forest of fir trees, and soon after found ourselves +in the midst of a number of deep holes dug by reindeer +in order to reach the moss. We also saw +furrows made by Lapp sleighs and tracks of skees. +The holes increased in number as we got deeper into +the forest, and driving instead of being a pleasure +became a hard task. There was no mistake about +that. Our little sleighs pitched forward, then side-wise, +and rolled on one side or the other. I had the +hardest work to keep inside. At last I was pitched +into one of the holes with my sleigh almost on top of +me. This was no joke. Fortunately I had undone +the twist of my rein round my wrist, for I did not +wish to be dragged against a tree in case I did upset. +I was soon in my sleigh again, however, and before +long Pehr Wasara said: "We shall come to the +tent of my friend very soon." He had hardly uttered +these words when we heard the fierce barking of dogs +announcing our arrival. Soon after we found ourselves +before a tent.</p> + +<p>These dogs were strange looking, a breed I had +never seen; they had the dark color of the brown +bear, and were without tails. A man came out to +silence them. He was the owner of the tent, the +friend of Pehr Wasara. He bade us in, we were +made welcome, and the snuffbox was passed around. +Coffee was made and served to us with true Lapp +hospitality, but to my taste it was seasoned with a little +too much salt.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span></p> + +<p>We had a grand time. A big kettle filled with +reindeer meat was cooked, and Pehr Wasara told +his friend all the news, and how his son had come +with me to see him. The place of honor was +given to us in the tent; we slept well, under a lot of +skins, and the next morning after breakfast we bade +our host and his family good-bye.</p> + +<p>We had not been gone long when I saw something +very strange ahead. An exclamation escaped from +me. I stopped. I thought I saw the ground covered +with hares. I could see them moving. "What are +such great numbers of hares doing here?" I said to +myself. They moved in such a strange manner; +they seemed to jump, or rather leap. Suddenly I +saw my mistake. "These are not hares," I exclaimed; +"but the tails of reindeer just above the +snow. That is all I see of their bodies. The rest +is hidden. They have dug the snow and are eating +the moss, and their tails are in motion." I had never +seen such a sight before. It was a queer landscape; +over two thousand tails shaking above the snow at +about the same time. This herd also belonged to +Pehr Wasara, who was smiling all over when he saw +how amazed I was at this sight.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/012.png" width="600" height="387" alt="" title="" /> +"They were really working hard for their living."</div> + +<p>Then we continued our journey, and soon found +ourselves in the midst of hundreds and hundreds of +reindeer of all sizes. They were just beginning to dig +the snow with their fore legs. How strange was the +sight! As we passed among them they were not in +the least afraid of us. They were left to themselves.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +There were no dogs with them, and no people to +watch.</p> + +<p>Every reindeer was working as hard as he could, +busily digging in the snow. They were evidently +hungry. I said to Pehr Wasara: "Let us stay here a +while; I want to watch the reindeer working." Pehr, +who had been accustomed to see reindeer all his life, +wondered at my curiosity, which seemed rather to +amuse him. They dug with the right fore foot, then +with the left, rested at times, then worked again. It +was hard work indeed, but the holes got larger and +larger. The bodies gradually disappeared in the +holes they made, and were partly hidden by the little +mounds of snow coming from these holes, until only +the tails of many could be seen. They had reached +the moss of which they were so fond. They were +really working hard for their living.</p> + +<p>Some of the female reindeer were working with +a will, while the young does were looking on, and +when the moss had been reached the mothers called +the calves by a peculiar grunt and let them feed by +their side.</p> + +<p>After looking at the reindeer for a while, we continued +our journey and were completely lost in the +midst of deep holes made by the thousands of reindeer. +Wherever we turned we discovered holes and +mounds, until we came to fresh furrows of sleighs and +knew that these led to an encampment. We had succeeded +in getting out of the honeycombed track into +a smooth and open region.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span></p> + +<p>All at once I noticed that Pehr Wasara was going +much faster than I did. I was losing ground. His +reindeer seemed now to fly over the snow. Suddenly +he disappeared; he was going down a hill. Now it +was the turn of my reindeer to go fast. I prepared +myself for the occasion, for I did not know how steep +was the descent. I said to myself, "Paul, you must +not upset; bend your body on the opposite side +when the sleigh makes the curve, and be quick when +the time arrives. Do this in the nick of time."</p> + +<p>Down I went. The animal reached the bottom, +and before I knew it made a sharp curve to prevent +the sleigh striking his legs. I gave a shout of joy. +I had not upset. I felt quite proud.</p> + +<p>At the next hill I was more proud than ever, for +Pehr Wasara upset and I did not, but I had never +seen a Lapp get quicker into a sleigh than he did. +Further on Pehr stopped and waited for me. When +I came to him I found myself on the edge of a long +and very abrupt hill, and he said: "This hill is too +steep, we must descend it in long zigzags, so that the +sleighs may not strike the legs of our reindeer, for if +we do not do this the sleigh will go faster than the +reindeer. Follow in my track, and use your stick +with skill to guide the sleigh. Your reindeer will +follow mine without trouble."</p> + +<p>Hill after hill was ascended and descended. Now +I had got the knack. At every sharp curve I managed +to bend my body out on the other side in time, +and thus avoided being thrown out. Then we came<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> +to a forest of large fir trees, which surprised me, for +we were in 69 degrees latitude.</p> + +<p>The trees were very thick. Pehr Wasara alighted +and led his reindeer, for fear of striking against them, +and I did likewise. It was a relief to move one's +legs, for it is very tiresome to sit for hours with legs +stretched out. Afterwards we got again into our +sleighs, and at the end of a pleasant drive we reached +our own tent and I was received with a hearty welcome +by the family.</p> + +<p>The next day Pehr said to me, "We are going to +kill some reindeer this morning, for the skins of the +animals are at their best now and their fur is very +thick. We want clothing, shoes, and gloves. With +their sinews we will make our thread. We want also +new reins, new traces, new lassos."</p> + +<p>In the afternoon eight reindeer were brought before +the tent. These were to be slaughtered. My host +said to me: "Paulus, we are going to show you how +we slaughter our reindeer." An old bull was brought +forward and one of the Lapps seized the animal by the +antlers, and by a peculiar twist, without apparently +great effort, threw him on his back. Then he thrust +a long, sharp, narrow knife deeply between his forelegs +until it pierced the heart, where he let it remain. +The poor creature rose dazed, turned round upon +himself twice, then tottered and fell dead.</p> + +<p>I did not like the sight, but I was studying the life +of the Laplanders and I had to see everything for +myself. After the blood had accumulated in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +cavity of the chest it was removed and put into a +bladder. The intestines were taken out and washed. +The skin belonging to the forehead between the eyes, +and from the knees to the hoofs, was cut off from the +rest of the hide.</p> + +<p>"This," said Pehr Wasara, "will be for shoes and +gloves;" and each piece was stretched on wooden +frames, likewise the skin of the carcass. The tongues +were set aside, the host saying to me, "If it were +summer we would smoke them." The sinews were +collected for thread.</p> + +<p>The other reindeer were then butchered, and the +meat placed on the racks outside of the tent.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XV</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Watching for the Reappearance of the Sun.—The Upper +Rim First Visible.—The Whole Orb Seen from a Hill.—Days +of Sunshine Ahead.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">I WATCHED the horizon every day towards +noon, hoping to see the sun, for the light was +getting brighter and brighter. The glow of the hidden +sun was so great at noon that it looked as if +sunrise were going to take place. How disappointed +I felt when the glow became less and less, as the unseen +sun sank lower without showing itself. Then +came to my mind the coast of New Jersey, where in +the early morning I had often watched for the appearance +of the sun above the horizon, in the long +glow that preceded sunrise.</p> + +<p>One day I saw a golden thread above the snowy +horizon. It was the upper rim of the sun. I watched, +hoping to see the whole sun. But it was at its meridian, +and in a very short time the golden thread had +disappeared and the sun was on its downward course. +I shouted, "Dear Sun, how much I should like to +see you. I am so tired of beholding only the stars +and the moon. I am longing for sunshine."</p> + +<p>Near by was a hill. A sudden thought came into +my mind. I said to myself, "If I ascend this hill I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> +shall see the whole sun, as the greater height will +make up for the curvature of the earth."</p> + +<p>I ran, and soon was ascending the hill. After a +while I stopped, turned round, and looked where I +had seen the golden thread. I saw about half the +sun. I climbed higher as fast as I could, and when +I reached the top of the hill I saw the whole sun. I +shouted, "Dear Sun, I love you. I love sunshine. +Come and reign once more on this part of the earth. +Come and cheer me, and drive away the 'Long +Night.'"</p> + +<p>I watched the sun until it disappeared. Oh! I +wished the hill had been higher so that I could have +ascended it and kept seeing the sun.</p> + +<p>When I came to the bottom of the hill I said, "I +do not wonder that in ancient times there were people +who worshipped the sun, for without the sun we could +not exist on the earth, for nothing would grow."</p> + +<p>I felt like a new being, for I had seen the sun and +its sight had filled me with joy. Days of sunshine +were coming, and I gave three cheers with a tiger for +the sun.</p> + +<p>I had had enough of the "Long Night." I wanted +to see a sky without stars and also the pale moon during +the day.</p> + +<p>The following day the glow above the horizon became +more brilliant, and towards noon the sun rose +slowly above the snow; but only about half of its +body made its appearance. It was of a fiery red. +Then it gradually sank. The third day the whole<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +of the sun appeared above the horizon, then in a +short time sank below. As it disappeared I imagined +the sun saying to me: "Day after day I will rise +higher and higher in the sky and shine a longer time. +I bring with me joy and happiness. I will gradually +transform 'The Land of the Long Night' into a land +of sunshine and brightness. I will bring the spring; +with me flowers will appear, the trees will be adorned +with leaves, grass will grow, the land will be green; I +will make gentle winds to blow, the rivers will be free +and roll their crystal waters, the birds will come and +sing. Man will be happy and gather the harvest that +grows under my rays and husband it for the days of +winter."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XVI</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Wolves the Great Foe of the Lapps.—How the Reindeer are +Protected against Them.—Watching for the Treacherous +Brutes.—Stories of their Sagacity.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">AFTER the reappearance of the sun I came to a +region where the Lapps among whom I lived +were in great fear of wolves, for three packs of them +had made their appearance in the forests about one +hundred and fifty miles away to the eastward, and +the news had come to the people.</p> + +<p>One day as I was in the tent watching the meal that +was being cooked, one of the Lapps said to me, "We +dread the wolves. No animal is as cunning as a wolf +when he is hungry, and the Chief of the Pack is +chosen by them as their leader because he is the most +cunning of them all."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean," I asked, "by the Chief of +the Pack being chosen?"</p> + +<p>He replied, "The wolves are very intelligent, and +they choose their leader just as people do. They +select the one among them that can lead them where +there is prey."</p> + +<p>Then he added, with a tone of sadness in his voice: +"Our life is one of constant vigilance, and old and +young are continually on the lookout for wolves. We<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +have not suffered from them for three years, but they +may appear suddenly at any moment when we think +they are far away. When wolves attack our herds the +reindeer scatter in great fright in every direction to +long distances, and we have very hard work in bringing +them together again. When they have once been +attacked by the wolves they become very suspicious, +and take fright easily, and at the least alarm run away. +After their flight they roam in small bodies without +any one to watch over them, or dogs to look out for +their enemies, and they become an easy prey to the +wolves. Sometimes the herd is destroyed, and the +rich Lapp becomes suddenly poor. Yes," he added +with flashing eyes, and in a loud tone, "the wolves are +our greatest enemies. We kill them whenever we can."</p> + +<p>He remained thoughtful for a little while and then +proceeded: "Reindeer bulls have more fight in them +than the females, and sometimes fight successfully one +wolf; but what can they do against a pack of them? +Our life is a hard one indeed when wolves are around, +for we have to be constantly on the watch night and +day. The wolves are so wary that they always approach +a reindeer or a herd of them when the wind +blows from the herd towards them, so that neither +dogs nor reindeer can scent them."</p> + +<p>"I hope," I said to myself, "that I shall see bull +reindeer fight some of these treacherous wolves and +get the better of them; besides I will make them +taste my buckshot, and kill them before the poor reindeer +is overpowered."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span></p> + +<p>After this conversation we went on our skees to +scour the country for wolves, but there were none to +be seen, and we returned in time for our dinner.</p> + +<p>The following day, as we stood in front of our tent +watching the sun above the horizon, we saw in the +distance a black speck coming over the snow. We +watched! What could it be? The speck came nearer, +and we recognized a woman with a bludgeon coming +towards us as fast as her skees could carry her. As +soon as she was within hearing distance she shouted, +"Wolves! Wolves!" The dreaded news had come; +the wolves had made their appearance in our district.</p> + +<p>She stopped when she reached us, and with one +voice the Lapps asked her when the wolves had been +seen, and if they had attacked any herd. "No," she +answered, "but they will soon do so, for the tracks of +three packs have been seen." She had hardly spoken +these words when she bade us good-bye, and was on +her way to some of her family who had pitched their +tent about four miles from where we were. The bludgeon +she carried for defence against the wolves.</p> + +<p>Soon every man, woman, and child of our tent were +on their skees. The men armed themselves with heavy +bludgeons and guns and, followed by all the dogs, we +started for the herd, taking a lot of reindeer meat with +us. Now there was to be an increased watch day and +night.</p> + +<p>I followed the Lapps on my skees, and though I +lagged behind, as I could not go as fast as they did, +one of the girls remained with me to show me the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +way, and now and then she would stop and scan the +country for wolves.</p> + +<p>I was armed with my double-barrelled shotgun +loaded with buckshot. "Oh, if I could encounter the +wolves," I said to myself, "what havoc I would +make amongst them."</p> + +<p>When we came to the herd we told those who +were on the watch the news of the appearance of +wolves. Immediately preparations were made to discover +their whereabouts.</p> + +<p>Some of the people went in different directions to +reconnoitre, all armed with their heavy bludgeons. +They shouted as they left: "We will show the wolves +if we meet and chase them on our skees what our +bludgeons can do. We will smash their heads and +break their legs."</p> + +<p>Towards dark, when they returned, they had seen no +wolves nor their tracks. "The wolves are so cunning +and their ways are so unknown to us that we must +be on the lookout all night," said the Lapps to me.</p> + +<p>Then we partook of our reindeer meat, which had +been kept between our clothing and our chests to prevent +it from freezing. It is not pleasant to eat a +frozen piece of meat as hard as a rock. But I had +learned not to be so very particular. Otherwise I +should never have been able to travel in the country.</p> + +<p>The moon was on the wane. When it rose it cast +its dim light upon the snow. It was a very busy +night for the Lapps, for the reindeer had to be kept +together and required constant watching.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span></p> + +<p>The dogs acted with great intelligence; they seemed +to know that their masters dreaded the wolves; they +barked continually, and looked once in a while into +the distance, moving away, as if to see if they could +scent the wolves afar off.</p> + +<p>I walked with my skees slowly, looking off into +the distance! Suddenly I thought I saw far away +a pack of them. I drew the attention of the Lapp +who was with me to the spot; but his eyes, accustomed +to scan the snow, soon discovered what it was. +He said to me: "There are no wolves there; only +the top of some branches of birch trees above the +snow."</p> + +<p>All the Laplanders, men, women, and big boys and +girls, remained on their skees all night. The men +were outside and made a circle round the herd. The +second circle was made by the women; the third +circle, the nearest to the reindeer, by the children. +All shouted and yelled. I yelled also—I thought it +was great fun! The dogs barked as they followed +their masters or mistresses, going outside of the ring +to look for wolves. They were constantly urged; +but little urging was required, for almost all of them +knew from past experience that it meant that the herd +had to be protected from wolves, for they had seen +them come when their masters were acting precisely +as we were doing, and they were ready for the fray.</p> + +<p>If it had been a dark night, or if it had been snowing, +we should have been in a bad plight; but the +moon was our friend. The night passed away and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> +the wolves had not made their appearance. When +daylight came we were all pretty tired, and we moved +the reindeer nearer to the tent. Then after the coffee +was made and drunk, and some reindeer meat had +been eaten, we all huddled the best way we could +into the tent, covered ourselves with skins, and soon +after fell asleep, leaving the care of the reindeer to +those who were on the watch and to the dogs—their +untiring and faithful friends.</p> + +<p>When I awoke, three dogs were fast asleep near +me—the dear dogs required rest as well as ourselves; +they had worked hard for their masters all night. +I remembered the time we had had during the night, +and said to myself, "Hard, indeed, is the life of +the Laplander." The reindeer lay on the snow. +After breakfast they were taken a short distance to +pasture, and those who had slept watched them, ready +to fight the wolves if they came.</p> + +<p>The news had spread quickly among the Lapps in +the district that wolves might make their appearance +at any moment, and several families with their tents +came to camp near us and their herds were kept near +ours for mutual protection. We were numerous +enough to fight a great number of hungry wolves, +and the country was scoured in every direction.</p> + +<p>Numbers of juniper-brush fires were lighted at +night where we had cleared away the snow to scare +off the wolves.</p> + +<p>That evening the Lapps told wolf stories. One +began thus:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span></p> + +<p>"When wolves have lost the Chief of the Pack, +they hold a council and name another Chief, who +they expect will lead them safely through their wanderings +and direct them when an attack is to be made. +The wolves understand each other perfectly well, and +they obey the Chief of the Pack. They often speak +to each other with their eyes. This appears wonderful, +but it is so. But woe to the Chief when the +wolves become dissatisfied with him. When they +find that under his leadership they are constantly +starving, they agree among themselves to destroy +him. They then pounce upon him, kill him, and +devour him. They have a way of agreeing to do +this without their Chief knowing what is to happen to +him. They pass judgment upon him and sentence +him to die."</p> + +<p>"Wonderful indeed," I said, "is the intelligence +of the wolves, if what you say is true."</p> + +<p>"It is true," said the narrator, and the rest with +one voice confirmed him. "Wolves are as knowing +as people, and we know some of their cunning ways. +The Chief of the Pack must often lead the wolves +on long marches, through forests and unbeaten tracks, +over the snow to some place where he supposes +they will find prey. Besides he must not lead them +into ambush where they may be destroyed. The +Chief must be not only cunning, but brave also. We +see them often, after they have discovered us, going +away or taking another direction than the one in which +they were going. It is simply to deceive us, to make<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> +us believe that they are going away. Then they +make a long detour and take our reindeer in our rear. +People say foxes are cunning, but the cunning of a fox +is nothing to compare to the cunning of a wolf."</p> + +<p>"That is so," repeated all the Lapps.</p> + +<p>Another man said: "When the Chief of the Pack +becomes old, and is not able to lead the wolves any +more, the wolves kill him and eat him. When two +packs meet there is often a great fight between the +two chiefs for the mastery, and the defeated one runs +away. Then his own pack over which he ruled runs +after him and kills him. Then they proclaim the +victor the new Chief and the two packs join forces. +Often, when the wolves make an attack, the Chief +looks on with a few of his followers as a reserve to +see how things are going, and then rushes in with +them to insure victory."</p> + +<p>After this story the Lapps lighted their pipes and +puffed away. Then one passed his snuffbox round, +each taking a pinch of snuff. I took one, and I had +immediately a fit of sneezing that lasted quite a while, +to the great amusement of my Lapp friends. One +of the latter then told the following story:</p> + +<p>"Some winters ago, while a number of us were on +skees on our way to church, which was about one hundred +miles away, we saw in the distance quite a +number of wolves, following the Chief of the Pack. +He was easily recognized, not only because he seemed +larger than the others, but because he was always in +the lead, and when he stopped they did likewise. It<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> +was fortunate that we were on skees instead of in +sleighs, for the reindeer would have become unmanageable +in their fright and would certainly have been attacked +by the wolves. We were armed with our +bludgeons, and three of us had guns. The wolves, +which had seen us, came in our direction and when at +about a quarter of a mile from us stopped and suddenly +held a consultation, then advanced again towards us. +When they had come within shooting distance I aimed +with my gun at the Chief of the Pack, who stood by +himself, and killed him. Immediately the other wolves +precipitated themselves upon him and fought over his +body and devoured him. In the mean time we shot +two others. Those likewise were devoured by their +comrades. It did not take the wolves much time to +devour their three companions. It was done in the +twinkling of an eye. The wolves were so voracious +because they had not eaten for several days. This +is the time when they follow men and sometimes +attack them when they are a large pack together.</p> + +<p>"The other wolves made off, cowed by the death of +their three comrades, but soon stopped and held a consultation +among themselves again, and soon we saw +one among them take the lead. This was the new +Chief of the Pack that had been chosen by them. +Then they walked towards us again, and we were +ready to meet them on our skees. Our object was +to kill this new Chief of the Pack. I aimed at him +and succeeded in killing him also. He had hardly +fallen when he was set upon and devoured. Now the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> +appetite of the wolves was more or less satisfied, and +after we had killed another they fled as they saw him +fall; once in a while they looked back towards us, but +having no chief they did not know what to do until +they had chosen another—and they disappeared in +the distance."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XVII</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>In Search of Wolves.—A Large Pack.—They Hold a Consultation.—Their +Fierce Attack on the Reindeer.—Pursuing +Them on Skees.—Killing the Chief of the +Pack.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">THE following day a great snowstorm swept over +the land, and during that time the Lapps were +much in fear that prowling wolves would get into the +midst of their herds and that we should be unable to +see them on account of the storm.</p> + +<p>When the snowstorm was over, the Lapps said to +me: "We are going to scour the country for miles +around and look out for wolves, for now is a good time +to hunt them because the snow is soft. They sink +into it as they run, and we can go much faster than they +do on our skees, and so overtake them and fell them +with our bludgeons." And they asked if I would +accompany them.</p> + +<p>"Yes," I replied, without hesitation, and added, +"I hope we shall meet wolves."</p> + +<p>The Lapps left by twos and threes and went in +different directions. One of them and myself took +our way directly east.</p> + +<p>After travelling a few miles I espied a black speck +very far away, for I am long-sighted. This at first I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> +thought to be the top of birch trees above the snow, +as before; but I was not quite sure, and as I walked +along on my skees I kept a sharp lookout. Suddenly +I thought the black spot was moving. I stopped and +watched. There was no mistake, the spot was moving. +It was a large pack of wolves. And they were +apparently coming towards us. I called to my companion, +and pointing to the spot said to him: "Look +there. I think I see wolves." He looked for a while, +then with glittering eyes he said, "Paulus, you are +right; they are wolves."</p> + +<p>We stood still to watch them. The spot was getting +bigger and bigger as the wolves came nearer. +They made a large pack; but they were still too far +away for us to be able to guess how many there +were. I wondered if they were coming to attack us. +They certainly would if they had had no food for +several days, for hunger makes them very bold and +fierce.</p> + +<p>I looked at my gun. It was all right. My pouch +was filled with buckshot cartridges. My hunting +knife hung by my side. My Lapp held his bludgeon +tightly in his hands. No wolf could run as fast as he +could when he was on his skees, and he could run +away from them if he was not equal to the contest +and if there were too many after him.</p> + +<p>"The wolves have perhaps scented the reindeer," +said he; "they have to come in our direction to +reach the herds."</p> + +<p>Not far from where we stood was a big boulder that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> +was not entirely buried in the snow. "Let us hide +behind it, and watch," said my companion.</p> + +<p>After we had come to the boulder, the Lapp hid at +one end of it, I at the other. From our hiding-place +we could peep out and keep a sharp lookout on the +wolves.</p> + +<p>The wolves were coming nearer and nearer. I +tried to count them, and I thought there were about +thirty. I soon recognized the Chief of the Pack. +He was bigger and appeared darker than the rest. +He was walking quite ahead of all the pack. They +seemed to become more cautious as they neared us. +What was the reason? We held a consultation. +The Lapp said, "The wind has shifted and is blowing +from the wolves towards us, so they cannot scent us, +and it is by mere chance they are coming in this direction. +They have evidently come from the great +Finland forest east of us."</p> + +<p>Suddenly the Chief of the Pack stopped, and all +the wolves stopped also. Then he advanced alone +slowly while the remainder of the pack stood still. +Then the wolves came to join him. They were now +evidently holding a consultation, talking wolf fashion +among themselves, or listening to their Chief, who +had something to say. "What are the wolves up to?" +I inquired of the Lapp.</p> + +<p>"They are planning some mischief," he replied.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/013.png" width="600" height="382" alt="" title="" /> +"The Lapp passed him like a flash and gave him a terrible blow."</div> + +<p>Then they divided themselves into two packs, the +old Chief having the greater number of wolves with +him. The new pack with its Chief turned to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +right, the ones with the old Chief remaining at the +same place. I said to the Lapp, "How strange is the +wolves' behavior! Apparently the long conversation +they had among themselves was to arrange a plan of +campaign and to divide themselves into two packs."</p> + +<p>"That is so," replied he. "Wolves are very +knowing, and by their tactics fool us very often."</p> + +<p>I replied, "We will try to fool them this time, +and kill many of them. The reindeer must be +protected."</p> + +<p>"I believe," continued the Lapp, "that the new +pack that has left is going to take our reindeer in the +rear and attack them, and those which remain here +are going to wait for this attack. The reindeer in +their fright will run in the opposite direction and fall +into the midst of these wolves that we see, and which +are waiting for them. The cunning of wolves is +wonderful. When a pack attacks a herd of reindeer +there are always some of them lying in wait somewhere +else.</p> + +<p>"You stay here and watch. I must go and warn +our people that the wolves have come among us. +We have been expecting them every hour. It is very +seldom when their tracks are seen that they do not +attack our reindeer. I will return very soon."</p> + +<p>"All right," I said. I had plenty of buckshot, +and with my back to the boulder I was not afraid of +being attacked in the rear, and I could face them +without fear, fire at them, and kill a number of them.</p> + +<p>After the Lapp had gone I watched the pack carefully.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +The wolves stood still for a long time. They +were looking in a certain direction. I tried to find +what they were looking at, but saw nothing. Suddenly +they advanced, turning away slightly from the +boulder, then walked faster, headed by the Chief of +the Pack. There seemed to be great excitement +among them. I looked in the direction whither they +were moving, when I saw a lot of reindeer coming +towards them, pursued by wolves from behind and +Lapps and dogs following them. What the Lapp +had said had come to pass; the wolves had attacked +the reindeer in the rear, and the pack that had stood +still was ready for the fray and to attack them in +front. I was also prepared for the fight—ready to +kill all the wolves I could.</p> + +<p>Now I saw reindeer in every direction—wolves +among them, and the Lapps everywhere, moving at +great speed on their skees. They seemed to fly over +the snow. Suddenly I saw one coming near a wolf +which was running after a reindeer, and passing by +his side give with his bludgeon a blow that broke the +back of the beast, which gave a fearful howl. In the +mean time the Lapp wheeled round, came back, and +finished him by a blow on the head.</p> + +<p>I saw further on a poor reindeer in his death struggle +with two wolves that had fastened upon his neck. +Two Lapps had seen this also, and armed with their +bludgeons they came at full speed, and as quick as +the flight of an arrow they passed on each side of the +poor reindeer and broke the fore legs of the wolves,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> +which fell on their backs howling. The Lapps +wheeled round, returned and gave them two terrific +blows on their heads, which stunned them; then they +killed them. I had heard the sound of the blows.</p> + +<p>The wolves had become very fierce in their attacks. +I wanted to pursue them on my skees, but unfortunately +I was not skilful enough to do so. The reindeer +were fleeing, pursued by the wolves which were +in their midst. It was a fight for life. I saw four +wolves attacking a bull while he was charging one of +them and had almost pierced him with his antlers. +The three other wolves sprang upon him, their big +teeth in his flesh. He ran with them for a while, +then the noble animal fell.</p> + +<p>Another wolf came near me and succeeded in bringing +down a young reindeer that was running away +with all his might. I sent a lot of buckshot through +him and killed him on the spot, but I was too late to +save the life of the poor reindeer; and in an instant +the dying wolf was attacked by his voracious comrades, +which precipitated themselves upon him and tore him +to pieces and devoured him. I looked at this scene +with so much astonishment that I forgot to fire +another shot at the wolves.</p> + +<p>Several wolves were killed, and at last all were put +to flight. Our victory was complete. I recognized +the Chief of the Pack among the slain. What a big +fellow he was! What ugly-looking teeth he had! +The wolves after this attack were completely disorganized, +and fled in different directions.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span></p> + +<p>In the mean time my Lapp, true to his word, had +rejoined me. He said: "These wolves understand +each other, and have agreed among themselves to +meet somewhere in the great forest east of us. They +will visit us again in small packs, so we must be on +the watch constantly." Then with a sigh he said: +"Now we are going to have a hard time to bring the +reindeer of each owner together."</p> + +<p>The day after the slaying of the wolves, I bade +good-bye to the Lapps and once more started to +wander over the great snowy waste of "The Land of +the Long Night."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/014.png" width="600" height="386" alt="" title="" /> +"It was a fight for life!"</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XVIII</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Great Skill of the Lapps with Their Skees.—Leaping over +Wide Gullies and Rivers.—Prodigious Length of Their +Leaps.—Accuracy of Their Coasting.—I Start Them +by Waving the American Flag.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">I WAS once more travelling westward, and two +days afterward fell in with another company of +nomadic Lapps. We became, as usual, good friends.</p> + +<p>One day they said to me: "Paulus, the snow is +in a very fine condition for skeeing, and we are going +to have some fun among ourselves, and run down +steep hills on our skees and try our skill in making +leaps in the air across a chasm there is over yonder, +with a river beyond, and find out who can make the +longest leap and be the champion. We want you to +come with us, for there will be great fun."</p> + +<p>I replied, "I am certainly coming, for I have never +seen such a game before, and I like fun. Yes, boys, I +like fun." They laughed heartily when they heard +me say this.</p> + +<p>We made ready, and started on our skees, and after +a run of about four miles the Lapps stopped near +the edge of a long and very steep hill, at the foot of +which was a plain.</p> + +<p>There they said to me: "There is a wide gully,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> +which you cannot see, before reaching the bottom of +the hill, and further down is a river. We will go +down this hill and leap over both the gully and the +river on our skees. Of course, the greater our speed, +the longer the leap we make. The danger is in not +being able to reach the ledge on the other side; but +this makes the fun more exciting. It is very seldom, +however, that accidents happen, for no one undertakes +these dangerous leaps unless he is very sure of +himself."</p> + +<p>"What happens then," I asked, "if the leap falls +short?"</p> + +<p>"Then," he answered, "you may break your leg, or +arm, or your neck; but I do not know of any such +misfortunes happening, though we hear once in a +great while in the mountains of an accident which +results in death. One of the great dangers in skeeing +is that of striking a boulder hidden under the crust of +snow, or of falling over an unseen precipice. When +we are small children we learn to leap forward in the air +and come down on our skees, beginning by making +small leaps from insignificant heights, increasing the +leap gradually as we have more practice, and so becoming +stronger and more agile and skilful in going +down a hill."</p> + +<p>Thereupon the Lapps took up their position along +the brink of the hill and stood in a straight line +about ten or fifteen yards from each other. It was a +fine sight. At a given signal they started on their +skees, holding in one hand their sticks to be used as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> +rudders to guide them. They slid down at tremendous +speed; suddenly I saw them fly through the air, +and then land below on their skees. They had leaped +over the gully. Then they continued their course +faster than before, on account of the momentum of the +leap, and as they reached the bottom of the hill they +made another leap in the air, which took them over +the river to the plain beyond. After going a little +further, for they could not stop at once, they came to +a halt. Then returning they examined the leaps, to +see who among them had made the longest one.</p> + +<p>After they had ascertained who was the champion +in the first contest, they continued to ascend the hill +in zigzags on their skees, and after this tiresome task +they came to where they had left me.</p> + +<p>I said to them, "Friends, I am going down the +hill, for I shall then be able to see better your great +leaping feats, and how wide and deep is the space you +leap over, for from the top of the hill it cannot be +seen. Wonderful, indeed, are your skill and daring! +Such tremendous leaps as you made can never be accomplished +by man except on skees. I wish I could +have been brought up to go on skees like yourselves, +from my childhood, then I should enjoy this greatly, +and compete for the championship. It is far better +fun than skating." "Certainly," they shouted with +one voice, "there is ten times more fun in skeeing +than in skating. It is like all sports, the more danger +there is in them the greater are the excitement and the +interest."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span></p> + +<p>"But," said I, "I must go down this hill in a +roundabout way, for I do not want to fall into the +hollow over which you leaped."</p> + +<p>"It would not hurt you," they cried; "you would +find plenty of snow at the bottom if you should fall +in." It was agreed that one of the Lapps should +go with me and show me the way through a less steep +descent to the chasm. We made the descent successfully, +and came to a good position from which I could +see the men make the great leap.</p> + +<p>Looking up, I saw all the Lapps in position ready +for the descent and waiting for the raising of the little +American flag I always carried with me,—a custom +which dates from the time of my travels in Africa—as +the signal to start. As I unfolded it, I kissed it with +great affection. How beautiful the stars and stripes +looked as they waved in the breeze and over the snow!</p> + +<p>At this signal the Lapps started. Suddenly I +noticed that one of them—the last one in the row—bore +down directly upon me. "Goodness!" I said +to my companion, pointing out to him the Lapp +above, "suppose this man as he comes down should +happen to strike me."</p> + +<p>The Lapp heard me with a smile, and replied: +"Paulus, do not be afraid; he will guide his skees as +skilfully as a skilful boatman steers his boat. I think +perhaps he intends to touch you with his hands as he +passes by you, so do not be frightened; do not move +an inch; he is one of the most skilful among us."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/015.png" width="600" height="388" alt="" title="" /> +"Suddenly I saw them fly through the air."</div> + +<p>He had hardly finished these words when the Lapp<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> +with railroad speed and dangerously close bore down +upon me, and before I could realize it passed in front +of me within three feet, without however touching me, +as my companion had predicted. Still it took my +breath away; my heart beat so quickly. Down he +went. Before I had time to recover I saw the Lapps +in the air, over the chasm, then in the twinkling of an +eye they had alighted on the other side. Their momentum +was very great, and in less than a minute they +had leaped over the river, and continued their forward +course, which they could not stop, on the plain below; +then lessened their speed gradually with the help of +their sticks, the ends of which were thrust deep in the +snow.</p> + +<p>It was a grand sight. As they leaped over their +legs were somewhat bent, and as they struck the snow +they righted themselves. While in the air they maintained +their skees parallel, as if they had been on the +snow, and when they alighted the skees were on a perfect +level with each other; no man seemed to be more +than two or three feet ahead of another.</p> + +<p>I had followed their motions with great curiosity. +They seemed to give a spring as they came near the +brink of the chasm, bending their bodies forward, +straightening themselves as they struck the snow, and +continuing their way as if nothing had happened.</p> + +<p>On their way back, as they neared me I shouted, +"Good for you, boys! Good for you! It was splendid." +I shook hands with every one of them. They +were very much excited over the sport.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span></p> + +<p>The hollow over which they leaped seemed to be +about ninety-five feet wide, and the place from which +they sprang was about twelve or fifteen feet above the +bank on the other side. They told me that some of +the great leaps in the country had been over one hundred +and twenty-five feet.</p> + +<p>"Is it possible!" I exclaimed; "it seems incredible."</p> + +<p>Then the Lapp who had passed so near me said +to me, "You were afraid I would strike you on my +way down. We can pass an object far below us +within a few inches when we like. We will show you +how we do by and by."</p> + +<p>The Lapps once more ascended the hill, and I took +a new position by the river and waited for them to +come down. They started in the same way as before +and came down with very great speed, leaped over the +gully, and in an instant, seemingly, they were in the air +over the river—a leap of about sixty or seventy feet.</p> + +<p>I shouted again, "Well done, boys! Well done!" +I was terribly excited myself.</p> + +<p>Then they came to me and said: "Now we are +going to have a new game." They planted several +sticks in the snow in different positions on the declivity +of the hill, and said, "Paulus, we are going to +show you how near we can come to those sticks; we +will almost touch them with our skees."</p> + +<p>When they were ready I raised my flag. They +came down the hill almost with the same rapidity as +before, but pushed their guiding sticks deeper into the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> +snow; and most of them came within a few inches +of the sticks.</p> + +<p>After passing one they would change their direction +and move to another, either on the left or right, further +down.</p> + +<p>This terminated the day's sport. We returned to +our encampment. I had had a day of great delight.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIX</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>We Encounter More Wolves.—My Guide Kills Two with his +Bludgeon.—A Visiting trip with a Lapp Family.—Extraordinary +Speed of Reindeer.—We Strike a Boulder.—Lake +Givijärvi.—Eastward Again.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">NOW I kept a sharp lookout over the horizon as +we drove along, for I thought wolves might +make their appearance again at any moment. My +Lapp guide was also apprehensive.</p> + +<p>When we stopped for our meals he said to me, "If +our reindeer scent or see wolves, they will become uncontrollable. +It will be impossible for us to stop them, +and if we try to keep in our sleighs we shall be surely +upset, for the animals will be so wild from fright. +We had better have our skees handy, so that we can +throw them out of our sleighs and then jump out +ourselves."</p> + +<p>Then, brandishing his bludgeon, he said fiercely, "I +will make short work of some of them. They will +never run after any more reindeer."</p> + +<p>I brandished my gun, and cried, "Woe to the +wolves if they come near us. I will give them +enough buckshot to make them jump."</p> + +<p>We continued our journey, the Lapp keeping close +to me. Suddenly he stopped and said, "Paulus, I am<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> +going to tie your sleigh behind mine and fasten your +reindeer to it. I do not know why, but I have an +idea, somehow, that there are wolves around, and I expect +to see them at any moment. At any rate it is +better to be prepared for them."</p> + +<p>After my sleigh was attached as he had said, we resumed +our journey, I, quietly seated in my sleigh, +having no reindeer to drive, only using my stick as a +rudder. About two hours afterwards as we skirted a +forest of fir trees we suddenly saw two wolves skulking +in the distance. Fortunately we discovered them before +the reindeer did. We threw out our skees, and +then the Lapp with his bludgeon and I with my gun +jumped out. We were hardly out when our reindeer +scented the wolves and plunged wildly in their efforts +to escape, and we had to let them go, for we could not +hold them.</p> + +<p>The Lapp in an instant was on his skees armed +with his bludgeon. He made directly for the wolves +at tremendous speed. He seemed to fly over the +snow, and before I knew it he had slain a wolf by +giving him a mighty blow on his skull. Then like a +bird of prey he made for the other wolf. The animal +stood still, ready to bite him, but the Lapp passed by +him like a flash and gave him a terrible blow on his +mouth which broke his teeth. Then after he had +stopped the speed of his skees, he turned back and +gave him his deathblow.</p> + +<p>After he had taken breath, he said to me, "Paulus, +wait here, for you cannot 'skee' fast enough. I must<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> +go after our runaway reindeer and our sleighs," and +off he went. He followed the tracks they had left +behind them.</p> + +<p>I waited one hour, two hours,—I thought he +would never come back. Finally I saw a little black +speck over the snow. It was my Lapp, and soon +he was by my side with reindeer and sleighs.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon we came to a tent, where we were +kindly received, and there we slept. The next morning +the owner of the tent said to me, "The snow is +very fine for sleighing, for it is crisp and well packed. +The weather is cold and travelling with reindeer could +not be better, for the animals will feel fine. Some of +my people and I want to go and visit my brother and +his family. Will you come with us?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," I replied, "I shall be very glad to go with +you."</p> + +<p>A short time after this five reindeer made their appearance; +they were all males, and splendid animals,—Samoyeds, +the finest and largest I had thus far +seen. Their antlers were superb.</p> + +<p>"These reindeer," said their owner, "are the fastest +I have, and are in their prime for driving, for they +are between six and eight years old, the age when +they are the strongest. They have not been used for +two weeks, so they feel very frisky; and it being so cold +they will run at a rate that will perhaps scare you, and +I am sure they will go as fast as they ever did. No +reindeer that I know of can keep pace with them. I +have taken great care in training them."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span></p> + +<p>I was delighted at the thought of travelling with +such fast animals, and I replied, "I am sure I shall +enjoy the drive."</p> + +<p>Then everybody got ready for the start. My host, +pointing to one of the biggest reindeer, said to me, +"This one will be yours, and you will follow me."</p> + +<p>We were hardly ready when the reindeer started at +a furious rate and in the wildest way. The Lapps +held their reins as hard as they could and threw themselves +across their sleighs and were carried in that way +for a little distance. It was a most ludicrous sight, +the like of which I had never seen! But they all +succeeded in getting in—they were masters of the +situation.</p> + +<p>How they succeeded in getting in I could not tell, +it was certainly a great feat of gymnastics. My reindeer +had started with the rest and was ahead of them +all, but soon the Lapps overtook me.</p> + +<p>We went on at a tremendous rate. These were +indeed the fastest reindeer I had ever travelled with. +It was a good thing that I had learned how to balance +myself in those little Lapp sleighs. I did not mind +any more their swinging to and fro. I rather liked +the excitement. And it was exciting enough! We +went so fast that things appeared and disappeared +almost before I had time to look at them.</p> + +<p>We sped with such rapidity that I fancied I was +travelling on the Pennsylvania railroad, as I often +had done on the Limited to Chicago on the way to +see my Scandinavian friends and others. I was thinking<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> +of that splendid train with its luxurious cars—of +the observation cars with their comfortable chairs, +sofas, library; of the bath room, stenographer, and +barber, and polite employees, and all the comforts +travellers had. Suddenly I thought of its fine dining-room +cars, and as I was hungry I imagined I was +seated before one of its tables, with snowy-white linen, +and enjoying a glorious meal,—oysters, capon, roast +beef, vegetables of several kinds, and puddings and +fruits; the ice cream I dismissed, for I did not feel like +having any, it was so cold. Then I thought of its +comfortable beds—when suddenly a tremendous +bumping, which almost threw me out, reminded me +that I was not on that luxurious train. I had struck a +snag or boulder. This made it clear at once that I was +dreaming and was not on the Chicago Limited, but that +I was travelling in "The Land of the Long Night."</p> + +<p>The air was so rarefied, the drive so exciting, that I +shouted with all my might, "Go on, reindeer, go on. +This is fine, I never had such a drive in my life."</p> + +<p>After two hours, and a drive of nearly fifty miles, +we alighted before a Lapp tent. The dogs, and there +were many, announced our arrival by fierce barking, +and the inmates of the tent came out to see who the +strangers were. They recognized my friends and +received them with demonstrations of joy, which was +the more remarkable as the Lapps are far from being +demonstrative.</p> + +<p>The next day in the afternoon we returned to our +tent, the reindeer as frisky as the day before and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> +running as fast. I have never forgotten those two +glorious rides, and I shall remember them as long as I +live.</p> + +<p>Bidding my Lapp friends good-bye I came one +day to Lake Givijärvi and further on to Lake Aitijärvi. +There I saw a lonely farm with a comfortable dwelling-house +of logs. How pleasant this habitation +seemed in that snow land. The smoke curling over +the chimney told that there were people there, and soon +after we were in front of the house, and I entered a +large room, and saw a man with long black shaggy +hair tinged with grey. His name was Adam Triump. +Then a woman, his wife, came in, also with loose +shaggy black hair falling over her shoulders. My +guide and I were made welcome.</p> + +<p>From there I travelled once more eastward, driving +over the Ivalajoki, which falls into the Enarejärvi. +If I had been travelling alone I should certainly have +perished, for I did not know where to find the people +of the thinly inhabited country.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XX</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>The Lapp Hamlet of Kautokeino.—A Bath in a Big Iron Pot.—An +Arctic Way of Washing Clothes.—Dress and Ornaments +of the Lapps.—Appearance and Height of the +Lapps.—Givijärvi.—Karasjok.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">A FEW days after the events I have just related +to you, I found myself in the Lapp hamlet of +Kautokeino, with its Lutheran church, near latitude 69 +degrees. Here and there were queer-looking storehouses +which belonged to the nomadic Lapps. I +alighted before the post station, and entered the house +and was welcomed by the station master. The dwelling +was composed of two rooms, one for the use of +the family, the other for guests or travellers. The +place was full of Lapp men and women who had come +to rest, go to church on the following Sunday, or see +their children who were at school; or to get coffee, +sugar, and other provisions stored in their own houses.</p> + +<p>On the opposite side of the post station was the +cow house, and between it and the house was the old-fashioned +wooden-bucket well with its long, swinging +pole, surrounded by a thick mass of ice made of the +dripping water from the bucket. I did not wonder +when I saw the ice, for it was 43 degrees below zero +that day, and sometimes it is colder still.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span></p> + +<p>I went into the cow-house. It was, as usual, a very +low building, lower than most of those I had seen +before. The two long windows admitted a dim light. +At the further end was the usual big iron pot seen in +almost every cow-house, for soaking the grass in boiling +water, as the coarse marsh grass is so hard to chew +that it has to be thus prepared. The daughter of the +house, a girl about twenty years old, said to me, "I am +going to prepare a meal for the cows and the sheep."</p> + +<p>The huge iron pot was filled with reindeer moss and +grass and warm water. "This food is for the cows +and sheep," she said. "The horse is fed on fine +fragrant hay, gathered during the short summer; +horses will not eat the food we give to the cows and +sheep; they are very particular."</p> + +<p>I was very much in need of a good wash and of a +warm bath, for I had only used snow to wash my +hands and face for many days. As I looked at the +big iron pot I said to myself, "This pot will make +a good wash-tub."</p> + +<p>I went to the mistress of the house and asked her if +I could take a warm bath in the big iron pot. "Certainly," +she replied. Then she called her daughter, +and both went to the cow-house. They cleaned the +iron pot thoroughly; then filled it about two thirds +full with water from the trough communicating with +the well, which the old station master drew for them. +They lighted a fire under the pot, and cleaned the +surroundings, and laid down a reindeer skin for my +feet, and a chair for me to sit on.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span></p> + +<p>When the water was warm, and the fire under it +extinguished, the wife said that my bath was ready.</p> + +<p>How good I felt when I was in the big iron pot +filled with warm water. I gave grunts of satisfaction. +I put my head under water and thought "How good; +how good the water feels."</p> + +<p>Suddenly one of the family appeared, and before I +had time to say "What do you want?" had jumped +into the water all dressed and got hold of one of my +legs and rubbed it with soap. Then came the turn of +the other leg, then the body, head and all. I was +rubbed with a brush as hard as if I had been a piece +of wood that had no feelings, and as if my skin had +been the bark of a tree. Two or three times I +screamed out, but my attendant only laughed. After +the rubbing I was switched with birch twigs till I +fairly glowed, and then I was left alone. When I +looked at my body my skin was as red as a tomato. +The blood was in full circulation and I felt fine, for it +was such a long time since I had taken a real bath +that I had almost forgotten that there was such a +thing.</p> + +<p>How nice it was to put clean underwear on. How +comfortable it felt. I put on a new pair of reindeer +trousers, that were lent to me and that had never been +worn before, and a new "kapta." Here was a good +occasion to have my underwear washed, and my fur garments +cleansed of everything, for it was over 40 degrees +below zero. This wearing of the same clothes for a +long time is the greatest hardship of travelling in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> +winter in the Arctic regions; for in the course of time +obnoxious things swarm in the fur and also in the +woollen underwear. When these become unendurable +the following way of washing has to be performed +without soap or water.</p> + +<p>After a person has changed his fur garments and +underwear, he hangs them outside when the temperature +is from 20 to 50 degrees below zero. The colder +it is, the better for the clothes that are to be cleansed. +These are left hanging for several days, during which +time all the noxious things are killed by the intense +cold. After this the underwear and the fur garments +are well shaken and beaten, and then they return from +this kind of laundry clean, according to the views of the +Arctic regions, and are ready to be worn again. I often +had my clothing washed in that manner, and also my +sleeping-bags.</p> + +<p>On Sunday many Lapps attended the Lutheran +church from different parts of the country, coming +either on skees or with their sleighs; those who lived +far away starting the day before. Some had come +even so far as one hundred and fifty miles. I was +present at the religious services; the church was +crowded. The clergyman was not in his clerical robes, +but dressed in furs—like the rest of the congregation, +for the churches are not heated.</p> + +<p>On my return from church, the Lapps asked me +where I was going. I replied I wanted to go as far +as the land went north of me, as far as Nordkyn. +They all wondered why I wanted to go there. They<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> +asked me if I was a merchant and bought fish. I +told them I was not, but that I travelled to see the +country and its people. They thought I was a very +strange man, and they wondered at my ways.</p> + +<p>This hamlet was composed of about twelve homesteads. +The dwelling-houses were built of logs, those +for beasts of turf or stones. By the church was the +schoolhouse, and there was a large store very much +like our country stores at home.</p> + +<p>The inhabitants owned about sixty cows,—such +small cows! they were about three feet in height—one +hundred and seventy sheep and a few oxen as +small as the cows.</p> + +<p>Kautokeino was full of nomadic Lapps, and we had +a good time together, for the Lapps are very friendly +and I had learned to love them. "We come here," +they said, "to meet our friends, to see our children +who are in school, to get some of the provisions kept +in our storehouses and other things we want; and we +bring with us skins of reindeer and the garments and +shoes that have been made in our tents."</p> + +<p>In this church hamlet were a number of very +old Lapps, men and women who could no longer +follow their reindeer and endure a hard, wandering +life. Thither also the sick or the lame come, +to stay until they get well or die. Two Lapps were +pointed out to me who were nearly one hundred years +old.</p> + +<p>The inhabitants of these Lapp hamlets are not +nomadic; they live on the produce of their farms, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> +increase of their reindeer, by catching salmon, and in +employing themselves as sailors on the fishing-boats +of the Arctic Sea, which they reach by descending the +rivers.</p> + +<p>The Lapp women wore queer-fitting little caps of +bright colors, and when in holiday dress wore a number +of large showy silk handkerchiefs. Sometimes they +had as many as four, on the top of one another, over +their fur dresses; they wore necklaces of large glass +beads, round their waists were silver belts, and their +fingers were ornamented with rings. They wore +trousers of reindeer skin, as the Lapp women do universally. +The men wore peaked caps.</p> + +<p>These people were short of stature, compactly but +slightly built, with strong limbs, their light weight +allowing them to climb, jump, and run quickly. There +are no heavy men with big stomachs among them. +Quite a number of Lapps have fair hair and blue +eyes. They are unlike the Esquimaux, and in a +crowd at home, dressed like ourselves, would pass +unnoticed. There are a number of Lapps in the +North-west of our own county. The tallest woman +that I saw was 5 feet ½ inch, the tallest man 5 feet +4½ inches; the smallest woman 4 feet 4¼ inches, +the smallest man 4 feet 7 inches. There were more +women averaging 4 feet 10 inches than men of that +size, men averaging generally above five feet.</p> + +<p>I left Kautokeino, and that same day I came to Lake +Givijärvi. I had to be told that it was a lake, for it +was a continuous snow-land. Here was a farm, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> +owner of which kept a small store and sold sugar, +coffee, salt, flour, tobacco, matches, some woollen +underwear, etc., to the Lapps; and bought from them +skins, shoes, and gloves, in summer smoked tongue +and reindeer meat, reindeer cheese, etc., and every +year went with these to some of the Norwegian towns +on the Arctic Sea to sell them and buy groceries and +other goods.</p> + +<p>Here I had a clean room and bed. The place was +a great rendezvous for nomadic Lapps, and I found +many of them. The farmer extended to them unbounded +hospitality, and spread as many reindeer skins +on the floor at night as the room could hold, for them +to sleep on.</p> + +<p>The Lapps liked the place very much, and came there +to rest for a few days, bringing their food with them. +Their wives and children would also come, and were +sure to be welcome at the farm. I could not drink +sufficient milk or coffee, or eat enough reindeer meat, +cheese, or butter that had been churned in summer, to +please the good-hearted farmer. He wanted no pay. +He even insisted on accompanying me to Karasjok.</p> + +<p>The sleighing was fine, and the snow was six and +seven feet deep on a level. Our arrival at Karasjok, +after a hundred miles' journey from Givijärvi, was +announced by the fierce barking of the dogs of the +place, and twice I was almost overtaken by one more +fierce than the others. "They only bark," shouted +my guide. I was now in latitude 69° 35', and within +a few miles of the longitude of Nordkyn. The hamlet<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> +was situated on the shores of the Karasjoki river. +Some of the fir trees of the forests near Karasjok +measured twenty inches in diameter; but once cut they +do not grow again. I saw very few young trees.</p> + +<p>The hamlet was composed of eighteen or twenty +homesteads, with about one hundred and thirty inhabitants. +There were over twenty horses, besides cows, +sheep, and reindeer. The horses were so plentiful +because they are used to haul timber. I reflected +that the horse is a wonderful animal, and can live +like man in many kinds of climate.</p> + +<p>All the houses at Karasjok were built of logs. +The finest residence was that of the merchant of the +place. The Karasjok Lapps, and others in the neighborhood, +were very unlike those I had seen before. +They were tall; some of them six feet in height. +The women were also tall, most of them having dark +hair. The fair complexion and blue eyes were uncommon. +Men and women wore strange-looking head-dresses. +The men wore square caps of red or blue +flannel, filled up with eider down. The women put +on a wooden framework of very peculiar shape, +appearing more or less like a casque or the helmet of +a dragoon.</p> + +<p>I only stopped the night in Karasjok, and after getting +new reindeer at the post station and a new guide, +started north.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXI</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Leave Karasjok still Travelling Northward.—The River +Tana.—River Lapps.—Filthy Dwellings.—On the Way +to Nordkyn.—The Most Northern Land in Europe.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">ON leaving Karasjok I travelled northward, over +the frozen Karasjoki, until I came to a broad +stream called the Tana. As we drove on the river +I saw here and there solitary farms and strange little +hamlets inhabited by river Lapps.</p> + +<p>The occupation of the river Lapps is largely salmon +catching in summer. These fish are very abundant +in the rivers. Many, during the codfish season, engage +themselves as sailors on the Arctic Sea. Almost +every family has a small farm, stocked with diminutive +cows; besides they have sheep and goats. During +the summer their reindeer are taken care of by the +nomadic Lapps. These reindeer have to go to the +mountains near the Arctic Sea, on account of the +mosquitoes.</p> + +<p>Now travelling was becoming very hard,—not on +account of the snow, but because the inhabitants +and their dwellings were so dirty.</p> + +<p>But I had one comfort. All over that far northern +land I felt so safe; it never came into my head that +these people would rob me, though they knew I had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> +plenty of money with me, according to their ways of +thinking, to pay for reindeer and other travelling expenses; +but the Finns and the Lapps are a God-fearing +people.</p> + +<p>The first day, I came to a place occupied by a +single man. The house was so filthy, and vermin +apparently so plentiful, that I whispered to my Lapp +guide, "Let us go on." The Lapp was so tired that +he looked at me with astonishment, and seemed to +say: "Are not these comfortable quarters?"</p> + +<p>We got into our sleighs, however, and further on +we stopped and tied our reindeer together. The +Lapp slept in his sleigh covered with a reindeer skin, +and I in my bag.</p> + +<p>The next day we halted before a farm. It was +dark. There we intended to spend the night. The +people do not lock their doors, neither do they knock +to obtain admittance. So we entered. The family +were all in bed. A man lighted a light. Such filth I +thought I had never seen. The beds were filled with +dirty hay that had been there all winter. The sheepskin +blankets with the wool on were almost as black +as soot. The people who slept between them were +without a particle of clothes. "What a place for +vermin!" I whispered to myself.</p> + +<p>At this sight, I again said in a low voice to my Lapp, +"Let us go on." He replied, "The reindeer are +hungry, and we have had no food ourselves for long +hours. Let us remain overnight and breakfast here +to-morrow."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span></p> + +<p>In the mean time the owner of the place got up, put +on a long dirty woolen shirt, and went with us into the +next room, which was clean. I gave a sigh of relief. +The wooden bed had no hay, no sheepskin blankets. +The man got for me a clean reindeer skin which he +said had just come out of the open air, where it had +been for several days.</p> + +<p>To my consternation my Lapp guide offered to +sleep alongside of me, and added, "We shall be warmer +if we sleep together." I was in a dilemma. I did not +want to offend him, but I told him that I always slept +by myself. Then the owner of the place spread another +reindeer skin on the floor, and my guide slept upon it.</p> + +<p>The next morning we breakfasted on dried reindeer +meat, hard bread, and milk. After bidding our +host good-bye, and thanking him for his hospitality, +we continued our journey, arriving towards noon at a +farm owned by a river Lapp. The farm had three +buildings; only the wife and daughter were at home. +The husband was cod fishing in the Arctic Sea. The +wife told me she had been a sailor before she was +married, and engaged in cod fishing.</p> + +<p>There were on this farm three diminutive cows, an +ox of the size of the cows, nine sheep, and they owned +besides quite a number of reindeer. The cows were +getting smaller and smaller as I went north. In the +little dwelling-house was a small room for a stranger; +reindeer skins made the mattress. My guide and I +ate together. We had excellent coffee, smoked reindeer +meat, and milk.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span></p> + +<p>Further on we stopped awhile at a little farm owned +by a woman and her daughter. The mother and +daughter worked as if they were men; they fished +for salmon in the river in summer, mowed hay, collected +reindeer moss to feed their cows, went after +wood. A faithful dog was their companion. At some +seasons the daughter descended the river, and engaged +herself as one of the crew on board of a fishing +boat on the Arctic Ocean.</p> + +<p>Resuming our journey we passed the church hamlet +of Utsjoki. Near Utsjoki I met some nomadic +Lapps, who had a large herd of reindeer with them, +and were willing to take me to Nordkyn. That +night I slept in their tent. Early the next morning +they lassoed some very fine reindeer, which had +superb horns and had not been used for quite a while. +I did not care now how fast the reindeer went, for I +could keep inside of my sleigh. The men said: +"We will meet on the promontory Lapps with their +reindeer herds, and if it is very stormy we can go into +their tent."</p> + +<p>Soon after we started.</p> + +<p>They were not mistaken in regard to the speed of +their beasts. They set off at a furious pace, and it +was all I could do to keep inside of my sleigh. My +pride was up, and I was bound to do my utmost not +to upset.</p> + +<p>We finally reached the high promontory which +divides the Laxe from the Tana fjord, at the extremity +of which is Nordkyn. It was blowing a gale<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> +right from the north, and we had to protect our faces +with our masks. Fortunately we came to a Lapp encampment, +and were received with great kindness and +hospitality; enjoyed a good meal of reindeer meat, +and a good sleep afterwards.</p> + +<p>The next morning the weather was fine, and I +drove on to Kjorgosk Njarg—hard name to pronounce—the +most northern land in Europe.</p> + +<p>The land's end was nearing, and erelong I stood +on the edge of Cape Nordkyn, 71° 6' 50"—the most +northern end of the continent of Europe, and rising +majestically over seven hundred feet above the level +of the sea. Before me was the Arctic Ocean, and +beyond, a long way off and unseen by me, was the +impenetrable wall of ice which the Long Night had +built to guard the Pole.</p> + +<p>From there I could see North Cape.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXII</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Leave Nordkyn.—Frantic Efforts of the Reindeer to Keep +their Footing on the Ice.—The Bear's Night.—Foxes +and Ermines.—Weird Cries of Foxes.—Building Snow +Houses.—Shooting-boxes.—Killing Foxes.—Traps for +Ermines.—A Snow Owl.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">NORDKYN being the land's end, I could not +go further north, so I retraced my steps southward. +That afternoon we saw on the other side of a +frozen lakelet the tent of some nomadic Lapps, and +we made preparations to cross the lake to go and +see them.</p> + +<p>While we were in the midst of the lake the wind +rose, and before we knew it the ice was left bare +around us, and our reindeer could not run or walk +over it, it was so slippery. They would fall at every +step they made, making all kinds of contortions to +try to stand on their legs; their hoofs could not possibly +hold on fast to the ice. We got out of our sleighs +to help them. I said to myself that reindeer ought +to be shod, especially to go over the ice.</p> + +<p>It was awful—the poor beasts made frantic efforts +to get on, but could not. I thought we should never +be able to cross the lake, and that we should be +obliged to abandon the reindeer, or try to put them<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> +into our sleighs, and drag these ourselves to the shore. +But we watched our opportunity, and when a layer +of snow was blown in our way, we succeeded in +making some headway. At last we reached the shore, +after three or four hours of hard work.</p> + +<p>The Lapps received us very kindly.</p> + +<p>That night I heard the weird and dismal howls of +foxes. They sounded so strange in the stillness of +darkness. In the morning I asked the Lapps how +many kinds of foxes were found in the country. +"There are red, blue, and black foxes," they answered. +"During the Bear's Night or winter months the blue +foxes and the gray hares turn white; the fur of the +black fox is tipped with white, and he is known as the +silver-gray fox, the fur thus tipped being very valuable. +The ptarmigan also, a species of grouse, turns white +during the Bear's Night."</p> + +<p>I asked the Lapps, "Why do you call the winter +months the 'Bear's Night'?"</p> + +<p>"Because," one replied, "in this land the bears sleep +all through the winter months."</p> + +<p>"Goodness!" I exclaimed; "then the bear has a +sleep that lasts five or six months, and even more?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," the Lapp replied.</p> + +<p>"Are there any bears here," I asked, "that are +sleeping in the neighborhood?—for I should like immensely +to stir one up."</p> + +<p>"There are none this year," he replied.</p> + +<p>Then I said to him, "Let us go fox hunting, for I +should like to get some white and silver-gray fox-skins.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> +We will build a snow house for our camp to +shelter ourselves." One of the Lapps, called Jakob, +agreed to go with me.</p> + +<p>Besides hunting foxes, we were to trap ermines and +kill white hares, for I wanted to have a rug of their +skins. I remembered that I had slept between two +rugs of white hare skins, and how beautiful, soft, and +warm they were.</p> + +<p>After this talk Jakob went off after reindeer, and +returned with three of them. In a short time our +preparations for camping were made. We took with +us our sleeping-bags, some reindeer meat, a little salt, +some hard bread, a coffee kettle, coffee, a small iron pot +to cook our food in, two wooden shovels to help us +in building a snow house and clearing the ground of +snow, our skees, guns, and ammunition. I did not +forget a couple of wax candles, for I always carried +some with me, and plenty of matches, besides a steel +and flints in case some accident should happen to our +matches. We took also a few slender poles, upon +which we intended to hang our meat to keep it out of +reach of prowling carnivorous animals. These carefully +packed and made secure in a special sleigh, we +started. Our sleighs glided along as if they were +going on smooth ice.</p> + +<p>After a journey of four hours, having travelled +about sixty miles, we came to the shores of a lake, and +at one end were two conical dwellings belonging to +fishing or river Lapps. The smoke curling above +their tops showed us the people were at home.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Here," said Jakob, "we will build our snow +houses. I think we shall find plenty of foxes in the +neighborhood, for the country is full of ptarmigans, +and the foxes prey upon them."</p> + +<p>We tied our reindeer with long ropes, so that they +should have plenty of room to dig for moss. Then +we began to build our snow house. It was so cold +that the snow did not hold well together, so we concluded +to make two instead of one, just big enough +for each of us to sleep in and be protected from the +great cold. It was hard work. When finished they +were a little over five feet and a half long and some +three feet wide inside.</p> + +<p>"I like this much better than going in and sleeping +in the dwellings of the river or fishing Lapps yonder," +I said to Jakob.</p> + +<p>Clearing a space for our fire in front, we put up +three long poles we had carried with us, and hung our +meat high up upon them, so that wolves and foxes +could not get at it. Then we put our sleighs containing +our outfit on the top of each other and made +them fast with cords. When this was done Jakob +said: "Foxes are often very bold, and they come and +rummage around the tents; and when famished they +bite everything they get hold of. We shall be able +to hear them from our snow houses if they try to get +into our sleighs."</p> + +<p>We had carried with us a few sticks of dry wood to +be used as firewood, but Jakob knew the country +well and that near us were some junipers, the branches<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> +of which appeared above the snow, and he went and +gathered some of them. The wood of the juniper, +though green, burns well, for it is full of resinous +matter.</p> + +<p>Our camp was now ready. The day's work being +done we lighted a fire, cooked a piece of reindeer meat +for our supper, and made coffee. Jakob, as usual, +had some dried fish skin with him to clarify the coffee. +After our meal we went into our snow houses, and +taking off my Lapp grass and stockings, I laid them +inside of my kapta on my chest to dry the dampness +out of them during the night. Then I got into my +bag. Jakob did likewise, and after bidding each other +good-night we fell asleep. Our houses were warm and +comfortable.</p> + +<p>During the night we were startled by the piercing +howls of foxes, and these kept us awake for a time. +How dismal those howls sounded. We had evidently +come to a good place to find foxes! Jakob evidently +knew what he was about, and had brought me to the +right place.</p> + +<p>When we awoke the weather had become colder, +the thermometer marking 45 degrees below zero. +After a breakfast of reindeer meat and a cup of +coffee we went to reconnoitre on our skees and saw +many tracks of foxes. I was delighted at the discovery, +and said to myself, "Paul, do not leave this place till +you have a few fox skins." I wished all the time that +these tracks might be those of the white and silver-gray +foxes, for they were the ones I particularly wanted.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span></p> + +<p>On our return the fishing Lapps from the other +side of the lake came on their skees to pay us a visit, +and invited us to come and see them. Looking at +their faces I thought they had not been washed for +months, for a coat of dirt covered their skins. I +looked at their fur garments with great suspicion, and +kept away from them without appearing to do so. I +found it necessary to use all the tact I possessed to +avoid wounding their susceptibilities.</p> + +<p>After their departure Jakob said: "I am going to +take the reindeer to some friends of mine who have +their camp within two hours from this place, and +they will take care of them until we go back." +Then he bade me good-bye, saying, "I will not be +long."</p> + +<p>I watched him until I lost sight of him and of the +reindeer. Then I put on my skees, took my gun, and +went to look for foxes, and soon came upon fresh +tracks of them. Once or twice I thought I saw white +foxes, but they are difficult to see at a long distance, +being of the color of the snow, and I could not be +sure. Being satisfied of their presence in our neighborhood, +I returned to the camp.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/016.png" width="600" height="384" alt="" title="" /> +"I advanced cautiously."</div> + +<p>As I came within sight of our shelter I thought I +saw on the snow, near one of the poles where the reindeer +meat was hung, something that was not there +when I had left. It was possible that it was only +the snow that had been piled up in heaps by us. +"Strange," I said to myself, "that I did not notice +that this morning." I advanced cautiously, when suddenly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> +I discovered that what I thought so strange +was three foxes, white ones, seated and looking up +intently at the reindeer meat, probably thinking how +they might reach it. I watched them while they stood +still and kept their heads up, looking at the meat. I +was glad the meat was out of their reach, otherwise we +should have had no supper. I stood perfectly still and +kept watching them. The three foxes did not move. +Suddenly one turned round, and when he saw me he +gave the alarm to his companions and off they ran at +a great rate, and soon were out of sight.</p> + +<p>When I came to the camp I saw that the foxes had +gone round and round the pole, in the hope of finding +a way to reach the meat. It was lucky that they had +not intelligence enough to dig the snow with their +paws at the foot of the pole to make it come down.</p> + +<p>After this, looking over the snow, I saw in the +distance a little black spot, which grew bigger and +bigger as it came nearer. I recognized Jakob on his +skees.</p> + +<p>Soon after he arrived in our camp I told him about +the foxes. "They will come again," he replied, "for +they are hungry. Other foxes will also come, for they +will surely scent our meat."</p> + +<p>After a while we began to work, and built two little +round enclosures of snow, the walls about three feet +high, with openings here and there to fire from, and +went inside and waited for the foxes, having previously +put within a short shooting distance some +reindeer meat. We waited for quite a while—no<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> +foxes—when suddenly I thought I saw something +moving over the snow. Looking carefully I found +that they were white foxes. They had evidently +scented the meat and were approaching in that direction, +and when within shooting distance we fired and +two of them fell. They were fine creatures, with soft +long hair almost as white as the snow upon which they +walked. We skinned them at once, and stretched their +skins on frames we made from branches of juniper.</p> + +<p>The next day we built two new snow entrenchments, +in the opposite direction to the others, and +when it was dark we went into them, putting reindeer +meat near.</p> + +<p>We had not to wait long. I saw something black +on the snow. Certainly the animal was not a white +fox. It could not be the cub of a bear, for it was the +Bear's Night and they were all asleep. When the +animal was near enough I fired and it fell. I ran +towards it, and saw that it was a splendid silver-gray +fox. How carefully we skinned the animal!</p> + +<p>The next day Jakob made a lot of traps for ermines. +These traps are made in the following manner: A +string is attached to a loop long enough for the head +of the animal to pass through. The string is fastened +to a branch, which is bent down above the place +where meat is deposited, some distance back of the +loop. The ermine approaches, and in trying to reach +the meat pushes his head through the loop and pulls +the string up, and the loop tightens round the neck +and strangles the animal in the air.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span></p> + +<p>We scattered these traps in every direction, and +caught many ermines. How pretty is the ermine, +with its short legs, white fur, and tail tipped with black! +The ermine feeds much on the ptarmigans.</p> + +<p>That day I saw perched on the low branch of a tree +a beautiful snowy owl, motionless, evidently watching +for something. Jakob said to me, "The owl is watching +for ermines. There are plenty of these, I am sure, +round here, or the owl would not be on this tree. We +will set some of our traps here." The owl was big +and beautiful, and I said to myself, "The ermine +feeds on the ptarmigans, and the owl on the ermine." +I did not like the idea of the harmless ptarmigans being +eaten by ermines and owls, so I raised my gun and +knocked him over.</p> + +<p>The foxes, after being hunted for two or three days, +became very shy and it was impossible to get near +them. There were a great number of ptarmigans, and +they were so tame that we had no difficulty in getting +many for food.</p> + +<p>Strange to say, when we fired our guns they made +hardly any noise, for the air was so rarefied. We +feasted well at our camp, for we also killed a number +of white hares.</p> + +<p>The white fox had become so scarce that we concluded +to leave our camp for good, and Jakob went +to get our reindeer. After packing we retraced our +steps towards his home, his tent on the snow.</p> + +<p>In one place where we stopped to rest I suddenly +noticed that our reindeer had got loose. I shouted<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> +to Jakob, who was quietly taking a little snooze on +the snow, "Our reindeer are loose!"</p> + +<p>Without saying a word, he went to his sleigh and +took a lasso. The Lapps never travel without a lasso. +This reassured me. "I must be very wary, for our +reindeer are somewhat wild," Jakob said; "Paulus, +follow me." So I took to my skees. As we approached +the animals moved off from us. Then he +came near enough to one of them, and threw his lasso +and caught him. After making the animal fast, he +went carefully after the others and succeeded in lassoing +them.</p> + +<p>"Well done," I said to him. Then we lay on the +snow, with our masks to protect our faces, and went to +sleep. After a short nap we continued our way, and +finally reached Jakob's tent just in time for supper, +and were warmly welcomed by the family.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIII</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Jakob Talks to Me about Bears.—The Bear's Night.—Watching +a Bear Seeking for Winter Quarters.—They Are +Very Suspicious.—I Tell a Bear Story in my Turn.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">SINCE I had heard of the Bear's Night, I wanted +to know more about these animals and their +habits. After our supper, I said to Jakob, "Talk +about bears to me—tell me about them." "All +right," he replied. "I will tell you all I know about +them."</p> + +<p>"At the end of the summer and before the first fall +of snow," he began, "the bears are very fat, for they +have had plenty of berries and roots to eat. They +are so fat that they can stand the long fast during the +Bear's Night; but when they go out in the spring +from their snow cover, they are very lean. We +dread the bear more in the spring than during any +part of the summer, for he is voraciously hungry all +the time and goes after cattle, horses, sheep, or +reindeer."</p> + +<p>"I do not wonder at their being hungry, for the +poor bear has to make up for his long fast," I said.</p> + +<p>Jakob continued: "The bear chooses a place in +which he can lie comfortably, such as under boulders +or fallen trees, where he can be protected from the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> +snow. He becomes suspicious after he has chosen +the place for his Winter's Night, and for days he walks +round and round to see that there is no danger and to +make sure that no enemy can see him. He wants to +feel perfectly safe before he goes into winter quarters. +By walking round wherever the wind blows, he is sure +to scent danger, and if he does he moves away and +goes to seek some other place. The bear is very +wary; it is almost impossible in summer to pursue +him without dogs, for he is so quick of foot and +always on the alert, that when a hunter sees one he +has to be more wary than the bear to approach within +shooting distance of him. When badly wounded he +attacks his enemy suddenly."</p> + +<p>After Jakob had done speaking, I said to him, in +my turn: "Let me tell you a bear story. One +autumn day when I had crossed the mountains by +the great Sulitelma glacier and was descending the +eastern slope on my way to the Gulf of Bothnia, my +Lapp guide and I saw a big brown bear in the distance, +but as it was almost dark we decided not to +go after him, for the country was very stony. We +camped that day in a forest of pines, in order to be +sheltered from the wind, for we were to sleep without +a fire so as not to make the bear suspicious. After +taking our frugal meal of hard bread and butter, my +Lapp said to me, 'To-morrow we shall see the bear; +it is late in the season, and I am sure that he is looking +for his winter quarters in the neighborhood, and +at the first indication of a big snowstorm he will make<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> +ready for his long sleep, for the bears know when a +snowstorm is coming.'</p> + +<p>"'How can they know?' I inquired.</p> + +<p>"'I cannot tell you, for I do not know,' he replied, +'for I am not a bear; but they do know. Do not the +swallows and other migrating birds know the approach +of winter and then fly southward?'</p> + +<p>"'They do,' I replied.</p> + +<p>"That day we were very tired, for we had been +tramping all day, down and up hills and leaping over +boulders which covered the country in many places, and +the wonder to me was that we did not break our necks.</p> + +<p>"The place we had chosen for the night was by a +big boulder almost as large as a small house. There +we could be sheltered against the cold wind of the +night that came through the trees. I picked out a +stone for a pillow, then stretched myself by the side of +the boulder on thick lichen that grew over the barren +soil, and made a comfortable bed. My guide did +likewise. Then we bade each other good-night and +soon fell asleep.</p> + +<p>"The next morning we wandered in the neighborhood +where we had seen the bear, but that day we did +not find him; then we moved in the direction whither +we thought he had gone. That evening we saw +another boulder some twelve or fifteen feet high. +'This will be a fine place of shelter for the night,' I +said to the Lapp. He replied, 'It is just the place +we want. If the wind shifts we will shift also, so as to +be protected.'<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I lay flat along the boulder on the thick reindeer +moss, the Lapp did likewise, and soon after we fell +asleep with the pure bracing wind of the mountains +blowing over our faces.</p> + +<p>"The next morning we saw the bear; he was a long +way from us. The Lapp said to me, 'I think the +bear expects to winter round here; we must watch +him and follow him.' Soon after the bear disappeared.</p> + +<p>"'Do you think he has scented us?' I asked. 'I +do not see how he could,' my guide replied, 'the wind +is in the wrong direction for that. He has gone for +some reason of his own, you may be sure. There +may have been people on the other side of the hill +and he has scented them.'</p> + +<p>"We moved all round our boulder to scan the +country, but there was no bear in sight as far as our +eyes could reach. After a while I noticed a small +black spot on the top of a hill. It was the bear; he +was looking all round. He then walked away and +disappeared. Soon he appeared again, and we saw +him walk round and round a cluster of pines. The +Lapp said: 'The bear is walking, making a ring in +that manner. He tries to find out if there is any +danger for him, and by walking round he is sure to get +the wind, no matter from what direction it comes. +Sometimes the bear will try a number of places for +several days before he selects one.'</p> + +<p>"'How clever the bears are to walk around in that +manner,' I said.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Suddenly the bear disappeared. 'He has scented +us,' said the Lapp, 'and I think he will never come +back here. We have eaten all the food we have with +us. We shall have to feed on berries the rest of our +way. This bear will probably remain in this region +and take up his winter quarters around here somewhere. +I will find out where he will lie. Come to +me early in the spring, before the snow melts, and we +will kill him.'</p> + +<p>"'All right,' I replied; but the following spring, I +regret to say, I was travelling in another part of the +country, but I heard that Bruin met his fate at the +hands of my Lapp when he aroused himself from his +long sleep and came out from under the snow."</p> + +<p>The bears in Sweden, Norway, and Finland are +very fine animals and attain great size. They vary in +the color of their fur, some being almost black, but +generally they are of different shades of brown. I +think they rank in size next to the grizzly bear of the +Rocky Mountains. They are sometimes dangerous, +but not so much so as the grizzly.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIV</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Preparations for Crossing the Mountains to the Arctic Ocean.—Decide +to Take the Trail to the Ulf Fjord.—Houses +of Refuge.—A Series of Terrific Windstorms +in the Mountains.—Lost.—Gloomy Reflections.—A +Happy Reunion.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">THE next day I said to Jakob and to the Lapps, +"I wish some of you to go with me across the +mountains to the shore of the Arctic Ocean. I will +pay you well."</p> + +<p>We were then between the 69th and 70th degrees, +north latitude, and we had to cross the mountains at +an elevation of about 5,000 feet on our way to the +sea. I wanted to find out the kind of weather they +had in these high altitudes in the Arctic regions.</p> + +<p>"Some of us will go with you," they replied; and +added: "There are several trails leading to the Arctic +Ocean. We can reach the sea by going to the Ofoden, +the Ulf, the Lyngen, the Quananger, or the Alten +fjords." I took my map out. After a conference it +was agreed that we should go to the Ulf fjord.</p> + +<p>Norway is the country of fjords. A fjord is an +arm of the sea, winding its way far inland in the midst +of mountains. The sea is very deep, often of greater +depth than the towering heights which rise abruptly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> +from the shore, though these are often several thousand +feet in altitude. No road can be built along many of +these fjords, and boats are the conveyances that are +used to go from one place to another.</p> + +<p>"There are houses of refuge in the mountains, +where we shall find shelter in case of heavy storms," +said the Lapps. "If it were not for those places +of refuge people would often perish when overtaken +by these storms. Paulus, you have met great +windstorms on your way here, but they are nothing +to compare with the terrific winds to be met in the +high mountains. Remember that we are in the month +of March—the month of storms."</p> + +<p>As I was listening to what the Lapps said, I thought +I heard, from across the Atlantic, my young folks and +friends encouraging me, crying: "Be not afraid, Paul. +Go on! Go on! No harm will befall you!" I +shouted back, "I am not afraid!"</p> + +<p>So we started. First we came to a Finn hamlet, +where we met a good many Finlanders and Laplanders +who had arrived with their goods and a great +many sleighs and reindeer on their way to the Ulf +fjord. All the animals had been trained to eat reindeer +moss gathered and stored for that purpose. We had +come just in time.</p> + +<p>Here it was agreed that Jakob and the Lapps who +had taken me to this place should not go further, but +that I should be taken care of by Finlanders, whose +destination was the same as mine and who were +on their way to the Arctic Sea. I was to go with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> +John Puranen. John was a powerfully built man, +with a very kind expression.</p> + +<p>We were soon good friends. John and a party of +friends were going with a large number of sleighs +loaded with reindeer meat, butter, reindeer cheese, +smoked tongues, skins, garments, shoes, and thousands +of frozen ptarmigans, to sell to the people living +on the coast.</p> + +<p>The day after our coming parties of Finlanders +and Laplanders began to leave, with forty or fifty +sleighs and a number of spare reindeer in case any +gave out.</p> + +<p>As I looked over the snow, I could see the caravans +following each other, in single file, and a number +of dogs following their masters.</p> + +<p>The next day we started with a large party. We +all hoped for good weather. We took a good supply +of reindeer moss with us.</p> + +<p>Late at night we came to the first farm of refuge +found in our track. Hundreds of sleighs and reindeer +were outside, and when I entered the house more +than a hundred men were sleeping on the floor. The +snoring was something terrific, and the heat and the +closeness of the room were unbearable. A lighted +lamp shone dimly on the slumberers.</p> + +<p>So I thought that I would be far more comfortable +sleeping outside in my two bags. John said that he +would sleep in his bags by me—and in fact we slept +very comfortably.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/017.png" width="600" height="387" alt="" title="" /> +"The mist was so thick that I could not see ahead."</div> + +<p>When I awoke in the morning it was 42 degrees<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> +below zero. Then we went into the house and had +some coffee and reindeer meat for breakfast. As at +all the post stations, there is a tariff for everything +printed on the walls, so no overcharge is practised.</p> + +<p>Many of the people had already left; we hurried +on to overtake them, and as usual went in single file.</p> + +<p>The weather had become windy, and the wind blew +stronger and stronger as we went on, until there was +hardly any snow left on the ground. It flew to a +great height, and the mist was so thick that I could +not see ahead. My reindeer was going of its own +accord. I trusted him to scent and follow the other +reindeer ahead of me. I hurried him on by striking +slightly his right flank with my rein, hoping to overtake +the people of our party.</p> + +<p>The wind kept increasing, and seeing no one ahead +or behind I became alarmed.</p> + +<p>Where were John and the other fellows? I had +no provisions with me. Where was I? Once in a +while, when there was a lull that lasted about a +minute, I saw nothing but huge mountains ahead of +me. At sight of them I became more anxious than +ever. I could only hear the shrieking of the wind, +which at times threatened to upset me. Occasionally +it blew so hard that my reindeer had to stop.</p> + +<p>My head was entirely hidden by my mask and my +hood, which had been made so secure that I felt it +would stay with my head till both were blown away. +Only my eyes could be seen; but the snow which +kept flying in the air became as fine as flour and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> +penetrated everywhere. It got through the open +space for my eyes, then gathered on my hair, eyelashes, +eyebrows, and mustache, and on my cheeks +and nose; in fact, everywhere on my face, and made +a mask of ice.</p> + +<p>I wished I had no mustache, no eyebrows, no eyelashes, +no hair—for it was very painful every time I +broke this mask of ice. It was hardly broken when it +would form again from the particles of new snow +adhering to each other. When I broke it, I thought +every hair would be torn from my face. If I had +not cleared it away the mask of ice would have become +so thick that I would have been unable to see. I +began to think that there was no fun crossing the +mountains after all, if this was the weather we were +going to get all the way.</p> + +<p>As I could not overtake the people ahead, and +John was not in sight, gloomy thoughts came over me. +Suppose I can find nobody, nor even a house of +refuge, I repeated: what then? What will become +of me in this terrific windstorm, in the midst of these +great towering mountains that surround me on every +side? An answer to my question, as dark as my +thought, said: "Starvation! Starvation! Death! +Death!"</p> + +<p>Suddenly I thought I heard, through the storm, +the same voice from the friends at home shouting to +me, "Be of good cheer, Paul; go on; go on! No +harm will befall you!"</p> + +<p>These imaginary words had hardly been uttered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> +when I said to myself, "If the worst comes to the +worst, and when I am on the point of starving, I will +kill my reindeer, drink its warm blood to sustain my +life, abandon my sleigh, and depend on my skees. +By that time the storm may be over, and I may meet +some of the people who were with me, or other parties +who are going to the Arctic Sea."</p> + +<p>Soon after I had reached this decision, however, I +saw through the mist something black. Was it a pack +of hungry wolves? It was moving towards me. I +seized my gun; but how could I shoot in such +weather and be sure to kill? I did not fancy the +idea of being attacked by a pack of hungry and starving +wolves. At any rate, I would make a desperate +effort to kill some; these would be eaten by the pack, +and after they were satisfied they would perhaps not +follow me but let me alone. Perhaps I might kill a +wolf and suck his warm blood; this would avoid the +need of killing my reindeer.</p> + +<p>No, they were not wolves, but people! I was in +the midst of my friends; they had stopped and were +waiting for me.</p> + +<p>Now I felt happy. John's dog also felt happy +for he wagged his tail and looked at me, and John +said, "Paulus, if you had been lost, my dog would +have found you."</p> + +<p>Then they exclaimed: "We would never have +gone to the sea without you. We would have wandered +all over the mountains with our reindeer or on +our skees to find you. But we thought your reindeer<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> +would follow our track, for he could scent ours, as the +wind was in the right direction; and here we were +waiting for you." I could hardly hear their voices, +though they surrounded me, for they were drowned +in the hissing of the wind.</p> + +<p>We continued our way and came to another house +of refuge, where we took shelter. There we could +wait until the storm was over.</p> + +<p>It was so nice to stretch one's legs and to stand +up and pace the floor and bring the blood into +circulation.</p> + +<p>What would the people do while travelling in such +a climate without houses of refuge? The place of +refuge was a mountain farm; they had cows, goats, and +sheep, for there were pastures near by in summer.</p> + +<p>When the time to sleep came I stretched myself at +full length upon a reindeer skin on the floor, and fell +asleep hearing the wind howling fiercely round the +house.</p> + +<p>When I awoke in the morning the storm had +ceased. I washed my face and hands in water and +dried them with a clean towel which the wife handed +me. What a luxury!</p> + +<p>After breakfast we bade the kind people of the +house of refuge good-bye, and once more we were on +our way to the Arctic Sea. We had not been two +hours on the way, however, when the sky began to +grow gray and apparently a storm was coming; the +wind increased, and flakes of snow began to fall; the +squalls increased in force and frequency. Little did I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> +know that these were the forerunners of a series of +great windstorms that were to take place nearly five +thousand feet above the sea. In a word, I was to +encounter the greatest windstorms I have ever met in +my life. The dark clouds kept flying very fast high +over our heads, then at times seemed to be hardly +above the top of the mountains. The sky became wild +and peculiar. John was hurrying his reindeer as fast as +he could by striking his flanks. He evidently knew +what was coming, for he was a child of the stormy +regions of the North, and knew what such a threatening +sky meant in March. The wind was increasing +in force every minute, the snow flew thicker in the +air. At last, when we reached the station of refuge, +John gave a great shout of satisfaction. We had come +just in time. The snow was driven in thick clouds, +the hills and mountains were hidden from view, and +all around was nothing but a thick haze. The fur of +our garments was entirely filled with particles of snow; +we looked as if we had been rolled in a barrel of +flour.</p> + +<p>I gave a great sigh of relief when we came in front +of the house of refuge. It was well that we hurried +with all our might, for we would never have reached +the place at a slower speed. Then what would have +become of John and me, and of the others!</p> + +<p>At bedtime reindeer skins were strewn on the floor, +for many had come to get shelter against the furious +windstorm. Before going to sleep, we took off our +shoes, and carefully hung them with our stockings and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> +Lapp grass on the poles that were suspended near the +ceiling. Then we bade each other good-night and +thanked the farmer and his wife for their kindness.</p> + +<p>That night I dreamed that the same voices that I +had heard before were saying to me, "Go on! Go on! +Friend Paul, no harm will befall you. Do not be afraid, +be valiant, as you were in Africa. Then come back +and tell us what you have seen in 'The Land of the +Long Night.'" Thereupon I saw all their faces smiling +at me. I felt so happy during that sleep. But it was +nothing but a sweet dream. When I awoke there +was nothing round me to remind me of my far-away +friends, of the girls and boys I loved so dearly. +"What makes you, Paul, so fond of a wandering life," +I said to myself, "and of encountering such perils and +hardships as you have done all through your life, when +you have so many warm friends at home?"</p> + +<p>In the morning, one by one, the people awoke and +got up. The weather was calm, but John said: "The +weather is not to be trusted at this time of the year on +these high mountains." I had great faith in John, +as a weather prophet.</p> + +<p>Most people had their provisions with them. I +was to drink my coffee in the finest cup owned by the +owners of the house of refuge. "Taste some of my +butter," a Finlander would say. "Taste my smoked +reindeer meat," urged a Laplander. "Help yourself +to some of my cheese," said a third. If I had eaten +a little of all that was offered, I should not have been +able to travel. People must not eat too much when<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span> +they have plenty of exercise to perform, or hard +work to do.</p> + +<p>After breakfast John said to me: "It is wise in +these mountains to prepare for all kinds of weather. +It has been bad enough already, but it may be a great +deal worse, for to-day the mountains we are to cross +are very high."</p> + +<p>"Goodness gracious!" I exclaimed. "Is it possible +that we can have worse weather than we have seen, +John?" "Certainly," he replied. I wondered what +sort of weather it could be!</p> + +<p>John attended himself to my toilet; he would not +trust me. He put my stockings on, put an extra +quantity of Lapp grass round them, and saw that +every part of my foot to my ankle was well protected, +tied the shoes over my ankles and my reindeer-skin +trousers most carefully, saw that my belt was well +fastened, that my "pesh" or fur blouse was carefully +made fast round my neck, and that my gloves were +well secured to my wrists with bands used for that +purpose and my hood tied tightly. When he had +finished, he said, with a smile:</p> + +<p>"Paulus, you are ready to stand the strongest windstorm +that can blow; everything on your body is +made as secure as it can be!"</p> + +<p>Our reindeer being harnessed we bade good-bye to +the people of the house of refuge, and a number of +parties left together for self-protection.</p> + +<p>John was not mistaken about the weather. Three +or four hours after our departure the wind increased,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> +and terrific squalls followed each other and threatened +to upset our sleighs. The blinding snow dust prevented +my seeing my reindeer, and at times I could +not even see the head of my sleigh. Night seemed to +have taken the place of daylight,—a thick fog could +not have been worse. Then, to add to my discomfort, +I had continually to break through the mask of ice, +which formed again quickly after being broken. It +was of no use to look for the furrows of the sleighs +that had preceded us, for their tracks were filled at +once with snow.</p> + +<p>Once more I thought I was lost, when I saw John +standing still; he was waiting for me, and attached my +sleigh to his, so that the mishap of being parted again +could not occur. When he had tied the two sleighs, +he said: "If we are lost we will be together." Dear +John, what a glorious fellow he was!</p> + +<p>I thought of what I imagined the "Long Night" +had said to me after the disappearance of the sun: "I +send terrific gales and mighty snowstorms upon ocean +and lands." It seemed to me that I could hear her +sardonic laugh after telling me of her power. The +storm continued to increase, and swept down upon us +from the higher mountain sides with a force which I +had never witnessed before, though I have crossed the +Atlantic more than twenty times in winter and met +with furious gales.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/018.png" width="600" height="385" alt="" title="" /> +"We remained seated on the ground, back to back."</div> + +<p>When I thought that it was impossible for the wind +to blow stronger, the next squall proved that it could. +Then we fell in with a number of men of the party.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> +They had stopped; they did not dare to go further, +travelling had become impossible; before we knew it +we might fall over a precipice, or go in the wrong +direction. I managed to look at my thermometer. +It was 17 degrees below zero. I wished it had been +forty or forty-five, for instead of a windstorm we should +then have had glorious still weather.</p> + +<p>The wind had risen to such a pitch that no snow +was left on the ground, though in many places it must +have been twenty or thirty feet deep or more. It was +all flying in the air, and though it was noon it was +quite dark. We remained seated on the ground, back +to back, in order to support each other, with our heads +bent, to prevent as far as possible the snow getting +under our masks. It was a weird sight, as once in a +while I could see dimly through the flying snow our +bent, immovable bodies, with heads down. Not a +man said a word; it seemed as if we were frozen to +death.</p> + +<p>The snow was carried hither and thither, and all at +once in a lull of a few seconds fell, forming hillocks, +which were in an instant destroyed and sent flying in +the air. One of these hillocks settled dangerously +near us and scared us.</p> + +<p>Then one of the men suggested that we had better +divide into two parties, so that in case one should be +buried in the snow, the other party could help to extricate +those who were buried. This suggestion was +accepted at once. As we got up several of the men were +taken off their feet, and rolled over against some sleighs,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> +which stopped them. I was raised bodily and thrown +on the ground, and carried away; but some of the +men came to my rescue and caught me. Finally we +succeeded in making two parties; we were about fifty +yards from each other and ready to help one another +in case of emergency.</p> + +<p>The wind became so terrific that we had to crouch +against the rocks. I thought we must be in the heart +of "The Land of the Wind," and that this was the worst +country I had ever come to. I almost believed that +the wind had obtained the mastery over the world, +and chaos was coming again. But after a few hours +these north-west squalls gradually diminished in intensity, +and for a time the windstorm seemed to be +over. Then we made preparations to continue our +journey.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXV</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>A Dangerous Descent.—How to Descend the Mountains.—The +most Perilous Portion of the Journey.—Exhaustion +of the Reindeer.—All Safe at the Bottom.—Arrival +at the Shore of the Arctic Sea.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">AS we were ready to start, John said to me: +"Paulus, we are soon to come to the most +dangerous part of the journey; we are to descend the +western slopes of the mountains, which at times are +very abrupt, to the sea. We will go over mountain +tops and descend their steep declivities. We shall +have to drive twice along the sides of deep ravines; all +that are here are going together, so that we may help +each other. Get into your sleigh and follow us closely. +I will lead, and my brother will be behind you."</p> + +<p>We set forth, and soon afterwards I noticed that +our reindeer went much faster than at the start. I +knew by this that we were approaching the slope of a +mountain. I was right. Next we came to the brink +of a hill, and descended with a rapidity of at least +twenty-five miles an hour. The animals simply flew.</p> + +<p>When my reindeer reached the bottom of the hill +he made the usual sudden curve to the left to keep +the sleigh, which had a tremendous momentum, from +striking against his legs. I had prepared myself for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> +the sudden motion; I had been there before! I bent +my body almost out of the sleigh in the opposite +direction, and succeeded in keeping in. It was a fine +sight to see sleigh after sleigh coming down the hill, +but no man followed exactly in the track of the others, +so that in case of accident the one behind would not +pitch headlong into the sleigh ahead.</p> + +<p>I thought this was lots of fun. But ascending the +hill on the opposite side was no fun at all. It was +indeed hard work for the reindeer and for the men. +The snow had drifted on one side of the hill and was +very deep, and in many places very soft. The poor +reindeer spread their hoofs as wide as they could, so +as not to sink too deeply. But in many places it was +of no avail; they would sink to their flanks and even +deeper; but it was wonderful to see how quickly they +sprang out.</p> + +<p>We should never have been able to ascend the hill +without going in zigzag. We had often to get out of +our sleighs and take to our skees. One Finn lent me +a pair of them that were much shorter than mine, to +ascend the hills. I should never have been able to +do it had I not followed the track of those ahead. +Though it was 43 degrees below zero, I was in a profuse +perspiration.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 395px;"> +<img src="images/019.png" width="395" height="550" alt="" title="" /> +"Once in a while I gave a look towards the ugly precipice."</div> + +<p>At times the poor reindeer panted; their tongues +protruded. They would fall down on their backs, +breathing heavily. My reindeer was so exhausted +and breathed so hard, with protruding tongue and +mouth wide open, that I thought he was going to die.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> +"Don't be afraid," said John to me with a smile, as +he saw my anxious face, "reindeer often act like this +when they are exhausted; yours will soon be all +right."</p> + +<p>John was not mistaken.</p> + +<p>It was wonderful how quickly they all recovered, +and after eating plenty of snow they went on as if +nothing had happened to them, until they again became +exhausted and powerless. When we reached +the top of a mountain, we waited for those of our +party that lagged behind. I said to John, "I hope +we have not many more of these hills to ascend." +"We have none so steep; but, Paulus, now we have +come to the most dangerous part of our whole journey; +we are going to run along the brink of one of the +ravines of which I spoke to you. Look ahead," said +he, pointing to the deep ravine.</p> + +<p>When all the men of our party had arrived at the +top of the hill, every one began to make careful preparations +for the descent, and I watched with great +earnestness what was done. Once in a while I gave a +look towards the ugly precipice. I did not like the +sight a bit. The men were anxious, and showed this +in the care and pains they took in testing every plaited +leather cord, and those were especially strong that were +to be used for such an emergency. They knew how +dangerous was the ride and that no cord must snap.</p> + +<p>A number of sleighs were lashed with mine by a +very strong plaited leather cord. When John was +through he said to me: "This cord cannot break."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span></p> + +<p>Behind each sleigh a reindeer was fastened, the cord +being attached at the base of his horns. John said to +me: "Reindeer cannot bear to be pulled quickly, and +make every effort to disengage themselves, and by +doing so act as a drag." All the sleighs had been +lashed together by fours, sixes, eights, or tens. We +had plenty of spare reindeer with us, and at the end of +each set of sleighs two or three reindeer were made +fast to the last one. A man was in the front sleigh of +the set to lead, and another man in the last one. John +was to lead the set in which I was, and his brother +was to be in the last. As usual each man rode his +sleigh with his legs outside, turned back somewhat, or +reversed, with the top of his shoes touching the snow, +the feet to act as rudder.</p> + +<p>When I did the same a great cry went up. I heard, +"No! No! Paulus, your legs will surely be broken; +put them inside your sleigh, as you have always +done!" and before I could say a word in reply John +and a Finn were by me, each taking one of my legs +and putting it inside.</p> + +<p>A short time was to elapse between the start of each +set of sleighs, so that there would be no chance of +their coming in contact. The signal was given, and one +set after another started with great speed. It was one +of the grandest and most dangerous sights I had ever +seen, but the Lapps and Finns were accustomed to +this, for they generally went twice every winter to the +Arctic Sea with their produce for sale.</p> + +<p>Then my turn came. John started and off we went.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span></p> + +<p>As the sleighs swerved in the descent the tension was +very great. I said to myself, "If the cord that keeps +our sleighs together breaks we shall be pitched far below +and be dashed against the rocks with incredible +force."</p> + +<p>In the mean time every reindeer was holding back +with all his power, making efforts to disengage himself, +and by doing this acted as a brake on the sleighs +in front. If they had not done so the descent would +have been impossible.</p> + +<p>What speed! I had never seen anything like +this descent before. Here was a terrifying precipice, +the sloping rocks leading towards the chasm. +I was afraid the reindeer would miss their footing. I +hoped that no bare ice would be met. At any moment +we might have been thrown out headlong. After we +reached the dale, which closed abruptly at the head of +the ravine, I was breathless from excitement. I had +just ended one of two of the most exciting rides I had +ever taken. We waited for those that were behind, +and when they had arrived we rested for a while.</p> + +<p>I asked John what would have happened if one of +the cords had snapped. He did not answer my question, +but simply looked at me with a serious expression. +I knew what it would have meant. Death!</p> + +<p>Further on we had another descent of the same +character, but not so dangerous.</p> + +<p>We were all glad when we reached the station of +refuge; we were so tired from the excitement of the +day.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span></p> + +<p>We had crossed the backbone of the mountain, and +had come down the western slope. Each stream now +flowed to the Arctic Sea.</p> + +<p>The next day we continued the descent. The day +before we had come to the zone where the juniper +grew; to-day we passed the birch. Then came the +fir trees. Darkness overtook us, and I could not +make out what sort of land it was, but soon we came to +the house of a fisherman, where we all spent the night.</p> + +<p>When I awoke in the morning and looked out I +found that I was at the bottom of a great chasm with +towering mountains on each side. I had never seen +the like. It seemed to me that I had come to a world +unknown before. Looking towards the west I saw a +long dark green line of water, sunk deeply into the +ragged and precipitous mountains. I had come to the +Ulf Fjord. The water was the Arctic Sea. I was on +the shores of grand old Norway.</p> + +<p>The fjord was frozen at its inner extremity for +about one mile with thick solid ice. At the inner end +of every fjord there is a river, flowing through a valley, +which is the continuation of the fjord; consequently +the water is only brackish and freezes more easily than +salt water. Further on the fjord is free of ice, for in +this part of the world, though so far north, the sea is +made warm by the Gulf Stream, the very same Gulf +Stream that starts from West Africa and flows westward +to the coast of Brazil, then branches off northward +and runs close to our American shores. Without +the Gulf Stream this part of Norway would be a land<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> +of ice, just as the land of North-west America is, in the +same latitude.</p> + +<p>I remembered that I had sailed over the Gulf Stream +waters near the African coast, and it had come to meet +the same stream again on that far-away northern shore—beyond +the Arctic Circle.</p> + +<p>My journey over mountains 5,000 feet high, between +the 69th and 70th degrees of north latitude, was +over.</p> + +<p>I saw a vessel in the distance, and with one of the +fishermen living on this inhospitable shore we went on +board. It was good luck the vessel was going to sail +north. The captain was willing to take me with him +on his voyage.</p> + +<p>I thanked John and my other travelling companions +for the kindness they had shown me. We parted with +great tokens of friendship.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVI</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Sail on the Arctic Ocean.—The Brig <i>Ragnild</i>.—Ægir and +Ran, the God and Goddess of the Sea.—The Nine Daughters +of Ægir and Ran.—Great Storms.—Compelled to +Heave to.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">AS I stepped on board I said farewell to my dear +skees and sleigh, as they were put into the hold. +"I shall miss you very much," I said, "for we have +had happy times together." Then we sailed away. +Now I have laid aside my Lapp costume, and I am clad +in the garb of a fisherman. I am clothed in a suit of +oilskin garments, over my woollens, to protect me +from the wet. I wear a big sou'wester, instead of a +cap, to keep the rain and the spray from running down +my neck, and huge sea-boots to keep my legs and feet +dry. In these I am ready to brave the storms of the +Arctic Ocean. Now a boat will be my sleigh, its sail +my reindeer: these will carry me onward on the sea, as +the others have done on the snow.</p> + +<p>As I stood quietly on deck looking at the sea, the +captain said to me, "For a wonder we have pleasant +weather. This winter we have had nothing but a +succession of gales or terrific squalls, and what is worse, +blinding snowstorms, when we could not even see each +other on deck."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 396px;"> +<img src="images/020.png" width="396" height="550" alt="" title="" /> +"I am clad in the garb of a fisherman."</div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span></p> + +<p>The <i>Ragnild</i>—such was the name of our vessel—was +a staunch Norwegian brig that had weathered many +a gale on the stormy coast of Norway and the Arctic +Sea. She was bound for the coast of Finmarken, +on the east side of North Cape, to buy codfish. On +board were provisions and clothing, boots, etc., for sale +to the fishermen we were to meet in the coast settlements.</p> + +<p>Our crew was composed of most sturdy seafaring +men. The name of the captain was Ole Petersen, a +real old salt who had been at sea for nearly fifty +years and was part owner of the craft.</p> + +<p>John Andersen was the first mate; the sailors were +Lars, Evert, Ivor, Hakon, Pehr, and Harald. All +of these men had encountered many a gale, and two +had been wrecked.</p> + +<p>Towards nine o'clock that evening, the captain and +I went to our bunks, the captain leaving the first mate +and three men on the watch.</p> + +<p>When I awoke in the morning the <i>Ragnild</i> was rolling +heavily; we were in the midst of an angry sea and +of a great gale, and while I was dressing I was thrown +from one side of my little stateroom to the other, +and it was no fun. I came on deck, and as I looked +at the big waves I said, "The wind and the waves are +in their ugly mood." The wind howled and shrieked +through the rigging, and waves were like big hills. I +thought of the many wrecks of ships and boats, and of +the multitude of passengers and seafaring men that have +been drowned since people have sailed on the seas.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span></p> + +<p>The captain murmured to me, "This is ugly +weather indeed. We must employ all the skill we +have to fight against the storm. Our sails are new, +our rigging is strong, and our vessel is staunch, and +we are all valiant men on board who have gone +through many such a storm before."</p> + +<p>That morning as I watched the coast, I remembered +that the Vikings believed and worshipped Ægir as the +god of the sea. Ægir ruled over the sea and the wind. +Ran was his wife, and she had a net in which she +caught all those who were lost at sea; her Hall was +at the bottom of the ocean, and there she welcomed +all the shipwrecked people.</p> + +<p>Ægir and Ran had nine daughters, and their names +were emblematic of the waves. They were called +<i>Hefring</i> the Hurling, <i>Hrönn</i> the Towering, <i>Bylgja</i> +the Upheaving, <i>Bara</i> the Lashing.</p> + +<p>The five other daughters were called <i>Himinglæfa</i> the +Heaven Glittering, <i>Blödughadda</i> the Bloody Haired, +<i>Kolga</i> the Cooling, <i>Unn</i> the Loving, <i>Dufa</i> the Dove.</p> + +<p>The Vikings dreaded Hefring, Hrönn, and Bylgja +when far out at sea, and Bara when they were approaching +the shore. These four waves are those the +mariners dread to-day.</p> + +<p>They believed that these daughters of Ægir and Ran +were seldom partial to men, that the wind awakened +them and made them angry and fierce. They called +them "The white-hooded daughters of Ægir and +Ran." They called the spray their hair. They believed +that in calm weather they walked on the reefs and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> +wandered gently along the shores, and that their beds +were rocks, stone-heaps, pebbles, and sands.</p> + +<p>I had not been long on the sea before I found +that I had exchanged the terrific winds of Arctic "Snow +Land" for the gales of the Arctic Ocean. The +weather was fearful! Snow, sleet, hurricanes, treacherous +heavy squalls, followed each other in succession.</p> + +<p>"This is the winter weather we have here," said the +captain; "we do not expect any better at this time of +the year. When there is a lull, it is only to deceive +us; then it blows harder than ever, and the snow or +the sleet falls thicker than before."</p> + +<p>My fancy recalled again to me the words of the +"Long Night": "I send terrific gales and mighty +snowstorms over oceans and lands."</p> + +<p>As I looked at the ocean I saw a big towering wave +rolling up towards the stern of the ship and apparently +gaining upon us. It was transparent and of a deep +green color. I imagined I could see Hefring with +glittering eyes, one of her arms directing the wave +against us.</p> + +<p>The men looked anxiously towards the wave, which +was steadily advancing, but our ship rode over it +as if she were a gull resting on the ocean. Then the +ugly wave formed a crest, curled upon itself, and +with a heavy boom broke into fragments of snowy +foam.</p> + +<p>I said to the men: "This wave has missed us." +They answered in serious voices, "And we must watch, +for a more towering one will follow, as there are<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> +always three of them going together, and this second +one may come and break over us."</p> + +<p>These words were hardly uttered when I saw far +off another mountainous wave rolling up. I imagined it +was Hrönn. It was so high as it neared us that we +could not see the horizon beyond; it looked fierce +and dangerous. Its crest gradually rose higher and +higher, as if getting ready to strike. Steadily Hrönn +advanced. We are lost, and our ship is sure to +founder if her wave breaks over our stern. The faces of +the captain and men were serious. I said to myself: +"If we get into the whirlpool of its crest there will be +no escape; we are sure to founder."</p> + +<p>The wave broke about fifty yards before reaching us. +It had become harmless, but the foaming, scattered +billows enveloped the ship in their thick spray. It was +a narrow escape; but we were saved thus far! Then +in the wake of the imaginary Hrönn rose another wave. +I imagined Bylgja was coming. It advanced slowly +and angrily towards us, ready to sweep our deck and +to do the work the two others had tried to do and +missed—demolish our ship. It broke before reaching +us with a loud boom, making the sea a surging +sheet of foam as white as snow for a long distance. +This was a beautiful sight. We gave a great shout +of joy; we had had a narrow escape.</p> + +<p>After these three heavy seas came a lull. The +captain said thoughtfully, "Those are the waves that +disable or founder ships and send them to the bottom +of the sea!"</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/021.png" width="600" height="387" alt="" title="" /> +"I saw a big towering wave rolling towards the stern of the ship."</div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span></p> + +<p>We were indeed still in the midst of a great gale. +But the captain and our crew had thus far fought +against the storm successfully. I thought of the great +Viking Half, and of his champions. It was their +custom always to lie before capes, never to put up a +tent on board, and never to reef a sail in a storm. +Half had never more than sixty men on board of his +ship, nor could any one go with him who was not so +hardy that he never was afraid or changed countenance +on account of his wounds. I wondered if Half +and his men had ever encountered such a storm as we +were having. If so his ship must have been a staunch +vessel indeed.</p> + +<p>As the hours passed the storm continued, the +Daughters of Ægir and Ran rose again and again, trying +to strike our ship; when their hoods were rent +asunder, their long hair streamed on the gale.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon the dark clouds were lower than +usual and moved rapidly over our heads. The wind +howled and hissed through the rigging. Wave after +wave struck against the ship's side and deluged the deck +with water. One of them took me off my feet and +pitched me to the other side against the bulwarks, +almost washing me overboard.</p> + +<p>"You had better go into the cabin," said the captain; +"this is no weather for you." But I replied, +"Yes, captain, it is; I want to see this big storm +with its mighty sea." I had hardly said these words +when another wave came aboard of us. Two men +were nearly washed overboard; fortunately they held +fast to the rigging.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span></p> + +<p>Soon after another big wave struck our port side, +and carried away a part of our bulwarks, swamping +our decks with a huge mass of water; this time nearly +washing overboard all of us who were on deck. Looking +at the havoc the wave had wrought, I remembered +the saga which tells of the storm the celebrated Viking +Fridthjof encountered at sea, and which says:</p> + +<p>"Then came a wave breaking so strongly that it +carried away the gunwales and part of the bow, and +flung four men overboard, who were lost.</p> + +<p>"'Now it is likely,' said Fridthjof, 'that some of +our men will visit Ran. We shall not be thought fit +to go there unless we prepare ourselves well. I +think it is right that every man should carry some +gold with him!' He cut asunder the arm ring of +his sweetheart Ingibjörg, and divided it among his +men."</p> + +<p>We had been running before the wind with all the +sails we could carry safely, so that the ship might not +be overtaken and swamped. As long as the ship +can sail faster or quite as fast as the waves, it is all +right; but if the waves go faster then there is great +danger that the ship will be pooped by the sea,—that +is, that the seas may come over the stern, and sweep over +the deck, carrying everything away. In such a case it +happens sometimes that all those who are on deck +are swept overboard.</p> + +<p>The sea finally became so high and so threatening +that the captain ordered that we should heave to and +wait for the storm to abate. To heave a ship to before<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> +the wind is a dangerous manœuvre. We waited until +three big seas had passed. There is generally a lull +after that, and then is the time to bring the ship's head +to the wind. During the evolution the ship is liable +to get in the trough of the sea, when she rolls heavily, +and has her deck swept by the waves. The dangerous +operation in our case proved successful.</p> + +<p>While our ship lay to we had just sail enough to +keep her head to the wind, and she rode like a big +albatross on the water, drifting a little to leeward. +When she was in the hollow of two waves, these +seemed like mountains ready to engulf us, but we +rode safely over every one. As we lay to we felt +perfectly secure. Our ship did not roll as if broadside +to the seas, but pitched, rising slowly, over every +wave.</p> + +<p>After lying to for over six hours, the storm having +somewhat moderated, we sailed east towards the +shore; but before the day was over we encountered +a cross-sea, the waves coming in every direction and +striking against each other. The man at the helm had +to watch them. Evidently there had been two or three +heavy storms blowing in different directions. A cross-sea +is very dangerous, for the man at the helm never +knows where the wave will strike. After a while the +wind shifted and was ahead, and now we had to beat +against it and we sailed under close reefed sails. The +wind seemed ten times stronger than before, for when +a ship runs before the wind, the wind is not felt so +much, as it goes with the ship.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span></p> + +<p>As we came to a barren island, running parallel with +the main land, we saw the angry sea lashing itself with +a tremendous force against the solid base of mountain +walls, filling the air each time it struck with a deep +booming sound which seemed like the roar of cannon +heard far off; the waves, as they struck the immovable +wall of rocks which stopped their advance, +breaking into a tumultuous mass of seething billows, +which recoiled from the barrier that opposed them and +fell back into a surging, boiling mass of white which +soon after was hurled forward again by another advancing +wave rushing on to meet the same fate. The +whole coast was fringed as far as the eye could see with +a mass of angry white billows. It was an awful sight.</p> + +<p>Seamen dread the coast in a storm more than they +do the waves in the middle of the ocean. We steered +for the leeward of the island, and when we reached the +sound separating it from the main land we came into +smooth water where we cast anchor. We were to +remain there until the storm abated, to give a good +rest to the crew.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVII</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>A Dark Night at Sea.—Wake of the <i>Ragnild</i>.—Thousands +of Phosphorescent Lights.—A Light Ahead.—An Arctic +Fair.—A Fishing Settlement.—How the Cod are cured.—Fish +and Fertilizer Fragrance.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">THE weather having moderated, we raised our +anchor and with a fair wind continued our +voyage. When the night came it was so pitch-dark +that I could not distinguish the sea from the horizon +and the sky. It was impressive. I felt so little in +the immensity that surrounded our craft. Our ship, +to my eyes, when compared with the size of the ocean, +was not bigger than a tiny hazelnut tossed to and fro +upon it.</p> + +<p>Once in a while the crest of a wave broke into a +long snowy-white line which appeared to be filled with +a thousand lights; this effect was caused by the +infinite number of animalculæ, which are struck +together by the movement of the wave and give out +phosphorescence. These animalculæ are living creatures +which cannot be seen without the help of the +microscope. It is wonderful that such small things +can give such glowing light.</p> + +<p>The long heavy swells, pushed by the southerly +gales that had passed away, moved irresistibly on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> +towards the North, one after another, to break the +wall of ice the Long Night had built round the pole. +What terrific booming must take place there at +times, when the ice gives way, breaks up, and rises in +great ridges over the Long Wall!</p> + +<p>A light at our masthead told of our presence to the +mariners of the fishing boats, or the vessels coming +from far northern ports across our course, and warned +them of danger.</p> + +<p>Our ship ploughed her way through the sea, raising +a mass of foam brilliant with globules of light. These +globules swept astern along the sides of the ship, and +disappeared further on. We left behind us an undulating +luminous wake, resembling a long bright snake +following us, which was gradually in the distance engulfed +by the ocean. This luminous track seemed to +be reeled off from a windlass at the stern of the ship.</p> + +<p>As I watched this white serpentine phosphorescent +pathway, I thought of the countless wakes that had +been made in like manner since vessels sailed upon +the seas, on their way to different lands, for thousands +of years past, yet not one of those tracks has ever +been seen again. No wonder that the Norsemen +called the sea "The Hidden Path."</p> + +<p>On deck were four men on the watch, who guarded +the lives of those who had gone below to sleep. The +man at the helm watched the compass, which was +lighted by a lamp. A man at the prow was on the +lookout for sudden danger—ships, derelicts, or rocks. +Another stood amidships. The first mate paced the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> +deck, watching for any change in the wind. Suddenly +the man at the prow shouted:</p> + +<p>"Light on the starboard bow!" It was the light +of a ship sailing in the opposite direction towards us. +In a snowstorm, in a fog, we might have collided; +then both might have gone to the bottom of the sea.</p> + +<p>To the leeward of us was the barren, forbidding coast; +to the windward lay rocky islands. "Dear compass," +I whispered, "we trust in thee; lead us right; the +night is very dark, and our eyes cannot see rocks +ahead, except, perchance, when it is too late."</p> + +<p>Suddenly the bell struck: One, two, three, four, +five, six, seven, eight. It was midnight—time for +the watch below to relieve the one on duty, and for +the captain to take the place of the mate. Every four +hours this change is made. I remained on deck, for +I wanted to watch this dark night.</p> + +<p>I came on deck early the next morning, for I +smothered in the close confined cabin—I had been so +accustomed to the bracing open air. As I looked +around me I saw nothing but the great horizon which +surrounded us. It had seemed so near every day, as +we sailed towards it, and yet, no matter how long we +sailed, we never came nearer. This was because the +horizon is the boundless space in the midst of which +the earth moves on its axis round the sun.</p> + +<p>In the morning we came to a place full of people +dressed in furs. They were Laplanders and Finlanders. +A great fair was taking place, and most of +the people had crossed the mountains to the Arctic<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> +Sea, taking with them for sale reindeer meat, butter, +cheese, reindeer cheese made in the summer and +autumn, frozen ptarmigans, skins of reindeer, bears, +foxes, ermines, and other animals; ready-made clothing, +gloves and shoes of reindeer skin; hoofs of reindeer, +and other things. They bought salted and dried +codfish, sugar, coffee, salt, and other groceries, flour, +lamp oil, tobacco, and things for their wives and children, +and took back cash with them.</p> + +<p>After a short stay we raised our anchor, and continued +to sail along that bleak coast until we came to +a hidden harbor, well protected by a number of barren +islands from the storms of the Arctic Ocean, and cast +anchor before a large fishing settlement. It was the +beginning of April.</p> + +<p>It was a strange place indeed. The port was filled +with fishing boats. Hundreds of them were drawn +up on the shore, and other hundreds were at anchor. +There were also a number of good-sized vessels and +smaller craft. All along the rocky shore were huge piles +of codfish caught that day. The water was crowded +with boats moving in every direction, loaded with cod.</p> + +<p>Alongside the big piles of fish, men dressed in wide +trousers and overalls of leather were busy preparing +the codfish. Some were cutting the heads off and +throwing them into a pile, while others were opening +the fish, cleaning them, and then, after flattening +them, throwing them to other men, who salted them. +After this operation they were carried to the warehouses +and were ready for drying.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span></p> + +<p>By some of the piles men opened and cleaned the +fish and tied them together by twos. After this they +were hung on frames or poles. In other places the +men divided the cod in halves, taking their spines out, +but kept them connected by their gills. These were +also hung on the poles. When dry the fish is as hard +as wood.</p> + +<p>The eggs or ova were put into barrels and salted, +and Captain Ole Petersen, who was with me, said to +me: "Each barrel contains the ova of three hundred +cod. They are sent to Italy and France and used in +the sardine fisheries of those countries." Other men +were busy putting the livers into barrels, two barrels +of fat liver yielding about one barrel of brown oil. +The tongues of the cod were taken out of the heads, +put into barrels and salted.</p> + +<p>I visited the warehouses, built partly on piles projecting +into the sea. Along some of these were brigs +and schooners loading.</p> + +<p>What a sight was the inside of these warehouses! +They were filled with long deep rows of freshly salted +codfish, piled higher than a man and about the same +width. These fish were to be put on board ships +and landed upon rocks, there to stay until they were +dried and ready to be shipped to foreign countries. +The cod is the gold of the people living on this desolate +land.</p> + +<p>The country around was covered with frames upon +which fish were hanging. Nets and lines were seen +in every direction on the rocks, left to dry or ready to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> +be mended. Wherever I turned the place was saturated +with the blood of fish and offal. The sea was +covered with offal; thousands of gulls were flying +in every direction and feeding upon it, while great +numbers of eider ducks, as tame as farm ducks, were +swimming everywhere and feeding. They were not +afraid, for no one is allowed to shoot them. The bare +rocks were black with hundreds of thousands of heads +of cod that had been put there to dry.</p> + +<p>These heads, with the bones of fish, are turned into +a fertilizer, or used to feed cattle. The heads are +boiled before they are given to the animals. "Cattle +and sheep feeding on dried fish heads!" I exclaimed +with astonishment to my companion, "I never heard +of this before."</p> + +<p>I asked one of the merchants how he could live in +such a place. "The atmosphere that brings money," +he replied, "never smells bad. Where there is no +smell there is no business and no money with us."</p> + +<p>Goodness gracious! what a smell there was in this +fishing settlement. It was far from pleasant, especially +when compared with the pure air of the land over +which I had travelled.</p> + +<p>Several nice houses belonged to the merchants of +the place. These were painted white and were very +comfortable.</p> + +<p>The cabins of the fishermen were scattered everywhere +and were all alike. They were built of logs, +with roofs covered with earth. I wanted to live with +the fishermen and become acquainted with them.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVIII</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Among the Fishermen.—Their Lodgings and how They Look.—What +They Have to Eat.—An Evening of Talk about +Cod, Salmon, and Herring.—The Immense Number of +Fish.—A Snoring Match.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">SOON after Captain Petersen and I entered one of +the houses of the fishermen. They had just returned +from their fishing. I asked them if I could live with +them for a few days. "Yes," they all replied with +one voice. They knew Captain Petersen, I was with +him: that was enough for them.</p> + +<p>Strange indeed was the room. Each fisherman's +cabin had only one. The wall was surrounded by two +rows of bunks, on top of each other. The room was +arranged like the forecastle of a ship.</p> + +<p>"Where are you from?" one of the fishermen +asked me.</p> + +<p>"From America," I replied.</p> + +<p>"From America!" they all exclaimed at once. "Is +that possible?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, he is from America," said Captain Petersen.</p> + +<p>"I have a brother in America, in Minnesota," exclaimed +one.</p> + +<p>A second said: "I have a sister in Dakota."</p> + +<p>A third: "I also have a brother in America; he sails +on the Great Lakes."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span></p> + +<p>From that moment those fishermen and I were great +friends. They asked me my name. I replied, "My +name is Paul Du Chaillu."</p> + +<p>"Why!" some of the younger fishermen said, "we +have read in school the translation of your travels in +Africa. Are you really he?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," I replied.</p> + +<p>Twenty-eight men, the crews of four boats, including +the captains, lived together. A cooking-stove was +in the centre of the room; a few wooden benches and +a table composed the rest of the furniture, while a +number of chests contained the garments of the men, +several coffee kettles, a pan and a big pot, etc.</p> + +<p>All these twenty-eight men insisted that I should +have a whole bunk to myself—the occupant would +shift and go to another fellow. I must be comfortable, +they said. I was not accustomed to living in +their way.</p> + +<p>A man took his things from his bunk. He was +the captain of one of the boats. He said to me: "Paul, +my bunk is yours." I had to accept.</p> + +<p>When they had cooked their meal, they said: +"Paul, eat with us simple fisher folk; we will give +you the best we have; you are welcome." We had +only one dish, and it was entirely new to me.</p> + +<p>It was what the sailors called lobscouse, a sort of +pudding made of ship biscuits, liver, and fish. I did +not care much for it, but I said nothing to the fishermen. +One said: "We eat this dish every day, and that +will be your food when you are with us."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Humph!" I said to myself. I remembered the +elephants, the crocodiles, the snakes, and the monkeys, +etc., I had had to eat while in Africa. The monkeys +when fat were fine, and tasted so good I should have +been willing to exchange a dish of lobscouse for a +monkey.</p> + +<p>After our meal we had coffee; each man owned his +own cup. "We drink only coffee," they said, "for +no spirits are allowed to be sold here, for fear some +of the men while going to sea might become drunk, +and endanger their lives, and the lives of those that +are with them."</p> + +<p>Our coffee drunk, we talked first about fish and their +peculiar habits. The names of the four captains were +John Ericksen, Hakon Johansen, Ole Larsen, Harald +Andersen.</p> + +<p>"Every spring," said Captain Ole, "salmon come +up from the sea and ascend our rivers to spawn, and +in time the little ones go to sea. As they grow up +they continue to come every year to the same river +where they were born, and nobody knows where they +spend the interval."</p> + +<p>After a pause, during which the fishermen filled +their pipes, Captain Ericksen said: "Every year the +codfish make their appearance in winter in vast shoals +and countless millions on the Lofoden Islands banks to +spawn. Then they migrate further north to the coast +of Finmarken, then eastward as far as Russia. Then +they disappear until the following winter. No one +knows where they come from or where they go."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span></p> + +<p>One of the men observed: "I have been a fisherman +for over forty years, and it is wonderful how +regularly the cod make their appearance on the fishing +banks. We depend so much on their time of coming +that we leave home every year at the same date. +They must know their way in the ocean and recognize +different marks on their journey, for they have to +travel thousands of miles before they return to the +fishing banks to spawn. The cod in their migration +leave behind them a great many stragglers, which +are caught all the year round. The number of cod +caught on the banks of Finmarken and of the Lofoden +Islands averages about forty to forty-two millions a +year, and the total catch along the coasts of Norway +amounts to about fifty millions a year. The land is +barren, and if it were not for the fish we could not +live in our country."</p> + +<p>"Fifty millions of cod is a great number," I observed.</p> + +<p>"Yes," he replied, "but these fifty millions are +nothing but a small fraction compared with the great +number that are not caught."</p> + +<p>After our talk on the cod was finished, Captain +Ericksen spoke about herrings as follows: "If the +number of codfish caught is great, the number of +herring is far greater. The herrings make their appearance +in immense shoals, and it is beyond the power +and calculation of man to guess their number, for their +millions are countless. The migration of the herring +is often very irregular. They appear generally from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span> +January to March. The herring are known to have +disappeared for years in some districts, then suddenly +reappear."</p> + +<p>"That is strange," I said. "Can you account for +that?"</p> + +<p>"No," the captain replied; "if I were a herring I +probably could tell." We all laughed when he said +this.</p> + +<p>I remarked: "The number of Norwegian fishing +boats is so great, how do you know when some are +missing and have foundered at sea?"</p> + +<p>Captain Ericksen replied: "Every fishing district +has its own letter on each boat belonging to it, and a +number, and the name of every man composing its +crew is registered; also his residence, the day of his +birth, etc. This is necessary, for every year some +poor fisherman's boat is lost and the crew drowned; +thus the boat and crew missing can be identified. +All the Norwegian men you see at the fisheries have +homes—humble it is true—either on the fjords, by +the coast, or on some little islands where there are a few +patches of land which they can cultivate, raise potatoes +and some grain, and where there is grass enough to +keep a cow or two, sometimes more, some goats, and +a few sheep to give us wool.</p> + +<p>"That is the reason you see us so warmly clad. +Our wives, daughters, or sisters, while we are absent +from home think of us. They spin and weave the +wool from our sheep into outer garments and underwear, +knit stockings for us, and with some of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> +money we get from our catch of fish we buy waterproof +clothing. With a good part of the money we +save we buy things for our family and the provisions +that we need, and put the rest in the bank."</p> + +<p>It was time to retire, for we had to start up at five +in the morning, if the weather permitted, for the fishing +bank. It was agreed among the fishermen that I +should go net-fishing in the boat owned by Captain +Ole. What music we had during the night! All the +fishermen snored. I thought I had never heard such +a snoring before! I amused myself by wondering +which one of them would have received the prize had +it been a snoring match.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIX</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Departure for the Fishing Banks.—Great Number of Boats.—More +than Five Thousand Oars fall into the Water at +the Same Time.—Quantities of Buoys and Glass Balls.—A +Notable Catch of Cod.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">AT four o'clock the next morning we were up. It +was the dawn of the day. It was wonderful how +quickly the nights shortened. Coffee, flat bread, +butter, and cheese made our breakfast.</p> + +<p>When we came out almost all the boats with their +full crews were ready waiting for the hoisting of the +flag at five o'clock, which is the signal for the start, the +time changing according to the length of the day. We +all had to leave together, and to return the same day. +Every one, including myself, was dressed in oilskin +garments, sou'wester, and high sea-boots. There were +more than nine hundred fishing boats. As soon as +the flag was hoisted over five thousand oars struck the +water at the same time, and filled the air with a deep +booming sound. I had never seen so many sea boats +and oars together. It was a grand sight!</p> + +<p>As soon as we were out of the harbor the boats +hoisted their sails, and soon we were scattered in every +direction, each boat going towards its buoys. I looked +at the thousands of white sails with wonder.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span></p> + +<p>Our fishing boat was a fine craft, forty-two feet +long and about seven feet and a half beam. The +poop was decked under for a cabin, with bunks for +the men to sleep in. The rudder-like oar, several feet +long, is held by the captain, who sculls and steers at +the same time.</p> + +<p>Captain Ole was a regular "old salt." Our crew +was composed of Sven, Hakon, Fridthjof, Ivor, +Evert, Harald and Erik. Evert and Harald were +lads about seventeen years old; they were learning +to be hardy sailors like their father.</p> + +<p>After a sail of three hours' beating against the wind, +we came to the fishing banks and towards our buoys. +The water for as far as I could see was filled with buoys +and glass balls (floaters to hold the nets) enclosed in +netted ropes. These glass balls were attached by a +short cord to the nets to keep them floating, while +stones at the bottom held the nets stretched. It was +no easy matter to sail among them.</p> + +<p>Looking at the multitudes of buoys I asked Captain +Ole, "How can you ever find and recognize +your own buoys?"</p> + +<p>He answered smiling, "We can find our nets by +the bearings, and every buoy has its special mark of +ownership. It is hard work to haul in the nets, especially +when the sea is rough. Each net is one hundred +and twenty fathoms long, and about three fathoms +deep;—we sailors do not count by yards but by +fathoms. Each fathom is six feet long. In our boat +we have to raise twenty-four nets tied together in +fours."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/022.png" width="600" height="386" alt="" title="" /> +"It is hard work to haul in the nets."</div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I will help you all I can," I replied; "I am willing +to work. I have come to sea and I am in your +boat as one of the crew, and I will try to do my part. +I hope we are going to have good luck, and that +the catch of cod will be big."</p> + +<p>To Evert and Hakon was assigned the duty of +pulling in the nets. Two other men stowed the nets +carefully. Near the net-reels were two men who +hooked the fish as they appeared and threw them inside +of the boat, and another man and I arranged the +nets. How eager we were as the nets were hauled up +to peep and see how plentiful the fish were; for these +represented money—and the poor fishermen work so +hard to get a livelihood.</p> + +<p>The sea was rough and it took us about ten minutes +to haul each net. After they were all in, we estimated +that we had caught about eight hundred codfish. This +was considered a very fine catch. Then a consultation +was held to decide where to re-set the nets. It was +very important to know the direction in which the fish +had gone on the banks, for these big shoals were constantly +moving as they spawned.</p> + +<p>After they had decided where to go our sail was +hoisted, and we started for another part of the fishing +banks; in the mean time the nets were inspected and +put into good order. When we reached the spot, we +sounded twice and found the sea too deep. When we +found a depth of one hundred fathoms we set our nets, +after which we returned home.</p> + +<p>On our return we went on board of one of the ships,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> +and our fish was bought by the captain at a little over +eight dollars a "big hundred,"—that is, 112 cod.</p> + +<p>On the deck of this ship were already several boat-loads +of cod; the fish were cleaned, flattened, washed +and salted, and laid in the hold on the top of one +another.</p> + +<p>The captain said to me: "When I am loaded I shall +sail for my farm, and then lay the fish on the rocks +to dry. I have a nice little home by the sea. I hope +my boys will one of these days be sailors as I am." +Then we shook hands with the captain and returned +to our cabin.</p> + +<p>Before we went to bed we learned that the catch of +all the boats of the settlement that day had been over +six hundred thousand cod.</p> + +<p>The following morning found me ready to start at +the appointed time for fishing with hook and line. +The departure of the boats took place in the same +manner as the day before. Our boat was not so large +as the netting boat; it was not decked over.</p> + +<p>Captain Johansen steered. The men of our crew +were Mats, Pehr, Anders, Ole, Knut, and Roar.</p> + +<p>Captain Johansen had fished in the Arctic regions for +forty-two consecutive years. His face had been permanently +reddened by the wind. Whenever he had +a chance he had his pipe in his mouth, and he told +me that his pipe was one of his best friends.</p> + +<p>We had a fair wind at the start and in about one +hour the men came to their buoys. Then we lowered +the sail. The sea was covered with boats; there<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> +were nearly fifteen hundred in sight, for they had +come to that part of the banks from several other fishing +settlements. These boats were manned by about +eleven thousand sailors; men enough to man a big +fleet of men-of-war.</p> + +<p>Captain Johansen said: "We are going to have +hard work raising our lines, but if we catch many fish +the work will seem to be much lighter to us."</p> + +<p>"That is so," I said, "Captain, for when I go hunting +and see no game I get tired; but if I see plenty +of game, then I can tramp all day without fatigue."</p> + +<p>A large reel was placed on one side of the +boat to haul in the line. Before we began to haul +the lines the captain remarked: "We attach four +lines together; each line is one hundred fathoms long. +The hooks are generally from four to six feet apart +and there are about one hundred and twenty on each +line. We have to pull in over twenty-four hundred +fathoms or over twenty-six thousand feet of line, to +which are attached about five thousand hooks."</p> + +<p>"Indeed," I said to the captain, "it will be hard +work and will take quite a while, especially if many +fish are caught."</p> + +<p>"I hope, nevertheless, we shall catch many," he +replied with a smile, "for most of us have a home to +keep and a wife and children to clothe and feed."</p> + +<p>We began to haul in the lines on the reel. How +we watched! How deep our eyes tried to see into +the water! It was quite exciting. We were fortunate: +a big shoal of fish had been passing on that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> +part of the banks, and on many a hook a cod was +hanging. After we got through, we pulled towards +another of our buoys, passing several that belonged to +other fishermen on the way.</p> + +<p>Having pulled in about three hundred fathoms of +our next line, we found that the rest of the line had +drifted into a net and some of the hooks were caught +and entangled in it, and we had a hard job to free +the line.</p> + +<p>Then we rowed to a third buoy belonging to us +and began hauling. Almost every other hook had +caught a fish. The faces of the fishermen were full +of happiness. They felt that on that day they would +have a great catch, when suddenly one of the men +shouted, "Our line is entangled; I wonder whether it +has fouled a net or another line." But as we pulled +in the line we raised another line with it not belonging +to us. We had a hard time to separate them, but +after nearly half an hour's work succeeded in doing so. +We had caught over two hundred cod on this line.</p> + +<p>Our fourth line proved to be entangled in nets as +well as also in several lines belonging to different +owners. The untwisting was something awful, and +it was no joke to separate them. Fortunately we +could tell to whom the lines belonged, for each one is +marked from distance to distance with the number of +the boat and the letter of the district from which the +craft comes. The rest of the lines were so badly +tangled that we concluded to cut them. Then we +pulled the cut pieces with the fish on them into our<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> +boat, intending to give them to their owners—not +a difficult task, as the marks of ownership were on +the tackles—and if they belonged to another settlement +the fish would be sold and the money given +them.</p> + +<p>Captain Johansen and the crew thought the cod +would remain two days more. Their advance guard +had passed, but a great deal of the shoal was going +northward; and there were miles of cod still to pass +over the bank upon which we fished.</p> + +<p>The wind had been gradually rising. We had had +two days of good weather, and now the sea was covered +with white caps. The daughters of Ægir and Ran were +all white-hooded. But as we sailed for home the wind +suddenly increased; squall after squall followed each +other. We had to reef the sail; the sea at times +washed over us, and the poor fishermen began to think +seriously of throwing our cargo of fish overboard, for +we were pretty deeply loaded, but it would have been +like throwing away money, and they had worked so +hard to get it.</p> + +<p>A big black cloud overspread our heads and hail +fell thickly upon us, and it hurt us badly for the +hailstones were hard and very big. I tried to protect +my face, for my sou'wester only protected well +the back of my head. The hail was succeeded by +sleet, the rigging and mast were covered with ice; our +garments and sou'westers were stiff, and we looked +like big icy things. The captain, looking at me with +a smile,—for he saw I did not like this sort of weather,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> +said: "This weather is the forerunner of spring in +these high latitudes; the sun is getting higher at its +meridian every day."</p> + +<p>It was dark long before we reached port, but the +men knew every rock on the coast, and yonder was +the lighthouse guiding us on our way. Boat after +boat entered the harbor, and not one of them was lost.</p> + +<p>The next day the gale was such that no boat was +permitted to put out to sea. In the evening there +was very little talking, and for a while no one said a +word; then Captain Johansen broke the silence and +said: "Paul, this Arctic Ocean is the home of gales; +these often bring sadness to many homes; some of +us here have lost friends and relatives at sea. Some +years ago a fishing fleet of eight hundred boats was +caught in one of these sudden gales. After the boats +had come safely into port the roll-call showed that +twenty boats with their crews were missing."</p> + +<p>"How sad!" I exclaimed; and as Captain Johansen +was speaking I wondered how many people thought, +when they ate fish, of the hard life of the poor and +brave fishermen and of the gales they encounter.</p> + +<p>The fishermen wanted to entertain me before we +retired for the night, and Captain Larsen said, "I will +tell you, Paul, about one of the great sea battles of +the Vikings."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXX</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>A Great Viking Sea Fight.—Svein King of Denmark, Olaf King +of Sweden, Erik Jarl of Norway, against King Olaf +Tryggvasson of Norway.—They Lie in Ambush.—Magnificent +Ships.—The <i>Long Serpent</i>.—Ready for the Fight.—The +Attack.—The <i>Jarn Bardi</i>.—Defeat of Olaf +Tryggvasson.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">AFTER we had clustered round Captain Larsen, +he gave three or four big puffs of his pipe +and began:</p> + +<p>The battle of Svold took place in the year one +thousand. Olaf Tryggvasson, King of Norway, had +left Vindland in the Baltic and was on his way back +to Norway with his fleet. He was on his ship the +<i>Ormrinn Lange</i> (the "Long Serpent"). Svein, the +King of Denmark, Olaf King of Sweden, and Erik +Jarl of Norway, his enemies, lay in ambush for him +under the island of Svold with all their ships. The +three chiefs landed on the island. After a while they +espied some ships of the fleet of Olaf. Among them +was a particularly large and splendid one. Both kings +said: "This is an exceedingly fine ship; it must be +the <i>Long Serpent</i>."</p> + +<p>Erik Jarl, who knew the <i>Long Serpent</i>, answered: +"This is not the <i>Long Serpent</i>, which is much larger +and grander, though this is a fine ship."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span></p> + +<p>Ship after ship passed by and the two kings took +each of them to be the <i>Long Serpent</i>, but they received +invariably the same answer from Erik Jarl.</p> + +<p>The three chiefs drew lots to know who should +first attack Olaf Tryggvasson's ship. Svein, King of +Denmark, drew the lot to attack first; then Olaf, King +of Sweden, and Erik Jarl last, if it should be found necessary. +It was agreed between the three chiefs that each +should own the ships which he himself cleared of men +and captured.</p> + +<p>Erik Jarl's ship was called the <i>Jarn Bardi</i>, an iron-clad +ram which had the reputation of cleaving through +every ship it attacked; there were beaks on the top of +both stem and stern, and below these were thick iron +plates which covered the whole of the stem and stern +all the way down to the water.</p> + +<p>When the chiefs had arranged their plan, they saw +three very large ships, and following them a fourth; +they all saw a dragon-head on the stem, ornamented so +that it seemed of pure gold, and it gleamed far and +wide over the sea as the sun shone on it. As they +looked at the ship, they wondered greatly at its length, +for the stern did not appear till long after they had +seen the prow, as the ship glided past the point of the +island slowly; then all knew that this was the <i>Long +Serpent</i>—a ship about three hundred and sixty feet +long, with a crew of over seven hundred and fifty men.</p> + +<p>At this sight many a man grew silent.</p> + +<p>Sigvaldi Jarl, one of Olaf Tryggvasson's commanders, +let down the sails on his ship and rowed up<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> +towards the island. Thorkel Dydril on the <i>Tranan</i> +(the "Crane"), and the other ship-steerers (for the +commanders were so called), lowered their sails also +and followed him. All waited for Olaf Tryggvasson. +When King Olaf saw that his men had lowered their +sails and were waiting for him, he steered towards them +and asked them why they did not go on. They told +him that a host of foes was before them and that the +fleets of the allied kings lay around the point.</p> + +<p>Advancing further the King Olaf Tryggvasson and +his men saw that the sea was covered far and wide with +the warships of his foes. Thorkel Dydril, a wise and +valiant man, said: "Lord, here is an overwhelming force +to fight against: let us hoist our sails and follow our +men out to sea. We can still do so while our foes prepare +themselves for battle, for it is not looked upon as +cowardice by any one for a man to use forethought for +himself and his men." King Olaf Tryggvasson's men +now missed the ships that had sailed ahead.</p> + +<p>King Olaf replied loudly: "Tie together the ships +and let the men prepare for battle!" for in those days +it was the custom to tie the ships together. Then the +commanders arranged the host.</p> + +<p>The <i>Long Serpent</i> was in the middle, with the <i>Short +Serpent</i> on one side and the <i>Crane</i> on the other, and +four other ships on each side of them; but this fleet +was but a small one compared with the overwhelming +fleet which their enemies had.</p> + +<p>When Olaf saw that they began to tie together the +stern of the <i>Long Serpent</i> and of the <i>Short Serpent</i>, he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> +called out loudly, "Bring the <i>Long Serpent</i> forward; I +will not be the hindmost of all my men in this fleet +when the battle begins!"</p> + +<p>Then Ulf ("Wolf") the Red, the king's standard +bearer, and who was also his prow-defender, said: "If +the <i>Long Serpent</i> shall be put as much forward as it +is larger and longer than other ships, the men in the +bows will have a hard time of it!"</p> + +<p>The king cried: "I had the <i>Serpent</i> made longer +than other ships so that it should be put forward +more boldly in battle, but I did not know I had a +prow-defender who was faint-hearted!"</p> + +<p>Ulf replied: "Turn thou, King, no more back in +defending the high deck than I will in defending +the prow!"</p> + +<p>Olaf Tryggvasson stood aloft on the high deck of +the <i>Long Serpent</i>. He had a shield, and gilt helmet, +and was easily recognized. He wore a red silk kirtle +over his ring-armor.</p> + +<p>When he saw that the ships of his foes began to +separate, and that the standards were raised in front of +each chief, he asked: "Who is the chief of that +standard which is opposite us?" He was told that +it was King Svein of Denmark with the Danish +ships.</p> + +<p>"What chief follows the standard which is to the +right?" He was told that it was Olaf of Sweden.</p> + +<p>"Who owns those large ships to the left of King +Olaf of Sweden?"</p> + +<p>"It is Erik Jarl Hakonson," they replied.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span></p> + +<p>Then Svein of Denmark, Olaf of Sweden, and Erik +Jarl rowed towards the <i>Long Serpent</i>.</p> + +<p>The battle horns were blown and both sides shouted +a war-cry, and soon the combat raged fiercely,—at +first with arrows from crossbows and long bows, then +with spears and javelins and slings—and King Olaf +Tryggvasson fought most manfully. King Svein's +men turned the prows of many of their ships towards +both sides of the <i>Long Serpent</i>. The Danes also +attacked the <i>Short Serpent</i> and the <i>Crane</i>. The +carnage was great.</p> + +<p>King Svein made the stoutest onset. King Olaf +Tryggvasson made the bravest defence with his men, +but they fell one after another. King Olaf fought +almost too boldly, shooting arrows and hurling spears; +he went forward in hand-to-hand fight, and cleft +many a man's skull with his sword.</p> + +<p>The attack proved difficult for the Danes, for the +stern-defenders of the <i>Long Serpent</i> and of the <i>Short +Serpent</i> hooked anchors and grappling hooks to King +Svein's ships, and as they could strike down upon the +enemy with their weapons, for they had much larger +and higher boarded ships, they cleared of men all the +Danish ships which they had laid hold of. King +Svein had to retreat.</p> + +<p>In the mean time Erik Jarl had come first with +the <i>Jarn Bardi</i> alongside the farthest ship of Olaf +Tryggvasson on one wing, cleared it, and cut it from the +fastenings; he then boarded the next one, and fought +until it was cleared of men; and as the men fell on his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> +ship, other Danes and Swedes took their places. At +last all of Olaf Tryggvasson's ships had been cleared of +men and captured except the <i>Long Serpent</i>, which +carried all the men who were now able to fight.</p> + +<p>Erik Jarl then attacked the <i>Long Serpent</i> with five +large ships; he laid the <i>Jarn Bardi</i> alongside, and then +ensued the fiercest fight and the most terrible hand-to-hand +struggle of the day, and such a shower of weapons +was poured upon the <i>Long Serpent</i> that the men +could hardly protect themselves.</p> + +<p>King Olaf Tryggvasson's men became so furious +that they jumped upon the gunwales in order to reach +their foes with their swords and kill them, and many +went straight overboard; for out of eagerness and +daring they forgot that they were not fighting on dry +ground, and sank down with their weapons between +the ships.</p> + +<p>When only a few men were left on the <i>Long Serpent</i> +around the mast amidships, Erik Jarl boarded it +with fourteen men. Then came against him King Olaf's +brother-in-law, Hyrning, with his followers, and between +them ensued a hard fight. It was ended by +Erik Jarl's retreating onto the <i>Bardi</i>, which took +away the dead and the wounded, and in their stead +brought fresh and rested men.</p> + +<p>When Erik had prepared his men, he said to Thorkel +the High, a wise and powerful chief: "Often have I +been in battles, and never have I before found men +equally brave and so skilled in fighting as those on the +<i>Long Serpent</i>, nor have I seen a ship so hard to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> +conquer. Now, as thou art one of the wisest of men, +give me the best advice thou knowest as to how the +<i>Long Serpent</i> may be won!"</p> + +<p>Thorkel replied: "I cannot give thee sure advice, +but I can say what seems to me best to do. Thou +must take large timbers, and let them fall from thy +ship upon the gunwales of the <i>Long Serpent</i>, so that +it will careen; then thou wilt find it the easier to board +the ship."</p> + +<p>Erik Jarl did as Thorkel had told him.</p> + +<p>King Olaf and his men defended themselves with +the utmost bravery and manliness; they slew many of +their foes, both on the <i>Jarn Bardi</i> and on other ships +which lay near theirs.</p> + +<p>When the defenders of the <i>Long Serpent</i> began to +thin out, Erik Jarl boarded it and met with a warm +reception.</p> + +<p>Olaf Tryggvasson shot at him with spears. The +first flew past his right side, the second his left, and the +third struck the fore part of the ship above his head.</p> + +<p>Then King Olaf said: "Never before did I thus +miss a man; great is the Jarl's luck."</p> + +<p>In a short time most of King Olaf's champions fell, +though they were both strong and valiant. Among +them Hyrning, Thorgier, Vikar, and Ulf the Red, +and many other brave men who left a famous name +behind. The <i>Long Serpent</i> was now cleared of men +and captured, but Olaf Tryggvasson was never seen +or heard of more. He probably threw himself into +the sea not to survive his defeat.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span></p> + +<p>"It was a grand fight, Captain Larsen!" I exclaimed, +as the narrator concluded his story. I +thanked the captain, and after this we all went to +our bunks to sleep.</p> + +<p>The following day was Sunday. There was no +buying or selling of fish. Every man was shaved +and wore clean linen; the church was crowded with +fishermen, and the afternoon was spent in making +social visits.</p> + +<p>I had fished with the four boats of our house, and +now I made my preparations for sailing northward. +Our catch of fish and that in several neighboring +fishing settlements during the fishing season had +amounted to over twenty-two millions of cod.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXI</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Sailing along the Coast of Finmarken.—Hammerfest, the +most Northern Town in the World.—Schools.—Fruholmen, +the most Northern Lighthouse in the World.—Among +the Sea Lapps.—Men and Women Sailors.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">LEAVING the fishing settlement, the <i>Ragnild</i>, +which I had rejoined, sailed along the rugged +and dreary shore of Finmarken, the most northern part +of the continent of Europe, passing now and then a +solitary fisherman's house, or a settlement hidden from +sight, though the stranger would never dream that +any human being lived in this land of rocks and +desolation.</p> + +<p>We next came to Hammerfest, in 70° 40' north +latitude, the most northern town in the world. In its +commodious port were English, French, Russian, German, +Swedish, and Norwegian vessels. Hundreds of +fishing boats were there also, waiting for favorable +winds to continue their voyage. Steamers were going +and coming from the south.</p> + +<p>The population was about three thousand souls. +There were warehouses owned by rich merchants, a +church, a comfortable hotel, good schools where boys +and girls can learn French, English, German, Latin +and Greek.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span></p> + +<p>The streets were filled with snow. But though so +far north there was not a particle of ice in the port, on +account of the warm Gulf Stream, though sometimes +the thermometer reaches 20 degrees below zero. +Often during the winter the mercury stands for consecutive +days above the freezing point.</p> + +<p>After leaving Hammerfest we sailed towards North +Cape. Suddenly I heard one of the sailors on the +watch shout, "Light! Light!" "What," said I, "a +lighthouse so far north?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied the captain, who was standing near +me; "it is the most northern light on the globe. It +is the light on the island of Fruholmen, situated in +latitude 71° 5' north." We sailed as far as North +Cape, on the island of Magerö, rising majestically to a +height of nine hundred and eighty feet above the sea, +and in latitude 71° 10'. At the top of the cape there +was evidently a gale, for the snow was flying to a great +height.</p> + +<p>As we were sailing along the shore, I saw some +strange-looking weather-beaten logs, covered with +barnacles. The captain said to me, "Some of these +logs come probably from the coast of South America, +from the Amazon and Orinoco rivers; the Gulf Stream +has brought them here. It has taken them a long +time to reach this place, for they are covered with +barnacles."</p> + +<p>Instead of doubling North Cape, we sailed through +the narrow Magerö Sound which separates the island +from the mainland.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/023.png" width="600" height="384" alt="" title="" /> +"We sailed towards North Cape."</div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span></p> + +<p>We had hardly entered the sound when I was +astonished by the view that met my eyes, for now +there were fishing settlements coming suddenly into +view, with comfortable, white-painted houses, ships at +anchor, glittering churches shining in the sun, and +school buildings.</p> + +<p>We sailed across the Porsanger Fjord. Far off was +Nordkyn, upon the summit of which I had stood. +The coast looked dreary indeed! We sailed across +Laxe Fjord and doubled Nordkyn.</p> + +<p>The following day we entered a fjord and came +upon a number of fishing boats that were returning +from the open sea. Some of these boats rowed towards +us, and soon were alongside of our craft, and +we engaged in conversation.</p> + +<p>These people appeared very strange; they were +dressed like the nomadic Lapps, with the noteworthy +exception, however, that the fur of the reindeer skin +was on the <i>inside</i> of their garments. They were Sea +Lapps.</p> + +<p>I looked at the crews of the boats, and was more +astonished still, for some of the boats were partly +manned by women, and big girls; other crews were +entirely composed of women with a man for captain. +One boat was entirely manned by women, the captain +included. I could not easily distinguish the men +from the women, for the features of the women were +coarse from exposure to the storms of the Arctic Sea. +They wore reindeer trousers like the men, as indeed +do the women of the nomadic Lapps. They rowed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> +quite as well as the men, too. They were distinguishable +by their long shaggy hair. It was of a dark +chestnut, with a reddish tinge—almost black in some. +They wore it hanging over their shoulders. It was +indeed a strange sight, and I looked at them with +great curiosity, for I had never seen such people +before—women who were sailors, some captains of +boats, going to sea and braving the storms of the +inhospitable ocean.</p> + +<p>Captain Petersen said to me: "Almost all these +sea Laplanders own their crafts. Some of these +are commanded by the husband, while the wife, the +daughters, sister or hired woman form the crew; the +women are very hardy, and excellent sailors; they +pull as hard as strong men, and can use the oar as +long as the men do."</p> + +<p>The captain was right—for I could not see any +difference between their rowing and that of the men as +they followed us.</p> + +<p>When they learned that I had come to see their +land and wanted to live among them, they were glad. +They asked my name, and they were told that I was +called Paulus.</p> + +<p>Then many of these Sea Lapps said:</p> + +<p>"Come, Paulus, and stay a few days with us; we +will take good care of you;" and pointing to a hamlet +at a distance, "there we live, and soon we shall be at +home."</p> + +<p>Looking towards where they pointed, I saw smoke +curling up from strange-looking dwellings. The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> +settlement was scattered on the brow of a hill looking +down upon the fjord.</p> + +<p>As the word went round that I was coming to stay +with them, the Sea Lapps made haste and rowed +with all their might; the women were especially in +earnest, for they wanted to prepare their houses for +my reception before I landed. Soon they all were +far ahead, and after they had landed I saw them running +as fast as they could towards their homes. Evidently +they were going to announce my arrival to the +people who had remained at home.</p> + +<p>Here I parted with the <i>Ragnild</i>, which sailed to +another fjord for more fish.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXII</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>A Sea Lapp Hamlet.—Strange Houses.—Their Interiors.—Summer +Dress of the Sea Lapps.—Primitive Wooden Cart.—Animals +Eat Raw Fish.—I Sleep in a Sea Lapp's +House.—they Tell Me to Hurry Southward.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">WHEN I had landed, and ascended the hill +towards the settlement, I found myself in a +Sea Lapp hamlet. I looked at their dwellings with +great curiosity. Some of the buildings were conical +and resembled the tent of the nomadic Lapps; but +they were built of sod or turf. There were others +resembling in shape log houses, with only a ground +floor, built entirely of the same material. Others were +partly of stone and turf. Some were entirely of stone +slabs. Two houses were built of logs.</p> + +<p>In the mean time the people had changed their +clothes, and wore their summer every-day dress called +<i>vuolpo</i> (though it was still cold), ready to receive +me.</p> + +<p>Some of these summer dresses were made of coarse +vadmal of a gray or blackish color; others were blue. +Most were in a ragged state, or patched—having when +new been used as Sunday clothes. The men wore +square caps of red or blue flannel, and the women had +extraordinary looking head-gear resembling casques of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> +dragoons, on account of the wooden frame under the +cloth. These were also red or blue.</p> + +<p>"Come in," said one of the Sea Lapps, "come into +my <i>gamme</i> (house) and see how I live." His house +was of conical shape and built of sod, supported inside +by a rough frame formed of branches of trees. A fire +was burning in the centre of the hut, the smoke escaping +by an aperture above; and upon cross poles hung +shoes, boots, and clothing. This sod hut was about +twelve feet high and eight feet in diameter. A large +kettle hung over the fire. It was filled with seaweed, +which was cooking for the cows. I tasted it and +found it very palatable and not at all salt.</p> + +<p>I was hardly in this <i>gamme</i> when I wished myself +out, but kept this to myself, for I did not want to +hurt the feelings of the poor Lapp. The interior of +the place was horribly filthy—dirty reindeer skins +lay on the ground upon old dirty dried grass. A tent +of a nomadic Lapp was a model of cleanliness compared +with this! The outside was just as bad; on the +ground lay the entrails and heads of fish, and a couple +of barrels filled with half-putrid liver which in time +would make a barrel of brown oil; there were a great +many codfish heads drying on the rocks.</p> + +<p>"Will you stay and have a cup of coffee with us?" +my host asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes," added his wife, "it will not take long to +make a cup of coffee."</p> + +<p>"Not to-day," I replied, "but some other time."</p> + +<p>"All right," the host said; "don't forget."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span></p> + +<p>I was glad when I got out. This abode was the +<i>gamme</i> of a poor Sea Lapp, and the poorest kind of +dwelling seen among them.</p> + +<p>The next house, which was at a short distance, +belonged to the captain of one of the boats which had +been alongside of our ship. He and his wife were +waiting for me outside and bade me come in. His +house was long, narrow, and low, and built entirely of +flat stones. I entered through a wooden door a +room built in the centre of the house. Their winter +garments hung on poles, there was a pile of firewood, +and a heap of dry seaweed and reindeer moss.</p> + +<p>I followed him to the room on the left. There the +family lived. The floor of the room was covered with +flat slabs; in one corner was a bed on the floor, itself +made of young branches of birch, kept together by +logs. The skins that made the rest of the bed were +outside to be aired. This room was about ten feet +long and about ten feet wide, the whole width of the +house, and lighted by a small window with tiny panes +of glass.</p> + +<p>At the foot of the bed in the corner was a small +cow. Such a cow! I had never seen one so small. +In the opposite corner was another one. These two +cows were hardly three feet high, and between the two +were a calf and three sheep. "These animals," said +my host, "help us to keep our room warm and comfortable +during the winter months."</p> + +<p>This was a very strange way of heating a room, I +thought to myself.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Come and stay with us to-night," added the +Lapp. "You will sleep comfortably and you will not +be cold."</p> + +<p>I accepted.</p> + +<p>The furniture of the room consisted of some kettles, +a coffee pot, coffee grinder, a lamp, and a few chests. +Everything, strange to say, was very clean. The third +room contained a few nets, and on the floor were a few +reindeer skins upon which slept any stranger who +chanced to share their dwelling. I was a favored +guest. I was to sleep in the same room with the +host, hostess, cows and sheep. I was considered as +one of the family.</p> + +<p>I slept splendidly. In the morning I had water to +wash my face with. That was fine! I gave myself +a good rubbing with soap, for I said, "Paul, after +you leave this place it will be quite a while before you +wash your face, except with snow." But I could not +as successfully get rid of the odor of the stable, which +clung to my clothes with a persistence that would +have driven every friend I had away from me if I had +been at home.</p> + +<p>Not far from this <i>gamme</i> was the house of another +well-to-do Sea Lapp, one of the rich fellows of the +hamlet. His house was long and narrow, one part +built of logs, the remainder of layers of turf.</p> + +<p>The wooden part was the every-day room—parlor, +bedroom, kitchen. The roof was supported by poles +and covered with birch bark, over which more than a +foot of earth had been placed to keep the cold out;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span> +the birch bark was used as shingles and kept the rain +from dripping inside. Two little cows, two dwarfish +oxen, eight sheep, and two goats completed the household, +and these were housed in the turf compartment.</p> + +<p>Further on I passed a somewhat long and narrow +house built entirely of turf, which I also visited, and +as I came out of it a very strange sight greeted me. +Several people were returning with their dwarfish carts +loaded with seaweed; each was drawn by a team of +two wretched little oxen not bigger than the cows of +the place—that is, not more than three feet in height. +Some were driven by women, others by men or +children.</p> + +<p>These queer-looking small carts were of the same +pattern as those used thousands of years ago. The +wheels were of a solid block of wood hewn out of the +trunk of fir trees, which grow on the banks of some of +the fjords, though the land is so far north, owing to the +effects of the Gulf Stream. These wheels were of the +pattern first made by man, and for thousands of years +there had been no improvement; just as in some parts +of the world the natives to-day still use the dug-out, +or canoe made of the trunk or bark of a tree—the +primitive boat of man. The carts were loaded with +seaweed, fish, or reindeer moss.</p> + +<p>I stayed here several days, and one day I went to +see Ole Maja, the nabob of the place. Ole was an +old Sea Lapp, who was considered very rich among +his neighbors. His house was entirely built of logs, +and was much admired by the people. The little<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> +room had two plain pine-wood beds, a cast-iron stove +(the only one in the hamlet), a clock and three wooden +chairs. Everything was exceedingly clean. He belonged +to the best type of Sea Lapps.</p> + +<p>Ole owned a horse, which had a special stable +built of turf, and his four cows, two oxen, and twelve +sheep were kept in another building. I asked what +he wanted a horse for in these high latitudes. He +answered: "We use them on the frozen rivers to +draw logs." "The hay I gather in summer," he +added, "is for him. Horses are very particular, they +will not eat the kind of food we give to our cattle, +sheep or goats." I did not wonder at this.</p> + +<p>I noticed, as there was no snow on the ground, that +all the dwellings of the little hamlet had small patches +of land round them, which were to be planted with +potatoes when warm weather came.</p> + +<p>Those who had the best houses wanted me to stay +with them, and to avoid making distinctions I agreed +to remain with each family one day until I went away. +They seemed very much pleased.</p> + +<p>I witnessed one day the feeding of the cattle, sheep, +and goats. This was a sight! They were to be fed +on that day with raw fish cut in pieces, instead of +boiled heads of dry cod, or boiled lichen. These pieces +of fish were put in large wide wooden pails, the animals +were called, and they devoured the contents with +great avidity. This amazed me greatly. Just think +of cattle feeding on raw fish!</p> + +<p>One day found me comfortably settled in a <i>gamme</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span> +which belonged to Matias Laiti. The chief meal was +of reindeer meat and fish,—a boiled head of fresh +cod. This is considered the sweetest and nicest part of +the fish. A great wooden bowl of milk was given to me. +The milk had a queer taste—it had a fishy taste—so +had everything else, I thought. I am sure that if the +cannibals that were my friends in Africa had been here, +and eaten me up, they would have found that I tasted +of fish, for I had been living on fish ever so long.</p> + +<p>I kept visiting one Sea Lapp and his family after +another, and had a good time—living on fish and +reindeer meat, for the Sea Lapps own reindeer which +are kept for their relations or friends further in the +interior. Sea Lapps intermarry much with river +Lapps, and also with nomadic Lapps. They form +really one family.</p> + +<p>On Sunday morning they were dressed in their +best <i>vuolpo</i> head-dresses and garments. These were +red, blue and white, with red and yellow bands at the +bottom of the skirt. Some had pretty belts, and wore +necklaces of large glass beads. The women and men +had combed their hair, and it was not to be combed +again for a week. They all had washed their faces +and hands. One woman wore a pair of blue woollen +trousers, fitting tight from the knees to the ankle, +had put on a new pair of Lapp shoes, and wore casque-like +head-gear, which was blue like her dress and had +red seams. The boats were ready to be rowed across +the fjord to take them to the church, where service was +held once in three weeks. They were all Lutherans.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span></p> + +<p>There were hardly any children in the place. The +school was the other side of the fjord by the church. +The children were about to return to their parents, +for in summer there is no school. All the Swedish-Norwegian +Lapps know how to read and write.</p> + +<p>One evening as we were talking round a bright fire, +one of the Lapps said to me, "Paulus, you have told +us that you intend to travel southward by land. If +that is so, there is no time to be lost, for the sun is +getting more powerful every day, and the snow will +soon be in an unfit condition for reindeer to travel on, +and the ice over the rivers and lakes will break; besides +you are going to have great difficulty in procuring +reindeer, for no reindeer can be had at the post +stations now. You may be detained on the way, and +be obliged to wait until snow has melted and the +rivers become navigable. At this time of the year the +reindeer are very feeble; it is the worst time to travel +with them; they shed their coats and horns and are +weak and lean from their winter digging. During the +day they feel the heat of the sun, and do not go as fast +as during the winter months. So, though we love to +have you stay with us, if you want to go you had +better hasten your departure. Do not forget to take +with you blue or green goggles, for the glare is so intense, +on account of the bright sun, you will surely +become snow-blind if you have none with you. We +are going to send for reindeer, and we will give you +a guide to go with you."</p> + +<p>The long days come on with remarkable rapidity<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span> +in this far North. The sun was below the horizon +till the latter part of January, and now on the 25th of +April in clear weather I could read a newspaper at +midnight. There were to be no more nights. The +Long Night had been driven away from the pole.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXIII</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Comparison of Finmarken with Alaska.—The Two Lands +Much Alike.—What Must be Done for Alaska.—Colonization.—Importation +of Reindeer.—Protection of Fisheries.—Houses +of Refuge.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">THAT same evening (it has to be called so for +the sake of distinction) I stood out on the +brow of the hill, looking at the fjord and Arctic +Ocean. Suddenly Alaska came to my mind. I remembered +all I had seen on the coast of Finmarken, +and also all I had encountered and done in "Snow +Land", "The Land of the Long Night," and "The +Land of the Winds," and I said to myself, "Why +should not Alaska have its fishing towns, settlements, +and hamlets, like those of Finmarken, and become as +prosperous as the country I have travelled through?" +There is a wonderful similarity between these two +countries; they are both exactly in the same latitudes; +they have the same kind of barren coast bathed by a +warm stream, and both have fjords.</p> + +<p>Alaska has immense shoals of codfish and herring, +besides salmon. Both have their long nights, and +then long days of Midnight Sun. We must give inducements +to the people of Finmarken to come to +Alaska. They will find in their new country something +similar to the one they have left, they will enjoy the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> +same life. California and Oregon will provide the +people with flour and send them delicacies and +products of their state, and take in return the cod and +herring. The southern American countries would be +a great market for their codfish.</p> + +<p>Then I thought that the only way to make Alaska +prosperous eventually, is to do exactly what the +Swedes and Norwegians have done for their country +in the far North. The fisheries must be protected, +and the laws regulating them must be enforced. +Then, as on the Finmarken coast, towns, hamlets, +and fishing settlements will rise in the course of time, +and the wealth of the people will come from the +fish—their gold from the sea. Then we shall have +more American-born sailors to man our ships.</p> + +<p>Some of the barren hills of Alaska should be planted +with juniper, birch, alder, and with pine and fir and +other trees growing in the high altitudes of the mountains +of Scandinavia. It will take a good deal of time, +but the world was not made in one day. The Scandinavian +laws regarding the cutting of trees below a +certain size ought to be adopted for Alaska.</p> + +<p>Then we must import many reindeer, and establish +the same laws in regard to them and their pasture as +the Swedes and Norwegians have done. A great +many of these reindeer must be broken, and brought up +to eat kept reindeer moss. Samoides and Laplanders +must be induced to come to Alaska; they know how +to take care of the reindeer, they are accustomed to +law and order, and they are absolutely honest.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed, they are honest," I said loudly without +knowing it; "for they knew I had money with +me, and I have never been afraid of being robbed or +murdered. Such thoughts have never entered my +head." Then I thought of the good care these kind +people took of me when there was danger in travelling.</p> + +<p>Wherever there is a little good grazing land, houses +and farms of refuge, and post stations where reindeer +can be procured, must be built by the government in +the interior, so that people can find refuge from the +terrific storms that blow over Alaska, and I cannot +realize how they could be fiercer than those I had +encountered in Finmarken. With reindeer and skees, +travelling will become easy, and good distances will be +made in a short time.</p> + +<p>In summer boat stations must be established along +navigable rivers, also a tariff made for distances and +for food—so that there be no overcharge—as +is done in Sweden, Norway, and Finland.</p> + +<p>Little hamlets with the church and the school will +rise. Doctors must be sent, and paid a salary by the +government; besides a fee must be given by the +patient, who will then not call the doctor for a trifle.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXIV</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Preparations to Leave the Arctic Coast.—Great Danger of +Encountering Melting Snow, or Rivers Made Dangerous +by the Ice Breaking.—Reindeer Come.—Farewell to +the Sea Lapps.—I Leave for more Southern Land.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">THE advice the Sea Lapps had given me was not +to be neglected, and I at once made hasty +preparations for my journey southward. There was +not one hour or one minute to be lost. I did not +want to be caught in the midst of vast tracts of half-melted +snow, seven, eight, or ten feet deep, with +reindeer unable to travel further; or to drive over +rivers and lakes covered with treacherous ice, made the +more dangerous by being hidden under the snow—or, +worst of all, to find no reindeer to carry me +onward; or delayed somewhere, waiting for the snow +to melt and the land to become dry and the rivers +navigable, for during the time of thaw the country +is full of bogs and swamps, and the rivers become +in many places but roaring torrents, their waters +dashing against huge boulders strewn in their beds, or +breaking over them in rapids and pouring cataracts.</p> + +<p>My little sleigh, my skees, my bags, and winter outfits +were landed, and were before me. I left off my +sou'wester and oilskin garments and sea-boots, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span> +I said to them: "We have had rough weather together +on this stormy Arctic sea. Henceforth I do not need +you any more; I hope you will keep the Sea Lapp to +whom I give you as dry as you did me."</p> + +<p>Then I donned my Lapp costume once more. Now +the fur shoes of winter were unsuitable to travel with, +for being porous they are only good to get over dry +and crisp snow with. I had to wear henceforth the +shoes or boots that are without fur and the leather of +which is prepared in such a manner as to be impermeable +to water or damp snow. I had provided myself +with two pairs of these, while at Haparanda on my way +to "The Land of the Long Night," for my return +journey,—a short pair, of the shape of the winter +shoes, and a pair of boots coming as high as my +knees.</p> + +<p>One of the Lapps smeared them with a preparation +of tar and fat that he used for his own shoes. When +they were ready he said: "Now you are all right, no +dampness or water will penetrate them," and he gave +me some of the stuff to use on my journey, saying, +"Rub your shoes every two days with it." I thanked +him. Then I put on a new pair of woollen socks. I +surrounded my feet with the Lapp grass, and wore my +short boots.</p> + +<p>While turning over in my mind the mishaps that +might come to me on this southward journey, I +fancied the same friendly voices I had heard before +from across the Atlantic called to me: "Hurry on, +Friend Paul! Hurry on! for there is danger in delay;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span> +and when your journey is finished come back to us at +once."</p> + +<p>"I will hurry on," I replied aloud. "Do not be +afraid. I will return at once to our dear United States." +After this I was more impatient to leave than before. +I waited anxiously for the reindeer to arrive.</p> + +<p>Henceforth I shall wear only one fur garment, +instead of two as I did during my journey northward, +for the weather is getting warmer every day. After I +was dressed completely I looked affectionately at my +little sleigh, for I remembered the many hundreds of +miles we had travelled together, what fun I had had, +and how hard it was at first to learn to drive reindeer +and to keep inside the sleigh, and all the sudden +upsettings I had.</p> + +<p>Then I looked at my skees, and said: "Dear skees, +we are again to tramp over the snow together. I +wish I could leap over chasms with you, as the Lapps +do. I cannot do that; but we will walk on the snow, +and go down hill riding a stick. This will be great fun +for me anyhow."</p> + +<p>Then I turned to the bags, and I said: "Dear bags, +I have often thought of you and how comfortable I +was with you." I remembered how cosy I was when +I slept in them on the snow. I did not mind how +hard the wind blew; the harder it blew the more comfortable +I felt inside of them. Near by them was the +big brown bearskin, which was safely fastened over +me in the sleigh. I said: "Dear bearskin, I think +a great deal of you also, for you have been my<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span> +friend and have kept my legs so warm when I was +driving."</p> + +<p>The next morning to my great joy the reindeer +came,—one for me, one for my guide, and a spare +one; but how differently they looked compared with +those I had in the winter. They were thin, and were +changing their coats. I did not wonder that the poor +reindeer did not look frisky—they had had to work +so hard for their living, digging the snow to reach the +moss during the whole of the winter.</p> + +<p>I looked at the guide the kind Sea Lapps had provided +for me. He was the man who had come with +the reindeer. His name was Mikel. He was a +nomadic Lapp, but had come to visit his sister, who +had married a Sea Lapp. He was about four feet +eight inches in height, well built, broad shouldered, +nimble as a deer, about forty years old, with a face +made by the wind as red as a ripe tomato. He lived +and pastured his herd of reindeer south of Karesuando.</p> + +<p>As we were introduced to each other we shook +hands, and I said, "Mikel, we are going to be +friends."</p> + +<p>"Yes," he replied, "we are to be friends."</p> + +<p>Then all the Sea Lapps that were round us shouted +with one voice: "Paulus, we are all your friends! +Mikel will take good care of you."</p> + +<p>"I will," said Mikel. "I will take good care of +Paulus." "Thank you, Mikel," I replied. From +that moment Mikel and I became fast friends.</p> + +<p>An hour after the arrival of the reindeer and after a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> +hearty meal of codfish and black bread we were ready +to start.</p> + +<p>Before seating myself in the sleigh, I turned my +face towards the North Pole and looked at the Arctic +Ocean beyond the fjord, and shouted: "Farewell to +thee! farewell, tempestuous Arctic Sea! farewell to +thy gales! farewell to thy snow and sleet storms. +But I am glad I have been through it all, for I +have learned something I did not know before. I have +gained knowledge about the people and 'The Land of +the Long Night.'"</p> + +<p>One of the Sea Lapps held my reindeer, and after I +was seated another drew my bearskin round me, and +made it secure with the cord belonging to my sleigh.</p> + +<p>When Mikel saw that I was ready he jumped into +his sleigh and we started.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, good-bye, Paulus!" shouted all the +Lapps.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, good-bye, dear Sea Lapps!"—I shouted +back to them, and the last words I heard were: +"Lucky journey, Paulus, come to see us again, come +to see us again."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXV</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>We Enter a Birch Forest.—The Reindeer are Soon Fagged.—Sleep +on the Snow.—The Rays of the Sun Melt +through the Snow.—Great Difficulty in Travelling.—Meet +Herds of Reindeer.—Reindeer Bulls Fight Each +Other.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">WE entered the birch forest soon after our departure. +We had great difficulty in driving +among the trees. I was glad our reindeer were not as +frisky as in the earlier part of the winter. I could +hardly follow the track of Mikel, and sometimes I +could not do so at all. I drove sometimes against +one tree and then against another, then the boughs of +the birch would strike against my face. I had not +been five minutes among the birches when I was +upset.</p> + +<p>At last, losing patience, I shouted to Mikel, +"When are we to get out of these birch trees into the +open country?" He replied: "We shall reach the +river soon."</p> + +<p>The snow was not more than three or four or five +inches deep at first, but grew gradually deeper as we +moved further south. Along the coast of Finmarken +the heat of the Gulf Stream prevents it from lying +deep on the ground.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span></p> + +<p>That afternoon we reached the Tana river, at a +place called Polmak, and sped on over its snow-covered +ice.</p> + +<p>Seven or eight miles was all that our reindeer could +do in an hour, and during the day we had to stop +several times to give them rest.</p> + +<p>About eleven o'clock we stopped for the night. +We spread our bags upon the snow, but we got into +one only, for two would have been too warm at this +time of the year; and as Mikel and I were ready to +disappear in them, I said "Good-night, Mikel," and +he replied "Good-night, Paulus."</p> + +<p>It snowed during the night, and when we awoke in +the morning our bags were covered with it. I did +not wonder when I saw this that I had felt so warm +during the night.</p> + +<p>I was the first to be up. I shook Mikel's bag and +shouted to him, "Get up, Mikel," and as his head +peeped out of his bag, I said "Good-morning," and +he cried "Good-morning, Paulus." Then we took +our breakfast. The reindeer, while we were asleep, +had dug through the snow to the lichen and fed, and +now were quietly resting.</p> + +<p>We were soon on the way. As the sun rose higher +and higher and its rays grew more powerful, the +snow became soft, and the travelling so hard for our +reindeer that we had to stop; the thermometer marked +44 degrees in the shade and 80 degrees in the sun. +There were sometimes twenty or thirty degrees' difference +of temperature during the twenty-four hours, but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span> +the change came so slowly, hour after hour, that I did +not notice it.</p> + +<p>So we had to stop travelling, and while the reindeer +rested we took to our skees and went in search of +game, but no foxes or wolves were to be seen. Towards +four o'clock in the afternoon the snow began to +freeze again, and we again took up our journey. Now +the nights have to be turned into days, for we can only +travel during the time when the sun is not shining or +has not great power.</p> + +<p>We travelled without interruption the following +day, as the sky was cloudy and the snow was hard. +Towards midnight Mikel said: "Our reindeer are +tired, we must rest; but we will not sleep more than +three or four hours, for we must reach a station where +we can procure fresh reindeer."</p> + +<p>We unharnessed our reindeer, and tied them with +long ropes. When this was done we got into our +bags and soon were fast asleep.</p> + +<p>At about three o'clock Mikel awoke me, saying, +"Paulus, it is about time to go."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mikel," I replied, "let me sleep one hour +more, for I need more sleep. I want another snooze."</p> + +<p>"There is no time to be lost," he replied; "you will +have a snooze later in the day."</p> + +<p>So I rubbed my eyes to get fully awake, and washed +my face with snow, and felt ready for another start.</p> + +<p>That morning the sky was very clear, and after a +while the sun shone brightly and the glare on the snow +was so great that it would have been impossible to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span> +travel without green or blue goggles. I had two pairs +with me, in case I should lose or break one by some +accident.</p> + +<p>On account of the strength of the sun's rays, which +melted the snow, we had to stop our travelling by +eleven o'clock. Our reindeer were exhausted.</p> + +<p>I took my short pair of skees, covered with sealskin, +and went ptarmigan hunting. I killed four. +The birds had already dropped many of their white +feathers, which had been replaced by gray ones. +They were getting their summer coats, and would soon +be entirely gray.</p> + +<p>After killing these I went further, and saw something +in the distance moving on the snow. Soon I +discovered it was a fox of a peculiar color which I had +not seen before. I lay flat on the snow, as the animal +was coming in my direction. He was evidently +hungry, and was hunting ptarmigans himself. When +he came within shooting distance I fired and killed +him. He was a white fox, but much of his snowy-white +fur had dropped, and was replaced by bluish. +I wondered if the change took place for his own +protection and advantage. When white he could not +be seen so easily by the creatures upon which he +preyed, and when bluish he could not be so easily +seen as if he had remained white.</p> + +<p>When I returned Mikel was stretched on his back +on the snow with his arms spread out, and was snoring +like a good fellow. Oh, what a noise he made! He +had succeeded in frightening our reindeer, which had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span> +moved away as far as the rope would allow them. I +did not wonder that they did not like Mikel's snoring.</p> + +<p>After looking at Mikel I stretched myself on the +snow, but quite a distance from him, not to be disturbed +by his snoring. Now we did not require any +masks on our faces, and during the day slept without +being obliged to get into our bags.</p> + +<p>Soon I fell asleep, and dreamed that I was attacked +by a big pack of wolves—I jumped up and looked +round, but there were no wolves. I had had the +nightmare from sleeping on my back. Mikel was +still snoring, and I looked at him and thought I would +let him snore a little more.</p> + +<p>Towards four o'clock in the afternoon, as it was +beginning to freeze again and the snow was fit for +travelling, I awoke him. Soon after we started, and +we had not driven an hour when we saw a tent in the +distance and made for it. The Lapp family who +owned it received us with great hospitality. Coffee +was made and we were invited to spend the night. I +looked forward with great pleasure to the prospect of +a good warm meal of reindeer meat and good reindeer +broth.</p> + +<p>These people were great friends of Mikel, and they +agreed to give us some of their reindeer that were not +as fagged out as ours. I was delighted.</p> + +<p>How I enjoyed the warm reindeer meat and the +reindeer broth! It was fine! I was so hungry. After +this meal we were presented with a lot of cooked reindeer +meat for our journey, and one of the Lapps was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span> +to go with us, for he wanted to see some of his friends +further south.</p> + +<p>Towards three o'clock in the morning we started. +We saw many herds of reindeer—they were moving +westward towards the mountains that stretched to the +Arctic Sea. It was a grand sight. I saw more than +thirty thousand reindeer that day, in herds from one +thousand to two or three thousand. The Lapps on +their skees, with their dogs, urged the animals onward, +and the dogs brought those which were trying to go +astray, or lagged behind, into the ranks.</p> + +<p>Many of the reindeer had already dropped their +horns, and the calving season had begun. How +pretty were the tiny baby reindeer; they were put on +special sleighs and driven in them, their mothers +following, uttering a queer kind of grunt.</p> + +<p>The baggage of the family and tents went with +them, led by women who carried their young children +in their cradles slung on their backs.</p> + +<p>Late that day I saw a splendid sight, two herds were +approaching each other in opposite directions. The +bulls of each herd advanced to charge the others with +great fury and began a terrible fight, advancing and retreating, +then charging again, butting furiously. The +horns of two combatants sometimes became entangled, +and it took a long time for them to disengage themselves. +Mikel said: "Sometimes they cannot be +separated and have to be killed." In the mean time, +the Lapps and dogs went after them, and with great +trouble they were parted and made to go to their respective<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span> +herds. I noticed, as I went further south, +that the twilight was not so bright as it was in the +North—for in that northern land, the daylight comes +from the direction of the pole.</p> + +<p>The darkest part of the day or night was somewhat +after eleven o'clock <span class="smcap">p.m.</span>, but even then I could read, +and as we travelled only Jupiter and Venus looked at +us—no other stars were visible, and towards half-past +one these two disappeared, for daylight was so strong; +and when the weather was clear after that time only +the pale blue sky of the North and its fleecy white +clouds were to be seen above our heads. How beautiful +it was!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXVI</h2> + +<div class="head4"><p>Variable Weather.—Snowy Days.—An Uninhabited House +of Refuge.—Animals Changing the Color of their Fur.—Mikel +Tells Me about a Bear.—Killing the Bear.—Hurrying +on over Soft Snow and Frozen Rivers.—The +Ice Begins to Break.—Pass the Arctic Circle.</p></div> + + +<p class="cap">ONWARD we went, sleeping one day in the tent +of a nomadic Lapp, another day in our bags, +at other times in the <i>gamme</i> of a river Lapp. The +weather was very changeable; one day it was clear, the +next day the sky was gray. Snowy days were not +uncommon.</p> + +<p>Midway between Nordkyn and Haparanda the +snow was of great depth. Only the tops of the birch +trees could be seen, and strange to say the branches +were in bloom, for the trees felt the heat of the sun, +and the snow had prevented the freezing of the ground +to a great depth. The snow must have been eight or +ten feet deep in some regions.</p> + +<p>When we reached the summit of the plateau, the +watershed that divided the rivers falling into the Arctic +Sea and the Baltic, the weather was very stormy. +Though it was the 13th of May, we met a furious +snowstorm. This was dangerous for us, and Mikel +attached my sleigh to his by a long rope, so that we +might not become separated. The snowstorm seemed,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span> +however, to give new strength to the reindeer, and +they went faster than usual, and besides the cold +weather we had had the two previous days—the +thermometer marking 15 to 18 degrees of frost—had +evidently invigorated them. For a while there +was a lull in the storm, and we were glad when we +came to a house of refuge.</p> + +<p>The house was small and uninhabited, but clean +inside. Some food was hanging from the ceiling, belonging +to some Lapp or some wanderer like ourselves, +who had left it to have it on his return +journey. The food was sacred and safe. No one +would have dared to touch it, no matter how hungry +he was, for it did not belong to him, and the one who +had left it perhaps depended upon it to sustain his +life on his return. We peeped into the parcel—there +was some hard bread, reindeer cheese, and a smoked +reindeer tongue, a coffee kettle and some coffee, and a +few small pieces of wood tied together, to make a fire +to cook the coffee with. This was one of those houses +of refuge used only for shelter, without people to keep +them, built especially by the government for that purpose, +in case of sudden storm.</p> + +<p>After a while I went out for a walk on my skees, to +stretch my legs, for I had been more than ten hours +seated in my sleigh. I took my gun with me. Soon I +spied some hares, and succeeded in killing two. These +were also changing their fur coats; much of their fur +was gray, and mixed with white; the hares were to be +gray during the summer months. As white was their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span> +protection in winter against big white owls, foxes, and +other animals, so their gray color would protect them +against their enemies in summer.</p> + +<p>"Strange indeed is nature," I said to myself. "In +some cases the animals change their fur so that they +can approach their prey without being seen; in other +cases nature changes their fur to protect them against +their enemies."</p> + +<p>When I returned I saw that Mikel had prepared +our supper. He had fetched some firewood he had +in his sleigh, and a bright fire was burning under our +coffee kettle. Reindeer meat, tongue, and reindeer +cheese had been put on a wooden dish, and two tin +cups were ready for the coffee to be poured into them. +We seated ourselves cross-legged on the floor, and +began our meal. What a nice cup of coffee we had! +How deliciously it tasted! How good was our coarse +hard black bread and our reindeer cheese, and smoked +reindeer tongue!</p> + +<p>After we had drunk our coffee and eaten our supper +I noticed that Mikel was very silent and thoughtful. +I wondered if he was thinking of dangers ahead—of +the sudden stopping of our journey,—and just as I was +on the point of asking him why he was so thoughtful +he broke the silence himself and said: "Paulus, I +know where there is a big brown bear—a real big +fellow. The Bear's Night is not over with him yet, +and he must be still sleeping under the snow at the +place where I saw him last autumn getting ready to +go into his winter quarters."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span></p> + +<p>"You don't say so, Mikel!" I exclaimed. "Is +the bear sleeping near where we are?"</p> + +<p>"Not so very near," he replied with a twinkle +in his eye. "A few hours will bring us to his +place."</p> + +<p>He saw by my looks that I was ready to go after +the bear. It was just what he wished. So he continued: +"Paulus, shall we go and kill the bear, before +he awakes and goes into the mountains and forests to +commit his depredations,—for after his long fast he will +be very hungry—and are you willing to lose two or +three days and run the risk of having our journey +come to an end?"</p> + +<p>When I heard this, I forgot all about the ice cracking +over the streams and lakes, about the snow melting +and preventing people from travelling. "Yes, +Mikel," I replied, "let us go after the bear. Afterwards +we will travel as fast as we can and take very +little sleep; perhaps we shall have luck and the weather +may be colder than usual for a while."</p> + +<p>"All right," replied Mikel; "we will go after the +bear."</p> + +<p>"Mikel," said I "before we stretch ourselves on +the floor and go to sleep, tell me how you know that +the bear is at the spot you suppose and that he is +spending his winter night there."</p> + +<p>Mikel took a big pinch of snuff and replied: +"Paulus, I think I am the only one, that knows +where this bear is sleeping, for I have kept it a secret. +I hope no other person knows where he is, for I want<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</a></span> +his skin. Besides I shall get a premium in money if +we kill him."</p> + +<p>Then he added: "One day last fall as I was hunting +for ptarmigans I saw in the distance a huge brown +bear walking about and getting ready for his winter +quarters. I knew that he was seeking his winter lodgings, +because he was going round and round a big +cluster of pines before entering it. I watched! After a +a while he disappeared among the pines and I saw +no more of him. I knew that if he were not disturbed +or frightened away he would stay there. The bear +assuredly had seen the place during the summer and +thought it was a good one for his long sleep. This +bear knew that a big snowstorm was coming, and he +was not mistaken, for that night snow fell very heavily +and the storm lasted two days.</p> + +<p>"The Bear's Night will soon be over in this +region," Mikel continued, "and at any moment this +bear may awaken, break through the snow that is +over him, and go away. Perhaps he is already gone. +At this time of the year the slightest noise will arouse +a bear, for by this time he has ceased to sleep +soundly."</p> + +<p>Then he added: "We have had very little sleep +since we left the coast, Paulus; we need a good rest +before we go after the bear."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said I, "my eyes ache for want of a good +long sleep."</p> + +<p>We stretched ourselves on the earth floor, and soon +after I heard the snoring of Mikel. He was an<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</a></span> +inveterate snorer,—I thought the champion snorer of +all those I ever had met.</p> + +<p>I could not go to sleep, though I was so tired. I +turned first on one side, then on the other, then lay on +my back. I was much excited, for I thought of the +big brown bear and of the hunt that was before us. +At last I fell asleep. Suddenly I was awakened by a +shaking of Mikel, and as I opened my eyes he said, +"Paulus, what is the matter? You have been +shouting."</p> + +<p>I was in a profuse perspiration. I had again had +nightmare from lying on my back. I was fighting +with a big bear which had seized me, and we were +wrestling and I was getting the worst of it, and when +ready to fall down in his grasp I had given a big +scream.</p> + +<p>After our breakfast that morning, Mikel said: "We +must go and tell some of the folks who live in a little +hamlet not far from here to come with us."</p> + +<p>"What do you call not far from here?" I asked.</p> + +<p>I had begun to know what "not far" meant with +the Lapps. "Two hours' travel, or about fifteen +miles," he replied. "I have friends there."</p> + +<p>Before leaving the little house of refuge Mikel +swept the floor, and made it as clean as we had found +it—for it is the custom of the people to do this +before they leave.</p> + +<p>We then started eastward, and after two hours' travelling +we came to a few farms and entered a house. +Mikel told the people about the bear. The news<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</a></span> +soon spread and there was much excitement. During +the day preparations were made for the hunt.</p> + +<p>The next morning men gathered, taking their guns +and big long sticks, with pikes at the ends to prod +the bear with; and all the dogs of the place followed +us. Many men started on their skees, others in their +sleighs. According to Mikel the bear was about +thirty miles away.</p> + +<p>I was full of enthusiasm, and longed to come face +to face with the big brown bear of northern Europe.</p> + +<p>About three hours after, we stopped. All the +people took counsel together and spoke in low voices. +Then Mikel, pointing out to me a big cluster of trees, +said, "Paulus, the bear is there."</p> + +<p>Slowly we made for the spot, and then entered the +grove, and went in different directions seeking for +the bear's winter quarters. Soon after we saw a heap +of snow, or little hillock, that covered evidently some +boulders piled on the top of each other or a cluster +of fallen broken pine trees.</p> + +<p>We looked at each other and pointed towards the +spot—we knew that the bear was under the snow +there. Mikel whispered to me, "The bear sleeps +under that hillock of snow."</p> + +<p>We surrounded the place, then on a sudden we +shouted and made a terrific noise. Two or three +of the men fired their guns, the dogs barked furiously.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/024.png" width="600" height="380" alt="" title="" /> +"He sat on his haunches and looked at us, uttering a tremendous growl."</div> + +<p>Then we saw the centre of the heap or hillock of +snow tremble, as if some live creature were moving +slowly under it. Then the snow moved a little<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</a></span> +quicker. There was no mistake, the bear was awakened, +had moved, and was on the point of rising; he +was listening, and getting ready to come out. The +noise had frightened him. The snow trembled more +and more and rose higher and higher. Suddenly +there was a great upheaval, and great cracks appeared +in the crusted snow. Then we saw peeping out the +head and back of a huge brown bear, then two legs, +and finally the whole animal.</p> + +<p>He looked round him with amazement. He seemed +to be dazed at the strange and sudden sight before +him. He sat on his haunches and looked at us, +uttering a tremendous growl. We could not tell +whether he meant to fight or to run. The dogs barked +angrily around the huge beast, but did not dare to +approach near enough to attack him. In the meantime +we had all drawn together so that we could fire +without danger of hitting any of our party. The +bear was getting ugly, gave a series of fierce growls, +and rose on his hind legs. At this moment Mikel +and I fired. A grunt of pain showed that the animal +was hit. He ran a few steps towards us and as we got +ready to fire again the big beast fell, his blood reddening +the snow.</p> + +<p>We gathered round and looked at him. He was a +huge beast, but very thin from his long fast, for he +had been six months or more without food.</p> + +<p>After the killing of the bear there was no time to +be lost, for we had deviated from our course and had +gone eastward into Finland. So now we had to go<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</a></span> +westward, and after two days' travelling we came to +the river Muonio, to a Finnish hamlet called Kuttainen, +not far from Karesuando.</p> + +<p>Now travelling became really dangerous. The +frozen river was full of treacherous cracks, and +others were appearing all the time. Once in a while +we came to small open spaces, where we could see the +swift water of the stream rushing with great rapidity; +this made me shudder. In some places there were +large pools of water.</p> + +<p>It was getting really warm. Some days my "pesh" +was comfortable, at other times it was much too warm, +the thermometer reaching 48 to 50 degrees in the +shade and 86 to 88 degrees in the sun. The dripping +from the melted snow came into the river from +the hills, and had succeeded in many places in melting +the ice on the banks. This travelling was no joke. +I followed Mikel, and watched him constantly, fearing +that his reindeer and sleigh would disappear under +the ice. Travelling appeared to become more and +more perilous as we followed the Muonio southward. +At times I could hear the angry water under the ice +striking against boulders, and this became quite +common.</p> + +<p>At last I shouted to Mikel, "Let us travel on the +land, for surely if we do not we shall fall through the +ice and be engulfed."</p> + +<p>"We cannot," he shouted back, "the snow is too +soft. Our reindeer could not pull our sleighs. We +can get along much better on the river, though the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</a></span> +ice is very bad. Trust in me, Paulus. I have made +this journey over the Muonio River many times before, +but you must follow me very closely, for sometimes +I shall have to pass near rotten ice or open +spots."</p> + +<p>"I will follow you carefully, dear Mikel. Go on! +Go on!" I said.</p> + +<p>So I followed Mikel closely, as he had bade me, +but what thumps our sleighs would sometimes get on +the now uneven ice of the river! Fortunately they +were very strongly built.</p> + +<p>We slept at a place called Songamuodka. In the +morning it snowed, but the flakes were big and soft +and melted as they fell on the old snow. I met no +more herds of reindeer, but since I had left on my +journey southward I had seen between sixty-five and +seventy thousand of them.</p> + +<p>Two days after I saw the church spire of Pajala, +rested there, and on the 24th of May, as I was travelling +on the Torne River, I passed once more +the Arctic Circle. It was raining. I was told that +it was the first rain that had fallen for over seven +months.</p> + +<p>Here I said good-bye to the good Mikel and +thanked him cordially for the care he had taken of +me.</p> + +<p>I had now left the kingdom of the "Long Night," +and the "Long Day" was to rule over the land +through which we have travelled together.</p> + +<p>Now, my dear Young Folks, Friend Paul has come<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[266]</a></span> +back, as you bade him, and I hope you have enjoyed +our travelling together in "The Land of the Long +Night." Good-bye. Do not forget your Friend +Paul, who loves you dearly, for once he was one of +the Young Folks himself.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<p class="head5"><b><big>Paul Du Chaillu's Great Work</big></b></p> + + +<p class="head6"><big><big>THE VIKING AGE</big></big></p> + +<p class="center">THE EARLY HISTORY, MANNERS, &<br /> +CUSTOMS OF THE ANCESTORS OF<br /> +THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING NATIONS<br /> +<br /> +WITH 1400 ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAP<br /> +2 vols., 8vo, $7.50</p> + +<hr class="vthin" /> + +<p class="head6">CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, Publishers</p> + +<hr class="vthin" /> + +<p class="head1">New York Tribune.</p> + +<p>"These luxuriously printed and profusely illustrated volumes embody +the fullest account of our Norse ancestors extant. Mr. Du +Chaillu has gone very fully and very carefully over the whole of his +ground. This extensive and important work must be of high interest +to all English-speaking people."</p> + + +<p class="head1">Newark Advertiser.</p> + +<p>"Their weapons, ornaments, ships, domestic manners and customs, +art and industries, are all reconstructed with a minuteness that is remarkable, +if we consider (as we must) that all this comes to us after +centuries of neglect."</p> + + +<p class="head1">London Athenæum.</p> + +<p>"What is really valuable in these volumes is the exhaustive digest +which they contain of the extant information respecting the manners +and character of the ancient people of Scandinavia. The work deals +with the entire field of Scandinavian archæology. In the main, we +believe the picture he has drawn of the manner of life of the Vikings +and their countrymen to be as accurate as it is undoubtedly full of +interest."</p> + + +<p class="head1">Edinburgh Review.</p> + +<p>"The subject of M. Du Chaillu's work is vast in extent and full of +perplexing difficulties. We have shown that its author has collected +a store of valuable information, a great part of which has hitherto been +inaccessible to English readers. His enthusiasm will have a very useful +effect if it leads the people of this country to study and admire the +ancient civilization and the splendid literature of our Scandinavian +kinsmen."</p> + + +<p class="head1">Springfield Republican.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Du Chaillu is every whit as agreeable and entertaining as +a student of history as he has long proved to be in the character of a +traveller."</p> + + +<p class="head1">Chicago Inter-Ocean.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Du Chaillu has certainly given to the literary world a work +full of interest."</p> + + +<p class="head1">The Nation.</p> + +<p>"While in Germany and in Scandinavia itself books have been +written upon the life of the ancient inhabitants of the North, no such +comprehensive, popular work as this, with citations from the old +literature and illustrations of all sorts of objects preserved from the +ancient days, has yet appeared. It is, accordingly, an unused opportunity +that the author of the work, with characteristic energy, has +recognized and seized. The two volumes are filled to overflowing +with curious and interesting facts concerning the people of the Scandinavian +North, whose manners, social customs, and national life the more +than thirteen hundred illustrations serve to bring up almost visibly +before us. The book as a whole is a record of persistent and ingenious +research, and of extraordinary literary zeal."</p> + + +<p class="head1">Philadelphia Record.</p> + +<p>"M. Du Chaillu's book is full of valuable information respecting +the manners and character of the ancient Norse people. It is, in fact, +a perfect museum of Northern antiquities, covering the entire field of +Scandinavian archæology. The extracts from the Sagas which are +furnished must whet the appetite of students of Norse literature."</p> + + +<p class="head1">Boston Transcript.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Du Chaillu's monumental work, 'The Viking Age,' upon +which the careful labor of over eight years has been expended, is one +for which scholars will be profoundly grateful. It brings together +from innumerable sources a vast amount of information, relative to the +period covered, never before put in systematic form. The chapters on +the mythology and cosmogony of the Norsemen, on the superstitions, +slavery, graves, finds, weapons, occupations, feasts, warfare, etc., are +intensely interesting. The text is accompanied by nearly fourteen +hundred illustrations."</p> + +<hr class="vthin" /> + +<p class="center">CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, Publishers<br /> +153-157 Fifth Avenue, New York</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<p class="head6"><big><big>IVAR THE VIKING</big></big></p> + +<p class="center">A ROMANTIC HISTORY, BASED<br /> +UPON AUTHENTIC FACTS OF THE<br /> +THIRD AND FOURTH CENTURIES<br /> +<br /> +<small>12mo, $1.50</small></p> + + +<hr class="vthin" /> + +<p class="head6">CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, Publishers</p> + +<hr class="vthin" /> + + +<p class="head1">The Nation.</p> + +<p>"'Ivar the Viking' is to be thoroughly recommended. The story +is characteristically spirited, and the romantic part leaves nothing to be +desired."</p> + + +<p class="head1">Chicago Tribune.</p> + +<p>"It is full of vigor, and seems to bear internal evidence of truthfulness +as regards its historic side. Ivar was a Viking whose adventures +the juvenile reader, and particularly the boy juvenile, will follow with +eager interest."</p> + + +<p class="head1">Philadelphia Press.</p> + +<p>"Of the subsequent adventures of Ivar and his foster-brothers the +interested reader must gain knowledge in the pages of the delightful +narrative itself. Suffice it to say that there is no lack of romantic +incident at any stage of the story. The prowess of the four Vikings +is always potent; they fall in love; Ivar fights a duel, and then wins +the loveliest of brides. There is throughout the volume the stimulating +air which blows through the Sagas, the nipping salt air of the sea."</p> + + +<p class="head1">Richard Henry Stoddard.</p> + +<p>"There is that in Mr. Paul Du Chaillu's 'Ivar the Viking' which +not only satisfies the lover of romantic adventure, but carries the scholar +back into the remotest period of Scandinavian history. Beyond all +living writers this traveller in and explorer of many countries has collected +the documents and discovered the secrets of the Norselands."</p> + + +<p class="head1">New York Times.</p> + +<p>"The reader who has begun with a blank mind closes the volume +with a tolerably clear impression of a very energetic, powerful, and +wealthy young Viking, capable of strong affections and disaffections, +foremost in games and fights requiring physical force, and with a vast +number of habits and customs. It is a history that interests through +its simplicity."</p> + + +<p class="head1">Boston Transcript.</p> + +<p>"For the splendor of the materials and the range and variety of the +information imparted concerning the misty dawn of our Northern +civilization, its religious ideas, its moral conceptions, and its social +conditions, 'Ivar' will have high esteem among the growing number +of students turning to the Northern folk-lore and chronicles for the +true classic period of our modern races."</p> + + +<p class="head1">Philadelphia Public Ledger.</p> + +<p>"He has rendered a double service, for not only does he instruct +the reader in a most graphic and vivid manner, but he also develops +a story of adventure and daring which will be followed with breathless +interest."</p> + +<hr class="vthin" /> + +<p class="center">CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, Publishers<br /> +153-157 Fifth Avenue, New York</p> + +<div class="trans1"><b>Transcriber's Note</b><br /><br /> + +Minor spelling and typographical errors have been corrected without note. +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Land of the Long Night, by Paul du Chaillu + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LAND OF THE LONG NIGHT *** + +***** This file should be named 22727-h.htm or 22727-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/7/2/22727/ + +Produced by Peter Vachuska, Chuck Greif, Stephen Blundell +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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