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+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
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ The
+ Land of the Long Night
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: Your Friend, Paul Du Chaillu]
+
+
+
+
+                        The
+
+               Land of the Long Night
+
+
+                         By
+
+                   Paul Du Chaillu
+
+ Author of "The Viking Age," "Ivar the Viking," "The
+       Land of the Midnight Sun," "Exploration
+             in Equatorial Africa," etc.
+
+
+
+            _Illustrated by M. J. Burns_
+
+
+
+                      New York
+               Charles Scribner's Sons
+                        1901
+
+
+
+
+ _Copyright, 1899,_
+ BY CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS.
+
+
+
+ University Press:
+ JOHN WILSON AND SON, CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.
+
+
+
+
+_TO_
+
+_EX-CHIEF JUSTICE CHARLES P. DALY_
+
+_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._
+
+                         _Your devoted friend,_
+
+                                        _PAUL DU CHAILLU._
+
+_September 1, 1899._
+
+
+
+
+Introduction
+
+
+MY DEAR YOUNG FOLKS:
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+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.
+
+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
+_kåta_ or tent. We shall hunt wolves, bears, and different kinds of
+foxes and other animals, and sail and fish on the stormy Arctic seas.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+                         Your friend,
+
+                                        PAUL DU CHAILLU.
+
+
+
+
+Contents
+
+
+ Chapter                                                            Page
+
+ I. 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.              1
+
+ II. 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.                                           9
+
+ III. 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.                                                   17
+
+ IV. Good Advice from the People of Haparanda.--Warned against
+         Still Colder Weather.--Different Costume Needed.--Dressed
+         as a Laplander.--Lapp Grass for Feet Protection.             29
+
+ V. 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.                                                      36
+
+ VI. 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.                                                      40
+
+ VII. 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.     48
+
+ VIII. 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.                       56
+
+ IX. How the Laps and Finns Travel.--Strange-looking
+         Sleighs.--Different Varieties.--Lassoing
+         Reindeer.--Description of the Reindeer.                      60
+
+ X. 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.      66
+
+ XI. 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.                        73
+
+ XII. 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.                      77
+
+ XIII. Toilet with Snow.--A Lapp Breakfast.--Lapp Dogs. Talks
+         with my Lapp Friend about the Reindeer.--Their Habits
+         and Various Forms of Usefulness.                             89
+
+ XIV. Moving Camp.--Another Great Blizzard.--A Remarkable
+         Sight--Deer Getting their Food by Digging the
+         Snow.--How Reindeer are Butchered.                           99
+
+ XV. Watching for the Reappearance of the Sun.--The Upper Rim
+         First Visible.--The Whole Orb Seen from a Hill.--Days
+         of Sunshine Ahead.                                          109
+
+ XVI. Wolves the Great Foe of the Lapps.--How the Reindeer are
+         Protected against Them.--Watching for the Treacherous
+         Brutes.--Stories of their Sagacity.                         112
+
+ XVII. 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.                                          122
+
+ XVIII. 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.                                   129
+
+ XIX. 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.         136
+
+ XX. 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.                           142
+
+ XXI. Leave Karasjok still Travelling Northward.--The River
+         Tana.--River Lapps.--Filthy Dwellings.--On the Way
+         to Nordkyn.--The Most Northern Land in Europe.              150
+
+ XXII. 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.                                       155
+
+ XXIII. 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.                165
+
+ XXIV. 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.    170
+
+ XXV. 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.                                          183
+
+ XXVI. Sail on the Arctic Ocean.--The Brig _Ragnild_.--Ægir and
+         Ran, the God and Goddess of the Sea.--The Nine Daughters
+         of Ægir and Ran.--Great Storms.--Compelled to Heave To.     190
+
+ XXVII. A Dark Night at Sea.--Wake of the _Ragnild_.--Thousands
+         of Phosphorescent Lights.--A Light Ahead.--An Arctic
+         Fair.--A Fishing Settlement.--How the Cod are
+         Cured.--Fish and Fertilizer Fragrance.                      199
+
+ XXVIII. 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.                                  205
+
+ XXIX. 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.                       211
+
+ XXX. 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 _Long Serpent_.--Ready for the Fight.--The
+         Attack.--The _Jarn Bardi_.--Defeat of Olaf Tryggvasson.     219
+
+ XXXI. 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.                          227
+
+ XXXII. 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.             232
+
+ XXXIII. 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.      241
+
+ XXXIV. 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.                     244
+
+ XXXV. 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.        249
+
+ XXXVI. 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.                             256
+
+
+
+
+List of Illustrations
+
+ "Your friend, Paul Du Chaillu."                          _Frontispiece_
+
+                                                             FACING PAGE
+
+ "On the road were many snow-ploughs at work levelling the snow."      8
+
+ "The husband suddenly disappeared through the trap-door and soon
+         came back with potatoes and a big piece of bacon."           20
+
+ "The boys got hold of my hands and pulled me through."               24
+
+ "It was, indeed, a fearful wind storm."                              40
+
+ "Paulus, try again!"                                                 54
+
+ "The man had to use all his strength."                               64
+
+ "I was shot out of the sleigh."                                      68
+
+ "At noon I saw the sun's lower rim touching the horizon."            72
+
+ "What a strange abode these nomadic Lapps have!"                     80
+
+ "I went outside the tent with my host."                              92
+
+ "They were really working hard for their living."                   104
+
+ "The Lapp passed him like a flash and gave him a terrible blow."    124
+
+ "It was a fight for life!"                                          128
+
+ "Suddenly I saw them fly through the air."                          132
+
+ "I advanced cautiously."                                            160
+
+ "The mist was so thick that I could not see ahead."                 172
+
+ "We remained seated on the ground, back to back."                   180
+
+ "Once in a while I gave a look towards the ugly precipice."         184
+
+ "I am clad in the garb of a fisherman."                             190
+
+ "I saw a big towering wave rolling towards the stern of the
+         ship."                                                      194
+
+ "It is hard work to haul in the nets."                              212
+
+ "We sailed towards North Cape."                                     228
+
+ "He sat on his haunches and looked at us, uttering a tremendous
+         growl."                                                      262
+
+
+
+
+The Land of the Long Night
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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: "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."
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+I thought I again heard the same voices as before cry in response, "Good
+for you, Paul, good for you!"
+
+I felt now that I was a different man. It was as if I had actually heard
+the voices of the dear young 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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+There were about one hundred and forty or fifty post stations before I
+reached Haparanda, the most northern town on the Gulf of Bothnia.
+
+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.
+
+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 shores of the
+Baltic. I passed Cimbrishamn, Sölvesberg, Carlshamn, and Carlskrona.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "On the road were many snow-ploughs at work levelling the
+snow."]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+The next morning it was still snowing; nevertheless I started. On the
+road were many snow-ploughs 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.
+
+The ploughs were followed by heavy rollers of wood to pack the snow.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+As I journeyed further north the snow got deeper and deeper every hour.
+Snow-ploughs were now drawn by five horses and generally attended by
+three men.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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!"
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+"It is so," coolly replied Lars the driver, and he remained silent
+afterwards.
+
+I felt sorry for the poor horse, and reproached myself for not having
+tarried at the last post station.
+
+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."
+
+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!"
+
+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.
+
+As I looked around, I could see snow, snow, deep 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.
+
+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!
+
+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?"
+
+"At the rate we are going," he replied, "it will take us two hours at
+least."
+
+"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."
+
+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 was dripping from our
+faces, though it was 23 degrees below zero.
+
+"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."
+
+"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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+It was a very strange sight indeed! and I said to myself, "Surely I am
+in 'Snow Land.'"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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?"
+
+"No, I drove," I replied.
+
+"Where is your horse?"
+
+"At the gate," I answered.
+
+"Where are you going?" he asked.
+
+"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."
+
+"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."
+
+"I thank you ever so much," I replied.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+The wife put the coffee kettle over the fire, and one of the daughters
+kept herself busy with the coffee mill.
+
+In the mean time my driver came in and was welcomed, 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "The husband suddenly disappeared through the trap-door
+and soon came back with potatoes and a big piece of bacon."]
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Suddenly I saw the daughters come to the bench-like 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.
+
+These sliding boxes could be made of different widths, according to the
+number of occupants that were to sleep in the same bed.
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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!"
+
+"Are we snowed in?" I exclaimed.
+
+"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!
+
+The boys were delighted, and said with great glee: "The wind has filled
+all the trenches with snow. We shall have to get out through the
+chimney. What fun that will be!"
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+"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."
+
+"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 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."
+
+"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."
+
+"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!"
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+[Illustration: "The boys got hold of my hands and pulled me through."]
+
+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 to the folks with great glee,
+"Be patient, you will get out by and by."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+When our work was done we were all as hungry as the wolves are in
+winter, when they have had no food for days.
+
+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!
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+"There is nothing like shovelling snow to make one sleep," we all said,
+after we awoke.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+I succeeded at last, after much insistence, in overcoming her scruples
+and making her take it; and once more I was on the road leading
+northward.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+ GOOD ADVICE FROM THE PEOPLE OF HAPARANDA.--WARNED AGAINST STILL COLDER
+     WEATHER.--DIFFERENT COSTUME NEEDED.--DRESSED AS A LAPLANDER.--LAPP
+     GRASS FOR FEET PROTECTION.
+
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+One friend said: "The country which lies between 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."
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+"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."
+
+"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."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+I bought two "kaptor."[1] 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.
+
+[1] Plural form. Singular, "kapta."
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 to
+handle them gently when I put them on or took them off--likewise with
+the mittens of goat's and cow's hair.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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 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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+ 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.
+
+
+Now I was ready to go further northward beyond the Arctic Circle, and
+roam in "The Land of the Long Night."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Twice in the year, 21st of March and 21st of September, the exact half
+of the earth along its axis is illuminated. 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.
+
+These two dates are called equinoxes, March 21st being the vernal, and
+September 21st being the autumnal, equinox.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+              THE CONTINUOUS NIGHT
+
+ _Where the sun is last seen, begins at:_
+
+         Karasjok              November 26th
+         Vardö                          22nd
+         Hammerfest                     21st
+         North Cape or Nordkyn          18th
+
+ _Where the sun is first seen again, begins at:_
+
+         Karasjok               January 16th
+         Vardö                          20th
+         Hammerfest                     21st
+         North Cape or Nordkyn          24th
+
+I hope that I have been successful in giving you an idea of day and
+night in the Frigid Zone.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+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."
+
+[Illustration: "It was indeed, a fearful wind storm."]
+
+"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, or great snowstorms; but we hope this fine weather will follow
+you for many days. Often it lasts quite a while."
+
+Then we bade good-bye to each other. They tucked the sheepskin round me,
+and bade the driver to take good care of Paulus.
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+The windstorm lasted three days. During that time I found that the
+temperature varied from 8 to 22 degrees below zero.
+
+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.
+
+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. 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.
+
+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.'"
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 came through the door when some one came in or went out.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+A number of sheep were penned in a corner. "Our 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 zero, and when the
+atmosphere was very clear we had about three or four hours of twilight.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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."
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+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 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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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. 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.
+
+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.
+
+When he returned the perspiration was dripping from his face, though the
+cold was 39 degrees below zero.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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."
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+[Illustration: "Paulus, try again!"]
+
+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 where they stood and new hillocks were made in other
+places. When I went out the wind almost took me off my feet.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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."
+
+"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.
+
+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."
+
+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 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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+"But," said I, "it is 30 degrees below zero."
+
+"That is nothing," they answered, laughing. "The 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 back must have
+been as red as a boiled lobster. I followed his injunctions until he
+said it was enough.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+ HOW THE LAPPS AND FINNS TRAVEL.--STRANGE-LOOKING SLEIGHS.--DIFFERENT
+     VARIETIES.--LASSOING REINDEER.--DESCRIPTION OF THE REINDEER.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+As I was looking at these sleighs, strange-looking 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.
+
+One of them said to me, "You are looking at our sleighs as if you had
+never seen such ones before."
+
+"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."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+"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 our
+provisions, our coffee, our sugar, salt, and everything that has to be
+protected against snow or dampness."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+The next day Jon said to me, "Let us go together 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."
+
+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.
+
+"In this herd I have over sixty reindeer that have been broken to
+harness," said Jon.
+
+"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."
+
+"I know them all," he replied. "I could even tell the ones that are
+missing."
+
+Then I remembered that I had heard that a shepherd knew every sheep of
+his flock.
+
+"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."
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+The other reindeer, which fought so desperately for freedom, had only
+been used twice during the winter and was not accustomed to being
+lassoed.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "The man had to use all his strength."]
+
+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 just the reindeer for
+you, for he is more easily managed than any others I own."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+During this process the reindeer seemed very restless and several times
+were on the point of running away.
+
+"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 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.
+
+"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.
+
+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."
+
+"All right," I replied, "there is plenty of snow, no harm can come to
+me. My head is safe."
+
+"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.
+
+"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.
+
+"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."
+
+In the mean time our reindeers had become very restive and they were
+held with difficulty. Suddenly Jon gave the order to start.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "I was shot out of the sleigh."]
+
+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 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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Suddenly Jon slackened the pace of his reindeer so 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"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, the sleigh whirled round with a great
+jerk, and I was thrown out head over heels as before.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "At noon I saw the sun's lower rim touching the
+horizon."]
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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, 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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+As these thoughts came over me, I exclaimed: "'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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Wasara, the younger, was the son of a very rich Lapp who owned nearly
+ten thousand reindeer, and possessed besides a good bank account.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Pinta generally took the lead, I came next, and Wasara third. Pinta and
+Wasara had their faithful dogs with them.
+
+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.
+
+How I shouted, for I had such an exuberance of 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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+After an hour's drive we saw in the midst of the snow, near a large
+forest of fir trees, a tent. "Here is the tent of my father," said
+Wasara, pointing out the tent to me.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "What a strange abode these nomadic Lapps have!"]
+
+The women were all busy; one was weaving shoe-bands 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Inside, along the lower part of the tent, were boxes of different shapes
+and sizes, packages lying on the top of skins to prevent the wind from
+blowing in from the bottom; the outside was protected by snow.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+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
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+Then two of the men and two of the women with 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."
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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. 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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+ TOILET WITH SNOW.--A LAPP BREAKFAST.--LAPP DOGS.--TALKS WITH MY LAPP
+     FRIEND ABOUT THE REINDEER.--THEIR HABITS AND VARIOUS FORMS OF
+     USEFULNESS.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+"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."
+
+While Pehr was talking I wished I could see a pack of wolves attacking
+reindeer, to see how the dogs fight them.
+
+"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 until
+their master or mistress has returned to the tent. Then we want them to
+stay out doors."
+
+"I should like very much," I said to Pehr, "to see how you break in
+reindeer and accustom them to harness."
+
+"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."
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+I thought so. I remembered my first lessons.
+
+[Illustration: "I went outside the tent with my host."]
+
+"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, 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."
+
+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.
+
+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. 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."
+
+"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?"
+
+"I do not know," he replied, "but the wild reindeer can find it,
+otherwise they would starve."
+
+"How can they dig through the snow?" I asked with a smile. "They have no
+shovels."
+
+Pehr laughed at my remark. "Their fore feet are their shovels," he
+replied. "You will see for yourself how they dig the snow."
+
+I asked Pehr also about the speed of the reindeer.
+
+"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 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."
+
+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?"
+
+"Yes, indeed, they are," I replied.
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+"How many reindeer," I asked, "does a family require for its support?"
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+"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 flee in every direction, and many herds then become
+mixed together."
+
+"When your reindeer get mixed with those of other herds, how can you
+tell which are yours?" I inquired.
+
+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."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+ MOVING CAMP.--ANOTHER GREAT BLIZZARD.--A REMARKABLE SIGHT.--DEER
+     GETTING THEIR FOOD BY DIGGING THE SNOW.--HOW REINDEER ARE
+     BUTCHERED.
+
+
+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.
+
+They returned with a fine lot of trained reindeer.
+
+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.
+
+The babies were carefully fixed in their queer-looking cradles, and made
+quite safe against blustering winds.
+
+Everything being ready, the reindeer were harnessed and we started. Soon
+after, we came to the herd which had been bunched by the Lapps, the
+dogs keeping them together. Then we began our march.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 the mean time the reindeer had been unharnessed and some
+of the sleighs unloaded.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+How nice the broth was when we drank it! How good the meat tasted! This
+was a splendid meal.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+After breakfast, my host and I drove to see some of his friends who had
+pitched their tent some forty 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "They were really working hard for their living."]
+
+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. There were no dogs with them, and no people to
+watch.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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 to a forest of
+large fir trees, which surprised me, for we were in 69 degrees latitude.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+"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.
+
+The other reindeer were then butchered, and the meat placed on the racks
+outside of the tent.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+ WATCHING FOR THE REAPPEARANCE OF THE SUN.--THE UPPER RIM FIRST
+     VISIBLE.--THE WHOLE ORB SEEN FROM A HILL.--DAYS OF SUNSHINE AHEAD.
+
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+Near by was a hill. A sudden thought came into my mind. I said to
+myself, "If I ascend this hill I shall see the whole sun, as the
+greater height will make up for the curvature of the earth."
+
+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.'"
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+I had had enough of the "Long Night." I wanted to see a sky without
+stars and also the pale moon during the day.
+
+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 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."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+ WOLVES THE GREAT FOE OF THE LAPPS.--HOW THE REINDEER ARE PROTECTED
+     AGAINST THEM.--WATCHING FOR THE TREACHEROUS BRUTES.--STORIES OF
+     THEIR SAGACITY.
+
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+"What do you mean," I asked, "by the Chief of the Pack being chosen?"
+
+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."
+
+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 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."
+
+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."
+
+"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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 way, and now and then she would stop and scan the country for
+wolves.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Numbers of juniper-brush fires were lighted at night where we had
+cleared away the snow to scare off the wolves.
+
+That evening the Lapps told wolf stories. One began thus:
+
+"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."
+
+"Wonderful indeed," I said, "is the intelligence of the wolves, if what
+you say is true."
+
+"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 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."
+
+"That is so," repeated all the Lapps.
+
+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."
+
+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:
+
+"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 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.
+
+"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
+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."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"Yes," I replied, without hesitation, and added, "I hope we shall meet
+wolves."
+
+The Lapps left by twos and threes and went in different directions. One
+of them and myself took our way directly east.
+
+After travelling a few miles I espied a black speck very far away, for I
+am long-sighted. This at first I 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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"The wolves have perhaps scented the reindeer," said he; "they have to
+come in our direction to reach the herds."
+
+Not far from where we stood was a big boulder that was not entirely
+buried in the snow. "Let us hide behind it, and watch," said my
+companion.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+"They are planning some mischief," he replied.
+
+[Illustration: "The Lapp passed him like a flash and gave him a terrible
+blow."]
+
+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 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."
+
+"That is so," replied he. "Wolves are very knowing, and by their tactics
+fool us very often."
+
+I replied, "We will try to fool them this time, and kill many of them.
+The reindeer must be protected."
+
+"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.
+
+"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."
+
+"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.
+
+After the Lapp had gone I watched the pack carefully. 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.
+
+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.
+
+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, 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+[Illustration: "It was a fight for life!"]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+I was once more travelling westward, and two days afterward fell in with
+another company of nomadic Lapps. We became, as usual, good friends.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+There they said to me: "There is a wide gully, 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."
+
+"What happens then," I asked, "if the leap falls short?"
+
+"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."
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+"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."
+
+"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.
+
+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!
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+[Illustration: "Suddenly I saw them fly through the air."]
+
+He had hardly finished these words when the Lapp 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"Is it possible!" I exclaimed; "it seems incredible."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+I shouted again, "Well done, boys! Well done!" I was terribly excited
+myself.
+
+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."
+
+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 snow; and most of them came within a few inches of the sticks.
+
+After passing one they would change their direction and move to another,
+either on the left or right, further down.
+
+This terminated the day's sport. We returned to our encampment. I had
+had a day of great delight.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+Then, brandishing his bludgeon, he said fiercely, "I will make short
+work of some of them. They will never run after any more reindeer."
+
+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."
+
+We continued our journey, the Lapp keeping close to me. Suddenly he
+stopped and said, "Paulus, I am 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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+After he had taken breath, he said to me, "Paulus, wait here, for you
+cannot 'skee' fast enough. I must go after our runaway reindeer and our
+sleighs," and off he went. He followed the tracks they had left behind
+them.
+
+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.
+
+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?"
+
+"Yes," I replied, "I shall be very glad to go with you."
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+I was delighted at the thought of travelling with such fast animals, and
+I replied, "I am sure I shall enjoy the drive."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+The next day in the afternoon we returned to our tent, the reindeer as
+frisky as the day before and running as fast. I have never forgotten
+those two glorious rides, and I shall remember them as long as I live.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+When the water was warm, and the fire under it extinguished, the wife
+said that my bath was ready.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+The inhabitants of these Lapp hamlets are not nomadic; they live on the
+produce of their farms, the 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.
+
+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.
+
+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 1/2 inch, the tallest
+man 5 feet 4-1/2 inches; the smallest woman 4 feet 4-1/4 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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+I only stopped the night in Karasjok, and after getting new reindeer at
+the post station and a new guide, started north.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI
+
+ LEAVE KARASJOK STILL TRAVELLING NORTHWARD.--THE RIVER TANA.--RIVER
+     LAPPS.--FILTHY DWELLINGS.--ON THE WAY TO NORDKYN.--THE MOST
+     NORTHERN LAND IN EUROPE.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Now travelling was becoming very hard,--not on account of the snow, but
+because the inhabitants and their dwellings were so dirty.
+
+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 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.
+
+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?"
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+Soon after we started.
+
+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.
+
+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
+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.
+
+The next morning the weather was fine, and I drove on to Kjorgosk
+Njarg--hard name to pronounce--the most northern land in Europe.
+
+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.
+
+From there I could see North Cape.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+The Lapps received us very kindly.
+
+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."
+
+I asked the Lapps, "Why do you call the winter months the 'Bear's
+Night'?"
+
+"Because," one replied, "in this land the bears sleep all through the
+winter months."
+
+"Goodness!" I exclaimed; "then the bear has a sleep that lasts five or
+six months, and even more?"
+
+"Yes," the Lapp replied.
+
+"Are there any bears here," I asked, "that are sleeping in the
+neighborhood?--for I should like immensely to stir one up."
+
+"There are none this year," he replied.
+
+Then I said to him, "Let us go fox hunting, for I should like to get
+some white and silver-gray fox-skins. We will build a snow house for
+our camp to shelter ourselves." One of the Lapps, called Jakob, agreed
+to go with me.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+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.
+
+"I like this much better than going in and sleeping in the dwellings of
+the river or fishing Lapps yonder," I said to Jakob.
+
+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."
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "I advanced cautiously."]
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+In one place where we stopped to rest I suddenly noticed that our
+reindeer had got loose. I shouted to Jakob, who was quietly taking a
+little snooze on the snow, "Our reindeer are loose!"
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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."
+
+"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."
+
+"I do not wonder at their being hungry, for the poor bear has to make up
+for his long fast," I said.
+
+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 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."
+
+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 ready for his long sleep, for the bears know
+when a snowstorm is coming.'
+
+"'How can they know?' I inquired.
+
+"'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?'
+
+"'They do,' I replied.
+
+"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.
+
+"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.
+
+"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.'
+
+"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.
+
+"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.
+
+"'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.'
+
+"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.'
+
+"'How clever the bears are to walk around in that manner,' I said.
+
+"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.'
+
+"'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."
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+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
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+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!"
+
+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.
+
+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 John Puranen. John was a
+powerfully built man, with a very kind expression.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "The mist was so thick that I could not see ahead."]
+
+When I awoke in the morning it was 42 degrees 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.
+
+Many of the people had already left; we hurried on to overtake them, and
+as usual went in single file.
+
+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.
+
+The wind kept increasing, and seeing no one ahead or behind I became
+alarmed.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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!"
+
+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!"
+
+These imaginary words had hardly been uttered 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."
+
+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.
+
+No, they were not wolves, but people! I was in the midst of my friends;
+they had stopped and were waiting for me.
+
+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."
+
+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 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.
+
+We continued our way and came to another house of refuge, where we took
+shelter. There we could wait until the storm was over.
+
+It was so nice to stretch one's legs and to stand up and pace the floor
+and bring the blood into circulation.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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 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.
+
+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!
+
+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 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.
+
+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?"
+
+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.
+
+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 they have plenty of
+exercise to perform, or hard work to do.
+
+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."
+
+"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!
+
+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:
+
+"Paulus, you are ready to stand the strongest windstorm that can blow;
+everything on your body is made as secure as it can be!"
+
+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.
+
+John was not mistaken about the weather. Three or four hours after our
+departure the wind increased, 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.
+
+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!
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "We remained seated on the ground, back to back."]
+
+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. 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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, 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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "Once in a while I gave a look towards the ugly
+precipice."]
+
+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. "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."
+
+John was not mistaken.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Then my turn came. John started and off we went.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+Further on we had another descent of the same character, but not so
+dangerous.
+
+We were all glad when we reached the station of refuge; we were so tired
+from the excitement of the day.
+
+We had crossed the backbone of the mountain, and had come down the
+western slope. Each stream now flowed to the Arctic Sea.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 of ice, just as the land of North-west America is, in the same
+latitude.
+
+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.
+
+My journey over mountains 5,000 feet high, between the 69th and 70th
+degrees of north latitude, was over.
+
+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.
+
+I thanked John and my other travelling companions for the kindness they
+had shown me. We parted with great tokens of friendship.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI
+
+ SAIL ON THE ARCTIC OCEAN.--THE BRIG _RAGNILD_.--ÆGIR AND RAN, THE GOD
+     AND GODDESS OF THE SEA.--THE NINE DAUGHTERS OF ÆGIR AND RAN.--GREAT
+     STORMS.--COMPELLED TO HEAVE TO.
+
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+[Illustration: "I am clad in the garb of a fisherman."]
+
+The _Ragnild_--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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+When I awoke in the morning the _Ragnild_ 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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+Ægir and Ran had nine daughters, and their names were emblematic of the
+waves. They were called _Hefring_ the Hurling, _Hrönn_ the Towering,
+_Bylgja_ the Upheaving, _Bara_ the Lashing.
+
+The five other daughters were called _Himinglæfa_ the Heaven Glittering,
+_Blödughadda_ the Bloody Haired, _Kolga_ the Cooling, _Unn_ the Loving,
+_Dufa_ the Dove.
+
+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.
+
+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 wandered gently along the shores, and that their beds
+were rocks, stone-heaps, pebbles, and sands.
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+My fancy recalled again to me the words of the "Long Night": "I send
+terrific gales and mighty snowstorms over oceans and lands."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 always three of them going together, and this second one may
+come and break over us."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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!"
+
+[Illustration: "I saw a big towering wave rolling towards the stern of
+the ship."]
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+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:
+
+"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.
+
+"'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."
+
+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.
+
+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 the wind is a dangerous manoeuvre. 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVII
+
+ A DARK NIGHT AT SEA.--WAKE OF THE _RAGNILD_.--THOUSANDS OF PHOSPHORESCENT
+     LIGHTS.--A LIGHT AHEAD.--AN ARCTIC FAIR.--A FISHING SETTLEMENT.--HOW
+     THE COD ARE CURED.--FISH AND FERTILIZER FRAGRANCE.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+The long heavy swells, pushed by the southerly gales that had passed
+away, moved irresistibly on 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!
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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 deck, watching for any change in the wind. Suddenly the
+man at the prow shouted:
+
+"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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+I visited the warehouses, built partly on piles projecting into the sea.
+Along some of these were brigs and schooners loading.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+Several nice houses belonged to the merchants of the place. These were
+painted white and were very comfortable.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVIII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"Where are you from?" one of the fishermen asked me.
+
+"From America," I replied.
+
+"From America!" they all exclaimed at once. "Is that possible?"
+
+"Yes, he is from America," said Captain Petersen.
+
+"I have a brother in America, in Minnesota," exclaimed one.
+
+A second said: "I have a sister in Dakota."
+
+A third: "I also have a brother in America; he sails on the Great
+Lakes."
+
+From that moment those fishermen and I were great friends. They asked me
+my name. I replied, "My name is Paul Du Chaillu."
+
+"Why!" some of the younger fishermen said, "we have read in school the
+translation of your travels in Africa. Are you really he?"
+
+"Yes," I replied.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+"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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+"Fifty millions of cod is a great number," I observed.
+
+"Yes," he replied, "but these fifty millions are nothing but a small
+fraction compared with the great number that are not caught."
+
+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 January
+to March. The herring are known to have disappeared for years in some
+districts, then suddenly reappear."
+
+"That is strange," I said. "Can you account for that?"
+
+"No," the captain replied; "if I were a herring I probably could tell."
+We all laughed when he said this.
+
+I remarked: "The number of Norwegian fishing boats is so great, how do
+you know when some are missing and have foundered at sea?"
+
+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.
+
+"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 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."
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIX
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Looking at the multitudes of buoys I asked Captain Ole, "How can you
+ever find and recognize your own buoys?"
+
+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."
+
+[Illustration: "It is hard work to haul in the nets."]
+
+"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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+On our return we went on board of one of the ships, and our fish was
+bought by the captain at a little over eight dollars a "big
+hundred,"--that is, 112 cod.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Captain Johansen steered. The men of our crew were Mats, Pehr, Anders,
+Ole, Knut, and Roar.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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."
+
+"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."
+
+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."
+
+"Indeed," I said to the captain, "it will be hard work and will take
+quite a while, especially if many fish are caught."
+
+"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."
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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, said: "This weather is the
+forerunner of spring in these high latitudes; the sun is getting higher
+at its meridian every day."
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+"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.
+
+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."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXX
+
+ 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 _LONG SERPENT_.--READY FOR
+     THE FIGHT.--THE ATTACK.--THE _JARN BARDI_.--DEFEAT OF OLAF
+     TRYGGVASSON.
+
+
+After we had clustered round Captain Larsen, he gave three or four big
+puffs of his pipe and began:
+
+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 _Ormrinn
+Lange_ (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 _Long Serpent_."
+
+Erik Jarl, who knew the _Long Serpent_, answered: "This is not the _Long
+Serpent_, which is much larger and grander, though this is a fine
+ship."
+
+Ship after ship passed by and the two kings took each of them to be the
+_Long Serpent_, but they received invariably the same answer from Erik
+Jarl.
+
+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.
+
+Erik Jarl's ship was called the _Jarn Bardi_, 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.
+
+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 _Long Serpent_--a
+ship about three hundred and sixty feet long, with a crew of over seven
+hundred and fifty men.
+
+At this sight many a man grew silent.
+
+Sigvaldi Jarl, one of Olaf Tryggvasson's commanders, let down the sails
+on his ship and rowed up towards the island. Thorkel Dydril on the
+_Tranan_ (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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+The _Long Serpent_ was in the middle, with the _Short Serpent_ on one
+side and the _Crane_ 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.
+
+When Olaf saw that they began to tie together the stern of the _Long
+Serpent_ and of the _Short Serpent_, he called out loudly, "Bring the
+_Long Serpent_ forward; I will not be the hindmost of all my men in this
+fleet when the battle begins!"
+
+Then Ulf ("Wolf") the Red, the king's standard bearer, and who was also
+his prow-defender, said: "If the _Long Serpent_ 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!"
+
+The king cried: "I had the _Serpent_ 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!"
+
+Ulf replied: "Turn thou, King, no more back in defending the high deck
+than I will in defending the prow!"
+
+Olaf Tryggvasson stood aloft on the high deck of the _Long Serpent_. He
+had a shield, and gilt helmet, and was easily recognized. He wore a red
+silk kirtle over his ring-armor.
+
+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.
+
+"What chief follows the standard which is to the right?" He was told
+that it was Olaf of Sweden.
+
+"Who owns those large ships to the left of King Olaf of Sweden?"
+
+"It is Erik Jarl Hakonson," they replied.
+
+Then Svein of Denmark, Olaf of Sweden, and Erik Jarl rowed towards the
+_Long Serpent_.
+
+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 _Long Serpent_. The Danes
+also attacked the _Short Serpent_ and the _Crane_. The carnage was
+great.
+
+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.
+
+The attack proved difficult for the Danes, for the stern-defenders of
+the _Long Serpent_ and of the _Short Serpent_ 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.
+
+In the mean time Erik Jarl had come first with the _Jarn Bardi_
+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 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 _Long Serpent_,
+which carried all the men who were now able to fight.
+
+Erik Jarl then attacked the _Long Serpent_ with five large ships; he
+laid the _Jarn Bardi_ 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 _Long Serpent_ that the men could hardly
+protect themselves.
+
+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.
+
+When only a few men were left on the _Long Serpent_ 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 _Bardi_, which took away the dead and the wounded, and in their
+stead brought fresh and rested men.
+
+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 _Long
+Serpent_, nor have I seen a ship so hard to conquer. Now, as thou art
+one of the wisest of men, give me the best advice thou knowest as to how
+the _Long Serpent_ may be won!"
+
+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 _Long Serpent_, so that it will
+careen; then thou wilt find it the easier to board the ship."
+
+Erik Jarl did as Thorkel had told him.
+
+King Olaf and his men defended themselves with the utmost bravery and
+manliness; they slew many of their foes, both on the _Jarn Bardi_ and on
+other ships which lay near theirs.
+
+When the defenders of the _Long Serpent_ began to thin out, Erik Jarl
+boarded it and met with a warm reception.
+
+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.
+
+Then King Olaf said: "Never before did I thus miss a man; great is the
+Jarl's luck."
+
+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
+_Long Serpent_ 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.
+
+"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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXI
+
+ 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.
+
+
+Leaving the fishing settlement, the _Ragnild_, 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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?"
+
+"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.
+
+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."
+
+Instead of doubling North Cape, we sailed through the narrow Magerö
+Sound which separates the island from the mainland.
+
+[Illustration: "We sailed towards North Cape."]
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 _inside_ of their garments. They were Sea
+Lapps.
+
+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 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.
+
+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."
+
+The captain was right--for I could not see any difference between their
+rowing and that of the men as they followed us.
+
+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.
+
+Then many of these Sea Lapps said:
+
+"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."
+
+Looking towards where they pointed, I saw smoke curling up from
+strange-looking dwellings. The settlement was scattered on the brow of
+a hill looking down upon the fjord.
+
+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.
+
+Here I parted with the _Ragnild_, which sailed to another fjord for more
+fish.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+In the mean time the people had changed their clothes, and wore their
+summer every-day dress called _vuolpo_ (though it was still cold), ready
+to receive me.
+
+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 dragoons, on account of the
+wooden frame under the cloth. These were also red or blue.
+
+"Come in," said one of the Sea Lapps, "come into my _gamme_ (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.
+
+I was hardly in this _gamme_ 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.
+
+"Will you stay and have a cup of coffee with us?" my host asked.
+
+"Yes," added his wife, "it will not take long to make a cup of coffee."
+
+"Not to-day," I replied, "but some other time."
+
+"All right," the host said; "don't forget."
+
+I was glad when I got out. This abode was the _gamme_ of a poor Sea
+Lapp, and the poorest kind of dwelling seen among them.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+This was a very strange way of heating a room, I thought to myself.
+
+"Come and stay with us to-night," added the Lapp. "You will sleep
+comfortably and you will not be cold."
+
+I accepted.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Not far from this _gamme_ 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.
+
+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; 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+One day found me comfortably settled in a _gamme_ 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.
+
+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.
+
+On Sunday morning they were dressed in their best _vuolpo_ 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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+The long days come on with remarkable rapidity 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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIV
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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 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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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; and when your journey is finished come
+back to us at once."
+
+"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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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 friend and have kept my legs so warm when I was
+driving."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+As we were introduced to each other we shook hands, and I said, "Mikel,
+we are going to be friends."
+
+"Yes," he replied, "we are to be friends."
+
+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."
+
+"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.
+
+An hour after the arrival of the reindeer and after a hearty meal of
+codfish and black bread we were ready to start.
+
+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.'"
+
+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.
+
+When Mikel saw that I was ready he jumped into his sleigh and we
+started.
+
+"Good-bye, good-bye, Paulus!" shouted all the Lapps.
+
+"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."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXV
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+That afternoon we reached the Tana river, at a place called Polmak, and
+sped on over its snow-covered ice.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 the change came so slowly, hour after hour, that I did not notice
+it.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+We unharnessed our reindeer, and tied them with long ropes. When this
+was done we got into our bags and soon were fast asleep.
+
+At about three o'clock Mikel awoke me, saying, "Paulus, it is about time
+to go."
+
+"Oh, Mikel," I replied, "let me sleep one hour more, for I need more
+sleep. I want another snooze."
+
+"There is no time to be lost," he replied; "you will have a snooze later
+in the day."
+
+So I rubbed my eyes to get fully awake, and washed my face with snow,
+and felt ready for another start.
+
+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 travel without green or blue goggles. I had two pairs
+with me, in case I should lose or break one by some accident.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 moved
+away as far as the rope would allow them. I did not wonder that they did
+not like Mikel's snoring.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 to go
+with us, for he wanted to see some of his friends further south.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+The darkest part of the day or night was somewhat after eleven o'clock
+P.M., 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!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVI
+
+ 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.
+
+
+Onward we went, sleeping one day in the tent of a nomadic Lapp, another
+day in our bags, at other times in the _gamme_ 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.
+
+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.
+
+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,
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 protection in winter against big white owls, foxes, and other
+animals, so their gray color would protect them against their enemies in
+summer.
+
+"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."
+
+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!
+
+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."
+
+"You don't say so, Mikel!" I exclaimed. "Is the bear sleeping near where
+we are?"
+
+"Not so very near," he replied with a twinkle in his eye. "A few hours
+will bring us to his place."
+
+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?"
+
+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."
+
+"All right," replied Mikel; "we will go after the bear."
+
+"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."
+
+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 his skin.
+Besides I shall get a premium in money if we kill him."
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+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."
+
+"Yes," said I, "my eyes ache for want of a good long sleep."
+
+We stretched ourselves on the earth floor, and soon after I heard the
+snoring of Mikel. He was an inveterate snorer,--I thought the champion
+snorer of all those I ever had met.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+"What do you call not far from here?" I asked.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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 soon spread and there was much excitement. During the day
+preparations were made for the hunt.
+
+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.
+
+I was full of enthusiasm, and longed to come face to face with the big
+brown bear of northern Europe.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "He sat on his haunches and looked at us, uttering a
+tremendous growl."]
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 westward, and after two days' travelling we came to the river
+Muonio, to a Finnish hamlet called Kuttainen, not far from Karesuando.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+"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 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."
+
+"I will follow you carefully, dear Mikel. Go on! Go on!" I said.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Here I said good-bye to the good Mikel and thanked him cordially for the
+care he had taken of me.
+
+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.
+
+Now, my dear Young Folks, Friend Paul has come 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.
+
+
+
+
+ Paul Du Chaillu's Great Work
+
+ THE VIKING AGE
+
+ THE EARLY HISTORY, MANNERS, &
+ CUSTOMS OF THE ANCESTORS OF
+ THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING NATIONS
+
+ WITH 1400 ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAP
+ 2 vols., 8vo, $7.50
+
+ CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, Publishers
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+New York Tribune.
+
+"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."
+
+
+Newark Advertiser.
+
+"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."
+
+
+London Athenæum.
+
+"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."
+
+
+Edinburgh Review.
+
+"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."
+
+
+Springfield Republican.
+
+"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."
+
+
+Chicago Inter-Ocean.
+
+"Mr. Du Chaillu has certainly given to the literary world a work full of
+interest."
+
+
+The Nation.
+
+"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."
+
+
+Philadelphia Record.
+
+"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."
+
+
+Boston Transcript.
+
+"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."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+ CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, Publishers
+ 153-157 Fifth Avenue, New York
+
+
+
+
+ IVAR THE VIKING
+
+ A ROMANTIC HISTORY, BASED
+ UPON AUTHENTIC FACTS OF THE
+ THIRD AND FOURTH CENTURIES
+
+ 12mo, $1.50
+
+ CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, Publishers
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The Nation.
+
+"'Ivar the Viking' is to be thoroughly recommended. The story is
+characteristically spirited, and the romantic part leaves nothing to be
+desired."
+
+
+Chicago Tribune.
+
+"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."
+
+
+Philadelphia Press.
+
+"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."
+
+
+Richard Henry Stoddard.
+
+"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."
+
+
+New York Times.
+
+"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."
+
+
+Boston Transcript.
+
+"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."
+
+
+Philadelphia Public Ledger.
+
+"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."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+ CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, Publishers
+ 153-157 Fifth Avenue, New York
+
+
+
+
+Transcriber's Note
+
+Minor spelling and typographical errors have been corrected without
+note.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's The Land of the Long Night, by Paul du Chaillu
+
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+      The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Land of the Long Night, by Paul Du Chaillu
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+
+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
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+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LAND OF THE LONG NIGHT ***
+
+
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+Produced by Peter Vachuska, Chuck Greif, Stephen Blundell
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+</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 />
+&nbsp;&nbsp;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,&mdash;some of them white, others yellow
+or black,&mdash;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,"&mdash;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&mdash;east, west, north&mdash;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>k&aring;ta</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.,&mdash;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&mdash;"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."&mdash;Homesick.&mdash;Tempted
+to Return.&mdash;Girls and Boys Say "No; Go on, Go on,
+Paul."&mdash;Decide to Continue my Journey.&mdash;Winter Coming
+On.&mdash;Don Warmer Clothing.&mdash;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.&mdash;A Great Snowstorm.&mdash;Fearful
+Roads.&mdash;Snow-ploughs.&mdash;Losing the Way.&mdash;Intelligence of the
+Horses.&mdash;Upset in the Snow.&mdash;Difficulty of Righting
+Ourselves.&mdash;Perspiring at 23 Degrees below Zero.&mdash;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.&mdash;Made Welcome.&mdash;A Strange-looking
+Interior.&mdash;Queer Beds.&mdash;Snowed In.&mdash;Exit through the
+Chimney.&mdash;Clearing Paths.&mdash;I Resume my Journey.&mdash;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.&mdash;Warned against Still
+Colder Weather.&mdash;Different Costume Needed.&mdash;Dressed as a
+Laplander.&mdash;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.&mdash;Description of the Phenomenon of the
+Long Night.&mdash;Reasons for its Existence.&mdash;The Ecliptic and
+the Equinoxes.&mdash;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.&mdash;Windstorms succeed.&mdash;A
+Finlander's Farm.&mdash;Strange Fireplace.&mdash;Interior of a
+Cow-House.&mdash;Queer Food for Cattle.&mdash;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.&mdash;How They Are
+Made.&mdash;Learning to Use Them.&mdash;Joseff's Instructions.&mdash;Hard
+Work at First.&mdash;Going Down Hill.&mdash;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.&mdash;How the Bath was
+Prepared.&mdash;What are the Twigs for?&mdash;I Ascertain.&mdash;Rolling
+in the Snow.&mdash;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.&mdash;Strange-looking
+Sleighs.&mdash;Different Varieties.&mdash;Lassoing
+Reindeer.&mdash;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.&mdash;The First Lessons in Driving.&mdash;Constantly
+Upset at First.&mdash;Going Down Hill with Reindeer.&mdash;Thrown Out
+at the Bottom.&mdash;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.&mdash;Beginning of the Long Night.&mdash;A
+Mighty Wall of Ice.&mdash;The Long Night's Warning Voice&mdash;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.&mdash;Lapp Hospitality.&mdash;A Lapp
+Repast.&mdash;Coffee and Tobacco Lapp Staples.&mdash;Babies in
+Strange Cradles.&mdash;How the Tents are Made.&mdash;Going to Sleep
+with the Mercury at 39&deg; 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.&mdash;A Lapp Breakfast.&mdash;Lapp Dogs. Talks with
+my Lapp Friend about the Reindeer.&mdash;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.&mdash;Another Great Blizzard.&mdash;A Remarkable
+Sight&mdash;Deer Getting their Food by Digging the Snow.&mdash;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.&mdash;The Upper Rim First
+Visible.&mdash;The Whole Orb Seen from a Hill.&mdash;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.&mdash;How the Reindeer are
+Protected against Them.&mdash;Watching for the Treacherous
+Brutes.&mdash;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.&mdash;A Large Pack.&mdash;They Hold a
+Consultation.&mdash;Their Fierce Attack on the
+Reindeer.&mdash;Pursuing Them on Skees.&mdash;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.&mdash;Leaping over
+Wide Gullies and Rivers.&mdash;Prodigious Length of Their
+Leaps.&mdash;Accuracy of Their Coasting.&mdash;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.&mdash;My Guide Kills Two with his
+Bludgeon.&mdash;A Visiting Trip with a Lapp
+Family.&mdash;Extraordinary Speed of Reindeer.&mdash;We Strike a
+Boulder.&mdash;Lake Givij&auml;rvi.&mdash;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.&mdash;A Bath in a Big Iron Pot.&mdash;An
+Arctic Way of Washing Clothes.&mdash;Dress and Ornaments of the
+Lapps.&mdash;Appearance and Height of the
+Lapps.&mdash;Givij&auml;rvi.&mdash;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.&mdash;The River
+Tana.&mdash;River Lapps.&mdash;Filthy Dwellings.&mdash;On the Way to
+Nordkyn.&mdash;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.&mdash;Frantic Efforts of the Reindeer to Keep their
+Footing on the Ice.&mdash;The Bear's Night.&mdash;Foxes and
+Ermines.&mdash;Weird Cries of Foxes.&mdash;Building Snow
+Houses.&mdash;Shooting-boxes.&mdash;Killing Foxes.&mdash;Traps for
+Ermines.&mdash;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.&mdash;The Bear's Night.&mdash;Watching
+a Bear Seeking for Winter Quarters.&mdash;They Are Very
+Suspicious.&mdash;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.&mdash;Decide to Take the Trail to the Ulf Fjord.&mdash;Houses
+of Refuge.&mdash;A Series of Terrific Windstorms in the
+Mountains.&mdash;Lost.&mdash;Gloomy Reflections.&mdash;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.&mdash;How to Descend the Mountains.&mdash;The Most
+Perilous Portion of the Journey.&mdash;Exhaustion of the
+Reindeer.&mdash;All Safe at the Bottom.&mdash;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.&mdash;The Brig <i>Ragnild</i>.&mdash;&AElig;gir and
+Ran, the God and Goddess of the Sea.&mdash;The Nine Daughters
+of &AElig;gir and Ran.&mdash;Great Storms.&mdash;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.&mdash;Wake of the <i>Ragnild</i>.&mdash;Thousands
+of Phosphorescent Lights.&mdash;A Light Ahead.&mdash;An Arctic
+Fair.&mdash;A Fishing Settlement.&mdash;How the Cod are Cured.&mdash;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.&mdash;Their Lodgings and How They
+Look.&mdash;What They Have to Eat.&mdash;An Evening of Talk about
+Cod, Salmon, and Herring.&mdash;The Immense Number of Fish.&mdash;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.&mdash;Great Number of
+Boats.&mdash;More than Five Thousand Oars Fall into the Water at
+the Same Time.&mdash;Quantities of Buoys and Glass Balls.&mdash;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.&mdash;Svein King of Denmark, Olaf King of
+Sweden, Erik Jarl of Norway, against King Olaf Tryggvasson
+of Norway.&mdash;They Lie in Ambush.&mdash;Magnificent Ships.&mdash;The
+<i>Long Serpent</i>.&mdash;Ready for the Fight.&mdash;The Attack.&mdash;The
+<i>Jarn Bardi</i>.&mdash;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.&mdash;Hammerfest, the Most
+Northern Town in the World.&mdash;Schools.&mdash;Fruholmen, the Most
+Northern Lighthouse in the World.&mdash;Among the Sea
+Lapps.&mdash;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.&mdash;Strange Houses.&mdash;Their
+Interiors.&mdash;Summer Dress of the Sea Lapps.&mdash;Primitive
+Wooden Cart.&mdash;Animals Eat Raw Fish.&mdash;I Sleep in a Sea
+Lapp's House.&mdash;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.&mdash;The Two Lands Much
+Alike.&mdash;What Must be Done for
+Alaska.&mdash;Colonization.&mdash;Importation of
+Reindeer.&mdash;Protection of Fisheries.&mdash;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.&mdash;Great Danger of
+Encountering Melting Snow, or Rivers Made Dangerous by the
+Ice Breaking.&mdash;Reindeer Come.&mdash;Farewell to the Sea
+Lapps.&mdash;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.&mdash;The Reindeer are Soon
+Fagged.&mdash;Sleep on the Snow.&mdash;The Rays of the Sun Melt
+through the Snow.&mdash;Great difficulty in Travelling.&mdash;Meet
+Herds of Reindeer.&mdash;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.&mdash;Snowy Days.&mdash;An Uninhabited House of
+Refuge.&mdash;Animals Changing the Color of their Fur.&mdash;Mikel
+Tells Me about a Bear.&mdash;Killing the Bear.&mdash;Hurrying on over
+Soft Snow and Frozen Rivers.&mdash;The Ice Begins to
+Break.&mdash;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">&nbsp;</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."&mdash;Homesick.&mdash;Tempted
+to Return.&mdash;Girls and Boys say "No;
+Go on, Go on, Paul."&mdash;Decide to Continue my Journey.&mdash;Winter
+Coming On.&mdash;Don Warmer Clothing.&mdash;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,&mdash;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,&mdash;the
+city was almost in sight, and a nice city it is,&mdash;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,&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;Malm&ouml;, Skan&ouml;r,
+Falsterb&ouml;, Trelleborg,&mdash;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, S&ouml;lvesberg,
+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 &Ouml;land 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&mdash;for I
+did not care for railway travelling&mdash;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.&mdash;A Great Snowstorm.&mdash;Fearful Roads.&mdash;Snow-ploughs.&mdash;Losing
+the Way.&mdash;Intelligence of the Horses.&mdash;Upset
+in the Snow.&mdash;Difficulty of Righting Ourselves.&mdash;Perspiring
+at 23 Degrees below Zero.&mdash;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 S&ouml;derhamn, Hudicksvall,
+Sundsvall, and Hern&ouml;sand, 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&mdash;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&mdash;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 Ume&aring; 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&mdash;and
+how glad I was to spend the night there&mdash;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.&mdash;Made Welcome.&mdash;A Strange-looking
+Interior.&mdash;Queer Beds.&mdash;Snowed in.&mdash;Exit Through the
+Chimney.&mdash;Clearing Paths.&mdash;I Resume my Journey.&mdash;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&mdash;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 "gr&ouml;d," 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 gr&ouml;d 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&mdash;just
+enough for me to get in&mdash;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 Ume&aring;.</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 Skellefte&aring;, Pite&aring;, and Lule&aring;,
+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.&mdash;Warned against
+Still Colder Weather.&mdash;Different Costume Needed.&mdash;Dressed
+as a Laplander.&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;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.&mdash;Description of the Phenomenon of
+the Long Night.&mdash;Reasons for its Existence.&mdash;The Ecliptic
+and the Equinoxes.&mdash;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&deg; 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&deg; 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,&mdash;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,&mdash;or at North Cape, but five miles
+distant&mdash;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&mdash;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">Vard&ouml;</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">&nbsp;</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">Vard&ouml;</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.&mdash;Windstorms Succeed.&mdash;A
+Finlander's Farm.&mdash;Strange Fireplace.&mdash;Interior of
+a Cow-house.&mdash;Queer Food for Cattle.&mdash;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,&mdash;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&deg; 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.&mdash;How They
+Are Made.&mdash;Learning to Use Them.&mdash;Joseff's Instructions.&mdash;Hard
+Work at First.&mdash;Going Down Hill.&mdash;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&mdash;at least so
+as to go down the slopes of mountains; one has to
+have learned that in boyhood&mdash;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.&mdash;How the Bath was Prepared.&mdash;What
+are the Twigs for?&mdash;I Ascertain.&mdash;Rolling in the
+Snow.&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;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.&mdash;Strange-looking Sleighs.&mdash;Different
+Varieties.&mdash;Lassoing Reindeer.&mdash;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&mdash;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.&mdash;The First Lessons in Driving.&mdash;Constantly
+Upset at First.&mdash;Going Down Hill with Reindeer.&mdash;Thrown
+Out at the Bottom.&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;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&deg; 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.&mdash;Beginning of the Long Night.&mdash;A
+Mighty Wall of Ice.&mdash;The Long Night's Warning
+Voice.&mdash;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.&mdash;Lapp Hospitality.&mdash;A Lapp
+Repast.&mdash;Coffee and Tobacco Lapp Staples.&mdash;Babies in
+Strange Cradles.&mdash;How the Tents are Made.&mdash;Going
+to Sleep with the Mercury at 39&deg; 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&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;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,&mdash;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&mdash;"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&mdash;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,&mdash;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&mdash;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.&mdash;A Lapp Breakfast.&mdash;Lapp Dogs.&mdash;Talks
+with my Lapp Friend about the Reindeer.&mdash;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&mdash;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.&mdash;Another Great Blizzard.&mdash;A Remarkable
+Sight.&mdash;Deer Getting their Food by Digging the Snow.&mdash;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,&mdash;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.&mdash;The Upper
+Rim First Visible.&mdash;The Whole Orb Seen from a Hill.&mdash;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.&mdash;How the Reindeer are
+Protected against Them.&mdash;Watching for the Treacherous
+Brutes.&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;their
+untiring and faithful friends.</p>
+
+<p>When I awoke, three dogs were fast asleep near
+me&mdash;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&mdash;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.&mdash;A Large Pack.&mdash;They Hold a Consultation.&mdash;Their
+Fierce Attack on the Reindeer.&mdash;Pursuing
+Them on Skees.&mdash;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&mdash;ready to
+kill all the wolves I could.</p>
+
+<p>Now I saw reindeer in every direction&mdash;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.&mdash;Leaping over
+Wide Gullies and Rivers.&mdash;Prodigious Length of Their
+Leaps.&mdash;Accuracy of Their Coasting.&mdash;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,&mdash;a custom
+which dates from the time of my travels in Africa&mdash;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&mdash;the last one in the row&mdash;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&mdash;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.&mdash;My Guide Kills Two with his
+Bludgeon.&mdash;A Visiting trip with a Lapp Family.&mdash;Extraordinary
+Speed of Reindeer.&mdash;We Strike a Boulder.&mdash;Lake
+Givij&auml;rvi.&mdash;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,&mdash;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,&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;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,&mdash;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&mdash;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 Givij&auml;rvi and further on to Lake Aitij&auml;rvi.
+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 Enarej&auml;rvi.
+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.&mdash;A Bath in a Big Iron Pot.&mdash;An
+Arctic Way of Washing Clothes.&mdash;Dress and Ornaments
+of the Lapps.&mdash;Appearance and Height of the
+Lapps.&mdash;Givij&auml;rvi.&mdash;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&mdash;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,&mdash;such
+small cows! they were about three feet in height&mdash;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 &frac12; inch, the tallest man 5 feet
+4&frac12; inches; the smallest woman 4 feet 4&frac14; 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
+Givij&auml;rvi. 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 Givij&auml;rvi, 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&deg; 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.&mdash;The River
+Tana.&mdash;River Lapps.&mdash;Filthy Dwellings.&mdash;On the Way
+to Nordkyn.&mdash;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,&mdash;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&mdash;hard name to pronounce&mdash;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&deg; 6' 50"&mdash;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.&mdash;Frantic Efforts of the Reindeer to Keep
+their Footing on the Ice.&mdash;The Bear's Night.&mdash;Foxes
+and Ermines.&mdash;Weird Cries of Foxes.&mdash;Building Snow
+Houses.&mdash;Shooting-boxes.&mdash;Killing Foxes.&mdash;Traps for
+Ermines.&mdash;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&mdash;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?&mdash;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&mdash;no<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span>
+foxes&mdash;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.&mdash;The Bear's Night.&mdash;Watching
+a Bear Seeking for Winter Quarters.&mdash;They Are
+Very Suspicious.&mdash;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&mdash;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.&mdash;Decide
+to Take the Trail to the Ulf Fjord.&mdash;Houses
+of Refuge.&mdash;A Series of Terrific Windstorms
+in the Mountains.&mdash;Lost.&mdash;Gloomy Reflections.&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;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,&mdash;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.&mdash;How to Descend the Mountains.&mdash;The
+most Perilous Portion of the Journey.&mdash;Exhaustion
+of the Reindeer.&mdash;All Safe at the Bottom.&mdash;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&mdash;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.&mdash;The Brig <i>Ragnild</i>.&mdash;&AElig;gir and
+Ran, the God and Goddess of the Sea.&mdash;The Nine Daughters
+of &AElig;gir and Ran.&mdash;Great Storms.&mdash;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>&mdash;such was the name of our vessel&mdash;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 &AElig;gir as the
+god of the sea. &AElig;gir 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>&AElig;gir and Ran had nine daughters, and their names
+were emblematic of the waves. They were called
+<i>Hefring</i> the Hurling, <i>Hr&ouml;nn</i> the Towering, <i>Bylgja</i>
+the Upheaving, <i>Bara</i> the Lashing.</p>
+
+<p>The five other daughters were called <i>Himingl&aelig;fa</i> the
+Heaven Glittering, <i>Bl&ouml;dughadda</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, Hr&ouml;nn, 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 &AElig;gir 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 &AElig;gir 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 Hr&ouml;nn. 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 Hr&ouml;nn
+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 Hr&ouml;nn 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&mdash;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 &AElig;gir 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 Ingibj&ouml;rg, 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,&mdash;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 man&#339;uvre. 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.&mdash;Wake of the <i>Ragnild</i>.&mdash;Thousands
+of Phosphorescent Lights.&mdash;A Light Ahead.&mdash;An Arctic
+Fair.&mdash;A Fishing Settlement.&mdash;How the Cod are cured.&mdash;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 animalcul&aelig;, which are struck
+together by the movement of the wave and give out
+phosphorescence. These animalcul&aelig; 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&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;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.&mdash;Their Lodgings and how They Look.&mdash;What
+They Have to Eat.&mdash;An Evening of Talk about
+Cod, Salmon, and Herring.&mdash;The Immense Number of
+Fish.&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;humble it is true&mdash;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.&mdash;Great Number of Boats.&mdash;More
+than Five Thousand Oars fall into the Water at
+the Same Time.&mdash;Quantities of Buoys and Glass Balls.&mdash;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;&mdash;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&mdash;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,"&mdash;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&mdash;not
+a difficult task, as the marks of ownership were on
+the tackles&mdash;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 &AElig;gir 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,&mdash;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.&mdash;Svein King of Denmark, Olaf King
+of Sweden, Erik Jarl of Norway, against King Olaf
+Tryggvasson of Norway.&mdash;They Lie in Ambush.&mdash;Magnificent
+Ships.&mdash;The <i>Long Serpent</i>.&mdash;Ready for the Fight.&mdash;The
+Attack.&mdash;The <i>Jarn Bardi</i>.&mdash;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>&mdash;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,&mdash;at
+first with arrows from crossbows and long bows, then
+with spears and javelins and slings&mdash;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.&mdash;Hammerfest, the
+most Northern Town in the World.&mdash;Schools.&mdash;Fruholmen,
+the most Northern Lighthouse in the World.&mdash;Among
+the Sea Lapps.&mdash;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&deg; 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&deg; 5' north." We sailed as far as North
+Cape, on the island of Mager&ouml;, rising majestically to a
+height of nine hundred and eighty feet above the sea,
+and in latitude 71&deg; 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 Mager&ouml; 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&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;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.&mdash;Strange Houses.&mdash;Their Interiors.&mdash;Summer
+Dress of the Sea Lapps.&mdash;Primitive Wooden Cart.&mdash;Animals
+Eat Raw Fish.&mdash;I Sleep in a Sea Lapp's
+House.&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;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,&mdash;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&mdash;it had a fishy taste&mdash;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&mdash;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.&mdash;The Two Lands
+Much Alike.&mdash;What Must be Done for Alaska.&mdash;Colonization.&mdash;Importation
+of Reindeer.&mdash;Protection of Fisheries.&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;so that there be no overcharge&mdash;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.&mdash;Great Danger of
+Encountering Melting Snow, or Rivers Made Dangerous
+by the Ice Breaking.&mdash;Reindeer Come.&mdash;Farewell to
+the Sea Lapps.&mdash;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&mdash;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,&mdash;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,&mdash;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&mdash;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!"&mdash;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.&mdash;The Reindeer are Soon Fagged.&mdash;Sleep
+on the Snow.&mdash;The Rays of the Sun Melt
+through the Snow.&mdash;Great Difficulty in Travelling.&mdash;Meet
+Herds of Reindeer.&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;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.&mdash;Snowy Days.&mdash;An Uninhabited House
+of Refuge.&mdash;Animals Changing the Color of their Fur.&mdash;Mikel
+Tells Me about a Bear.&mdash;Killing the Bear.&mdash;Hurrying
+on over Soft Snow and Frozen Rivers.&mdash;The
+Ice Begins to Break.&mdash;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&mdash;the
+thermometer marking 15 to 18 degrees of frost&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;of
+the sudden stopping of our journey,&mdash;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&mdash;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,&mdash;for after his long fast he will
+be very hungry&mdash;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,&mdash;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&mdash;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&mdash;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, &amp;<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 Athen&aelig;um.</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 arch&aelig;ology. 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 arch&aelig;ology. 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
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+</body>
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@@ -0,0 +1,7804 @@
+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: ASCII
+
+*** 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
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ The
+ Land of the Long Night
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: Your Friend, Paul Du Chaillu]
+
+
+
+
+                        The
+
+               Land of the Long Night
+
+
+                         By
+
+                   Paul Du Chaillu
+
+ Author of "The Viking Age," "Ivar the Viking," "The
+       Land of the Midnight Sun," "Exploration
+             in Equatorial Africa," etc.
+
+
+
+            _Illustrated by M. J. Burns_
+
+
+
+                      New York
+               Charles Scribner's Sons
+                        1901
+
+
+
+
+ _Copyright, 1899,_
+ BY CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS.
+
+
+
+ University Press:
+ JOHN WILSON AND SON, CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.
+
+
+
+
+_TO_
+
+_EX-CHIEF JUSTICE CHARLES P. DALY_
+
+_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._
+
+                         _Your devoted friend,_
+
+                                        _PAUL DU CHAILLU._
+
+_September 1, 1899._
+
+
+
+
+Introduction
+
+
+MY DEAR YOUNG FOLKS:
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+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.
+
+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
+_kata_ or tent. We shall hunt wolves, bears, and different kinds of
+foxes and other animals, and sail and fish on the stormy Arctic seas.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+                         Your friend,
+
+                                        PAUL DU CHAILLU.
+
+
+
+
+Contents
+
+
+ Chapter                                                            Page
+
+ I. 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.              1
+
+ II. 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.                                           9
+
+ III. 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.                                                   17
+
+ IV. Good Advice from the People of Haparanda.--Warned against
+         Still Colder Weather.--Different Costume Needed.--Dressed
+         as a Laplander.--Lapp Grass for Feet Protection.             29
+
+ V. 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.                                                      36
+
+ VI. 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.                                                      40
+
+ VII. 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.     48
+
+ VIII. 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.                       56
+
+ IX. How the Laps and Finns Travel.--Strange-looking
+         Sleighs.--Different Varieties.--Lassoing
+         Reindeer.--Description of the Reindeer.                      60
+
+ X. 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.      66
+
+ XI. 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.                        73
+
+ XII. 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 deg. Below.                      77
+
+ XIII. Toilet with Snow.--A Lapp Breakfast.--Lapp Dogs. Talks
+         with my Lapp Friend about the Reindeer.--Their Habits
+         and Various Forms of Usefulness.                             89
+
+ XIV. Moving Camp.--Another Great Blizzard.--A Remarkable
+         Sight--Deer Getting their Food by Digging the
+         Snow.--How Reindeer are Butchered.                           99
+
+ XV. Watching for the Reappearance of the Sun.--The Upper Rim
+         First Visible.--The Whole Orb Seen from a Hill.--Days
+         of Sunshine Ahead.                                          109
+
+ XVI. Wolves the Great Foe of the Lapps.--How the Reindeer are
+         Protected against Them.--Watching for the Treacherous
+         Brutes.--Stories of their Sagacity.                         112
+
+ XVII. 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.                                          122
+
+ XVIII. 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.                                   129
+
+ XIX. 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 Givijaervi.--Eastward Again.         136
+
+ XX. 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.--Givijaervi.--Karasjok.                           142
+
+ XXI. Leave Karasjok still Travelling Northward.--The River
+         Tana.--River Lapps.--Filthy Dwellings.--On the Way
+         to Nordkyn.--The Most Northern Land in Europe.              150
+
+ XXII. 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.                                       155
+
+ XXIII. 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.                165
+
+ XXIV. 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.    170
+
+ XXV. 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.                                          183
+
+ XXVI. Sail on the Arctic Ocean.--The Brig _Ragnild_.--AEgir and
+         Ran, the God and Goddess of the Sea.--The Nine Daughters
+         of AEgir and Ran.--Great Storms.--Compelled to Heave To.     190
+
+ XXVII. A Dark Night at Sea.--Wake of the _Ragnild_.--Thousands
+         of Phosphorescent Lights.--A Light Ahead.--An Arctic
+         Fair.--A Fishing Settlement.--How the Cod are
+         Cured.--Fish and Fertilizer Fragrance.                      199
+
+ XXVIII. 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.                                  205
+
+ XXIX. 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.                       211
+
+ XXX. 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 _Long Serpent_.--Ready for the Fight.--The
+         Attack.--The _Jarn Bardi_.--Defeat of Olaf Tryggvasson.     219
+
+ XXXI. 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.                          227
+
+ XXXII. 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.             232
+
+ XXXIII. 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.      241
+
+ XXXIV. 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.                     244
+
+ XXXV. 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.        249
+
+ XXXVI. 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.                             256
+
+
+
+
+List of Illustrations
+
+ "Your friend, Paul Du Chaillu."                          _Frontispiece_
+
+                                                             FACING PAGE
+
+ "On the road were many snow-ploughs at work levelling the snow."      8
+
+ "The husband suddenly disappeared through the trap-door and soon
+         came back with potatoes and a big piece of bacon."           20
+
+ "The boys got hold of my hands and pulled me through."               24
+
+ "It was, indeed, a fearful wind storm."                              40
+
+ "Paulus, try again!"                                                 54
+
+ "The man had to use all his strength."                               64
+
+ "I was shot out of the sleigh."                                      68
+
+ "At noon I saw the sun's lower rim touching the horizon."            72
+
+ "What a strange abode these nomadic Lapps have!"                     80
+
+ "I went outside the tent with my host."                              92
+
+ "They were really working hard for their living."                   104
+
+ "The Lapp passed him like a flash and gave him a terrible blow."    124
+
+ "It was a fight for life!"                                          128
+
+ "Suddenly I saw them fly through the air."                          132
+
+ "I advanced cautiously."                                            160
+
+ "The mist was so thick that I could not see ahead."                 172
+
+ "We remained seated on the ground, back to back."                   180
+
+ "Once in a while I gave a look towards the ugly precipice."         184
+
+ "I am clad in the garb of a fisherman."                             190
+
+ "I saw a big towering wave rolling towards the stern of the
+         ship."                                                      194
+
+ "It is hard work to haul in the nets."                              212
+
+ "We sailed towards North Cape."                                     228
+
+ "He sat on his haunches and looked at us, uttering a tremendous
+         growl."                                                      262
+
+
+
+
+The Land of the Long Night
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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: "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."
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+I thought I again heard the same voices as before cry in response, "Good
+for you, Paul, good for you!"
+
+I felt now that I was a different man. It was as if I had actually heard
+the voices of the dear young 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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+There were about one hundred and forty or fifty post stations before I
+reached Haparanda, the most northern town on the Gulf of Bothnia.
+
+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.
+
+I entered and left many towns--Malmoe, Skanoer, Falsterboe,
+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 shores of the
+Baltic. I passed Cimbrishamn, Soelvesberg, Carlshamn, and Carlskrona.
+
+From Carlskrona the country was very pretty, and on my way to Kalmar,
+and further north, I could see the Island of Oeland with its numerous
+windmills.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "On the road were many snow-ploughs at work levelling the
+snow."]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+The next morning it was still snowing; nevertheless I started. On the
+road were many snow-ploughs 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.
+
+The ploughs were followed by heavy rollers of wood to pack the snow.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+As I journeyed further north the snow got deeper and deeper every hour.
+Snow-ploughs were now drawn by five horses and generally attended by
+three men.
+
+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.
+
+In spite of the snowstorm I continued to travel, and had passed the
+towns of Soederhamn, Hudicksvall, Sundsvall, and Hernoesand, 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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!"
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+"It is so," coolly replied Lars the driver, and he remained silent
+afterwards.
+
+I felt sorry for the poor horse, and reproached myself for not having
+tarried at the last post station.
+
+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."
+
+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 Umea
+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!"
+
+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.
+
+As I looked around, I could see snow, snow, deep 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.
+
+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!
+
+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?"
+
+"At the rate we are going," he replied, "it will take us two hours at
+least."
+
+"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."
+
+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 was dripping from our
+faces, though it was 23 degrees below zero.
+
+"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."
+
+"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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+It was a very strange sight indeed! and I said to myself, "Surely I am
+in 'Snow Land.'"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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?"
+
+"No, I drove," I replied.
+
+"Where is your horse?"
+
+"At the gate," I answered.
+
+"Where are you going?" he asked.
+
+"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."
+
+"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."
+
+"I thank you ever so much," I replied.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+The wife put the coffee kettle over the fire, and one of the daughters
+kept herself busy with the coffee mill.
+
+In the mean time my driver came in and was welcomed, 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "The husband suddenly disappeared through the trap-door
+and soon came back with potatoes and a big piece of bacon."]
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Suddenly I saw the daughters come to the bench-like 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.
+
+These sliding boxes could be made of different widths, according to the
+number of occupants that were to sleep in the same bed.
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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!"
+
+"Are we snowed in?" I exclaimed.
+
+"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!
+
+The boys were delighted, and said with great glee: "The wind has filled
+all the trenches with snow. We shall have to get out through the
+chimney. What fun that will be!"
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+"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."
+
+"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 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."
+
+"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."
+
+"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!"
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+[Illustration: "The boys got hold of my hands and pulled me through."]
+
+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 to the folks with great glee,
+"Be patient, you will get out by and by."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+When our work was done we were all as hungry as the wolves are in
+winter, when they have had no food for days.
+
+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!
+
+When supper time came we seated ourselves before a big wooden bowl of
+porridge called "groed," made from barley meal. On each side were two
+wooden bowls filled with sour milk. We ate with wooden 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 groed go down. I always enjoy eating
+with wooden or horn spoons.
+
+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.
+
+"There is nothing like shovelling snow to make one sleep," we all said,
+after we awoke.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+I succeeded at last, after much insistence, in overcoming her scruples
+and making her take it; and once more I was on the road leading
+northward.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 Umea.
+
+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.
+
+After changing horses at several post stations I came to the little
+towns of Skelleftea, Pitea, and Lulea, 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.
+
+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."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+ GOOD ADVICE FROM THE PEOPLE OF HAPARANDA.--WARNED AGAINST STILL COLDER
+     WEATHER.--DIFFERENT COSTUME NEEDED.--DRESSED AS A LAPLANDER.--LAPP
+     GRASS FOR FEET PROTECTION.
+
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+One friend said: "The country which lies between 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."
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+"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."
+
+"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."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+I bought two "kaptor."[1] 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.
+
+[1] Plural form. Singular, "kapta."
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 to
+handle them gently when I put them on or took them off--likewise with
+the mittens of goat's and cow's hair.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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 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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+ 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.
+
+
+Now I was ready to go further northward beyond the Arctic Circle, and
+roam in "The Land of the Long Night."
+
+The Arctic Circle is an imaginary line, just as are the Equator and the
+two Tropics, going round the earth, and begins at 66 deg. 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 deg.
+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.
+
+Twice in the year, 21st of March and 21st of September, the exact half
+of the earth along its axis is illuminated. 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.
+
+These two dates are called equinoxes, March 21st being the vernal, and
+September 21st being the autumnal, equinox.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+              THE CONTINUOUS NIGHT
+
+ _Where the sun is last seen, begins at:_
+
+         Karasjok              November 26th
+         Vardoe                          22nd
+         Hammerfest                     21st
+         North Cape or Nordkyn          18th
+
+ _Where the sun is first seen again, begins at:_
+
+         Karasjok               January 16th
+         Vardoe                          20th
+         Hammerfest                     21st
+         North Cape or Nordkyn          24th
+
+I hope that I have been successful in giving you an idea of day and
+night in the Frigid Zone.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+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."
+
+[Illustration: "It was indeed, a fearful wind storm."]
+
+"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, or great snowstorms; but we hope this fine weather will follow
+you for many days. Often it lasts quite a while."
+
+Then we bade good-bye to each other. They tucked the sheepskin round me,
+and bade the driver to take good care of Paulus.
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+The windstorm lasted three days. During that time I found that the
+temperature varied from 8 to 22 degrees below zero.
+
+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.
+
+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. 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.
+
+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.'"
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 came through the door when some one came in or went out.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+A number of sheep were penned in a corner. "Our 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 deg. below zero, and when the
+atmosphere was very clear we had about three or four hours of twilight.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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."
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+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 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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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. 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.
+
+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.
+
+When he returned the perspiration was dripping from his face, though the
+cold was 39 degrees below zero.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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."
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+[Illustration: "Paulus, try again!"]
+
+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 where they stood and new hillocks were made in other
+places. When I went out the wind almost took me off my feet.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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."
+
+"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.
+
+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."
+
+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 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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+"But," said I, "it is 30 degrees below zero."
+
+"That is nothing," they answered, laughing. "The 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 back must have
+been as red as a boiled lobster. I followed his injunctions until he
+said it was enough.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+ HOW THE LAPPS AND FINNS TRAVEL.--STRANGE-LOOKING SLEIGHS.--DIFFERENT
+     VARIETIES.--LASSOING REINDEER.--DESCRIPTION OF THE REINDEER.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+As I was looking at these sleighs, strange-looking 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.
+
+One of them said to me, "You are looking at our sleighs as if you had
+never seen such ones before."
+
+"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."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+"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 our
+provisions, our coffee, our sugar, salt, and everything that has to be
+protected against snow or dampness."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+The next day Jon said to me, "Let us go together 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."
+
+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.
+
+"In this herd I have over sixty reindeer that have been broken to
+harness," said Jon.
+
+"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."
+
+"I know them all," he replied. "I could even tell the ones that are
+missing."
+
+Then I remembered that I had heard that a shepherd knew every sheep of
+his flock.
+
+"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."
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+The other reindeer, which fought so desperately for freedom, had only
+been used twice during the winter and was not accustomed to being
+lassoed.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "The man had to use all his strength."]
+
+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 just the reindeer for
+you, for he is more easily managed than any others I own."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+During this process the reindeer seemed very restless and several times
+were on the point of running away.
+
+"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 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.
+
+"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.
+
+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."
+
+"All right," I replied, "there is plenty of snow, no harm can come to
+me. My head is safe."
+
+"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.
+
+"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.
+
+"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."
+
+In the mean time our reindeers had become very restive and they were
+held with difficulty. Suddenly Jon gave the order to start.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "I was shot out of the sleigh."]
+
+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 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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Suddenly Jon slackened the pace of his reindeer so 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"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, the sleigh whirled round with a great
+jerk, and I was thrown out head over heels as before.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "At noon I saw the sun's lower rim touching the
+horizon."]
+
+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 deg. 10'. The hamlet is situated near the junction of
+the Torne river with the Muonio, and had a church.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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, 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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+As these thoughts came over me, I exclaimed: "'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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+ 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 deg. BELOW.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Wasara, the younger, was the son of a very rich Lapp who owned nearly
+ten thousand reindeer, and possessed besides a good bank account.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Pinta generally took the lead, I came next, and Wasara third. Pinta and
+Wasara had their faithful dogs with them.
+
+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.
+
+How I shouted, for I had such an exuberance of 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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+After an hour's drive we saw in the midst of the snow, near a large
+forest of fir trees, a tent. "Here is the tent of my father," said
+Wasara, pointing out the tent to me.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "What a strange abode these nomadic Lapps have!"]
+
+The women were all busy; one was weaving shoe-bands 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Inside, along the lower part of the tent, were boxes of different shapes
+and sizes, packages lying on the top of skins to prevent the wind from
+blowing in from the bottom; the outside was protected by snow.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+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
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+Then two of the men and two of the women with 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."
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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. 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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+ TOILET WITH SNOW.--A LAPP BREAKFAST.--LAPP DOGS.--TALKS WITH MY LAPP
+     FRIEND ABOUT THE REINDEER.--THEIR HABITS AND VARIOUS FORMS OF
+     USEFULNESS.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+"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."
+
+While Pehr was talking I wished I could see a pack of wolves attacking
+reindeer, to see how the dogs fight them.
+
+"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 until
+their master or mistress has returned to the tent. Then we want them to
+stay out doors."
+
+"I should like very much," I said to Pehr, "to see how you break in
+reindeer and accustom them to harness."
+
+"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."
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+I thought so. I remembered my first lessons.
+
+[Illustration: "I went outside the tent with my host."]
+
+"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, 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."
+
+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.
+
+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. 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."
+
+"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?"
+
+"I do not know," he replied, "but the wild reindeer can find it,
+otherwise they would starve."
+
+"How can they dig through the snow?" I asked with a smile. "They have no
+shovels."
+
+Pehr laughed at my remark. "Their fore feet are their shovels," he
+replied. "You will see for yourself how they dig the snow."
+
+I asked Pehr also about the speed of the reindeer.
+
+"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 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."
+
+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?"
+
+"Yes, indeed, they are," I replied.
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+"How many reindeer," I asked, "does a family require for its support?"
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+"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 flee in every direction, and many herds then become
+mixed together."
+
+"When your reindeer get mixed with those of other herds, how can you
+tell which are yours?" I inquired.
+
+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."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+ MOVING CAMP.--ANOTHER GREAT BLIZZARD.--A REMARKABLE SIGHT.--DEER
+     GETTING THEIR FOOD BY DIGGING THE SNOW.--HOW REINDEER ARE
+     BUTCHERED.
+
+
+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.
+
+They returned with a fine lot of trained reindeer.
+
+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.
+
+The babies were carefully fixed in their queer-looking cradles, and made
+quite safe against blustering winds.
+
+Everything being ready, the reindeer were harnessed and we started. Soon
+after, we came to the herd which had been bunched by the Lapps, the
+dogs keeping them together. Then we began our march.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 the mean time the reindeer had been unharnessed and some
+of the sleighs unloaded.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+How nice the broth was when we drank it! How good the meat tasted! This
+was a splendid meal.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+After breakfast, my host and I drove to see some of his friends who had
+pitched their tent some forty 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "They were really working hard for their living."]
+
+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. There were no dogs with them, and no people to
+watch.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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 to a forest of
+large fir trees, which surprised me, for we were in 69 degrees latitude.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+"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.
+
+The other reindeer were then butchered, and the meat placed on the racks
+outside of the tent.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+ WATCHING FOR THE REAPPEARANCE OF THE SUN.--THE UPPER RIM FIRST
+     VISIBLE.--THE WHOLE ORB SEEN FROM A HILL.--DAYS OF SUNSHINE AHEAD.
+
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+Near by was a hill. A sudden thought came into my mind. I said to
+myself, "If I ascend this hill I shall see the whole sun, as the
+greater height will make up for the curvature of the earth."
+
+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.'"
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+I had had enough of the "Long Night." I wanted to see a sky without
+stars and also the pale moon during the day.
+
+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 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."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+ WOLVES THE GREAT FOE OF THE LAPPS.--HOW THE REINDEER ARE PROTECTED
+     AGAINST THEM.--WATCHING FOR THE TREACHEROUS BRUTES.--STORIES OF
+     THEIR SAGACITY.
+
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+"What do you mean," I asked, "by the Chief of the Pack being chosen?"
+
+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."
+
+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 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."
+
+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."
+
+"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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 way, and now and then she would stop and scan the country for
+wolves.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Numbers of juniper-brush fires were lighted at night where we had
+cleared away the snow to scare off the wolves.
+
+That evening the Lapps told wolf stories. One began thus:
+
+"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."
+
+"Wonderful indeed," I said, "is the intelligence of the wolves, if what
+you say is true."
+
+"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 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."
+
+"That is so," repeated all the Lapps.
+
+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."
+
+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:
+
+"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 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.
+
+"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
+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."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"Yes," I replied, without hesitation, and added, "I hope we shall meet
+wolves."
+
+The Lapps left by twos and threes and went in different directions. One
+of them and myself took our way directly east.
+
+After travelling a few miles I espied a black speck very far away, for I
+am long-sighted. This at first I 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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"The wolves have perhaps scented the reindeer," said he; "they have to
+come in our direction to reach the herds."
+
+Not far from where we stood was a big boulder that was not entirely
+buried in the snow. "Let us hide behind it, and watch," said my
+companion.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+"They are planning some mischief," he replied.
+
+[Illustration: "The Lapp passed him like a flash and gave him a terrible
+blow."]
+
+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 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."
+
+"That is so," replied he. "Wolves are very knowing, and by their tactics
+fool us very often."
+
+I replied, "We will try to fool them this time, and kill many of them.
+The reindeer must be protected."
+
+"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.
+
+"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."
+
+"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.
+
+After the Lapp had gone I watched the pack carefully. 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.
+
+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.
+
+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, 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+[Illustration: "It was a fight for life!"]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+I was once more travelling westward, and two days afterward fell in with
+another company of nomadic Lapps. We became, as usual, good friends.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+There they said to me: "There is a wide gully, 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."
+
+"What happens then," I asked, "if the leap falls short?"
+
+"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."
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+"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."
+
+"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.
+
+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!
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+[Illustration: "Suddenly I saw them fly through the air."]
+
+He had hardly finished these words when the Lapp 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"Is it possible!" I exclaimed; "it seems incredible."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+I shouted again, "Well done, boys! Well done!" I was terribly excited
+myself.
+
+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."
+
+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 snow; and most of them came within a few inches of the sticks.
+
+After passing one they would change their direction and move to another,
+either on the left or right, further down.
+
+This terminated the day's sport. We returned to our encampment. I had
+had a day of great delight.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX
+
+ 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 GIVIJAeRVI.--EASTWARD AGAIN.
+
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+Then, brandishing his bludgeon, he said fiercely, "I will make short
+work of some of them. They will never run after any more reindeer."
+
+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."
+
+We continued our journey, the Lapp keeping close to me. Suddenly he
+stopped and said, "Paulus, I am 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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+After he had taken breath, he said to me, "Paulus, wait here, for you
+cannot 'skee' fast enough. I must go after our runaway reindeer and our
+sleighs," and off he went. He followed the tracks they had left behind
+them.
+
+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.
+
+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?"
+
+"Yes," I replied, "I shall be very glad to go with you."
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+I was delighted at the thought of travelling with such fast animals, and
+I replied, "I am sure I shall enjoy the drive."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+The next day in the afternoon we returned to our tent, the reindeer as
+frisky as the day before and running as fast. I have never forgotten
+those two glorious rides, and I shall remember them as long as I live.
+
+Bidding my Lapp friends good-bye I came one day to Lake Givijaervi and
+further on to Lake Aitijaervi. 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.
+
+From there I travelled once more eastward, driving over the Ivalajoki,
+which falls into the Enarejaervi. 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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX
+
+ 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.--GIVIJAeRVI.--KARASJOK.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+When the water was warm, and the fire under it extinguished, the wife
+said that my bath was ready.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+The inhabitants of these Lapp hamlets are not nomadic; they live on the
+produce of their farms, the 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.
+
+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.
+
+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 1/2 inch, the tallest
+man 5 feet 4-1/2 inches; the smallest woman 4 feet 4-1/4 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.
+
+I left Kautokeino, and that same day I came to Lake Givijaervi. I had to
+be told that it was a lake, for it was a continuous snow-land. Here was
+a farm, the 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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
+Givijaervi, 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 deg. 35', and
+within a few miles of the longitude of Nordkyn. The hamlet 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+I only stopped the night in Karasjok, and after getting new reindeer at
+the post station and a new guide, started north.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI
+
+ LEAVE KARASJOK STILL TRAVELLING NORTHWARD.--THE RIVER TANA.--RIVER
+     LAPPS.--FILTHY DWELLINGS.--ON THE WAY TO NORDKYN.--THE MOST
+     NORTHERN LAND IN EUROPE.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Now travelling was becoming very hard,--not on account of the snow, but
+because the inhabitants and their dwellings were so dirty.
+
+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 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.
+
+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?"
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+Soon after we started.
+
+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.
+
+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
+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.
+
+The next morning the weather was fine, and I drove on to Kjorgosk
+Njarg--hard name to pronounce--the most northern land in Europe.
+
+The land's end was nearing, and erelong I stood on the edge of Cape
+Nordkyn, 71 deg. 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.
+
+From there I could see North Cape.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+The Lapps received us very kindly.
+
+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."
+
+I asked the Lapps, "Why do you call the winter months the 'Bear's
+Night'?"
+
+"Because," one replied, "in this land the bears sleep all through the
+winter months."
+
+"Goodness!" I exclaimed; "then the bear has a sleep that lasts five or
+six months, and even more?"
+
+"Yes," the Lapp replied.
+
+"Are there any bears here," I asked, "that are sleeping in the
+neighborhood?--for I should like immensely to stir one up."
+
+"There are none this year," he replied.
+
+Then I said to him, "Let us go fox hunting, for I should like to get
+some white and silver-gray fox-skins. We will build a snow house for
+our camp to shelter ourselves." One of the Lapps, called Jakob, agreed
+to go with me.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+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.
+
+"I like this much better than going in and sleeping in the dwellings of
+the river or fishing Lapps yonder," I said to Jakob.
+
+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."
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "I advanced cautiously."]
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+In one place where we stopped to rest I suddenly noticed that our
+reindeer had got loose. I shouted to Jakob, who was quietly taking a
+little snooze on the snow, "Our reindeer are loose!"
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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."
+
+"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."
+
+"I do not wonder at their being hungry, for the poor bear has to make up
+for his long fast," I said.
+
+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 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."
+
+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 ready for his long sleep, for the bears know
+when a snowstorm is coming.'
+
+"'How can they know?' I inquired.
+
+"'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?'
+
+"'They do,' I replied.
+
+"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.
+
+"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.
+
+"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.'
+
+"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.
+
+"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.
+
+"'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.'
+
+"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.'
+
+"'How clever the bears are to walk around in that manner,' I said.
+
+"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.'
+
+"'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."
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+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
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+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!"
+
+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.
+
+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 John Puranen. John was a
+powerfully built man, with a very kind expression.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "The mist was so thick that I could not see ahead."]
+
+When I awoke in the morning it was 42 degrees 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.
+
+Many of the people had already left; we hurried on to overtake them, and
+as usual went in single file.
+
+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.
+
+The wind kept increasing, and seeing no one ahead or behind I became
+alarmed.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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!"
+
+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!"
+
+These imaginary words had hardly been uttered 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."
+
+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.
+
+No, they were not wolves, but people! I was in the midst of my friends;
+they had stopped and were waiting for me.
+
+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."
+
+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 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.
+
+We continued our way and came to another house of refuge, where we took
+shelter. There we could wait until the storm was over.
+
+It was so nice to stretch one's legs and to stand up and pace the floor
+and bring the blood into circulation.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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 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.
+
+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!
+
+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 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.
+
+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?"
+
+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.
+
+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 they have plenty of
+exercise to perform, or hard work to do.
+
+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."
+
+"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!
+
+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:
+
+"Paulus, you are ready to stand the strongest windstorm that can blow;
+everything on your body is made as secure as it can be!"
+
+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.
+
+John was not mistaken about the weather. Three or four hours after our
+departure the wind increased, 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.
+
+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!
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "We remained seated on the ground, back to back."]
+
+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. 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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, 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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "Once in a while I gave a look towards the ugly
+precipice."]
+
+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. "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."
+
+John was not mistaken.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Then my turn came. John started and off we went.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+Further on we had another descent of the same character, but not so
+dangerous.
+
+We were all glad when we reached the station of refuge; we were so tired
+from the excitement of the day.
+
+We had crossed the backbone of the mountain, and had come down the
+western slope. Each stream now flowed to the Arctic Sea.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 of ice, just as the land of North-west America is, in the same
+latitude.
+
+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.
+
+My journey over mountains 5,000 feet high, between the 69th and 70th
+degrees of north latitude, was over.
+
+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.
+
+I thanked John and my other travelling companions for the kindness they
+had shown me. We parted with great tokens of friendship.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI
+
+ SAIL ON THE ARCTIC OCEAN.--THE BRIG _RAGNILD_.--AEGIR AND RAN, THE GOD
+     AND GODDESS OF THE SEA.--THE NINE DAUGHTERS OF AEGIR AND RAN.--GREAT
+     STORMS.--COMPELLED TO HEAVE TO.
+
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+[Illustration: "I am clad in the garb of a fisherman."]
+
+The _Ragnild_--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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+When I awoke in the morning the _Ragnild_ 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.
+
+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."
+
+That morning as I watched the coast, I remembered that the Vikings
+believed and worshipped AEgir as the god of the sea. AEgir 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.
+
+AEgir and Ran had nine daughters, and their names were emblematic of the
+waves. They were called _Hefring_ the Hurling, _Hroenn_ the Towering,
+_Bylgja_ the Upheaving, _Bara_ the Lashing.
+
+The five other daughters were called _Himinglaefa_ the Heaven Glittering,
+_Bloedughadda_ the Bloody Haired, _Kolga_ the Cooling, _Unn_ the Loving,
+_Dufa_ the Dove.
+
+The Vikings dreaded Hefring, Hroenn, 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.
+
+They believed that these daughters of AEgir 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 AEgir and Ran." They called
+the spray their hair. They believed that in calm weather they walked on
+the reefs and wandered gently along the shores, and that their beds
+were rocks, stone-heaps, pebbles, and sands.
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+My fancy recalled again to me the words of the "Long Night": "I send
+terrific gales and mighty snowstorms over oceans and lands."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 always three of them going together, and this second one may
+come and break over us."
+
+These words were hardly uttered when I saw far off another mountainous
+wave rolling up. I imagined it was Hroenn. 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 Hroenn 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."
+
+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 Hroenn 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.
+
+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!"
+
+[Illustration: "I saw a big towering wave rolling towards the stern of
+the ship."]
+
+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.
+
+As the hours passed the storm continued, the Daughters of AEgir and Ran
+rose again and again, trying to strike our ship; when their hoods were
+rent asunder, their long hair streamed on the gale.
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+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:
+
+"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.
+
+"'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 Ingibjoerg, and
+divided it among his men."
+
+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.
+
+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 the wind is a dangerous manoeuvre. 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVII
+
+ A DARK NIGHT AT SEA.--WAKE OF THE _RAGNILD_.--THOUSANDS OF PHOSPHORESCENT
+     LIGHTS.--A LIGHT AHEAD.--AN ARCTIC FAIR.--A FISHING SETTLEMENT.--HOW
+     THE COD ARE CURED.--FISH AND FERTILIZER FRAGRANCE.
+
+
+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.
+
+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 animalculae, which are struck together
+by the movement of the wave and give out phosphorescence. These
+animalculae 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.
+
+The long heavy swells, pushed by the southerly gales that had passed
+away, moved irresistibly on 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!
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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 deck, watching for any change in the wind. Suddenly the
+man at the prow shouted:
+
+"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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+I visited the warehouses, built partly on piles projecting into the sea.
+Along some of these were brigs and schooners loading.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+Several nice houses belonged to the merchants of the place. These were
+painted white and were very comfortable.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVIII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"Where are you from?" one of the fishermen asked me.
+
+"From America," I replied.
+
+"From America!" they all exclaimed at once. "Is that possible?"
+
+"Yes, he is from America," said Captain Petersen.
+
+"I have a brother in America, in Minnesota," exclaimed one.
+
+A second said: "I have a sister in Dakota."
+
+A third: "I also have a brother in America; he sails on the Great
+Lakes."
+
+From that moment those fishermen and I were great friends. They asked me
+my name. I replied, "My name is Paul Du Chaillu."
+
+"Why!" some of the younger fishermen said, "we have read in school the
+translation of your travels in Africa. Are you really he?"
+
+"Yes," I replied.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+"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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+"Fifty millions of cod is a great number," I observed.
+
+"Yes," he replied, "but these fifty millions are nothing but a small
+fraction compared with the great number that are not caught."
+
+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 January
+to March. The herring are known to have disappeared for years in some
+districts, then suddenly reappear."
+
+"That is strange," I said. "Can you account for that?"
+
+"No," the captain replied; "if I were a herring I probably could tell."
+We all laughed when he said this.
+
+I remarked: "The number of Norwegian fishing boats is so great, how do
+you know when some are missing and have foundered at sea?"
+
+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.
+
+"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 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."
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIX
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Looking at the multitudes of buoys I asked Captain Ole, "How can you
+ever find and recognize your own buoys?"
+
+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."
+
+[Illustration: "It is hard work to haul in the nets."]
+
+"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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+On our return we went on board of one of the ships, and our fish was
+bought by the captain at a little over eight dollars a "big
+hundred,"--that is, 112 cod.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Captain Johansen steered. The men of our crew were Mats, Pehr, Anders,
+Ole, Knut, and Roar.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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."
+
+"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."
+
+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."
+
+"Indeed," I said to the captain, "it will be hard work and will take
+quite a while, especially if many fish are caught."
+
+"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."
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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 AEgir 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.
+
+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, said: "This weather is the
+forerunner of spring in these high latitudes; the sun is getting higher
+at its meridian every day."
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+"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.
+
+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."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXX
+
+ 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 _LONG SERPENT_.--READY FOR
+     THE FIGHT.--THE ATTACK.--THE _JARN BARDI_.--DEFEAT OF OLAF
+     TRYGGVASSON.
+
+
+After we had clustered round Captain Larsen, he gave three or four big
+puffs of his pipe and began:
+
+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 _Ormrinn
+Lange_ (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 _Long Serpent_."
+
+Erik Jarl, who knew the _Long Serpent_, answered: "This is not the _Long
+Serpent_, which is much larger and grander, though this is a fine
+ship."
+
+Ship after ship passed by and the two kings took each of them to be the
+_Long Serpent_, but they received invariably the same answer from Erik
+Jarl.
+
+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.
+
+Erik Jarl's ship was called the _Jarn Bardi_, 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.
+
+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 _Long Serpent_--a
+ship about three hundred and sixty feet long, with a crew of over seven
+hundred and fifty men.
+
+At this sight many a man grew silent.
+
+Sigvaldi Jarl, one of Olaf Tryggvasson's commanders, let down the sails
+on his ship and rowed up towards the island. Thorkel Dydril on the
+_Tranan_ (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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+The _Long Serpent_ was in the middle, with the _Short Serpent_ on one
+side and the _Crane_ 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.
+
+When Olaf saw that they began to tie together the stern of the _Long
+Serpent_ and of the _Short Serpent_, he called out loudly, "Bring the
+_Long Serpent_ forward; I will not be the hindmost of all my men in this
+fleet when the battle begins!"
+
+Then Ulf ("Wolf") the Red, the king's standard bearer, and who was also
+his prow-defender, said: "If the _Long Serpent_ 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!"
+
+The king cried: "I had the _Serpent_ 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!"
+
+Ulf replied: "Turn thou, King, no more back in defending the high deck
+than I will in defending the prow!"
+
+Olaf Tryggvasson stood aloft on the high deck of the _Long Serpent_. He
+had a shield, and gilt helmet, and was easily recognized. He wore a red
+silk kirtle over his ring-armor.
+
+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.
+
+"What chief follows the standard which is to the right?" He was told
+that it was Olaf of Sweden.
+
+"Who owns those large ships to the left of King Olaf of Sweden?"
+
+"It is Erik Jarl Hakonson," they replied.
+
+Then Svein of Denmark, Olaf of Sweden, and Erik Jarl rowed towards the
+_Long Serpent_.
+
+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 _Long Serpent_. The Danes
+also attacked the _Short Serpent_ and the _Crane_. The carnage was
+great.
+
+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.
+
+The attack proved difficult for the Danes, for the stern-defenders of
+the _Long Serpent_ and of the _Short Serpent_ 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.
+
+In the mean time Erik Jarl had come first with the _Jarn Bardi_
+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 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 _Long Serpent_,
+which carried all the men who were now able to fight.
+
+Erik Jarl then attacked the _Long Serpent_ with five large ships; he
+laid the _Jarn Bardi_ 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 _Long Serpent_ that the men could hardly
+protect themselves.
+
+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.
+
+When only a few men were left on the _Long Serpent_ 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 _Bardi_, which took away the dead and the wounded, and in their
+stead brought fresh and rested men.
+
+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 _Long
+Serpent_, nor have I seen a ship so hard to conquer. Now, as thou art
+one of the wisest of men, give me the best advice thou knowest as to how
+the _Long Serpent_ may be won!"
+
+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 _Long Serpent_, so that it will
+careen; then thou wilt find it the easier to board the ship."
+
+Erik Jarl did as Thorkel had told him.
+
+King Olaf and his men defended themselves with the utmost bravery and
+manliness; they slew many of their foes, both on the _Jarn Bardi_ and on
+other ships which lay near theirs.
+
+When the defenders of the _Long Serpent_ began to thin out, Erik Jarl
+boarded it and met with a warm reception.
+
+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.
+
+Then King Olaf said: "Never before did I thus miss a man; great is the
+Jarl's luck."
+
+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
+_Long Serpent_ 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.
+
+"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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXI
+
+ 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.
+
+
+Leaving the fishing settlement, the _Ragnild_, 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.
+
+We next came to Hammerfest, in 70 deg. 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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?"
+
+"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 deg. 5' north." We sailed as far as North Cape, on
+the island of Mageroe, rising majestically to a height of nine hundred
+and eighty feet above the sea, and in latitude 71 deg. 10'. At the top of
+the cape there was evidently a gale, for the snow was flying to a great
+height.
+
+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."
+
+Instead of doubling North Cape, we sailed through the narrow Mageroe
+Sound which separates the island from the mainland.
+
+[Illustration: "We sailed towards North Cape."]
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 _inside_ of their garments. They were Sea
+Lapps.
+
+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 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.
+
+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."
+
+The captain was right--for I could not see any difference between their
+rowing and that of the men as they followed us.
+
+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.
+
+Then many of these Sea Lapps said:
+
+"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."
+
+Looking towards where they pointed, I saw smoke curling up from
+strange-looking dwellings. The settlement was scattered on the brow of
+a hill looking down upon the fjord.
+
+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.
+
+Here I parted with the _Ragnild_, which sailed to another fjord for more
+fish.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+In the mean time the people had changed their clothes, and wore their
+summer every-day dress called _vuolpo_ (though it was still cold), ready
+to receive me.
+
+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 dragoons, on account of the
+wooden frame under the cloth. These were also red or blue.
+
+"Come in," said one of the Sea Lapps, "come into my _gamme_ (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.
+
+I was hardly in this _gamme_ 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.
+
+"Will you stay and have a cup of coffee with us?" my host asked.
+
+"Yes," added his wife, "it will not take long to make a cup of coffee."
+
+"Not to-day," I replied, "but some other time."
+
+"All right," the host said; "don't forget."
+
+I was glad when I got out. This abode was the _gamme_ of a poor Sea
+Lapp, and the poorest kind of dwelling seen among them.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+This was a very strange way of heating a room, I thought to myself.
+
+"Come and stay with us to-night," added the Lapp. "You will sleep
+comfortably and you will not be cold."
+
+I accepted.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Not far from this _gamme_ 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.
+
+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; 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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!
+
+One day found me comfortably settled in a _gamme_ 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.
+
+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.
+
+On Sunday morning they were dressed in their best _vuolpo_ 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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+The long days come on with remarkable rapidity 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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIII
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIV
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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 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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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; and when your journey is finished come
+back to us at once."
+
+"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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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 friend and have kept my legs so warm when I was
+driving."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+As we were introduced to each other we shook hands, and I said, "Mikel,
+we are going to be friends."
+
+"Yes," he replied, "we are to be friends."
+
+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."
+
+"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.
+
+An hour after the arrival of the reindeer and after a hearty meal of
+codfish and black bread we were ready to start.
+
+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.'"
+
+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.
+
+When Mikel saw that I was ready he jumped into his sleigh and we
+started.
+
+"Good-bye, good-bye, Paulus!" shouted all the Lapps.
+
+"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."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXV
+
+ 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.
+
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+That afternoon we reached the Tana river, at a place called Polmak, and
+sped on over its snow-covered ice.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 the change came so slowly, hour after hour, that I did not notice
+it.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+We unharnessed our reindeer, and tied them with long ropes. When this
+was done we got into our bags and soon were fast asleep.
+
+At about three o'clock Mikel awoke me, saying, "Paulus, it is about time
+to go."
+
+"Oh, Mikel," I replied, "let me sleep one hour more, for I need more
+sleep. I want another snooze."
+
+"There is no time to be lost," he replied; "you will have a snooze later
+in the day."
+
+So I rubbed my eyes to get fully awake, and washed my face with snow,
+and felt ready for another start.
+
+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 travel without green or blue goggles. I had two pairs
+with me, in case I should lose or break one by some accident.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 moved
+away as far as the rope would allow them. I did not wonder that they did
+not like Mikel's snoring.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 to go
+with us, for he wanted to see some of his friends further south.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+The darkest part of the day or night was somewhat after eleven o'clock
+P.M., 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!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVI
+
+ 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.
+
+
+Onward we went, sleeping one day in the tent of a nomadic Lapp, another
+day in our bags, at other times in the _gamme_ 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.
+
+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.
+
+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,
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 protection in winter against big white owls, foxes, and other
+animals, so their gray color would protect them against their enemies in
+summer.
+
+"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."
+
+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!
+
+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."
+
+"You don't say so, Mikel!" I exclaimed. "Is the bear sleeping near where
+we are?"
+
+"Not so very near," he replied with a twinkle in his eye. "A few hours
+will bring us to his place."
+
+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?"
+
+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."
+
+"All right," replied Mikel; "we will go after the bear."
+
+"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."
+
+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 his skin.
+Besides I shall get a premium in money if we kill him."
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+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."
+
+"Yes," said I, "my eyes ache for want of a good long sleep."
+
+We stretched ourselves on the earth floor, and soon after I heard the
+snoring of Mikel. He was an inveterate snorer,--I thought the champion
+snorer of all those I ever had met.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+"What do you call not far from here?" I asked.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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 soon spread and there was much excitement. During the day
+preparations were made for the hunt.
+
+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.
+
+I was full of enthusiasm, and longed to come face to face with the big
+brown bear of northern Europe.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: "He sat on his haunches and looked at us, uttering a
+tremendous growl."]
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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 westward, and after two days' travelling we came to the river
+Muonio, to a Finnish hamlet called Kuttainen, not far from Karesuando.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+"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 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."
+
+"I will follow you carefully, dear Mikel. Go on! Go on!" I said.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+Here I said good-bye to the good Mikel and thanked him cordially for the
+care he had taken of me.
+
+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.
+
+Now, my dear Young Folks, Friend Paul has come 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.
+
+
+
+
+ Paul Du Chaillu's Great Work
+
+ THE VIKING AGE
+
+ THE EARLY HISTORY, MANNERS, &
+ CUSTOMS OF THE ANCESTORS OF
+ THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING NATIONS
+
+ WITH 1400 ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAP
+ 2 vols., 8vo, $7.50
+
+ CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, Publishers
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+New York Tribune.
+
+"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."
+
+
+Newark Advertiser.
+
+"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."
+
+
+London Athenaeum.
+
+"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 archaeology. 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."
+
+
+Edinburgh Review.
+
+"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."
+
+
+Springfield Republican.
+
+"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."
+
+
+Chicago Inter-Ocean.
+
+"Mr. Du Chaillu has certainly given to the literary world a work full of
+interest."
+
+
+The Nation.
+
+"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."
+
+
+Philadelphia Record.
+
+"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 archaeology. The extracts from the Sagas which are furnished
+must whet the appetite of students of Norse literature."
+
+
+Boston Transcript.
+
+"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."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+ CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, Publishers
+ 153-157 Fifth Avenue, New York
+
+
+
+
+ IVAR THE VIKING
+
+ A ROMANTIC HISTORY, BASED
+ UPON AUTHENTIC FACTS OF THE
+ THIRD AND FOURTH CENTURIES
+
+ 12mo, $1.50
+
+ CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, Publishers
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The Nation.
+
+"'Ivar the Viking' is to be thoroughly recommended. The story is
+characteristically spirited, and the romantic part leaves nothing to be
+desired."
+
+
+Chicago Tribune.
+
+"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."
+
+
+Philadelphia Press.
+
+"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."
+
+
+Richard Henry Stoddard.
+
+"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."
+
+
+New York Times.
+
+"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."
+
+
+Boston Transcript.
+
+"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."
+
+
+Philadelphia Public Ledger.
+
+"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."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+ CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, Publishers
+ 153-157 Fifth Avenue, New York
+
+
+
+
+Transcriber's Note
+
+Minor spelling and typographical errors have been corrected without
+note.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's The Land of the Long Night, by Paul du Chaillu
+
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