X.

Appear

Spirituous Liquors -Lapland Song - Comparison between the Nomade and Agricultural Tribes-Wild Laplander's Dairy-Rein-Deer-Return to MuonioniskaDeparture-Plants-View from Kätkessuando-Boundary of Torneå Lapmark-Sångamutka - PoloiensMode of taking Birds' Eggs Kuttanen-Mistaken notions of Lapland - River Birds- KaaresuandoAppearance of the Muonio towards its source-Scandinavia insulated-Enontekis.

CHAP. WE crossed a neck of land lying between the Cataract of Lappea and that part of Torneå which here bears off westward towards its source in the Norwegian Alps, that we might ascend a hill for the purpose of viewing to more advantage the confluence of the two rivers. This hill, not more than at their con- 300 paces from its base to its summit, had been mentioned to us as a mountain proper for this purpose. The gradual rise of the country, the whole

ance of the Torneå

& Muonio,

fluence.

way
from the mouth of the Torneå, soon causes it
to be considerably elevated above the level of the
sea'; but such appearances as may properly be
termed mountains are very rare in Lapland:
hence it might be proper to speak rather of the
heights than of the mountains of Lapland; those
heights being for the most part all that Linnæus

(1) The height of the country at the confluence of the two rivers, according to the barometer, is 420 English feet. See Von Buch's Travels, p. 361 (Note). Lond. 1813.

X.

means, when, in describing the localities of plants, CHAP. he so often says they are found" in Lapponiæ Alpibus." From this eminence we observed that the confluence of the two rivers takes place nearly at right-angles; and, as the Muonio preserves its original course, unaltered, from north to south, it is remarkable that it should lose its name after the Torneå meets it; because, of the two rivers, it is the Torneå, rather than the Muonio, which seems to be the tributary stream. Our object being to penetrate as far towards the north as possible, and to see those parts of the interior of Lapland which are the least known, we avoided the common route of boats westward by the Torneå to the Kängis iron-works, steering Ironour course due north along the Muonio. We had Kängis. a Letter to the Directors of the Works at Kängis: they are situate only a quarter of a Swedish mile from the junction of the two rivers; but we did not think that the sight of those works would answer for the delay which would be caused by paying them a visit; especially as we had already seen others of the same nature. The ironmines which supply them lie about forty English miles higher up the Torneå River, at a place called Juons Suando, on the boundaries between Westro-Bothnia and Lapland; where, in lat. 67o. 30', is the most northern furnace of the whole

Works of

CHAP. earth'. It was constructed in the seventeenth

X.

Nature of

the Ore.

century, soon after the rich iron ores of this country were discovered, forming hills, and even mountains, in several places; and occurring, always, as thick beds, in schistose granite, or gneiss. These beds of iron-stone are extremely interesting to the mineralogist; inasmuch as nearly the whole of the remarkable minerals recently brought to England from Sweden, and sold at such high prices in London, are the productions of ironmines. The iron ore of Junos Suando consists of magnetic iron, in small adhering crystals, which cause the whole mass to appear as if composed of small round granular concretions. The ironores of Lapland exceed in richness those of Sweden; but, owing to some cause which has not been fully explained, they do not afford good iron, if they be not smelted with the ores of Utö and Dannemora3; owing to the difficulty of fusing them, and to their yielding a brittle iron when fusion has been accomplished.

The first force, or cataract, in proceeding up Ofver-fors. the Muonio, is called Ofver-fors, or the Upperforce, to distinguish it from the lower one of

(1) Von Buch's Travels, p. 361.

(2) See the Note of Professor Jameson to Von Buch's Travels, p. 362. Lond. 1813.

(3) Ibid.

X.

Barley.

Lappea, or Utmoiks-fors. It is an English mile CHAP. distant from the confluence of the two rivers. About four English miles above this cataract, we quitted the river; being conducted to a little cottage called Kicksis, distant about a mile from the water-side. In our way to it, through a forest, we passed over some bogs, by means of trees laid lengthways, so as to form a causeway. Around the out-houses of this little cottage were a few acres of barley; and close to the dwellinghouse, a large pit-fall, to catch wolves. The peasants here relate, that their barley is sown, Growth of ripened, cut, and harvested, within the space of seven weeks. Accustomed as they were to the coming of the Torneå merchants, they yet regarded us with a degree of surprise and curiosity quite equal to that with which we regarded them: they appeared to us as wild a set of people as any we ever saw. Nevertheless, we had here Cleanliness a decent and comfortable room; far exceeding ple. in cleanliness any of the places of accommodation to which strangers are conducted in those parts of Italy which are south of Naples. It is true, one finds only bare walls; but they are constructed of deal timber, so well washed and scrubbed, that they shine with a dazzling whiteness. Notwithstanding the heat and closeness of the atmosphere, and our reluctance to soil

of the Peo

CHAP. such a cleanly apartment, it was absolutely X. necessary to kindle birch boughs, and to fill the Mosquitos. chamber with smoke, in order to expel the mosquitos, which, in a thick cloud, and clamorous for their prey, had accompanied us the whole way from the river. In spite of double veils tied over our heads and necks, we could not preserve our faces free from wounds. Although we had English gloves of thick doe-skin leather upon our hands, they were no proof against the piercing weapons of these insects: they penetrated even between our boots and cloth trowsers, until they reached our thighs; inflicting such torment, that it required all our resolution to enable us to pursue our voyage. Our English servant was loud in his complaints and reproaches, in having been brought into such a state of suffering. The Swede, who was sulky enough when there was no cause for murmuring, became now useful and contented: a sense of his own importance restored him to the little good humour he possessed. Mr. Pipping, our Lapland interpreter, seemed perfectly at home, and in his native element; having already armed himself against the mosquitos, by covering his skin with grease and tar. Unfortunately, his favourite food of raw salmon could not be obtained for him; our stock of provisions being