In the latter part of this day, _July 15th_, I set out on my return from
the low grounds of Norway. The heat was very powerful as we began to
ascend the mountains. When we reached what had seemed to us from below
the summit of a hill, we saw just as lofty an eminence before us, and
this was the case nine or ten successive times. I had no idea of such
mountains before. The elevation of this hill cannot be taken by any
geometrical instrument, as the summit is not visible, even at some miles
distance. I believe its height must exceed a Swedish mile, but to climb
it was worse than going two miles any other way. Had we not frequently
met with such abundance of water, we should have been overcome with
fatigue. In this ascent I found the little _Astragalus_ (_alpinus_) with
a white flower, and the Little Gentian (_Gentiana nivalis_).
Our clothes, which were wet quite through with perspiration, in
consequence of the heat we had encountered in the beginning of our
journey, were now frozen stiff upon our backs by the cold. We determined
to seek for a Laplander's hut. In order to get at one, we were obliged
to descend so steep a hill, that, being unable to walk down it, I lay
down on my back and slid along, with the rapidity of an arrow from a
bow. I avoided with difficulty the large snow torrents that every now
and then came in my way, and which were sometimes within an ell of me.
On reaching this hut, I noticed some of the reindeer whose horns were
not above half an inch long, the Brom-fly (_Oestrus Tarandi_) having
bitten them while quite tender; for these insects are, in the Norwegian
alps, worse than the gnats of Swedish Lapland.
I here obtained a curious piece of information respecting the mode of
castrating the reindeer. When the animal is two years and a half old,
its owner, about a fortnight before Michaelmas, getting a person to
assist him by holding it fast by the horns, places himself betwixt its
hind legs. He then applies his teeth to the _scrotum_, so as to bruise
its contents, but not so as to break the skin, for in that case the
reindeer would die. He afterwards bruises the part still more
effectually between his fingers. The same operation is performed on both
sides, if the reindeer remains quiet long enough for the purpose at one
time. The animal is in consequence rather indisposed for a while, so
that he can hardly keep up with the rest of the herd, but he usually
recovers perfectly in a week's time. This is certainly an art, no less
curious than remarkable, and merits further consideration.
The girls here, especially when they wish to appear to advantage, divide
their hair into two braids, one above each ear, which braids are tied
together, at the hind part of the head, so as to hang down the back. A
tuft of ribands is appended to the extremity of each braid.
_July 16._
We undertook to cross the ice-mountain. Having proceeded some way on our
journey, we observed a dense cloud to the north-east. It was visible
both above and below us, and at length approached us in the form of a
thick mist, which moistened our clothes, and rendered even our hair
thoroughly wet. It so completely obliterated our horizon, that we could
neither see sun nor moon, nor the summits of the neighbouring hills. We
knew not whither to turn our steps, fearing on the one hand to fall down
a precipice and lose our lives, as actually happened, a few years ago,
to a Laplander under the same circumstances; or on the other to be
plunged into the alpine torrent, which had worn so deep a channel
through the snow, as to make any one giddy, looking upon it from above.
We could now not distinguish any thing a couple of ells before us. Our
situation was like that of an unskilful mariner at sea without a
compass, out of sight of land, and surrounded by hidden rocks on every
side. The Laplanders themselves consider the situation we were in as one
of the worst accidents that can ever befall them. We, however, though
destitute of a guide, were fortunate enough to discover the track of a
reindeer, and of some kind of carriage in which goods had probably been
lately conveyed towards Norway. This track directed us safely to one of
the Lapland moveable tents.
All the Laplanders are usually blear-eyed, so that one would think the
word _Lappi_ (Laplanders) was derived from _lippi_ (blear-eyed). The
causes of this inconvenience are various, but chiefly the following.
1. The sharp winds. In the early part of my journey, repeated exposure
to stormy weather rendered my eyes sore, so that I became unable to open
them wide, and was obliged to keep them half shut. How much more must
this be the case with those who dwell on the alps, where there is a
perpetual wind!
2. The snow, the whiteness of which, when the sun shone upon it, was
very troublesome to me. To this the alpine Laplanders are continually
exposed.
3. The fogs. This day I found myself very comfortable in my walk over
the icy mountain, till the fog, mist, or cloud, whichever it might be
called, came about me, rendering the eyes of my interpreter, as well as
my own, so weak and relaxed, that we could not open them wide without an
effort. Such must often be the case with the Laplanders.
4. Smoke. How is it possible that these people should not be blear-eyed,
when they are so continually shut up in their huts, where the smoke has
no outlet but by the hole in the roof, and consequently fills every
body's eyes as it passes!
5. The severity of the cold in this country must also contribute to the
same inconvenience.
The mountain Laplanders, or those who live in the alps, build no huts;
they have only tents made in the following manner.
[Illustration]
The first figure represents two connected beams, which compose the
frame-work of one side of the hut; and these meet at the top with two
similar ones, forming the opposite side. A solitary beam is placed on
each side, in the middle of the arch formed by these four, so that the
whole edifice has six angles. Two more slender sticks, but equally tall,
are then erected between every two angles, or main ribs, of the
building. Over the whole is spread the covering of the tent (made of
walmal cloth). The usual height of the structure is about a fathom and
half, and the breadth two fathoms. A flap of cloth is left, so as to
open and shut by way of a door, between two of the main beams.
[Illustration]
When they lie down to rest, and are fearful of being incommoded by heat,
they fix a hook through the middle of the coverlet, which raises it
perhaps an ell and a half above them, and under this canopy they repose.
[Illustration]
The women wear several things attached to their belt, as a leather bag,
_fig._ 1, containing a spoon, as well as a pipe, _fig._ 3.
_Fig._ 2. A knife in a case.