YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Aurora
borealis

SOPHUS TffOMHOLT

Ecia. *«2-T

Jfrfs-

VmcerTl Broota Dajr&.Son.llth

LAPP WOMAN IN TRAVELLING DRESS

Vol 1J

UNDER THE RAYS
OF
THE AUEOEA BOEEALIS
IN THE LAND OF THE LAPPS
AND KViENS.

SOPHUS TBOMHOLT.

ORIGINAL EDITION,
WITH A MAP, AND 150 ILLUSTRATIONS, PORTRAITS, DIAGRAMS, &c,
'FROM PHOTOGRAPHS AND DRAWINGS BY THE AUTHOR.
EDITED BY
CAKL SIEWEES.

IN TWO VOLUMES.— Vol. II.

LONDON :
SAMPSON LOW, MAESTON, SEAELE, AND EIVINGTON,
CROWN BUILDINGS, 188, FLEET STREET.
1885.
\_All rights reserved.]

LONDON :
TRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED,
STAMFORD STREET AKD CHAKISG UllUSS.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
winter excursions in pulk.
The Return of the Sun — Nature Dons her Loveliest Garb-
Anticipations of A Journey after Five Months' Captivity — ¦
"Rolf" — A Strange Law — My Troubles with Rolf Begin
— An Inexorable Captain — Compelled to Part — Rejoining
— Another Inexorable Captain — I Succeed at Last — Rolf's
Reception in Lapland — We are Off — A Splendid Drive — A
Break-neok Descent — A Desolate Spot in the Snowy Desert
— Journey to a " Sieite " — A Magnificent Winter Scene — A
Lappish Altar of Worship — A Weird Situation — The Re
turn — A False StaiiT — "Handsfull" — A Plea for Rolf —
Another Excursion — A Winter Morning in Lapland — The
Start — Rolf Objects — A pas de quatre on the Snow — The Re
sult — One Less — Alone — Little Jossa in Pursuit — An Out
break of Wildne>s of the Lapland Stag — A Long and
Exciting Chase — Jossa's Return — A Tale of Lapp Life — -We
are again Off — Speeding across the Snowy Wastes— A
Mad Drive — An Old Acquaintance— " Divided Skirts"—
Encumbrances of Lapp Maidens — My Fair Guide— The
Gargovarre Mountain— The Ascent— A Striking Panorama
— In Search of the " Sieite " — " Sidakgo Jugastaga " —
Thuri Marit gets "Garrlm" — A New-comer — No "Sieite"
— The Descent — Thuri Marit "Juoiks" — The Cr*sh— A
Fatiguing Walk — A Midnight Drive on the Rivek — The
Charms of an Arctic Night CHAPTER II.
THE REIGN OF TERROR IN LAPLAND.
Susceptibility of the Lapp — A Remarkable Parson — His
Apostles— Strange Doctrines— " The Saints "—Their Creed
—Extraordinary Proceedings— Whipping a Girl— The Storm
Gathers— An Excellent Pastor— Saintly Excesses— Shock-

iv Contents.

ing Scenes — A Pastor and his Flock — An Interview— The
Faith Develops — Blasphemous Doctrines — Arrival of the
Police and Sheriff — Fresh Excesses — The Vicar Cursed
from the Pulpit — Remarkable Dispensation of Providence
—Further Excesses — Confessions of the Saints — A Terrible
Christmas — A Holy Virgin — Arrival of the Bishop and the
Magistrate — A Great Trial — An Unconverted King — A
Calm — The Storm Begins Afresh — Saintly Adultery —
Shocking Cruelties — The Army of Salvation sets out —
Tortures and Murders — A Bold Parson — Savage Treat
ment of the Vicar — Whipping Women — Firing the Buildings
— The Rescue — A Noble Lapp — Battle on the Snow — Victory
— Saved — The Law Strikes — A Murderer and Writer— The
End of the Reign of Terror . . . .  28
CHAPTER III.
journeys to hatta, muonioniska, and karesuando.
The Pleasures of a Traveller — Something on " y " — An Unwel
come Guest — The Result of his Visit — The Start at Last —
A Drive in a Snowstorm — A Refuge — A Banquet at a
" Grand Hotel " — A Night on the Mountain— In the Empire
of the Czar — A Diplomatic " Wedge " — Onward ! — In the
Land of the Thousand Lakes — The " Straight Line " of a
Reindeer — A Lovely Midnight Drive — A Centre of Re
ligious Fanaticism — Absolution Dispensed Wholesale — An
Evening in a " Holy " Place — The Finns — The Kv^ns — A
Linguistic Puzzle — Bathing en famille — A Land of Lakes
and Forests — An Hospitable Spot in ¦ the Wilderness — A
Pleasant Evening — A Finnish Church Service — Finnish
versus Lappish — A Desolate Spot — Disappointment — On the
way Home — Confusing Frontiers — Caught ln a Snowstorm —
A Pleasant Night — Welcome Back I . . . . . . . . 86
CHAPTER IV.
assize week at koutokjjino.
Great Expectations — Anxious Waiting — A Revelation to the
Reader — Terrible" Disappointment — Great Gathering of
Lapps — A Lappish Court of Justice — The Troubles of a
Judge — The Sins of Lapps — " Erotic " Weakness — The Risk
of Reindeer Stealing — Remarkable Sense or Recognition —
My Daily Companions — Scenes during the Week — Lapp
Belles — Flirtation — A Surprise — Lapp Dainties — A Choice
Drink — My Popularity — The Cause — Bargaining with Lapps

Contents.

PAGE
—Fondness of Spirits— A Quick Descent— A Cold Bed —
Hardy Constitution — A Drink — Hundred per Cent. Inter
est — A Pleasant Surprise — Opposite Performances — How
the Parson is Remunerated — Tithes versus Drink — Nature
the Best Physician — A Startling Offer — A Great Tempta
tion — I Terrify the Lapps — An Amusing Competition — The
False Prophet becomes the Victor — An Expedition into the
Enemy's Camp — Confronting the Prophet — A Scene — A
Second Visit to a Sieite — A Clever Lapp — His Tale proves
an Old Acquaintance — Moving the Idol — A Strange Occur
rence — The Revenge of the Old God — Again Alone .. 116
CHAPTER V.
journey to the finnish polar station at sodankyla.
Mr. Nemo — Precarious Outlook — Mr. Nemo's First Trick — An
Apology for my Good Nature — A Few More of his Tricks —
A Deserted Camp — Lassoing my Reindeer — Do Reindeer
Walk? — Mr. Nemo "Rests" — "Dear Friend" — Mr. Nemo's
Attendance — A Welcome Visitor — Pleasant Hours — Chased
by a Parson — A Ludicrous Scene — Mr. Nemo again " Rests "
— An Alarming Discovery — A Pleasant Situation — A Splen
did Forest Landscape — Finnish Farms — The Ladies — A
Nasty Habit — The Duties of a Farmer — Lapps in Finland
— Finnish Reindeer — Mr. Nemo Makes a Proposal — Finnish
Horses — Comfortable Sleighs — Remarkable " Winter "
Weather — Mr. Nemo Turns Up — A Cheerful Companion —
His Sufferings — A " Capital " — A Charming Sojourn — Some
Finnish " Domestic Animals " — To the Goal of my Journey
— A Hearty Welcome in the Wilds of Finland — The Cir-
cumpolar Station — " Manufacturing " the Aurora Borealis
— Good-bye for Ever I — A Wet Drive — Lappish versus
Finnish Scoundrel — A Terrible Drive — A Friend in Need
— An Accident — An Enviable Situation — The Rescue — A
Hardy Finn — Six Hours of Misery — Mr. Nemo Distinguishes
Himself Again — His Last Trick — Demanding "Compensa
tion "—The Moral  ..144
CHAPTER VI.
FROM KOUTOK2EINO TO BOSSEKOP.
KOUTOK/EINO ON MY RETURN— My FEELINGS AT SAYING GOOD-BYE— -
A Retrospect— A Monster Kite— Its First Ascent— Driving
with a Kite— Its Tragic End— A Review of Some of my
Friends on Leaving— Some Amusing Characters— An Excel-

vi Contents.

PAG«
lent Fellow — A Schoolmaster — A Novel Method of Teach
ing Reckoning — A Great Truth — A Series of Good-byes —
Preparations for the Journey — The First Start — A Catas
trophe — The Second Start — My Companions — A Cheerful
Drive through Water — More Misfortunes — Whitsuntide in
a Mountain Refuge — My Companions the Two Dorotheas —
A Bit of True Womanly Nature — Listening to a Nocturnal
Communion — The Next Night — Mine Host and Hostess — A
Religious Maniac — Mikkel Arrives — We Start again — A
Terrified Reindeer — A Remarkable Feat — " Thea " to the
Rescue — A Drive in a Fog on the Mountain — A Dreary
Winter Scene — A Change — A Dangerous Descent — A Thaw
— On Horseback — The Appearance of a " Professor " — A
Pig on a Broomstick— A Greeting from the Arctic Ocean —
Welcome Back to Civilisation .. .. . .. ..182
CHAPTER VII.
from alten to hammerfest.
Returning to Civilisation — The Alten Fjord — Visit to the
Komag Fjord — A Hospitable Old Man — Contented People —
Visit to the L^srreds Fjord— The Sea Lapps — Their Pur
suits, Food, Dress, and Dwellings — Moral Standard —
Characteristics — Sea Lapp versus 'Norwegian and Kv^jn —
Excitement on My Arrival — "Making Portraits " — Great
Preparations— The Result — The Return — En route for Tal-
vik — On the Fjord — Seeking Shelter — Remarkable Hospi
tality — A Magnificent View — Proceeding — A Nasty Voyage
— A Pleasant Comfort — A Lovely Spot — A Haunted Vicar
age — A Terrible Ghost Story— A Night in the Haunted Room
— The Kaa Fjord— The " Strandlinier " — An Important Geo
logical Discovery — A Dark View — A Deserted English
Colony on the Arctic Shores— A Decayed English Church
yard — English Enterprise in the Far North— Life versus
Death — A Round of Parting Visits— An Alarming Incident—
I am Taken for a Madman — A Dinner in my Honour — Festive
Arrangements— My Thanks— A Wreath of Arctic Flowers
— Good-bye— Charms of an Auctic Summer's Night  In the
Oxfjord— Arriving at Hammerfest . . . . 203
CHAPTER VIII.
FROM HAMMERFEST TO VADSO.
The Northernmost Town in the World— A Sad but Busy Town
—A Terrible Winter— A Spot of Scientific Importance 
Fishing by the Midnight Sun— Waiting for the Steamer— A

Contents. vii

Midnight Promenade on the Arctic Shores— The Charms of
the Midnight Hours — The Midnight Sun — A Marvellous
Spectacle — Photographing the Sun — At the Foot of the
North Cape — Which is the Northernmost Promontory in
Europe? — A Strange Shipwreck — The Knivskjjsrodde —
Ascending the North Cape —A Lovely Flora — At the Verge
of the European Continent — A Sublime View — The Violence
of the Winter Storms — A Find on the Cape — My Reward —
A Cure for Dyspepsia — Leaving Hammerfest — A Rough Good
bye —An Exciting Scene — The Last Beacon on the Globe —
Again by the North Cape —A Deserted Island — A Tale of
Russian Barbarity — A Bird Mountain — A Wonderful Sight
— North Kyn — Lovely Weather — Steaming along the Coast
— A Serious Drawback — An Arctic Fishing Village — To
Vardo— The Easternmost Town in Lapland— In the Streets
at Midnight —The Northernmost Fortress on the Globe — A
Tale of Sheep — To Vadso .. .. .. .. .. .. 236
CHAPTER IX.
FROM VADSO TO RUSSIAN LAPLAND.
The most Lucrative Callings in Vadso — A Town with Many
Names — Fish! Fish! — The Whaling Industry— A Novel
Mode of Hunting — A Remarkable Gun— A Drive with a
Whale — Cutting up a Whale — Whale Steak — An Uninter
esting Town — A Walk— An Alarming Discovery — Excursion
in the Varanger Fjord — Sensitive Lapps — Extraordinary
Voyage of a Box— The Last Village in Norway— Another
Excursion — A Lovely Day by the Arctic Shores — A Splen
did Salmon River — Norwegian Sheriffs— A Strange Con
trast—Another Russian "Wedge"— A Trip into Russian
Lapland— A Russian Priest and his Wife— A Good Oars-
woman — Crossing the Frontier — Hospitable People — The
Northernmost Greek Church in Europe— Russian Lapps— An
Altar of Sacrifice — Superstitious Belief— Faith versus
Greed— Good-bye to a Pair of Lovely Eyes— Good-bye to
the Land of the Lapps • ¦ ¦ ¦ • • • ¦ 277

CHAPTER X.
Good-bye ...

300

Index  301

LIST OP ILLUSTRATIONS.

Frontispiece. View of Autzie ........ 10
The Father of the Saint, Rasmus Andersen Spein (65). . 35
Johannes Johannesen H2etta (58) ...... 53
A Sufferer, my Friend Brita Johannesdatter Tornensis . 67
My Venerable Friend, Johannes Mathiesen Hstta . . 78
The Rescuer of the Settlement, Clement Gundersen . . 79
Lars H^tta ... ...... 83
The Mountain Hut at Sitschajavre  92
View of Hatta ......... 97
The Church at Hatta  98
Kv^ns ........... 99
jovel velitallo, a young kv.en . ... 100
The Farm at Puoledalbala ....... 103
View on the Muonioniska .  104
muoniovarre .......... 105
The Church at Muonioniska . . . . . . .106
View of Karesuando .... ... 109
Lapp from Karesuando . . . . . . . .110
Lapp prom Karesuando . . . . . . . .111
Lapp Woman from Karesuando . . . . . .112
The Church at Karesuando . . . . . . .112
Lapp Boy from Karesuando . . . . . . .114
Johannes Vik, the Court Interpreter ..... 122
A Lapp Belle .......... 126
Mathis Gaup, my would-be Father-in-Law .... 133
Anna Gaup (18), my would-be Wife, and uer Friend Anna
Somby (20)  . 134
Lars Gaino and Wife  . . 139
The Inn at Hatta  . 152
A Finnish Farm . . .  157
The Church at Kittila  162
The Residence of the Dignitaries at Kittila . . . 164
VOL. ii. b

List of Illustrations.

l'AGE
The Church at Sodankyla  166
The Circumpolar Station at Sodankyla . . . . .167
The Artificial Aurora Borealis (Engraved from a Drawing by
Prof. Lemstrom ..... . . 171
Vlew of GA'tkesuando . ..... 178
A Sea Lapp . . . .... 213
Sea Lapps ... . . .216
View of Talvik  . 223
The late English Colony and Copper Works in the Kaa
Fjord  229
View of Hammerfest— The Northernmost Town in the World 237
The Meridian Column at Hammerfest ..... 243
The Midnight Sun . . . . 249
The North Cape, looking West ..... 250
The Knivsklerodde — The Northernmost Promontory in Europe 252
View of the North Cape, with " The Horn " . . . 253
The Bird-Mountain, Sv^rholtklub . . ... 263
North Kyn— The Northernmost Promontory in Europe. . 266
The Church in Vardo (From a Photograph taken by the Midnight
Sun)  .... 273
Vardohus — The Northernmost Fortress in the World (From a
Photograph taken at Midnight)
The Street in Vadso
Cutting up a Whale (1) .
Cutting up a Whale (2) . .
View of Latnjeringen ...
The Russian Church at Boris-Gleb.

274
278
284 286
291
294

The Interior of the Russian Church at Boris-Gleb . . 296

The Author

300

UNDER THE RAYS

AURORA BOREALIS.
CHAPTER I.
WINTER EXCURSIONS IN PULK.
The Eetukn of the Sun — Nature Dons her Loveliest Garb — An
ticipations of a Journey after Five Months' Captivity —
"Eolf" — A Strange Law — My Troubles with Eolf Begin
— An Inexorable Captain — Compelled to Part — Eejoining
—Another Inexorable Captain — I Succeed at Last — Eolf's
Eeoeption in Lapland — We are Off — A Splendid Drive. — A
Break-neck Descent — A Desolate Spot in the Snowy Desert —
Journey to a " Sieite " — A Magnificent Winter Scene — A
Lappish Altar of Worship — A Weird Situation — The Ee-
turn — A False Start — "Handsfull" — A Plea for Eolf —
Another Excursion — A Winter Morning in Lapland — -The
Start — Eolf Objects — A pas de quatre on the Snow — The Re
sult — One Less — Alone — Little JosSa in Pursuit — An Out
break OF WlLDNESS OF THE LAPLAND STAG — A LONG AND
Exciting Chase — Jossa's Eeturn — A Tale of Lapp Life —
We are again Off — Speeding Across the Snowy Wastes — A
Mad Drive — An Old Acquaintance—" Divided Skirts " —
Encumbrances of Lapp Maidens — My Fair Guide — The
Gargovarre Mountain — The Ascent — A Striking Panorama
— In Search of the " Sieite " — " Sidakgo jugastaga " —
Thuri Marit gets "Garrim'' — -A New-comer — No "Sieite"
. — The Descent — Thuri Marit ^"Juoiks" — The Crash — A
Fatiguing Walk — A Midnight Drive on the Eiver — The
Charms of an Arctic Night.
Dark was the picture I drew of Eoutokseino in the
depths of the Polar night. The gloom of darkness
VOL. II. B
Hi

2 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
brooded on the mind, the depression of monotony
sketched the contours. But the truth was I had no
livelier colours on my pallet ; there was no sunshine to
draw by, no budding forms to depict, if the picture was
to be true to reality. And now, when the sun has at last
returned, the scene is changed as if by magic : the power
ful voice of the all-inspiring god has called forth the
bright colours and the bubbling spring of life. Should I
now paint the landscape with faithful colours my brush
must be dyed with the glow of the lovely sun, in order
to depict the wonderful brilliancy of colour which is
reflected from sky and earth. The snow-white shroud of
winter still envelops the earth, but the slopes glow in the
purple tint of the rising sun, while the hoary crystals
of the rime glitter with the lustre of diamonds, sapphires,
and rubies from the virgin snow and every tiny shrub.
Probably you will smile incredulously at my assertion,
that Nature can change her garb so quickly in the sad
deserts of Lapland; but if you journeyed hither you
would be compelled to admit that the touch of my brush
is not too bold, the colours of my pallet not too bright,
in truth, that the reality far exceeds my feeble sketch.
Hitherto Nature has slumbered in her plain robe of
night ; by dawn of day she has arisen, and donned her
loveliest garb !
As the reader, however, has no opportunity of com
paring original and copy, I must beg him once for all to
trust to my descriptions, as I endeavour faithfully to
depict with photographic accuracy, and that I only, where
circumstances absolutely demand it, use a slight retouche :
the picture remains true to life, only accidental blots

Winter Excursions in Bulk.

and irregularities are removed with a careful hand, in
order not to damage the harmony of the whole.
And now, gentle reader, I ask you to accompany me
on some excursions in Pulk from Koutokseino, which
brought a pleasant change into the monotonous winter-
life. When one has been confined so long in the soli
tary prison of darkness, the prospect of a journey cheers
the captive, as the promise of a coming holiday a
schoolboy. Our first journey goes to Autzie; but you need not
take the trouble to look for the name on any map besides
my own, as you will not find it. Autzie is, nevertheless, a
little settlement — it cannot be called a village — about
ten miles east of Koutokaeino, comprising in all five log-
cabins, housing about the same number of Eiver Lapp
families. Perhaps you may say that this seems hardly worth the
journey, and that the sight of five huts and a dozen dirty
Lapps would not tempt you far ? You malcontent ! If
you only knew how contented he becomes who has for
five long dark months been chained to a single lonely
spot in the snowy deserts of Lapland, you would embrace
the offer of a trip to Autzie to behold five wretched huts
and their inhabitants as gladly as a flight from fog-
enveloped London to the sunny shores of the Eiviera.
To the prisoner in the lonely cell a fly or a spider is
a whole world of entertainment and pleasure.
But we are off to Autzie.
Dawn is justbreaking in the south-east, as "Little" Jossa,
my constant companion on such excursions, ties two rein
deer to the fence by the merchant's dwelling, where they
b 2

4 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
enjoy the consumption of a couple of large trusses of
moss. However, I am now ready to start, and the
reindeer, not at all pleased at their meal being interrupted,
rear, and kick with their fore-legs at Jossa, as he ap
proaches with the harness. He is, however, accustomed
to this, and having administered a few well-directed
whacks to the rebellious animals, he soon succeeds in his
object. "Eolf" was to be permitted to accompany me
on this occasion — but who is Eolf?
To answer this question I must be allowed a slight
digression, which I believe the nature of the subject
will justify.
Eolf was my faithful follower from civilised Europe
into the recesses of Ultima Thule ; Eolf has shared all
my troubles and my solitude ; Eolf is, to cut the matter
short, a splendid specimen of the magnificent St. Bernard
canine race. He may be seen in some of my views from
Koutokaeino. Much pleasure Eolf has afforded me, both during my
journey to and stay in Lapland, but much trouble he
caused me, too, to get him there. He was presented to
me the year before at Odense, in Denmark, and I must
admit I was at that time pleased with the prospect of
having such a sturdy companion in my journey to the
Far North. But everything depended on getting him
imported into Norway! This was, as I will presently
explain, no easy matter.
About ten years ago rabies canina raged fearfully
in Denmark, and accordingly the Norwegian authorities
passed an Act prohibiting under terrible penalties and
instant death species of the canine race bred in a foreign

Winter Excursions in. Pulk.

land to enter Norway, The disease has years ago passed
away, and I suppose the worthy Norwegian legislators
have forgotten all about the Dog Act.
However that may be, I inquired of the police authori
ties in the little village in Jutland, where I then was,
whether the regulation issued by the Norwegian authorities
was still in force, and if so, whether circumstances would
permit the writer, as a poor student of the sky, to take
his sole friend and companion with him on his journey
into the innermost holes of the kingdom.
The guardians of the peace did not seem to be aware
of any such law, and after a great deal of curious inspec
tion of my canine friend, as if he were the last-discovered
missing link, and the turning over of some musty ledgers,
the worthy functionaries resumed their stools and tried
to look busy— with tearing up bits of paper. In this
pleasant occupation I left them.
I then telegraphed to the Commissioner of Police in
Christiansand, in South Norway, explaining the circum
stances, and begging him to grant a dispensation in my
favour, oh account of the special case ; in fact I tried to
soften his hardened heart as far as telegraphic language
would permit. His reply was as brief as mine was long —
No! In despair I telegraphed to the Mayor of Gothenburg,
inquiring whether dogs might be imported into Norway
via Sweden. The answer was satisfactory, as far as it
went — there was nothing to prevent it. Delighted I
and Eolf travelled to Eredrikshavn, on the Sound, had
both a good dinner at the hotel, and as the second bell
sounded walked quietly down to the steamer.

Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

" The dog cannot come on board ! " roared the captain
from the bridge. " What ? " " It is prohibited to import
dogs into Sweden from anywhere, unless accompanied by
a veterinary certificate attested by a Swedish consul."
I showed him the telegram from the Mayor of Gothen
burg — in vain. I pleaded that I had to be in Bergen at
a certain date to catch the steamer to the North — all in
vain. If I could not get the necessary certificates the dog
could not go, the inexorable captain declared. The port
was at one end of the mile-long street, the consul and the
vet. lived at the other. A quick decision was imperative,
the third bell sounded. I decided to travel on to Goth
enburg alone, leaving Eolf behind, and wait there a day,
until the certificates were obtained, showing that he was
harmless to either dog or man in the kingdom of Sweden,
when he could follow by the next steamer, although my
time was very precious. Eolf was consigned to the care
of a native gentleman in blouse and clogs, who promised
for a certain sum of King Christian's coin to see every
thing arranged.
I arrived safely in Gothenburg, and the next night Eolf
followed duly attested, a matter which cost a good deal of
money ; but vets, and consuls must live too, of course.
The same night there was a steamer for Christiania.
I sent my luggage down, following with the dog. But
my precautions were thrown away. The captain refused
to let the dog get into Norway ; he had " heard about
him," he said. It was no use expostulating, so back I
went to the hotel with my dog, resolved to try my luck
with the railway.
Next morning I took a seat in the train for Christiania,

Winter Excursions in Pulh.

keeping Eolf in the carriage. No questions were asked,
and we passed the frontier in safety, arriving in Chris
tiania in the evening. I had succeeded at last, after
much trouble and expense.
The same night I was obliged to go on board the
steamer for Christiansand, which I did in constant dread
of Rolf's nationality being discovered, as he would
undoubtedly have been mercilessly shot on the spot if it
had. At last I had succeeded in getting the dog as far
as Christiansand, to the very place whence I had re
ceived such a discourteous refusal of his admission, but
the detour I had had to make was long and costly. In
Christiansand I hardly dared to show myself in public
with the dog in daylight, and I confess that it was not
until on board another steamer bound for Bergen that I
breathed more freely.
And from Bergen Eolf followed me in the steamer
along the long, rugged coast of Norway, the friend and
object of admiration of everybody, being caressed by
ladies and fed by children. He walked with me over
Beskades, and sat at my feet in the river canoe as we
ran up to Koutokseino.
Although my appearance among the Lapps was un
doubtedly a sensational event throughout the land, it
was, I believe, fully eclipsed by that of Eolf. The tiny
Lapp dogs were at first particularly indignant at the in-,
trusion of this big newcomer, but having learnt that Eolf
Could be as good and playful a friend as terrible an enemy,
they decided to submit to the inevitable, and in future
permitted him to exercise the most despotic sway in their
territories.

8 Under ilie Bays of the Aurora Borealis
Such a reciprocal state of toleration could not, I regret
¦to say^ be established between Rolf and- the reindeer.
The latter, whose knowledge of a dog was confined to
the wretched variety of canis familiaris possessed by the
Lapps, looked upon Rolf as a new species of wolf, while
Eolf on his side, as soon as his first surprise on beholding
the horned creatures had subsided, took into his head
that they were bent upon carrying me away from him, a
plan which he was determined to frustrate. This mutual
misunderstanding of the situation led often to the most
lamentable collisions between the two parties.
The Lapps, too, looked upon Eolf with suspicion, and
indeed, with some justification. It was not only that his
footprints in the snow often were taken for those of a
wolf, but whenever Rolf came within sight of a herd of
reindeer the effect was similar to that of a bomb falling
in a crowd. It has happened more than once that a
knife has been cast at Rolf when he has — I must say,
in his defence, unintentionally — brought confusion into a
Raide. But to return. As I began, Rolf was to be allowed
to follow me to Autzie. 'I believed that by this time
he would be sufficiently familiar with the sight of
reindeer not to cause any great trouble. Little Jossa
certainly shook his head in doubt, saying : " Voj, voj
stuora bsena, stuora baena" — i.e., Oh, oh, big dog, big
dog — but I heeded not the warning.
As a cannon-ball leaves the muzzle of a gun we sped
up-hill by the church. Rolf was hardly able to keep
pace with the terrified animals. Rolf believes that the
reindeer are bent upon a forcible abduction, a thing

Winter Excursions in Bulk.

which he intends to prevent at any cost ; while the rein
deer, on their side, fancy that a big wolf is pursuing them.
No wonder, therefore, that our progress was rapid.
Jossa smacks his reindeer angrily with the rein, in
order to moderate its wild, licentious scamper, while I
get nearly hoarse with shouting to Rolf to be quiet ; but
he only barks with all his might and main in response,
and endeavours to keep up with the two Pulks, which
shoot over the smooth snow-covered fields with the speed
of an ordinary train.
When the reindeer is frightened it runs in a very
peculiar manner. Raising its ears and the little stumpy
tail, it lifts the fore-legs very high and steps out like a
well-bred carriage-horse, which produces a half-skimming,
half-galloping action which looks very charming, being
quite different to the ordinary gallop.
Both reindeer and dog were at last tired after their
wild race. We rested awhile, when truce was proclaimed
between the two parties, but they did certainly not look
at each other with friendly eyes.
We were again off; Rolf wheeling round and round
my reindeer, barking furiously, whilst- the animal in one
moment shies timidly, and in the next boldly kicks the
dog . with his fore-legs. After each such attack, Rolf
makes for Jossa's reindeer in front, which was even
more timid than mine, and having caused the utmost
confusion in that quarter, returns to renew his attentions
to mine.
What a grand race ! It took us, thanks to Rolf, only
about twenty minutes to cover the nine to ten miles to
Autzie.

10

Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

Close to Autzie there was a long, steepish hill, where
it was hardly possible to avoid a collision with the Pulk
and the Vappus in front, as my own seemed bent upon
getting to the bottom first. The only thing one can do
under such circumstances is to put one's legs outside the
Pulk, and let them act as a drag, but if one has to look
after a dog as well as a reindeer and Pulk in such a

VIEW OF AUTZIE.

difficulty, the chances are that the driver may reach the
bottom with a broken rib or two. We succeeded, how
ever, in getting down without any serious accidents, but
my body bore witness to the journey for some time
afterwards. How many times we were thrown out into
the snow I ceased counting, but this is thought nothing
of on such a journey. I fancy, however, I should have
had a bad time of it, and worse consequences, if I had

Winter Excursions in Bulk. ]1

been dressed in the accepted European garb of the nine
teenth century. The Lapp fur-coat offers remarkable
protection. We are now in Autzie. What the place is like the
reader may get some idea of from my illustration, the
only one in existence, I feel confident. The little
wooden huts, the long-legged hayricks, and the sur
rounding undulating hills, where the straggling birch-
tree underwood peeps out of the snow, form a strange
but sad picture.
I visited, of course, every family in their wretched,
narrow habitations. In the farmhouse in front on the
illustration lives the oldest man in the Koutokseino
district, and one of its few historical celebrities. The
name of this worthy is Clement Gundersen. He was in
his younger days verger at Koutokseino church, and his
son has succeeded to the office. Clement himself declares
that he is a hundred years old, but I should say he is
about ninety. I shall, however, speak further of this
veteran in the next chapter, in the events of which he
played an important part.
I had been told that on a mountain, Belljaschvarre,
near Autzie, there was still to be found a " Sieite," viz.,
large cairns or stone blocks placed in high, isolated
places, which the heathen Lapps raised as altars for
offering reindeer to their fell gods. There are still a
few to be found in this part of Finmarken, or Norwegian
Lapland. I was rather anxious to see this altar at Belljaschvarre,
and requested Jossa, therefore, to harness my reindeer,
himself following on foot as guide.

12 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
The drive up the mountain was very slow, but the sun
rising at that moment cast such an enchanting glow
over the weird landscape, that one might fancy oneself
in the realms of the Ice King of the fairy tale, and
I noticed not our progress. Like a carpet woven of
purple velvet, the snow spread before me in the glow
of the rising sun, enveloping the mountains far away
in a lovely violet haze, while every shrub and object
around sparkled with crystals of every hue and colour,
as in the enchanted garden of Aladdin.
The " Sieite " itself offered, as most altars of this kind,
little of interest. It was, I believe, an enormous block
of rock, which time and weather had split into fragments
and fissures. Formerly there had been a little stone,
white as marble, on the top of it, which was, no doubt,
the sacrificial stone of worship, but in spite of all
my inquiries I could not trace it ; nobody knew what
had become of it. By digging in the snow around the
altar I found remains of decayed reindeer horns and
bones, remnants of fetich saturnalias.
If the drive up the mountain was slow the one down
was doubly quick, although I had Little Jossa- before me
in the Pulk. Rolf was carefully confined at Autzie, to
avoid his causing any further damage. When we got
down to the foot of the mountain the sun had already
sunk behind the horizon.
I consumed my frugal meal which I had brought with
me in one of the dark little rooms, where the women
were engaged in weaving laces for the Komager, or
making thread from reindeer sinews by drawing them
across their teeth, whilst the men were busy cutting out

Winter Excursions in Bulk. 13
some tools with large clasp-knives. When I looked
at the glittering blades and the dusky faces, and
remembered that I was alone among this horde of semi-
savages, I could not repress a sigh of anxiety. But I
confess candidly there was no cause for it. The Lapp
is so good-natured that none visiting his domains need
fear either violence or murder, even if the wanderer be a
solitary one, and gain might apparently result therefrom.
When we were about to start for home Jossa insisted
that Rolf should be tied to my Pulk, so that he should
not make the reindeer restless. . We tried this arrange
ment as we were ready to journey up the hill previously
referred to. The incline is, however, so great that one
ought to walk up by the side of the Pulk. Well, I did
not get a chance of even attempting it, as at, the very
outset my reindeer bolted madly up the hill, in conse
quence of the dog behind him, and, being at once shot out
of the Pulk, I had to follow in a rather undignified
manner — flat on my stomach — in order not to let go the
rein. When I at last succeeded in regaining my seat I
fancied there was something wrong with my eye, which
caused me some apprehension, as I believed it was injured.
I rubbed and rubbed until I quite accidentally discovered
that one of the glasses of my snow-spectacles had taken
leave of its setting during the abrupt capering up the hill,
To drive with Rolf in this manner was, I found, impos
sible, if I did not want to strangle him. I therefore
fastened my reindeer to Jossa's Pulk instead, and held
the leash of the dog in my hand. This method was,
however, not without drawbacks, as Rolf was now on one,
then on the other side, while the reindeer ran fast and

14 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
slow by turns, and I had to give my whole attention
to the dog to keep it clear of the leash and not choke
him. Anyone with so much on his mind might well be
excused from not always keeping the Pulk straight; when
I therefore say that I was thrown out at least a dozen
times during the journey home, I am afraid my state
ment might be impeached with some amount of justice.
When I invited the reader to accompany me on the
journey to Autzie I warned him not to expect too much
in the way of stirring events. Perhaps my story is rather
of a dog than a journey. That may be ; but in justifica
tion I must plead that Rolf, too, filled a role, although a
modest one, during my sojourn in Lapland, and that I,
therefore, as a faithful reporter, am bound to allot him
a chapter of my work.
If not tired of my trip, follow me next on a journey
to the top of the lofty Gargovarre mountain, where we
will visit another " Sieite," which, according to the Lapps,
was an idol carved like a human head, with eyes, nose
and mouth.
The morning is as bright as the former ones we have
had for several weeks. The sun is just peeping over the
hills in the south-east, colouring the upper parts of the
ridges with a glorious golden tint, while the lower ones
are still hidden in the violet veil of shadow. Above
towers the lofty cupola of heaven, dyed in the purest
azure blue, which colour contrasts charmingly with the
snow-white earth. From every chimney — below which
the Lapps are now engaged in preparing coffee  the
smoke rises perpendicularly high into the frosty air, un
disturbed by the faintest breath of wind, looking like

Winter Excursions in Bulk. 15

steam in the tender rays of the sun. In short, heaven and
earth, every line in the landscape, and the tiniest crystal
needles glittering in the virgin snow and the hoar-frost,
lend all their charms to produce every beauty of a perfect
winter's day, when the glass is some forty degrees below
freezing point, such as only the Arctic regions can
boast of.
The reindeer, ornamented with tasteful red and yellow
ribbons, tassels, and bows, have been ready since the
previous night, and Little Jossa is now giving them the
finishing touches.
I am myself as anxious as the reindeer to start, as the
distance to Gargovarre is very nearly fifty miles, and I
have to be back before night.
Rolf has been carefully confined in the vicarage, as
his behaviour during the trip to Autzie is still so fresh in
the mind of Jossa and myself that neither of us are
anxious to have his company.
Little Jossa is holding the Pulks in readiness, I have
the rein twisted around my wrist, he throws himself into
the Pulk, and is off like a flash of lightning. I at once
follow his example, but my reindeer, making a terrible
bound sideways, from some cause or another, flings me
violently by the side of the Pulk, unable to prevent myself
being dragged in the opposite direction of that in which
I want to go. In a second I discover the cause of this
sudden metamorphosis ; it is Rolf again. He has " smelt
a rat," and has broken out of the vicarage. Seeing me
thrown out of the Pulk, he makes after the unsuspecting
Jossa, who is a good quarter of a mile off.
He is soon caught up by Rolf, who, with his angry

16 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

barking and tremendous springs, makes Jossa's reindeer
so rebellious that he, too, has, against his inclination, to
exchange the Pulk for the snow. Rolf, satisfied that he
has thus had his revenge for the trick practised on him,
then comes delighted and proud towards me, who still
stands on the same spot, rein in hand. A small boy
comes by bound for school, and foolishly I ask him to
hold the dog, which is almost twice as big as himself. He
grasps Rolf innocently by the collar, while I again jump
into the Pulk. The consequences were calamitous. In the
same moment the little boy lies sprawling on the snow.
Rolf is again broken loose, and, determined to frustrate
this second plan of deception, attacks my reindeer
furiously. Now a pas de quatre began between the reindeer, Rolf,
the Pulk, and myself. The reindeer at one moment
leaps timidly sideways, and in the next bounds boldly
forward with the horns near the ground, or kicks with its
forelegs — Rolf wheeling madly around it, now retreating
in fear, then attacking with double energy — the Pulk
executing all sorts of unexpected and capricious bounds
and. oscillations — and, finally, the writer, endeavouring
to avoid and keep both together, at the same time doing
his utmost to avoid a collision with the horns or legs of
the reindeer, dodging the erratic leaps of the Pulk,
calling to the dog, coaxing, commanding him, and
tugging at the rein right and left.
Suddenly Vuotta-raipe, the single running string
holding the reindeer and the Pulk together, broke.
The animal, feeling more free in its movements, made a
sudden leap, which caused the rein to cut through my

Winter Excursions in Pulk. 17
fur gloves right to the bone of my thumb, and before I
had realised the consequences, I had committed the
greatest blunder a reindeer driver is capable of, viz., to
let go the rein. We were now one less.
The animal, free from every restraint, shot off with the
speed of a frightened hare, and to crown it all, Rolf starts
in pursuit. In less time than it takes to relate they
were both lost to view, and I was alone.
The whole was the work of a moment. Jossa, who at
once came back to assist me, threw himself without a
moment's hesitation in the Pulk, following the track of
the flying reindeer and the pursuing dog. The Pulk
and myself were the sole occupants of the field.
Eventually Rolf returned, and received his deserved
reward. We were again two, but where was the third ?
I waited until noon — no Jossa. Then I took my
travelling furs off. I waited till dark — no, no Jossa.
Morning broke, noon passed by, and sun set on the
second day, but still no Jossa came. It was almost
morning of the third day when his exhausted reindeer
stood panting at my door! He brought the fugitive
with him. It was one of those outbreaks of the mixture
of wildness and tameness of which the nature of the
reindeer is made up. It felt the connecting link, the
rein or the lasso, between its wild nature and the hand of
man, rent asunder — and it was once more the free, roam
ing stag of snowy Lapland.
Jossa related that, shortly after the start, he had been
so unlucky as to lose the track of the reindeer; he
searched everywhere ; he travelled east, he travelled west ;
he asked in the camp to which the animal belonged for
VOL. II. G

18 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
news— in vain ; it was not till the afternoon of the second
day that he found it. The rein had caught in a shrub
and held it prisoner.
Once more, then, patient reader, we are ready to start
for Gargovarre ! The reindeer are ornamented as before,
they have been in readiness since the previous night, and
Little Jossa is, etc., etc., in fact, the situation is exactly as
the previous one, only four days later. This time Rolf
was, however, unable to get out, so that we started with
no other mishaps than those which always attend a drive
with reindeer.
On the first bit of the journey the reindeer seems to have
lost every vestige of sense and instinct, and in opposition
to its wild galloping and capricious bounds right and
left the driver is helpless. He must entrust his body
and fate to the animal, and can only hope that there is
no stone or tree within miles. When, however, the first
excitement is over, it goes more steady, though the race
is always wild and irregular, somewhat akin to what a
drive in a boat harnessed to a porpoise might be.
But what a delightful sensation, when one is once
accustomed to it, to skim thus for miles across wide tracts
of land. It is the finest mode of locomotion I know of.
Let others have the narrow railway carriage or the con
fined saloon of a steamer, but give me this invigorating,
daring run over a snow-covered desert without roads or
hindrances. Nothing is in the way ; but forward ! over
plain, hill and dale! the more reckless the better!
What harm is done if one is thrown out of the Pulk and
carried a few yards along on the back or otherwise ? it is
but a pleasant change, and one is soon again in the

Winter Excursions in Bulk. 19

seat. And down the sloping hill ! Ah ! how we drive !
The fastest train would be left behind here ! The rein
deer and the Pulk run a race to get down first, sometimes
the back of the Pulk is in front, sometimes the forelegs
of the reindeer, and should even Pulk, man, reindeer, and
Vuotta-raipe all roll down together in a single heap, it is
but fun. Only forward !
It is quite surprising that this little animal can manage
to draw such a heavy load for any length of time, and
resist the severe blows of the pointed Pulk on its legs
and body without succumbing. Gentle to the reindeer
the Lapp is not ; he has not a spark of that affection for
his beast of burden which the Arab has for his horse, and
still the reindeer is far more to the nomad of the
Arctic regions than the thorough-bred steed to the son
of Sahara.
With only a few halts we covered in less than two
hours the distance to Galanito, viz., thirty miles. It
should not be forgotten, however, that the detours of the
reindeer make journeys in Lapland considerably longer.
At Galanito there are a few scattered huts occupied by-
Settled Lapps. The reindeer were unharnessed at one
of them, and received their well-earned fodder of moss,
whilst Jossa went in search of a man to guide me to the
Sieite on Gargovarre, he himself being ignorant of the
route. Jossa ran from house to house as gaily as if he had
had a week's rest, instead of a drive of nearly two hun
dred miles in four days, but returns in a few minutes
with the disappointing message that not a single man
is at home. What's to be done, I ask ? Jossa seemed
c 2

20 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

not a bit put out ; he disappears, and in a few moments
returns with — I was on the point of saying a joetticoated
person, but remembering that these appendages are dis-.
pensed with in these parts of the globe, I will say, female
guide. I recognised her at once. It was Thuri Marit, a
young Lapp lady, my friend and companion on my boat
journey up to Koutokseino the previous autumn. She
had on that occasion with her a squalling babe, which
caused us much amusement — truth compels me to say a
not at all uncommon encumbrance of young Lapp
maidens. Thuri Marit is a Lapp beauty of some twenty-five
summers. The florid colour of her cheek eclipses that of
the rose and rivals that of red-ink; her black uncombed
hair grows as profusely as a primeval forest, which the
imagination may populate with every monster; her hands
are black — there, you have her portrait. Briefly, she
looked as if she had never undonned her furry garb since
I saw her last, and had lived in a kennel ever since.
Thuri Marit says she knows where the Sieite stands, she
has seen it often, and will take me safely to it. She did
not understand a single word of Swedish or Norwegian,
and I, on my side, not an excessive amount of Lappish.
However, Jossa having emphatically reminded me that
" hold the reindeer " is called "doalla hserge," and " where
is the road ? " "goost la gaidno?" I consigned myself to
the care of the Lapp Amazon with the conviction that
there was little about me to attract her, and perhaps
carry me off, as was once the misfortune of a Norwegian
lady who had kindled the flame of love in the breast of
her Lapp driver. As regards strength, I am sure Thuri

Winter Excursions in Pulk. 21

Marit might have knocked an ox down with the greatest
ease. My fair guide was then given Jossa's reindeer
and Pulk, to which she tied her Ski, and as soon as I
had got into mine we started at a rapid pace up-hill.
After half an hour's drive over hill and dale we reached
a great ice-covered lake, behind which we saw Gargovarre
raise her giant form to the sky. I estimated that the
height of the mountain was about a thousand feet above
the surrounding country, but as this is rather low and flat
it looks at least two thousand feet high. It rises abruptly
on all sides, but on the northern side the incline is
smallest. By this road we therefore began the ascent.
Thuri Marit tied on her Ski, and I my reindeer to the
back of her Pulk. She then went on in front leading the
first reindeer, whilst I, having no Ski, had to sit in the
second Pulk.
The march was most fatiguing both for the woman and
the animals, the snow being so loose that the reindeer every
moment sunk into it to the belly, while the Pulk left a
furrow behind some two feet in depth. Moreover, we con
stantly ascended, and the slopes were closely covered with
underwood and shrubs. I had a presentiment of what the
journey down would be like.
But to Thuri Marit the work seemed mere play, and
she trudged indefatigably on, only stopping now and
then for a moment when the animals sunk too deep, or
got into collision with some shrub hidden in the snow.
I could, lying comfortably in the Pulk, not help pity
ing these two and four-legged creatures, who struggled
so hard for my sake without I being able to lend either
hand or foot. Well then, after a great deal of toiling, we

22 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

at last reached the plateau of the mountain, where the
ground was easier, only a big boulder being now and then
encountered. But we had as yet not reached the sum
mit. In another half hour Thuri Marit indicated, with a
gesture of the hand, that we were on the top of Gargo
varre. What a grand, fantastic panorama Nature unrolled
before me ! I have stood on the Monument of London,
on the Triumphal Arch in Paris; I have beheld the
desert from the Pyramid of Cheops; I have gazed on
waterfalls, glaciers, forests, volcanoes, geysers, and oceans
from the lofty cones of Saxony, Switzerland, Scotland,
the Faroe Islands, Scandinavia, and Iceland, but neither
the living, animated picture spread before my eyes in
the two great hives of civilisation, nor the wonderful,
picturesque phenomena of Nature I beheld in yonder
lands, impressed me as much as the view from the barren
top of Gargovarre, looking at all silent Lapland.
Here is no toiling, bustling throng, no silvery river
flowing through smiling cities or between verdant banks —
the great heaving ocean is absent — but before you lies
the great, solitary proof of Nature's immensity, the silent
demonstration of her greatness.
White and black ; those are the only two colours
Nature employs here, and perhaps for that very reason
the picture impresses the mind the more.
Behold those tiny lakes between the hills, covered
with an armour of silvery ice, glistening in the sun's rays,
where nude, black shrubs look woefully forth from the
virgin snow. Ice, hill, and shrub are the sole patterns
in the white' carpet — they are the only constituents of the

Winter Excursions in Pulk. 23

great work of Nature ; but what a master-hand has been
at work here, to blend the poorest detail into an awe-
inspiring whole !
In every direction your eye sweeps the immense
plateau at your feet ; from the central cone on which you
stand to where heaven and earth meet there is but a
repetition of forms, and as the eye travels, each grows
smaller and smaller, the contours less distinct ; but still
every one is perfectly symmetrical, cast as it were in
the same mould, but with ever-varying proportion. The
same form, the same impressive monotony, stamps the
whole as the true work of Creation.
A breathless silence reigns, not a sound falls on the
ear, no cloud is visible on the blue vault of heaven,
whence the sun casts a dazzling splendour over the
immense grave of Nature. In the centre stand the only
representatives of life : Thuri Marit, myself, and the
reindeer. " Mutto gost lse Sieite, Thuri Marit ? " (but where is
the Sieite, Thuri Marit) I exclaimed at last. " Ja, gost
la Sieite," that was the question. It seemed that any
body else would know that better than Thuri Marit.
" Im mon diede " (I don't know) was all the informa
tion 1 could obtain in reply to my query.
Thuri Marit examined some of the thousand blocks
scattered around us, went right and left in search of
the right one, but without result.
Having on several occasions had an opportunity of
seeing what a wonderful animating effect a drop of
brandy, a " Dram," has on the Lapp mind, it occurred to
me that perhaps it might also contribute to quicken the

21 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

eye and memory of Thuri Marit. I had only some rum
with me, and I hesitated a little at the idea of offering
it to a woman sans facon. However, I ventured on the
offer. " Sidakgo jugastaga, Thuri Marit ? " I asked timidly.
Oh, yes, certainly ! there was nothing in the way.
" Dat lse sagga buorre " (it's very nice), said Thuri
Marit. And so she began again to look, while I also took a
walk round to see if I could find the old stone monster.
But no, every search was in vain, we found nothing but
ordinary blocks.
" Sidakgo jugastaga vela, Thuri Marit ? " I asked
again. The second glass did, however, have no more
effect than the first. The Sieite was, and remained
hidden. There's luck in odd numbers, I thought.
" Sidakgo ain jugastaga vela ? " I said again.
Thuri Marit said that she was getting " garrim." As I
expressed my inability to understand what she meant,
she threw herself flop on her back with the most
xemarkable gestures. This I failed less to understand,
and no doubt gave a facial expression to my bewilder
ment. Again she went down, going through the same
evolutions, and, probably, this time with more expressive
ness, as it suddenly dawned on me that she desired to
convey to my mind the condition in which no lady of
propriety is usually seen. Her fears on this point seemed,
however, very limited in proportion to the desire for more.
Number three was, she averred, better than the two
others. Again we searched. Thuri Marit had now become quite

Winter Excursions in Pulk. 25
jolly, and began to " juoike " in the gayest manner.
" Lo — o, li — a, lo, lo, lo — o, li — a, lo— o, lo— i— lo," —
it sounded over the land from the top of Gargovarre in
the crisp pure air.
Suddenly a Ski runner makes his appearance among
us. It was Morten Tornensis, a young Lapp from
Galanito, who, having returned home and heard of our
exploit, had set off in quest of us. He, too, knew where
the Sieite had been, but where was it now? Neither
in his case could drink produce any response.
It was no use staying any longer, and I therefore
ordered the return.
Good-bye, weird panorama ! Shall I ever see you
again ?
We began the descent thus. I in the first Pulk,
Thuri Marit in the second, and to this Morten fastened a
rope, the end of which he holds, and in this manner
slides down on his Ski.
Of course a stone soon comes in my way, and there I
lay, being dragged some twenty yards over the snow;
but I was soon again in my seat.
Thuri Marit "juoiks" to her heart's content. A
nightingale might have envied her voice. Lo, lo, li — a,
lu — a, lo, lo, comes from behind me.
The run becomes more. and more reckless, my reindeer
seems to be beyond control, although he, honest fellow,
had certainly had no " Dram."
We had now reached the forest regions, the Pulk
shoots forward, and the reindeer springs quicker, in order
to escape it. If I pass scot free through this I shall be
much surprised, I thought — Thuri Marit juoiks still — in

26 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis

the same instant I run my head against a branch of a
tree. I do not heed it; onward we travel at the same
reckless rate. Thuri Marit juoiks still, the speed becomes
more and more rapid, the Pulk cracks in every joint as
it jolts against the trees on both sides, a loud crash
follows — and a dead stop. The point of the Pulk had
run into the fissure of a double-stemmed tree, Vuotta-
raipe breaks, and I, making a summersault in the air, let
go the rein, of which the animal immediately takes
advantage. When sufficiently recovered I utter a fearful
yell, in order to call my companions' attention to my
plight, and soon both are by my side, calling my attention
to my eye, from which the blood trickles down, whilst I
call to them to stop the reindeer, which has by then
luckily got the rein twisted around a shrub.
I preferred to walk the remaining distance down the hill,
however difficult it was to wade through the deep snow.
It was, by-the-bye, a dangerous journey I had ventured
on ; in fact, neck or nothing, as one reindeer ought to
have been tied at the back of the last Pulk to act as a
drag, when the incline was so great and there were trees
all round ; but Thuri Marit forgot all precautions in her
hilarity. I am glad to say I got off after all with a bandaged
eye ; but he who becomes accustomed to drive with
reindeer gets reckless.
The rest of the road we covered without difficulties.
Thuri Marit kept on juoiking till we got to Galanito ;
and from Galanito to Koutokseino we drove all the while
on the frozen river, whose high banks had a damping
influence on the imagination.

Winter Excursions in Pulk. 27
Picture to yourself such a drive over mile-wide, snow-
covered wastes, whilst the crescent moon casts her subtle,
mystic glimmer over the landscape, and the aurora shoots
her flaming colonnades into the star-studded sky, and you
will admit that the barren North possesses beauties which
the South fails to rival, and which, once beheld, become
indelibly stamped on the mind of him who loves Nature.

28 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

CHAPTER II.
THE REIGN OF TERROR IN LAPLAND.
Susceptibility of the Lapp — A Remarkable Parson — His
Apostles — Strange Doctrines — " The Saints '' — Their Creed
— Extraordinary Proceedings — Whipping a Girl— The Storm
Gathers — An Excellent Pastor— Saintly Excesses — Shocking
Scenes— A Pastor and his Flock — An Interview — The Faith
Develops — Blasphemous Doctrines — Arrival of the Police
and Sheriff — Fresh Excesses — The Vicar Cursed from the
Pulpit — Remarkable Dispensation of Providence — Further
Excesses — Confessions of the Saints — A Terrible Christmas
— A Holy Virgin — Arrival of the Bishop and the Magistrate
— A Great Trial — An Unconverted King— A Calm — The
Storm Begins Afresh — Saintly Adultery — Shocking Cruelties
— The Army of Salvation sets out — Tortures and Murders —
A Bold Parson — Savage Treatment of the Vicar — Whipping
Women— Firing the Buildings— The Rescue — A Noble Lapp
— Battle on the Snow — Victory — Saved — The Law Strikes —
A Murderer and Writer— The End of the Eeign of Terror.
What I am going to relate in this chapter might rather
be taken for a leaf from the writings of a sensational
novelist than a mere record of facts. Nevertheless, what
I relate is derived solely from contemporary persons and
judicial records.
I have had an opportunity of meeting many who
witnessed and figured in these remarkable events, and I
have perused the Court Records of the Alten Assizes,
and on this material I have based the following narrative,

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 29
which I claim, by-the-bye, as an unpublished leaf of
modern history.
How fantastic many things in this story may sound,
and how absurd many of the doctrines set forth may be,
I must remind the reader that they are nothing but facts,
stern facts. _
The desolate, wide-stretching tracts where the Lapp
dwells, the monotony which stamps the whole nature of
his surroundings, and the strange silence which reigns
over these Arctic fields, naturally agitate his mind, and
make him susceptible to supernatural influences. He is
fond of listening to what is strange, supernatural, and
mystic, in fact, to everything which excites the imagina
tion and the emotions.
Previous to the year 1852 no clergyman resided at
Koutokseino. Only for a couple of months or so during
the summer a clergyman sojourned in the place, viz., at
a season when the greatest part of the population was
absent on the coast. The vicar generally knew so little
of the Lapp tongue that he had to employ an interpreter
both in and outside the church.
During the winter of 1845 a great religious commotion
arose in the neighbouring Swedish parish of Karesuando,
where a parson, Lastadius, preached the most violent
sermons, teeming with the most vulgar and indecent
biblical references, against the two worst vices of the
Lapps, drink and reindeerrstealing. This man was,
however, in many respects a remarkable man; his
portrait is in the work, ' Voyages en Scandinavie,' and
he was one of the recipients of this great work, having
greatly assisted the French expedition in their labour.

30 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
There is still, by-the-bye, a numerous sect in northern
Scandinavia adhering to his doctrines, called Lasfa-
dianere. Not only the Koutokseino Lapps, who every year
visited Karesuando, began to listen to this preacher, but
Lapps came from all parts of Lapland to Karesuando to
see this remarkable man, and hear him preach. No
harm resulted, however, from it at that time.
But in the winter of 1847 Lastadius despatched what
he termed "dogs to bark," three Lapps and three
Kvsens arriving at Koutokseino to preach salvation. In
their company was Lastadius's daughter, who proceeded
to Alten to preach to those who neither understood
Lappish or Kvsenish. The six remained at Koutokseino,
and developed great activity. Where they encountered
no direct opposition they attempted to frighten by depict
ing in the worst colours the sufferings of the damned in
Hell. They brought with them some printed sermons by
Lastadius, teeming with the most outrageous expressions,
in the Kvsenish language. Those who declared that
they believed these preachers to be "the Children of
God " had to kneel before them and pray forgiveness of
their sins, and then to confess their wickedness.
" How many children (i.e., sins) have you ? " asked the
preacher. " Four," answered the penitent.
" What are their names ? "
"Drink, thieving, lying, and that of wearing a red
cap on Sundays."
" Destroy your children, and you shall be saved."
" I have done so."

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 31
" When ? "
" Yesterday, at sunrise."
" Did you see your body and soul burn in the fires of
Hell?" "Yes." " Did you see Christ coming to redeem your body and
soul?" " Yes."
" Did He carry your body and soul to heaven ?
"Yes."" Did He tell you that you were a redeemed and for
given child of God ? "
"Yes." " If so, you have, when the sun rose yesterday, received
the Spirit. Go forth and preach salvation, and damnation
to the unbelieving.^/
Having laboured for a while at Koutokseino in this
manner, the six preachers left, but returned the follow
ing winter. They now claimed to be invested with " the
Justice of Christ," while the sorrow over sin and the joy
at redemption took a more forcible form, the sorrow in
crying, sighing, fainting, and fits, and the joy in laugh
ing, jumping, and dancing. In one of the parishes the
people began even to sing, dance, and embrace each
other by the altar, after the communion, through joy at
being redeemed.
The consciousness of being a Child of God, the people
were now taught, was wholly dependent on certain inward
emotions and sensations. Any one who felt these was a
redeemed Child of God, and prompted by His Spirit.
Although the seed thus sown broadcast found a good

32 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
soil among the Koutokseino Lapps, no excesses were
perpetrated during that winter. Before the departure of
the preachers a quarrel arose with their disciples with
regard to visions and dreams, which resulted in a mutual
consignment to Hell.
During the winter of 1849 some Lapps began to call
themselves "Saints." Some asserted that their sins only
were confined to their limbs, not to the soul, while others
declared that they were perfectly pure. Only he who
had "the Spirit of God " in him was " a Child of God."
" The Spirit," " the Spirit," became the leading cry.
The Saints began to preach penitence to the unbelieving.
The seed had begun to shoot.
During the winter of 1850 a contest took place
between the Saints, as to who was the greatest. They
had visions, one capping the other: one said he was
resuscitated, another that he had no flesh, and a third
that he was the Redeemer himself. Wherever the
leaders appeared they acted with authority and violence,
which terrorised the few, so that they did not dare to
contradict them. They ordained that the people were to
come to church in tatters, with no belt, and that the
women should exchange their caps, which at the back
curved into a point, for flat ones, falling to the head, as
the Devil was embodied in the hollow bit of wood shaping
the curve.
During the few weeks the clergyman remained at
Koutokseino, the Saints and their followers attended
church every Sunday, but after the service they col
lected in crowds whilst somebody agitated the hearers
with passionate sermons and excited gestures to such an

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 33
extent that numbers broke into shrieks and wailings.
Men and women, children and adults, lay wailing in
each other's arms, lamenting their sins and calling upon
each other to confess, to do penance, and escape Hell.
The Saints declared that children were not to be bap
tized : they were nevertheless holy, those of the believing
as well as those of the unbelieving. The Holy Com
munion was declared false. The Saints were authorized
to do everything, and whatever they did was right, as
they were prompted by the Spirit of God. The Saints
were to become the rulers of the earth, the priests and
authorities were the agents of the Devil, to whom
nobody owed obedience or tithes. The Saints were the
true priests, whom it behoved the people to revere, obey,
and give their all to. At first compensation had been
accorded for stolen or borrowed goods, but now it was
ordained that he who demanded anything from one of
"the. righteous" was a usurer and an infidel.
Those who wo'uld not embrace the faith of the Saints
were often intimidated with threats and chastisements.
I will give an example of the proceedings.
A young girl, Inger Gaup, came on a visit to Anders
Siri's reindeer-camp, whose wife, Birret, was one of the
Saints. Inger was compelled to confess her sins to her
and three men and two women who were in the tent, and
when she had done this the women demanded that the
girl should embrace their faith and share in their prayers.
This Inger refused. Birret then threatened to strip her
naked and flog her. Inger still refused. Birret then
seized her, stripped her forcibly, and began to whip her
unmercifully with , a birch-broom. The broom broke,
VOL. II. u

34 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

and Birret left the tent to get a new one. The mal
treated and terrified girl took advantage of the moment
to escape from the tent, but she did not get far, on
account of the deep loose snow, and was soon overtaken
by the infuriated Birret, who again began to whip her.
Her cries attracted another woman, who interceded, and
succeeded in so far pacifying Birret that Inger was
permitted to dress herself and depart. When leaving,
Birret threatened, however, that if next time they met
Inger should refuse to embrace her faith, she would
compel her with fire ; as it is written, she shouted, " that
he who will not repent shall be chastised ! "
In the spring the Lapps wandered, as usual, to the
coast of Norway, where the Saints also followed. They
preached to the Sea Lapps, and greatly disturbed the
service in Skjservo church. Thus on the day of confirma
tion one Rasmus Spein sighed and wailed so much that
the service had to be stopped and he led out of the
church, while another Saint, Aslak Rist, addressed the
congregation from the nave, preaching humility and
repentance. The storm gathered more and more, and when the
Lapps returned to Koutokseino in the autumn of 1851,
the religious movement had assumed a form and cha
racter which nobody had anticipated.
In order i o stem the agitation in Lapland, the bishop
despatched a clergyman, Herr Stockfleth, to Koutokaaino
towards the end of October, and it is the account
given of these events by that gentleman which, to a
great extent, forms the basis of my narrative. A few words
about this worthy pastor might not be out of place.

The Beign of Terror in Lapland.

33

Nils Vibe Stockfleth, born in 1787, was first an officer
in the Danish navy, but exchanged, when thirty-six

THE FATHER OF THE SAINT, RASMUS ANDER-EN SPEIN (6.5).

years of age, the sword for the Bible. Two years later
he accepted the vicarage of Vadso, the last town on the
n 2

36 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
Norwegian frontier towards Russia, where he was at
once thrown into conditions of existence to which he was
an entire stranger, and among parishioners most of
whom spoke a language of which he did not understand a
single word. He acquired, however, the Lapp language
rapidly by constant missionary journeys in Finmarken,
and prompted by a burning zeal for his calling, endured
many hardships in the snowy deserts of rigid Lapland.
This, combined with his thorough Christian mind, created
a deep and genuine affection towards the people, who
depended on him for spiritual guidance, and by his
teachings, life, and translation of religious works into
Lappish, he has contributed greatly to the advance of this
race. For twenty-seven years, until 1852, he toiled as a
servant of God in these inhospitable regions, when the
strain of a life spent in labour and hardship compelled
him to resign.
When Stockfleth, on the evening of the 21st of October,
approached Koutokseino in a boat from the river he heard
from afar the murmur and noise of a turbulent crowd
which had collected outside the residence of the
merchant, indulging in loud admonitions of repentance,
threats, and curses. When Stockfleth landed the crowd
had dispersed.
He now learnt that all the worst leaders were there,
and that their excesses had been carried on for three
consecutive nights and days. Their violence had in
creased from day to day, men and women had been
whipped naked, because they would not " repent " and
accept the faith of the fanatics, and they had broken into
tents and houses, perpetrating violence on all those who

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 37
" did not believe." Wherever they proceeded they struck
terror into the hearts of the people. They had even forced
their way into the dwelling of the merchant, Ruth by
name, where one of the female Saints tore the clothes
off his wife because she refused to acknowledge the saintli-
ness of the fanatics. They crowded through the rooms
of the house and the warehouse, cursing everything and
everybody, and threatening to murder all the inmates,
as " it was no sin."
Early the next morning Stockfleth proceeded to the
house of the school-teacher, where most of the rioters had
taken up their residence. He greeted them, but nobody
answered. He spoke to them, but nobody took any
notice. Two men and a woman were hopping up and
down the room, condemning all to Hell who did not
repent. On the floor, men, women, and children were
squatting. The trio now turned to Stockfleth, doubling
their movements and shouting loudly ; they approached
him so close that he was obliged to guard them off
with his stick by tapping them on the shoulders.
This brought life into those on the floor. They all
jumped up, and began to hop up and down, swinging
their arms to and fro, and distorting their faces in the
most repulsive manner, while threatening and execrating
every unbeliever.
" I stood lost in contemplation of this horrible spec
tacle," says Stockfleth. "There was something quite
insane, demoniac, in their wild proceedings. At last
I walked to the door calmly and deliberately, and, in
spite of the great excitement they were in, and their
jumping, shouting, and threats if I did not repent, they

38 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

made room for me, and let me depart without molesta
tion. In the doorway I turned round to have one more
look at these strange people, and I beheld a sight which
has never faded from my mind, viz., a boy, some ten
years of age, who, making his way through the crowd,
began to jump in the same peculiar manner as the others,
and curse every unbeliever. The distorted face was
terrible to behold, every vestige of reason had departed.
I looked at the group for a moment, and then walked
slowly along the dark narrow passage into the open,
followed by the crowd, shouting madly. A few yards
from the house I again turned round, and now they had
taken up a position outside, where they stood shouting
and cursing until they were too hoarse to render any
but inarticulate sounds. With a deprecating gesture of
the hand and a shake of the head I turned on my heels
and proceeded, followed by their execrations.
" On my way home I met several Lapps, who walked
with me, and with whom I made the necessary arrange
ments for evening services and prayer-meetings.
" A numerous congregation collected in the evening in
the school-house for the service, and there reigned a
certain amount of tranquillity and attention. One of the
more fanatic Saints said contemptuously, ' Poor fellow !
He will give us of the Spirit he has. Poor fellow ! ' "
Such was the first day of the pastor among his flock.
The next day Stockfleth again visited the school-teacher.
There was now a calm after the incessant ravings day
and night.
" My greeting was returned," says Stockfleth. " The
teacher sat on a chair ; I walked up to him, and we

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 39
embraced each other in Lapp fashion most cordially.
After a few moments' rational conversation he suddenly
threw himself at my feet, and at the same moment the
whole body present followed his example, lying on
their faces bewailing their sins and saying prayers.
After the first paroxysm I was able to be heard, and
after a short earnest conversation I knelt, too, and said
a prayer, which they repeated word by word.
" We now all arose, and during the remainder of our
conversation I exhorted them most solemnly not to
neglect their calling on earth."
" Do you believe that the Spirit speaks through you
when you preach to us ? " said one of the listeners
suddenly, while every eye rested inquiringly on the
clergyman. He answered, " Yes, I believe it does, because I never
say, ordain, or preach anything else but what the Holy
Gospel says, ordains, and preaches distinctly and
plainly." No answer was returned to this. Shortly afterwards
one of the Saints exclaimed, " Maybe I have a child
within me ? " and again every one gazed at Stockfleth.
He looked at them for a second and said smilingly,
" Perhaps also I have such a child within me, in my
heart." " He hears, he hears ; he understands the voice of the
Spirit ! " the whole congregation now exclaimed.
Later on during the meeting, however, Stockfleth was
again weighed, but found wanting.
Women and children came to Stockfleth in the vicar
age to question him whether he was resuscitated and had

40 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
received the Spirit, &c. He always received them kindly,
and sought to guide them in every manner.
On Wednesday, the 29th of October, the disturbances
broke out afresh. The calm of the first eight days was
only an indicator of the approaching storm. On that
day one Rasmus Spein entered Stockfleth's residence,
and began with violent gestures and passionate language
to demand that the vicar should acknowledge him as
being far above Christ, if not, he was doomed to Hell.
He eventually left, but returned in the evening with two
other Saints. They now all three demanded that Stock
fleth should acknowledge their saintliness, and when he
refused they declared in great passion that he belonged
to the Devil, and that he should have no peace. His
remonstrances were of no use ; he called in the merchant
and his man, who were in a room close by, but their
united efforts would not appease the excited Lapps.
They were finally forced outside, but made considerable
resistance. They now obtained the assistance of another
Lapp, and all four began to attempt to force the front
door, but without success, as it had fortunately been
barred. The lights in the vicarage were then put out,
and the rioters proceeded to the school-teacher's house,
where they continued to shout and hoot throughout the
night. The next morning they left for the reindeer-
camp, but threatened to return in force in a few days.
Stockfleth now reported to the Governor of the
province how matters stood, and that it was impossible
to say how far the fanatics might carry their excesses if
they went on increasing from day to day ; that the rioters
did not abstain from personal assaults on their vicar, and

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 41
that self-defence might have disastrous consequences.
An express was simultaneously despatched to the Chief
Magistrate of Finmarken with a relay of reindeer, re
questing him to send some constables to Koutokseino by
return, without awaiting instructions from the Governor,
in order to arrest some of the principal leaders and
convey them to Alten. It was also requested that some
constables might remain at Koutokseino, to keep order
outside the church on Sundays. Stockfleth also reported
that the sheriff — a Lapp — had made common cause with
the disturbers.
Misled and terrorised by the fanatics, the spirit of
disorder also took possession of the school-teacher, who
lost all strength of mind to refuse meetings in his house.
He finally became raving mad, and had to be put in a
strait-jacket, as he broke every thing • he could lay hold
of. His madness was considered by the Saints and his
own family as a proof of his having the Spirit in such a
measure that his body was too weak to support it.
Stockfleth addressed him as he was sitting half un
dressed on the floor : " How do you feel to-day ? "
" How I feel ? I who was, am, and shall be ! " Such
was his answer. He then called his daughter, a girl
some fifteen years of age, and she approached him
trembling. " Kneel ! " he commanded. " You shall beg your
father's pardon, because you have sinned against him."
" Yes, I will," she answered, and fell on her knees.
The teacher looked leeringly towards Stockfleth, who
said soothingly, "Yes, it often behoves a child to ask
forgiveness from its father."

42 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
" No, no, that is not enough," shrieked the madman ;
" daughter, you must worship me, who  "
" Hold, hold, my man ! " the vicar interrupted. " No
blasphemy ; man shall worship God alone. Rise, my
good girl ! "
The teacher cast a half-hateful, half- timid glance at
Stockfleth, but remained quiet whilst the parson was in
the room, and did not stir. From time to time he,
however, looked at him with the same insane glance.
On Friday, the 31st of October, the six principal
leaders met, and to them four more attached themselves,
there being thus ten in the house of the teacher. That
day they did not leave the house, but kept on hooting
and shouting. The next morning two of them came to
Stockfleth, asking if they might speak to him. He was
quite ready. The theme was the same as usual. At
last Stockfleth said, " I am afraid we shall not agree ;
nevertheless, I am thankful to any one who comes to
talk with me quietly and peacefully as you two."
"Thank your father, the Devil! thank your father,
the Devil ! we despise such thanks," they both shouted,
and rushed from the room in great passion.
Later on in the clay the ten men and two women came
to Stockfleth, and told him that a " general " meeting
was about to be held by the Saints.
" Is this the parson ? " asked the spokesman, appearing
as if he did not know Stockfleth. On this being affirmed,
he said, " Well, then, I suppose I must take the cap off."
" Well, then, I suppose I must take the cap off too,"
said Stockfleth, putting his hat aside. The others now
also laid their head-dresses on the floor.

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 43
The spokesman next proceeded to address the meeting,
the principal substance of which was, that when the
Saints heard that Stockfleth was coming to Koutokseino
they rejoiced, but they had been disappointed and
deceived in their anticipation. When he had before
visited Koutokseino he used to be a holy, zealous man, but
what was he now, refusing to acknowledge the Saints ?
The speaker then gave an account of two apparitions
which he had beheld in a forest after three days' prayer
and fasting. Christ had appeared before him in all His
heavenly glory, and conferred on him the power of
supreme judgment. The apparition had appeared before
him twice.
After an hour's conversation the meeting broke up in
the same noisy and threatening manner as on previous
occasions. The assertions and doctrines advanced by
the Saints at this general meeting were in substance as
follows : —
" We have come here for the purpose of causing strife ;
where we are peace must not reign."
" In order to fear God you must sin, as only he who
sins fears God ; but we do not fear God, as those who
possess the Spirit cannot sin."
" We are the Limbs of God, and God cannot judge,
cannot punish His own limbs. God cannot therefore
judge us."
" We have died, therefore, cannot die."
" There are spiritual and corporal bodies ; we are not
corporal, not of the flesh, but spiritual bodies."
" We are on the new earth."
" We are spiritual, sanctified, and righteous."

44 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
" We are the Bible, the New Testament, Sinai."
" Our Body is the Law, therefore we are the Judges."
" We are God, Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
The Son has lost His power, which is now ours."
" The Spirit in us has the power to destroy."
" The parson who does not deny that he has flesh is
therefore mortal and belongs to the Devil. We have no
flesh, the flesh is dead, we cannot die again, having died
once." " We can see into every man's heart, whether he is
spiritual or corporal."
" When you say, ' Our Father, which art in Heaven,'
you lie. You should say, ' Our Father which art in
Hell,' because as long as you have not confessed to us
Saints, the Devil is the father you worship."
" Children shall curse their parents, in order that the
curse may descend step by step to our first parents."
" Those who do not become free from sin in this world
shall not enter Heaven."
" We have not received the Spirit from the teachings
of the Bible, but through repentance and prayer."
" We Saints at Koutokseino may say of ourselves, on the
strength of the Spirit we are the true God, and on the
strength of the Human Nature we are also true Men."
"It does not behove us to obey or pay tithes to an
unholy, unrepenting authority."
" As long as there is a power over us to curse, we shall
curse it."
Early in November four constables arrived from Alten
to arrest the worst disturbers, and with them came the
new sheriff, Bucht.

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 45
On the following day — Sunday — at the commencement
of the service, one of the agitators, Rasmus Spein, to
whom reference has already been made, shouted several
times in an inarticulate manner, which bespoke coming
troubles. When the verger stepped from the door of
the choir, whilst Stockfleth lay kneeling at the altar,
he noticed a Lapp passing quickly by the altar, and
suddenly a loud voice sounded through the church :
" Cursed be Pastor Stockfleth ! Away with all such
priests as he ! Repent and make penance ! It is the
Spirit which speaks through me ; I am the Road to Salva
tion. I am the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings ;
I shall return on the clouds of heaven to hold judg
ment ! "
It .was Rasmus Spein who spoke, standing in the
pulpit. When he had finished he was led down by the verger,
Clement Gundersen, and a few peaceful Lapps, whilst
Stockfleth immediately despatched a messenger for the
constables. At that moment Rasmus suddenly shook off his
friends, and placing himself in the door of the choir,
began to speak. The entire church was closely packed
with people, who stood on the floor or on the seats, with
terror, confusion, or insane joy depicted in their faces,
while sighs, wailing, yells and shrieks of women rent
the air.
In the door of the choir stood Rasmus, remarkably
handsome in appearance, while his sonorous, manly voice
rang through the church in the following passionate
oration :

46 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
" Lapps ! humble yourselves and make penance. Pastor
Stockfleth is one of the Devil's emissaries, all parsons
belong to the Devil ; turn away from him, turn away
from them, turn away from Darkness, turn away from
Satan. I am sanctified by the Spirit, and in virtue of
the Spirit I condemn all unbelievers to the bottom of
Hell. I am the Road and the Gate to Eternal Salvation,
he who does not believe in me will never be saved. I
hold the key of Heaven and Hell. I am more than
God, because I am also True Man. Lapps ! repent and
make penance. And you, parson of Hell, kneel and
pray ! "
At that moment the constables made their appearance,
and having with great difficulty made their way through
the excited, surging throng, they seized Rasmus. He
made a terrible resistance, striking right and left, whilst
he shouted, " How dare you lay hands on Jesus Christ ? "
His adherents took his part, and attempted to liberate
him. The church became the scene of a desperate
scuffle, aud the air filled with oaths and execrations.
" It is Satan and the servants of Satan who have laid
hands on the righteous," shouted Svend Kvsenangen,
and when he was struck by one of the constables in self-
defence he exclaimed, " God sees it ! " By degrees the
men succeeded in drawing Rasmus and his defenders
towards the church-door. " It is Christ whom they
crucify ! " shouted one of the half-insane women, and
another, " Tear not asunder the Redeemer."
Suddenly a loud voice shouts, "You have made my
Father's house a den of thieves ; repent and be saved."
It was young Lars Hsetta, who subsequently played such

The Beign of Terror in Lapland.

an important role in this drama, who had spoken. He
had just entered the church, and stood with his cap on.
He declared afterwards, at his trial before the Court, that
at that moment the Spirit moved him to such an extent
that he knew he had the power to have destroyed the
church, but he prayed to God to let his anger pass for
this once.
At last the resisting Rasmus was got out of the church
as well as his defenders, and the service was continued.
Rasmus was the next day conveyed to the prison at
Tromso, and thus took no part in the subsequent dis
turbances ; but several of his followers, particularly
Aslak Hsetta and Mons Somby, became the most active
in the excesses which followed, and which culminated in
the terrible catastrophe of the following year.
From Tromso Rasmus was transported to the House of
Correction in Christiania, all the while maintaining
his saintliness and the justice of his cause. For nearly
a year longer he resisted the influences of the true
church, when he fell ill and repented. His illness in
creased, and he asked to be allowed to confess and
receive the sacrament. Strangely enough, Stockfleth
happened at the same time to be in Christiania. When
Rasmus heard this he became very anxious to see him.
Stockfleth found him fully conscious, and having con
fessed and prayed to be forgiven his sins, and received
the extreme unction, he died an hour afterwards, at the
early age of twenty-eight.
"It was indeed a most remarkable dispensation of
Providence," says Stockfleth in his diary, " that the same
parson whom he had cursed from the pulpit in his own

48 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
church, should in the course of twelve months happen to
be the very clergyman who prepared him for the end."
The Saints at Koutokseino continued their work of
conversion by force and violence. I may mention a few
examples of their proceedings.
One of the most fanatical agitators was the previously
mentioned Aslak Rist. To his camp came one day Aslak
Gaup, whom the former at once demanded should become
converted and pray with him. When he refused this,
Aslak Rist exclaimed, " You shall, because I am the Road
to Heaven." The conversation was carried on a little
way from the tent, and when they were about to approach
it, Aslak Rist insisted that they should do so on their
knees, " as it was the tent of the Redeemer." Aslak Gaup,
in fear of bodily violence, agreed thereto. In the tent
the Saint again began to talk about sin and conversion,
and compelled, with threats, Gaup to confess to him. Rist
insisted that it was necessary for a repenting sinner to
strip and be whipped, and Gaup had to undress, lie down
on all fours, while Rist struck him repeatedly across the
back with a birch-broom, exclaiming each time : " Jesus ! "
Thus the wretched Aslak Gaup was considered to have
received the Spirit, and was permitted to dress.
On another occasion Aslak Rist and some other Lapps
had collected in a house in Koutokseino ; it was one of
the usual meetings, with exhortations and jumping, when
one Anders Varg accidentally called, and being regarded
as one of the unbelievers, the company insisted that he
should accept their faith. On emphatically refusing,
Rist felled him to the ground with the following words :
" If a limb offends you, cut it off," whereon the rest of

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 49
the fanatics began to kick, beat, and spit on the un
happy man until he was half dead.
Neither were the women behind the men in their
persecutions. Thus, when the venerable septuagenarian
Rasmus Punski refused to acknowledge a woman,
Sussana, as the Virgin Mary, she tied him to a post
and beat him with a stick until he in sheer terror
acquiesced in her demand, when she left him. The
poor man remained in this position until, released by a
passer-by. On the following Sundays the service was not inter
rupted in the violent manner as was the case on the 10th
of November, but disturbances and slight disorders
occurred every time.
One Sunday a girl, Elen Gorvatus, began to shriek
and swear during the service, and having been removed
outside by the sheriff, she succeeded in freeing herself,
tore open the church door, and placed herself in the
middle, shouting : " Shriek, Lapps, shriek ! men and
women, shriek ! so that this priest of Satan shall not
succeed in decoying you to Hell ! "
Similar scenes were repeated every Sunday. On some
occasions, when Stockfleth, in his sermon, used the term
" my friends," some woman would shout, " You are lying,
parson, I am not your friend." On one Sunday, when
Stockfleth was distributing the sacrament, Mikkel Hsetta
shouted, " What you distribute, parson, is sent by the
Devil ; why do you decoy people to an altar of wood ? "
On another occasion, on Stockfleth remarking that sal
vation laid in the Word, Niels Kvsenangen exclaimed,
" No, it doesn't ; it lies in the Strength."
VOL. II. e

50 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
When the yicar, dressed in his officiating robe,
proceeded to church, he was generally followed by a
crowd of Saints who loudly execrated him. Once, at a
wedding, he walked before the couple to church, when
Mikkel Hsetta shouted after them : " The Devil is your
guide," and when they returned after the ceremony:
" Now the Devil has married you to Hell."
The merchant Ruth and the sheriff Bucht were also
the objects of the Saints' persecution, being unbe
lievers. On one occasion thus Aslak Hsetta threatened
the merchant that he would burn his house, flay him, and
send his skin to the magistrate, in order to receive the
fixed reward for killing a beast of prey ; and on another,
Aslak told him that he would soon be shot. Ruth at that
time little thought that these threats would be carried
out in such a terrible manner within a few months.
The sheriff, in particular, became an object of hatred,
on account of it being generally his duty to lead the
disturbers out of the church. "There is the d 
sheriff," or " There is the Arch-devil," was shouted to
him when he appeared in church. He, too, was threatened
with being burnt to death, and he had, no doubt, little
idea of the terrible end which awaited him.
During the church service the fanatics generally
collected outside the church, rioting and swearing, and
when it was over they mustered in force outside the
residence of the merchant or the vicar, where they
continued their disturbances, shouting, praying and ex
horting to repent, until dark. They often also attacked
passing unbelievers. On one occasion, for instance, two
women seized a young Lapp, knocked him down, forced

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 51
him on his knees, and continued to twist his arms
violently backwards and upwards until the poor fellow
fainted. Stockfleth says : " It was enough to agitate any
mind, to hear late at night, in the darkness, the air
resound with the melancholy wailings and adjurations
and loud, blasphemous orations and terrible curses of
the fanatics. The latter always tried to have the appear
ance of being the persecuted and not the persecutors;
they were as innocent and guileless as lambs led to
slaughter." A quiet and inoffensive Lapp came one morning from
his herd, jumping in the same strange manner as the
others, shouting, " Now I have also received the power of
condemning." Daily people were seen jumping about
in this peculiar way.
The melancholy and faint-hearted were often for a
time led to participate in the excesses of the leaders,
partly from fear and by force, and partly by their
imagination being excited, and their power of reasoning
confused, by those who shunned no means to achieve
their object.
One of the former, who was for a long time led away
by the Saints, but afterwards opposed them in a vigorous
manner, was Johannes Mathiesen Hsetta, who is still
living, having attained the venerable age of eighty,
and of whom I give a portrait in this chapter. At
the trial held in 1851 relating to these events, he
naively spoke as follows : " I, too, was affected by these
Saints, who told me that by praying I should become
as pure as they ; their purity was caused by their old
e 2

52 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
hearts having broken asunder, and their obtaining a
new one in which Christ was. I felt, indeed, as if I
had received a new heart, and in my joy thereat I
joined in the dance of the others. But, when they
called upon me to declare myself God, I could follow
them no longer, as I considered them wicked men.
And now I see that they really are, because they curse
everybody and everything, and consider themselves so
pure that they may do anything wrong without com
mitting a sin."
A few other statements made before the Court by the
principal leaders in this agitation may be mentioned
here. Johannes Johannesen Hsetta had called the parson a
devil in the vicarage, which he was, as he had not been
converted. The parson was not converted because he
had not the Spirit ; a little of it perhaps he had, because
he did not hate those who were anxious about their
souls. He himself was pure and holy, and had been
empowered by the Spirit to condemn any one whom
he considered an unbeliever.
Mons Somby had also called the parson a devil, in
which he was fully justified, because he was as pure and
free from sin as Jesus himself. Being God the Father
himself, he could, of course, not sin ; and even if he was
guilty of any wicked action, it was no sin for him. He
who believed in him would be saved, but he who did
not would be condemned. He was resuscitated, and all
his actions were pleasant to God, while all his actions
previous to the resuscitation were offensive to God.
Niels Kvsenangen considered himself the Lord of Lords

The Beign of Terror in Lapland.

53

and the King of Kings. It was Jesus who spoke through
him; Jesus was in him and he in Jesus. When he

JOHANNES JOHANNESEN H2ETTA (58).

denounced the parson, it was the Spirit of God which
drove him to it.

54 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
Anders Utzi maintained that Jesus was a sinner, but
that he was pure and free from sin because Jesus had
taken his sins on his shoulders and suffered, thereforo
Jesus must be a sinner, and he free from all sins.
Matthis Hsetta declared that he was far above God.
Aslak Hsetta was so holy and righteous that, as far as he
was concerned, the Bible might be burnt, as he did no
longer require it for his guidance.
When reading these ebullitions, which are literally.
quoted from the Court Records, one might imagine that
they were the ravings of hopeless lunatics, and maybe
it might be justifiable to look upon the whole commotion
as a kind of religious madness ; but there is one strange
and uncommon feature about this madness, interesting*
almost demoniac in its form, viz., that it attacked a
whole race almost to a man.
On Christmas Day, when Stockfleth lectured in the
school-house, a woman, Marit Aslaksdatter, rose and
delivered a long address, which caused a great sensation
amongst those present, and afterwards she and another
woman began to hoot and swear so that they had to be
removed. The school-teacher, Isak Hsetta, then ex
claimed, " Parson, you are a wolf who destroys the
lambs, instead of guiding them as a good shepherd."
When the verger, on the Sunday between Christmas
and New- Year, was about to put out the lights in the
church, a little girl, eleven years of age, began to preach
damnation over those who did not acknowledge the
Saints. It affected the verger so much that he, too,
became " clear-sighted," and could " look into the hearts
of men," &c. In a fortnight's time, however, he re-

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 55
covered his senses. He had so long been the object of
incessant lecturing and solicitations on the part of the
Saints that he became enervated in body and mind, and
was carried away from the right path for a time.
The same night a Lapp entered Stockfleth's study,
threw himself on a chair, and said, " I have come to
bleed you." Stockfleth thanked him for his kind offer,
but said that he preferred another occasion, that it was
late, and that he was tired. But being unable to induce
the Lapp to go, and postpone the tapping of some of
the Devil's blood flowing in his veins, he began to put
out the candles before leaving the room. When the first
candle went out the Lapp fixed his eyes intently on Stock
fleth, and on the second following suit, he rushed, as if
in great terror, out through the door, and Stockfleth
never saw him again.
An elderly woman was in the habit of going to and
remaining in church in the severest cold without the
least covering on her head. The coal-black locks,
mingled with grey, floated in wild confusion around her
head, but she was quiet and resigned, and bowed her
head every time Stockfleth happened to look at her.
Once, meeting her near the vicarage, he asked her why
she went about bare-headed in such a cold. She at once
answered that the Virgin Mary walked about with bare
_ head, and she being a Holy Virgin, wished to be and
do as she did.
One day, when Stockfleth was engaged in entering
the occurrences of the previous day in his diary, and the
ante-room in the vicarage was, as usual, full of people, he
heard a sudden commotion, the door was flung open, and

56 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
a woman rushed into the room, followed by the crowd,
shouting that he ought to be execrated, bound, and
imprisoned, and that she had come to awaken the Pro
phets from the dead, whilst she smote the Bible on the
table with her fist.
"She is a prophet, hear her," cried a man; and as
the mad woman repeated her adjurations, Stockfleth
suddenly felt himself embraced around the neck from
behind. Turning round in surprise, he beheld the
woman with the long black hair and the bare head, who
declared loudly that if no one else would protect him
she would.
In consequence of the repeated disturbances, Stock
fleth had already despatched a message to the Bishop of
Tromso, requesting him to come to Koutokseino, and he
received the reply that the Bishop and the King's High
Commissioner of the province of Finmarken would arrive
on the 28th of January. Their departure had been fixed
for the 21st of January, when they were to journey by
boat to the village of Lyngen, about forty miles distant
on the coast, and thence overland with reindeer to
Koutokseino. On that day, however, a terrible storm
arose at Tromso, which continued for fifteen days, some
times blowing with the force of a hurricane, which
compelled them to defer their journey. During this
period no news whatever as to their whereabouts reached
Koutokseino. In consequence, great joy reigned among
the Saints, who declared that these high functionaries
who dared to come to judge them had been drowned,
and gone straight to Hell as a punishment.
On Monday, the 9th of February, however, the Bishop

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 57
arrived, and participated henceforth every night in the
prayer-meetings. On the first night the verger came forward and said,
" My dear friends, I confess I have erred and forsaken
the true word of God. I have prayed God and man to
be forgiven, and I renounce your faith."
In sermons, which were interpreted by the verger, the
Bishop analysed the leading points in the assertions of
the Saints, and refuted them with the word of the
Bible. The following Sunday the Bishop distributed the
sacrament in Lappish. The Bishop Juel was the first
Bishop who visited Koutokseino, and the first prelate who
learnt Lappish. During the Bishop's stay the service
was not disturbed to any extent.
A few days after the Bishop's arrival the High Com
missioner also came, and the trial began. In all, twenty-
two persons were_ sentenced to various terms of imprison
ment. Four of these appealed to the King, Oscar I., in
order to ascertain- whether His Majesty was converted or
not ; but as no mitigation of their punishment was
granted, they declared that His Majesty was an uncon
verted king.
On the Sundays following the departure of the high
officials there was always a large congregation, but
perfect decorum and silence prevailed throughout the
service. Stockfleth now let the constables return to
Alten, as he did not deem their presence necessary any
longer. The storm seemed to have passed by. Alas ! it was
but a deceptive, treacherous calm, under which the

58 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
fermenting evil forces gathered renewed strength, in
order that the final outburst should be tenfold more
terrible and destructive.
On the 7th of April the new vicar of Koutokseino,
Herr Hvoslef, arrived with his wife. He had taken his
degree in the Lappish language in Christiania. On
Easter Sunday he was installed by Stockfleth, and on
the same day he delivered his maiden sermon in Lap
pish, of which the whole congregation said they under
stood every word.
On the 20th of April Stockfleth took his departure
from Koutokseino, having suffered some months of terrible
anxiety. About the same time the Mountain Lapps, as usual,
also left the districts which had been the scene of their
fanatic excesses, and throughout the whole summer
peace and quiet reigned in the land.
Autumn game, and with it the returning Lapps.
Dark clouds begin to gather on the horizon, they
increase and unite quickly, and suddenly the storm
breaks in its whole force.
The sentences imposed in the spring on the worst
rioters during the excesses of the previous winter having
been confirmed at the higher Courts were about to be
executed. In consequence thereof, the authorities be
came the object of the intensest fanatical hatred on the
part of the Lapps, particularly as they discovered that
the reindeer and other property of the convicts were to
be sold in order to defray the costs of the trial. This
became particularly the case with the sheriff Bucht,
who, in his capacity as enforcer of the law, had often

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 59
been obliged to employ force against the recalcitrant
people, and who had had to give evidence against the
accused at the trial. The honest, peaceful merchant
Ruth also became the object of great hatred, as he, too,
had given evidence against them, and on occasions
assisted in arresting rioters.
" The sentences are unjust and the work of the Devil,"
said the leaders, and the whole population echoed,
" The sentences are unjust and the work of the Devil."
At Koutokseino church itself matters were at that
time more quiet than the year before ; only now and
then some of the most violent leaders came from other
parts to the place to stimulate the resident Lapps. The
vicar then generally paid them a visit, and was hooted
and cursed, but they never resorted to any violence.
They always departed on Saturday night, in order not to
be in Koutokseino whilst there was service in the church.
But in the reindeer camps all around Lapland the seed
of evil, scattered broadcast, was all the time growing fast,
and would too soon mature.
Early in the autumn most of the leaders joined
company, keeping their reindeer in a common herd,
and their tents close to each other. The most prominent
persons in this spiritual camp were: Aslak Hsetta,
Aslak Rist, Aslak Somby, and Ole Somby.
Of these Aslak Hsetta must be considered to have been
the principal leader in the events which followed. He
was twenty-eight years of age, and gifted with a
remarkably bright mind. He called himself the King
and God of the Lapps, with unlimited power to do what
ever he chose. The Trinity resided in him.

00 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

The next in power was Mons Somby, twenty-seven
years of age, and who lived in another reindeer camp.
During the trial he stated that he was the most just and
righteous man on earth, and at the same time Aslak
Hsetta declared that Mons Somby was his equal spirit
ually, but he had not his proportion of secular power.
As number three must be named Aslak Rist, thirty
years of age, who declared before the Court that Mons
Somby stood above him in spiritual rank, but that Aslak
Hsetta stood above Mons Somby, and that parson
Lastadius was the nearest to God.
Finally may be mentioned Aslak Hsetta's brother,
Lars Hsetta, a very talented lad of eighteen, who had, as
may be remembered, been a prominent figure amongst
the others during the disturbances the previous winter.
In spite of his youth, he played one of the most pro
minent parts in the terrible events which I am about
to relate.
Among those condemned during the previous winter
was one Elen Skum, whose husband had already been
conveyed to the House of Correction for his share in the
excesses. She was sentenced to six months' hard labour.
As she considered herself one of the most holy of women,
she naturally looked upon the conviction as a most
unjust persecution, and decided to avoid being punished.
She therefore removed to the joint reindeer camp, where
she lived in adultery with Ole Somby, the entire horde
promising to protect her against the Devil's servants, and
with all their strength to resist her capture, as she was
innocent before God.
When the sheriff, therefore, arrived in the camp, she

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 61
was carried off by the Saints, and when he afterwards
despatched Johannes Hsetta to arrest her, they refused
with threats to deliver up Elen, " even if several thousand
devils were sent to take her."
This woman was, by-the-bye, not the only example of
the breach of the matrimonial pledge during these
disturbed times. Thus, Marit Skum left her husband
" for the sake of her belief," and went to live with Aslak
Rist, calling herself the " Wife of the Apostles." Peder
Gorvatus's wife was persuaded by Mons Somby to leave
her husband ; he telling her that it was wrong to stay
with a man who was an unbeliever. She therefore
left him, and cohabited with Somby in the spiritual
camp. When the husband subsequently followed to
demand her back, he was tied with outstretched arms to
a log of wood, and left thus in the open air from noon
to midnight. He was then released for a few minutes,
but again tied in the same position and left till the
morning. The woman would not return to her husband,
and he was obliged, for the sake of his little children, to
remove to the camp.
In the common camp a fresh visit from the sheriff was
expected every day, and preparations were, therefore,
made to muster in as strong a force as possible on the
occasion, and in order to be able at some future date
to carry out Aslak Hsetta's scheme — which he had only
confided to one or two of his confederates — viz., to
proceed en masse to Koutokseino and kill the infidels.
Every effort was, therefore, made by persuasions or
intimidations to induce more men to remove to the
camp, while casual visitors were forcibly detained, and

62 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
by flogging and torture terrorised into abetting the
leaders. Aslak Hsetta's plans soon matured. They were to
organise an army of Saints, which should proceed to
Koutokseino, preach conversion, murder those who
resisted, and burn the church and the buildings, and
destroy every object belonging to the infidels.
In a few weeks this was no longer a rumour : from
tent to tent the call sounded " to arms and join in the
war against the unbelievers."
I may give an illustration, amongst many, of the
proceedings of the Saints during this period.
Peder Koutokseino, a Settled Lapp, being on a journey
from Koutokseino, was obliged to pass the camp. He
was waylaid by Aslak Hsetta and Ole Somby, who bullied
him on account of his want of belief and impenitence,
threatened to stab him if he did not become converted,
and finally knocked him out of his Pulk, and gave him
a severe whipping, having previously stripped him.
They then called upon him to accept their faith and
make penance, and compelled him to repeat incessantly
the words, " Help me, my Lord Jesus." He was then
carried into the tent occupied by Ole Somby and Elen
Skum, his legs having been tied with a reindeer-rein,
where he was kept prisoner. In the night Thomas Eira
and Elen Utzi came to the tent, dragged him outside,
and whipped him all over his uncovered body.
He was then dragged back into the tent and put into
the furthest corner, so that he should not escape. He
was compelled to repeat incessantly the cry, "Help me,
my Lord Jesus," until he fell asleep exhausted. When

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 63
this was discovered Elen Spein was set to watch him, and
rouse him, so that he should not sleep, but repeat the
words. She was, moreover, supplied with a whip to thrash
him if he remonstrated or fell asleep. This was all
organised by Aslak Hsetta, who even, to increase the
torture, thawed the broom in water, " to make it smart
more," as those previously used had been frozen.
The next morning the whole camp was moved ten miles
further away from Koutokseino, Th« new grounds were
not reached until the afternoon, and it was dark before
the tents could be raised.
On the road Peder was not tied, but a careful watch
was kept upon him by everybody. Having been led into
Elen Skum's tent, he was again compelled to repeat the
prayer, " Help me, my Lord Jesus."
In the morning Marit Skum entered the tent, exclaim
ing, " Who is the master in this tent — who lets a Heathen
sleep here ? " He was then led out of the tent, continu
ing his exclamations. The so-called " unconverted " in
the camp were then led together, and were whipped by
the female Saints, while they had to tug at each other's
arms and neck for the purpose of " getting an idea what
Hell was like." Aslak Hsetta, Aslak Rist, and Mons Somby
acted as a guard whilst these cruelties were perpetrated.
They were continued for several hours.
In the afternoon Peder was whipped over the face and
hands so severely that blood flowed, and his limbs be
came swollen. He was then kept in the tent for the rest
of the day without being molested further, but he had to
pray incessantly. In the evening Aslak Hsetta entered the
tent, and asked him if he would accompany the believers

64 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
to Koutokseino to preach conversion and penance, and
to kill those who refused to believe. In terror of his
life the wretched man had to promise this. As we shall
see presently he became later on a fanatic in the war
against the infidels, when he had first " tasted blood."
In this and similar ways the leaders tried to increase
their army. Husband compelled wife and wife husband
to join in the war. It was a sacred cause ; the victory of
the Believers over the Unbelieving, and revenge over
the injustice sustained.
"The righteousness of God demands it," exclaimed
Elen Skum ; " it will not permit the existence of such
impenitent people ; follow me ; I, Aslak Hsetta, and Mons
Somby are One in the Divinity ; a voice from Heaven
has commanded me to destroy the infidels at Koutokseino."
" You are unworthy of life," they said to Johannes
Hsetta, as he promised to follow the horde if they in
return undertook not to do anything unlawful ; " God has
called upon us to perform this deed, and what God has
ordained is no sin." " No, it is no sin," the crowd shouted,
" as nothing occurs without the sanction of God."
"Follow us," said the mother to her son, "if you desire
to share in the salvation." "Follow us," said the
husband to his wife, " or you will be excluded from the
infinite salvation. Your two sons — Mons and Ole — and
Aslak Hsetta have told you, you know, that they are the
guard at the gate of Heaven."
Elen Spein related how her spirit had been informed by
a voice from Heaven that it behoved them to destroy the
infidels, and her little sister Kirsten stated that the Spirit
of God had called upon her to join in the destruction.

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 65
At last Aslak Hsetta considered the time mature for
action ; he had collected in the camp a force sufficient to
attack and annihilate the infidels at Koutokseino.
It was Sunday, 7th of November, 1852. Aslak Hsetta
went from tent to tent summoning the Lapps to follow
him, and threatening those who refused with death.
"All must follow, not even a dog shall be left behind,"
were his commands. He ordered them all to gather out
side his tent.
The plan was ripe. The next day they should all be
in Koutokseino, kill the sheriff and the merchant, burn
the church, the vicarage, and the trading station, punish
the infidels and the parson, and carry the latter and his
wife off with them, in order to prevent him preaching,
and compel him to live like a Lapp, and, finally, to seize
or destroy the goods and properties of those who would
not embrace their faith. Each one of the participators in
the war of destruction should be responsible for what was
done, even if he had no' share in the actual deed.
In the evening all were ready outside Aslak Hsetta's
tent. There were fifty adult men, besides women and
youths. Not a soul was left behind ; even the dogs were
taken away. The tents were struck, and only the rein
deer required for driving followed the caravan. One of
the Pulks was loaded with birch-brooms for the chastise
ment of the infidels. Before starting Aslak Hsetta
summoned the whole camp to prayers, under which the
women in particular were greatly affected, some exclaiming
in a doleful voice, "Help us, 0 Jesus," whilst others
gave vent to their feelings in hysterics and loud shrieks.
This over, the caravan moved forward in a long line of
VOL. II. f

66 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
Pulks, in which Aslak Hsetta was the last, so that he
could see what took place. Johan Haetta attempted twice
to escape, but was recaptured. A vigilant eye was also
kept on Peder, in order that he should not escape and
prepare the people at Koutokseino for what was coming.
Shortly before midnight the religious army arrived at
Galanito, where they intended sleeping. Here lived
Morten Tornensis and his family, Aslak Sara's wife, and
Lars Gaino and wife, all of whom were known to be
unbelievers. Morten Tornensis being absent, luckily
escaped being torlured, but the others were first tied
hand and foot, and whipped in the most revolting-
manner with the brooms, and then compelled to pray.
When the wretched victims had somewhat recovered, a
display illustrating the sufferings of the damned in Hell
was arranged. The victims were tied hand and foot and
laid on the floor. They were then dragged backwards
and forwards on the stomach and the back by two men,
while the rest of the company belaboured their naked
bodies with brooms. During these brutal proceedings
Aslak Hsetta for a moment left the room, and finding
some women chatting outside, he shouted to them,
"I will send my angels from Heaven to punish you
lazy women, who stand idly by instead of doing your
duty." He then pushed them inside, where they had to
participate in the whipping. He also compelled Peder
to whip Lars Gaino, "because they were such good
friends," and to crown his cruelties lit a piece of tinder
under the tied man's face.
When the fanatics had exhausted their fiendish nature,
they went to rest, leaving their victims tied on the floor.

The Beign of Terror in Lapland.

67

In the night, when everything was quiet, Lars Gaino
succeeded, however, in loosening his bonds and stole

A SUFFERER. MY FRIEND BRITA JOHANNESDATTER TORNENSIS.

cautiously from the tent. But his flight was soon dis
covered, and he was pursued by the whole band. After
F 2

68 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
a smart chase he succeeded in gaining the river-bank ; a
daring jump, and the darkness saved him. He lay all
the night concealed in a copse, until he in the morning
heard them pass by, when he returned to his hut. It was
empty ; every one had been compelled to follow ; but on
the table in the middle of the room stood a Komse with
his little baby in — asleep. The rioters had evidently
forgotten it in the excitement. The stores in the house
had been broken into and robbed, chests forced open, and
a pocket-book with money carried off. The latter was
afterwards recovered. Aslak Hsetta had kept the money.
Early on the morning of the 8th of November the
band approached Koutokseino. On the river they met
Johannes Mathiesen's young son Mathis, who in vain
tried to avoid them. He was caught, whipped till he
fainted, and carried off in a Pulk, Mons Somby sitting
upon him. His little brother, twelve years of age, was
tortured in the same cruel manner.
When they arrived at Johannes Mathiesen's house a
halt was made. The reindeer were unharnessed, but ten
of the best animals were told off to accompany the band
to Koutokseino.
Johannes Mathiesen was called upon to join the host,
but returned an evasive reply. The stay here was very
short. Johannes stated afterwards that they seemed in
a hurry to get away. Having seized and carried off his
daughter twenty years of age, crying, the rioters proceeded
towards the merchant Ruth's dwelling, having previously
provided themselves with a good supply of heavy staves
of birch-wood taken from a neighbouring fence.
It was now between eight and nine in the morning.

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 69
Johannes Mathiesen's farm is situated a very short
distance from the vicarage and the trading station. The
present sheriff's residence was not built in those days,
and Bucht resided with the merchant.
Hooting and shouting, the band approached the village,
while on the croft outside the house stood Ruth and Bucht
with the warehouseman. Bucht at once ran into the
house to warn Ruth's wife of the approach of a band of
turbulent Lapps, asking her to lock herself in, and not
fear. At the head of the band walked Aslak Hsetta with a
big staff in his hand. He went straight up to Bucht,
exclaiming, " Be converted, sheriff of the Devil ! " and
without waiting for reply felled him to the ground with
his staff. He then threw himself upon him, and holding
him down bit off his nose. He then drew Bucht's
knife from the sheath, and stabbed the wretched victim
in the left arm-pit. At Aslak's call for help Elen
Skum, Aslak Somby, and Auden Bsehr came running
up, and struck the sheriff with their staves until they
thought he was dead. He regained, however, his senses,
got up, and ran towards the door, but he was overtaken
by Aslak Hsetta, Aslak Rist, and Ole Somby, who began
to strike him on the head, and then Aslak Hsetta stabbed
him under the right shoulder-blade with his knife, which
he carried with both hands, with such a force that it
went in to the hilt. The knife was eight inches long,
one inch broad, and a quarter of an inch across the back.
At once, when Bucht was attacked, Ruth ran to his
assistance, but he was immediately set upon by Aslak
Rist and Elen Skum, who struck him on the head with

70 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
their staves, while others clung to his legs. He at
tempted to wrench the staff from a woman, but was
caught around the waist by Ole Somby, whilst Mons
Somby and Lars Hsetta belaboured him on head and
shoulders with their staves until he lost consciousness.
On reviving he rose on his knees, and, resting on his
hands, cried in despair, " Will nobody help me ? " He
was then struck on the head until he fainted, and was
left for dead.
Bucht was then dragged over the ground and laid by
the side of Ruth. He rose, however, again and ran into
the house, but was a second time overtaken by Mons
Somby, who struck him so violently on the back of the
head that he fainted. He was then dragged back to
where Ruth lay by Mons Somby and Aslak Hsetta, and
laid by his side. For the third time he managed to get
on his feet, and succeeded in gaining the hall, followed
by the two murderers. As he ran up the stairs to the
second floor Aslak Hsetta caught him by the leg, but the
nold slipped, and the sheriff succeeded in getting into a
room, the door of which he locked. Mons Somby
followed, however, with an axe, burst the door open to
the room, where he found Bucht lying half-dead on a
bed. He struck him several times on the head with the
weapon, but Bucht only moved his eyes. Mons then
shouted through the window, " There is still life in the
sheriff!" to which Aslak Hsetta replied, "Antichrist
has nine lives." He then rushed up the stairs and into
the room, followed by Lars Hsetta, Thomas Eira, Henrik
Skum, and some women, amongst whom was Elen Skum,
who all now continued the torture of the unhappy man.

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 71
Aslak Hsetta struck him repeatedly with the leg of a
loom standing in the room, but as life still lingered he
attempted to stab him in the breast with his knife. He
failed, however, in this, as the knife was too blunt. " The
Lord have mercy on me," sighed the poor sufferer, scarcely
audibly. Aslak then commanded his brother Lars to
commit the deed. Lars grasped his sheath knife — of
the same dimensions as the other — and holding it on
the breast of his victim, while Thomas Eira steadied it,
hammered it in to the hilt with his staff.
With this the last spark of life departed. When Lars
had withdrawn his knife, which left a large, terrible
gaping wound in the body, while the blood flowed in
copious streams down to the floor, the murderers left
the room, leaving the body on the bed.
Ruth had in the meantime, lying in the spot where he
fell, been struck and kicked by a lot of women, but as
he was still alive Aslak Hsetta ordered Ole Somby to kill
him with his knife. He obeyed, and here too Thomas
Eira assisted by holding the handle, whilst Ole knocked
it in to the hilt with a piece of wood.
When Ruth was dead the women began to strike the
dead man with their staves so severely that his head was
battered in, his neck broken, and the body became one
mass of wounds.
Aslak Haetta then ordered the body to be thrown into
a well, but, reflecting a moment, said, " No ; let him lie
where he is, in sight of all Israel."
In the passage from the door Ruth's wife had been
standing when her husband was attacked. When she
saw him on his knees she ran to his assistance, throwing

72 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
herself between him and his assailants. She was at once
struck on the head, and would undoubtedly have been
murdered had not her servant dragged her back into the
passage. She then fainted with the pain, but on re
covering ran as fast as she could to the vicarage.
Ruth's man succeeded, after having received several
blows, in reaching the top of the house, where he con
cealed himself. When Bucht was dead, and he heard
the murderers make off, he crept down from his hiding-
place. But he was discovered, seized, and dragged to
the vicarage.
The vicar, Hvoslef, was standing in the kitchen talking
to his wife, and unapprehensive of any danger, when Ruth's
wife came rushing in with her maid, both in the highest
state of excitement, crying, " They are killing Ruth ! "
The undaunted parson at once ran to the trading
station in the hope of saving his friend. He found him
lying on his back, his white face turned towards heaven,
surrounded by a band of frantic women, who never
seemed to get tired of striking the dead body. Sick
with the sight, he ransacked the house to find the sheriff,
in order to ask him to send a messenger to Autzie for
help, but failing in finding him, the truth flashed upon
him, and he sank on his knees in prayer.
The rioters having pursued him, at that moment broke
tumultuously into the room, and Ole Somby at once
stuck him with his staff on the head, " because he did
not pray in the right manner, which would satisfy the
demands of the Spirit." He asked them where Bucht
was. They answered, " Gone to Hell with two knives in
his back."

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 73
The whole crowd now began to strike the vicar with
their fists, to push and kick him, so that he was obliged
to throw away his spectacles, in order to avoid getting
the glass into his eyes.
He was then dragged out on the snow before the house
to where Ruth's body lay, alongside which he was cast,
whilst he was all along ill-treated by men and women
and even children of both sexes, who tore his clothes,
struck him, and spat in his face, whilst Aslak Rist — to
whom Ole Somby had delivered him, declaring that it
was far beneath his saintly dignity to touch a parson —
stood before him with flashing eyes and raving gestures,
shouting, " Repent your sins, you Son of the Devil, you
Assassin of Souls," whilst the crowd cried, " Ask Jesus
Christ to forgive you."
The greater part of the band now proceeded towards
the vicarage, whither Aslak Rist also soon followed,
leading the parson, whom he kept on knocking about, in
order, as he said, " to knock the Devil out of him."
We will follow them as soon as we have seen what
is taking place at the trading station.
Whilst the murder of Ruth and Bucht was taking
place the former's house, where every room had been
broken open and all the windows smashed, was at Aslak
Hsetta's command sacked. The furniture was destroyed,
and every other moveable article packed into the Pulks.
From the stores, too, a quantity of articles were taken, as,
for instance, coffee, sugar, powder and shot. Aslak then
gave orders, under the penalty of death to those who
disobeyed, to fire the house. He began himself to cut
wood, which was carried into the house, and the firing

74 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
was effected by Peder Olsen, who lighted some wood
under a chest of drawers. As the windows were smashed,
the current soon gave the fire excellent nourishment, and
in a few moments the whole building was a mass of flames.
Outside it, watching the play of the licking flames,
stood the fiendish band eating a large salmon which they
had stolen from the stores, whilst the leaders related
under great merriment how tough Bucht had been, and
how they had finally succeeded in despatching him.
" Lend me your knife, Peder Olsen," said Thomas Eira,
" to cut myself a piece ; I will not use my own, as it has
the blood of the Devil on it. With that I stabbed Ruth
and Bucht."
Aslak Hsetta had in the meantime been busy else
where in giving some of the band orders to cross the
river to the Settled Lapps living there, flog them, and
bring them to the vicarage. A casual visitor who came
to trade with Ruth was also seized and brought thither,
so that the vicarage was by this time surrounded by a
large crowd of people.
As soon as the vicar had left his wife and the other
two women they locked the front door. Shortly after
wards a band appeared at the house, walked round it,
knocking on the walls with their staves, and as they
could not gain an entrance, they began to smash the
windows. The poor women fled in terror from room
to room, and finally took refuge in the larder, but on
the windows being also smashed, and the rioters gaining
admission to the house by breaking open a side-
door, they gave up all idea of resistance, and walked
into the kitchen to meet their assailants. They were

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 75
taken into the drawing-room, stripped, and dreadfully
whipped. Later on some more women were brought into
the room, and assaulted in the most cruel manner.
The vicar had by this time reached the house, led by
Aslak Hsetta. He attempted to start a conversation with
his guard, in order to gain time, in the hope that assist
ance would arrive from Autzie, and to draw him towards
Johannes Mathiesen's house, whence he might be able to
despatch a messenger for help. But it was all in vain.
Aslak and the other led him back to the vicarage, whilst
he cursed the Devil in him. Hvoslef suffered greatly
from the severe cold, viz., 70° below freezing point, as
he was without hat, and had only his dressing-gown on.
He asked, therefore, Aslak to lend him one of his two
Psesks, which he did, as well as handing him his gloves
and cap. These were of great protection to him under
the subsequent assaults.
In the meantine the work of destruction proceeded in
the vicarage. The window-frames were broken away with
staves and axes, and the crowd crawled in through the
openings. The vicar was now led into the room where
the women were whipped. He begged the fiendish
people to spare them; he fell on his knees praying
loudly, but the fanatics only became appeased when they
heard the name of Jesus pronounced. Some horrible
scenes were now enacted. All the unconverted were
whipped in turn on the bare body, in order to drive the
" old Adam " out of them. The vicar and the merchant's
lad were tied by their legs, and dragged round the floor
amidst the curses, hoots, and shouts of the multitude,
whilst they were whipped with birch-brooms. The high

76 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
collar of the Psesk and the cap averted at first many
of the strokes aimed at the vicar, but when this was
discovered the cap and the gloves were torn off him, and
he began soon to bleed on the head and hands. The
women were thrown down on the floor, the fanatics sat
down upon them, and whipped them on the naked body,
and on the head and face, so that they swelled and
bled. Several fainted. In the pauses between the
tortures the wretched victims were forced to fall on their
knees and invoke Jesus.
Aslak Rist supervised this act, but the whipping was
executed by women.
When the vicar called upon his wife and fellow-
sufferers to be patient and show fortitude, and put their
confidence in God, the rage of the torturers knew no
bounds, and their ill-treatment was doubled. The vicar
was treated with the greatest cruelty, and he was several
times believed to be dead. This terrible spectacle, which
lasted several hours, was accompanied by hoots, shouts,
and yells which the demons of Dante's Inferno might
have had some difficulty in imitating.
Peder Olsen stood whilst it lasted as guard outside the
windows, so that nobody should escape that way, striking at
any one who approached from within with a thick staff.
Through the door a large fire was seen. It was Ruth's
house in flames. The vicar asked Aslak Rist for a
moment to release his legs, and the latter complied- with
his request, and led Hvoslef out on the kitchen steps,
where he pointed to the burning house, saying, " Behold,
parson, how the unbelieving burn in Hell ; if you will
humble yourself before the Spirit I will let you live."

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 77
As some of the fanatics at that moment left the
vicarage in order to finish the looting of Ruth's stores,
the whipping ceased for a time, but the victims were still
kept tied and nobody permitted to leave the room.
When the building had nearly burnt out the whipping
and tortures began afresh, but now those who were
brought from the adjacent settlements chiefly suffered.
Savage, infernal yells again filled the room, mingled with
cries of pain; those who were not quick and severe
enough in whipping were struck on the head with the
brooms of the others.
At three o'clock in the afternoon a cry was raised
without : " The Autzie people are coming ! " In the
room it was received as a message from Heaven. The
unhappy, wretched, tortured beings breathed once more.
" Help is coming ! " they whispered to each other.
"Nobody shall leave the room," shouted Aslak Rist.
One man was left as guard inside the room whilst the
rest of the demons gathered outside the vicarage.
In the morning a little boy came running to Johannes
Mathiesen and told him that Ruth and Bucht were
murdered. Johannes at once strapped on his Ski and
hastened to Autzie.
He arrived there just before noon, informed the people
what was taking place at Koutokseino, and called upon
them at once to come to the rescue of those who still
lived. By a fortunate coincidence all the inhabitants
were at home when he arrived, and had all their reindeer
ready for carrying hay and wood that very afternoon.
Some Mountain Lapps from another district also hap
pened to be at Autzie.

78 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
Everyone was willing to go to Koutokseino, and as
soon as the necessary preparations were made the entire
company set out. There were sixteen men and three
women, six of whom were armed with rifles and the rest
provided themselves with long birch-staves.

MY VENERABLE FRIEND, JOHANNES MATHIESEN HSETTA.
It was about three o'clock in the afternoon when they
arrived at Koutokseino.
The reindeer were tethered near the church, and the
company proceeded on foot to the trading station.
The fire still gleamed from the sinking house. Before
it a large crowd of people was seen advancing towards
the newcomers. When the two parties had approached

The Beign of Terror in Lapland.

1 9

each other near enough to be heard, the Saints asked the
Autzie people to humble themselves before them. The

A RESCUER OF THE SETTLEMENT, CLEMENT GUNDERSEN.

verger, Clement Gundersen, who was walking a little in
front of the rest, suggested that the Saints should send a

80 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
man to the Autzie people, in order that both parties
could negotiate in peace. No answer was returned to
this, but with savage yells Aslak Hsetta and his followers
made a rush at Clement.
" Back, or I fire ! " shouted Clement, and as no notice
was taken of his warning he fired at Aslak, without
however hurting him, as he had in his hurry forgotten
to put a bullet in.
In the next instant a general fight ensued. Shot
was fired upon shot, while the staves crossed each other
with loud crashes. Clement Gundersen was struck so
violently on the head that he sank on his knees.
Aslak Hsetta attempted to grip him by the throat, but
Clement getting two of his fingers between his teeth
bit him so severely that he roared with pain. In the
same moment Johannes Mathiesen hit Aslak on the
head with his staff, felling him fainting to the ground.
Clement then let go his fingers and got up. He then
took up Aslak's staff, with which he struck right and
left. Shots were fired incessantly and severe blows were
given on both sides, but although the Saints were twice
as numerous as the Autzie people they were at last over
powered, most of them being shot or knocked senseless.
Many of the Saints were killed or died afterwards from
their wounds.
The fight was over. The Autzie people had gained a
splendid victory, although they had suffered severely.
Koutokseino was saved from total destruction.
The unhappy prisoners in the vicarage were again
free. They sank on their knees, and a warm prayer of
thanks at their delivery ascended to Heaven.

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 81
The miscreants lying senseless on the ground were
bound hand and foot, and conveyed on Pulks to the
" Stabur " at the vicarage, where they were locked up.
The articles taken from the house and stores of the
merchant had been thrown on the fire as soon as
the Autzie people came in sight, "in order that the
unbelievers should not benefit by them, if the Saints
were vanquished."
Ruth's body was found on the spot where he fell,
frozen stiff, and covered with blood. Of Bucht, on the
other hand, only some charred bones were found in the
embers of the smouldering house.
A guard was set outside the Stabur, and within the
fanatics, who soon regained consciousness, stormed,
raved, yelled and cursed, regretting that they had not
killed more, and wished they were free in order to do so.
The poor little children whose mothers were prisoners ran
about crying pitifully, "Let mother loose, let mother
loose ! "
It was almost impossible to get sufficient reindeer and
men to transport the prisoners to Alten, as most of the
inhabitants in the district had fled in terror at the
events of the last few weeks. Not until Wednesday night
could they be despatched. On the morning of that day
the vicar and his friends sung a hymn of thanksgiving
outside the Stabur in the hearing of the victims.
At first the windows in the vicarage had to be covered
up with boards and reindeer skin, so that it was perfectly
dark in the room. The cold was at the time so severe
that Psesks had to be worn indoors, as it penetrated
everywhere.
vol. n. G

82 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
The rioters had left their reindeer without anyone" to
guard them ; and more than 3,000 were scattered far and
wide over Lapland, doing a great deal of damage to the
hay stores of the Settled Lapps.
At the great trial which followed thirty-three persons
were indicted for murder, arson, robbery, and theft, and
at the Superior Court of the Realm five were condemned
to death, viz., Aslak Hsetta and Lars Hsetta, Mons Somby,
Elen and Henrik Skum ; eight to imprisonment
for life, amongst whom were Aslak Rist, Thomas Eira,
and Aslak Somby, and the rest to imprisonments of
various duration.
By the clemency of the king, the extreme penalty of the
law was, however, only carried out on Aslak Hsetta and
Mons Somby, who were beheaded at Alten. They evinced
not the least contrition during their trial, and died pro
testing that they had committed no crime, but had only
executed the will of God, and had been the defenders
of the cause of the Spirit against the unconverted.
Lars Hsetta was, on account of his youth, pardoned,
and sentenced to penal servitude for life instead. For
several years he lingered in the House of Correction
in Christiania, but not in idleness and ignorance.
He had not been there long before the unusual bright
ness of his uncultivated mind, his emotional dis
position and his good conduct in general, attracted
the attention of the prison officials, who, with that
praiseworthy zeal which distinguishes Norwegian gaol
officers, determined to develop the same, and enable
the criminal, perhaps, to earn the "gem of life," viz.,
Freedom.

The Beign of Terror in Lapland.

83

First of all he had to be taught his own language,
and to write it, and when this was accomplished, the
officials proceeded with their exertions to teach him

LARS &ETTA, THE TRANSLATOR OF THE BIBLE INTO LAPPISH.

Norwegian in a manner which deserves the highest
commendation, and which was to bear magnificent fruits.
In a remarkably short space of time he mastered this
language, an acquisition which he immediately began ta
a 2

84 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
utilise for the good of his race by translating the " Book
of Books " into his native tongue, whereby he became
the first translator of the Gospel into Lappish. Next he
undertook the translation of the New Testament, the
Psalms, and a number of religious tracts, and, in conse
quence of what he had so justly earned by this work
the remainder of his sentence was remitted by King
Charles XV. in 1867, and Lars Hsetta, now an old man,
once more set foot in his native land.
Since then his conduct has fully justified this act of
grace, and several are the obligations which society
owes to him beyond the above-mentioned. He has thus
been the faithful guide of several scientific expeditions
despatched to Lapland, and has also rendered valuable
assistance to the Scandinavian staff-officers whose
duty it has been to regulate the frontier between the
dominions of King Oscar and those of the Czar.
Lars Hsetta has in addition translated several secular
works into Lappish, actions which have raised him to
the position of un homme ceTebre in his native land. As
he appears in our illustration, few would suspect that this
man was a murderer as well as the translator of the Holy
Gospel into Lappish. He now resides at Koutokseino,
and the writer of these lines is indebted to him for
several services, among which that of sitting before
his camera.
The merciless and unflinching severity with which
the Government put down the Reign of Terror in
Lapland fell like a thunderbolt among the Lapps,
and even at the present day they shudder and turn
pale when mention is made of those terrible November

The Beign of Terror in Lapland. 85
days, and the awful fate which befell the perpetrators of
crime. We have now followed the commotion from its origin .
It was doubtless in its cause the outcome of religious
broodings, which became by degrees mingled with
feelings of arrogance and lust of power, whilst in the
final act motives of selfishness and personal hatred
became glaringly apparent. That the commotion should
assume such dimensions and have such terrible results
is explicable if we remember the vivid imagination of
the Lapp, and his emotional and susceptible mind. It
must also be said that the scanty spiritual guidance
accorded to the Lapps in those days, and their confused
ideas of Law and Government, which prevented them
seeing that those who acted against them in such
a severe manner were solely stimulated by the purest
motives, contributed towards the rising.
However this may be, the Reign of Terror in Lapland
stands forth as one of the most remarkable events in the
religious history of our age, and the narrative I have
told — mere dry facts, mind — reads more like the record
of the ravings of a diseased mind.

86 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

CHAPTER III.
JOURNEYS TO HATTA, MUONIONISKA, AND KARESUANDO.
The Pleasures of a Traveller — Something on " y " — An Unwel
come Guest — The Result of his Visit — The Start at Last — •
A Drive in a Snowstorm — A Refuge — A Banquet at a " Grand
Hotel "¦ — A Night on the Mountain — In the Empire of the
Czar — A Diplomatic " Wedge " — Onward !• — In the Land of
the Thousand Lakes — The " Straight Line " of a Reindeer —
A Lovely Midnight Drive — A Centre of Religious Fana
ticism — Absolution Dispensed Wholesale — An Evening in a
" Holy " Place ¦ — The Finns — The Kv^ens — A Linguistic
Puzzle — Bathing enfaraille — A Land of Lakes and Forests —
An Hospitable Spot in the Wilderness — A Pleasant Even
ing — A Finnish Church Service — Finnish versus Lappish — A
Desolate Spot— Disappointment— On the way Home— Con
fusing Frontiers — Caught in a Snowstorm — A Pleasant
Night — Welcome Back !
" Wenn Jem and eine Beise thuht so kann er was
erzahlen," says a German proverb. When a man has
travelled he must have something to tell, you may
perhaps say, and having now held the reader so long
captive in the Koutokseino solitude, I feel it doubly
incumbent on me to tell something of what I saw
and experienced on my journey to — well, you shall soon
learn where. I must say, by-the-bye, that the duty does
not weigh heavily on me, as he who has travelled feels
compelled to relate something — yea, you might as well
attempt to stem mighty Niagara itself as the narrative
of a man who for nine months has been shut out from

Journeys to Hatta, Muonioniska, and Karesuando. 87
every vestige of civilisation, with a dog, a few hundred
reindeer, and a score of Lapps for his sole society and
enjoyment, were the journey but a walk through a
village high street. And to be candid, gentle reader, is
it not one of the greatest delights and rewards of the
journey to think : " What shall I not have to relate when I
get home ? " Does not many a traveller hurry from one
museum or gallery to another, and toil in the sweat of his
brow up mountains and down valleys, not so much from
any individual interest in seeing either the one or the
other, but merely to be able to say to his friends at home
over the dinner or in the cosy nook of the club-room :
" Oh, yes, I have been there ; know it well ! "
I confess I do not differ in this respect from the rest of
mankind, and having now played the overture we will
raise the curtain. You are welcome to call the spectacle
a comedy or anything else on " y " you choose, but I am
not going to remove all interest in what is to follow
by at once divulging the plot. This, however, I may
say, that the first scene is laid in one of the humble
dwellings of Koutokseino, and that the dramatis persons
are the sheriff, a man from Bossekop, the author, and
two Lapps, supported by seven reindeer, sundry Pulks,
trunks, and provision boxes, the first-mentioned being
clad to the crown of the head in furs and the latter safely
stowed away in the Pulks.
We were to start shortly after noon, but just previously
an incident occurred which had the effect of frustrating
our intention. This was the unexpected arrival of a rare
but not therefore welcome guest, whom the poet has
honoured with the name of " Zephyr." But it was not the

88 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
soft ethereal nymph who, in the gardens of romance,
whispers love to the blushing rose and wafts coolness to
passionate Romeos and Juliets, but a fierce, gruff gentle
man born on the foam -crested waves of the roaring ocean,
and nurtured on the frigid deserts of snow-covered moun
tains, with a temper akin to that of his brother and
opposite neighbour, Boreas, when he is "having his
say." To speak plainly, it was a hurricane from the
south, one of those which are marked on the weather
chart with an arrow and five feathers.
It came not, as usual, with clouds and snow in its train ;
no, the sun stood smilingly in the pure azure sky, and
seemed to contemplate with great satisfaction the lively
play of the galloping winds below. It was indeed not
much they could carry off, a little snow and some sand,
but there was not an atom of either which could resist
being caught in the whirling, sweeping waltz to which
the wind played its own accompaniment, howling and
screeching among the houses. Up along the hills in
the horizon swept clouds of sand, dust, and snow, veiling
the outlines in a haze, and down the slopes they whirled
in mad career, across the grand wilderness, where not a
single object arrested their course. It was peculiar that
this lusty chase was confined to the surface of the earth
and its immediate vicinity, so that a perfect view was
obtained of what seemed to be a magnificent foaming
sea, on which the wavelets glistened in the rays of the
smiling sun as though shot with silver.
We had already said an affectionate good-bye to our
friends whom we were to leave behind, we had exchanged
all such wishes and promises as are customary on these

Journeys to Hatta, Muonioniska,, and Karesuando. 89
occasions, but, in spite of our burning desire to get off, we
had reluctantly to come to the conclusion as soon as we
were outside, where a man. could hardly keep on his legs,
that a journey in the low Pulk, dead against the wind,
sand, and snow, was one of those pleasant ventures termed
a " physical impossibility." There was no help for it, we
had to take off our furs.
The storm raged the whole night and the best part of
the next morning, but towards noon it seemed to have
spent its force, and the giant only indicated by violent
snorts from time to time that he still possessed life. We
again donned our furs, and once more said good-bye.
I shall not tire the reader by describing the troubles
at starting, the hopeless entanglement we got into when
the signal was given, which was only unravelled after a
great deal of strong language ; but, considering that it is
a journey of nearly a fortnight's duration I am about to
detail, I will take a leap forward of some five hours and
twenty miles.
We are now that distance from Koutokseino, on a river
whose name the reader may find some amusement in
pronouncing, viz., Bjevjavaeijoikka, or, more correctly
speaking, by the river of the name. We wish we were
on it, but unfortunately the recent heavy fall of snow has
upset the normal state of affairs here by pressing the ice
down to such an extent that the water floods the surface,
so that there are two streams, one above the other,
divided by a stratum of solid ice. We were consequently
obliged to drive along the bank, a very laborious journey,
as the ground was steep and covered with underwood and
boulders. The evening soon closed in, — the winter's day

90 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
is short in these latitudes, — and to crown our misfortunes
the storm of the previous day broke out afresh, accom
panied by a heavy fall of snow. Now and then a rift in
the heavy clouds revealed to us the full, jovial face of the
moon, and threw for a few moments a magic glimmer
over the fast-falling, glittering flakes of snow, the dark
threatening clouds which hurried northwards across the
heavens, and the landscape where we toiled on in dreary
solitude. Sometimes the reindeer sank to the shoulders
in the deep, loose snow, and sometimes the whole
caravan came to a halt, when the leading reindeer had
jammed the Pulk between two trees. We journeyed now
up-hill, now down-hill, now into big holes, now out of
them. My spectacles were soon covered with a layer
of snow and ice which rendered me optically quite blind,
and when, after a great deal of exertion, I succeeded
in getting them off my ears, buried under the fur-cap, and
dropped them into one of my capacious gloves — not at all
an easy matter with large gloves on and with the injunc
tion in mind of not dropping the rein for a second — the
situation became much worse, as the tiny crystals of snow
and ice drifted into my eyes with a pain as cutting as if
they were needles, and formed a bridge of ice across
my eyebrows. The pain became at last so intense
that I was obliged to shut my eyes, and leave wholly to
the reindeer to carry me where he chose. I will not
enlarge upon such trifles as the beard being transformed
into a solid icicle, as this always occurs to the traveller
in the winter.
But 1 shall not make the account of our sufferings as
long as they lasted, but simply conclude by stating that

Journeys to Hatta, Muonioniska, and Karesuando. 91
we arrived past midnight in an exhausted state at the
mountain-hut of Aidejavre.
These mountain-huts are the " Grand Hotels " of
Lapland, but in case you should prefer " a more modest
accommodation," to use the language of the guide book, I
can recommend a Lapp tent filled with human and animal
vermin, dogs and smoke, or, if you prefer it, a hole in
the snow. Still, here, as everywhere else, it pays best
to go to the best hotels. The traveller may obtain in
these huts an excellent meal, viz., consomme au reindeer,
'fillet de reindeer, and wine and spirits ad lib. — that is to
say, of course, if he brings with him the meat and every
thing else, cooking utensils, &c. Such was our fare, and I
doubt, reader, whether a dinner at the most sumptuous
banquet was ever enjoyed by you as this was by us.
And last, not least, the pipe and the steaming glass of
" something hot," on this as on all subsequent evenings
after a day of hardship and toil in storm and cold ! Just
look at us three where we sit in the dark, narrow chamber,
the roof of which is invisible by the light of a farthing
candle stuck grandly in an empty bottle, while the
embers remaining on the hearth from our culinary
operations shed a faint ruddy glimmer upon us; just
look at us, and you will admit, I am sure, that you never
saw three faces more heartily endorsing the favourite
expression of the sheriff : " Life is really jolly."
Fresh hay was now spread over the only bed, viz., a
wooden box in one corner, and on the floor, and shortly
after we were all as soundly asleep as if lying in the
most luxurious of beds, with no storm howling without,
and no snow gathering within.

92

Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

Another leap, and we are, the next forenoon, at the
mountain-hut of Sitschajavre, some fifteen miles further
south. Here all is just as at Aidejavre ; the same low, wretched
building, the same dreary surroundings.
After a short stay here, we proceed in a southern
direction across the Tschurgimjavre, the Gamasjavre, and

THE mountain-hut at sitschajavre.

the Stuorgoattemjavre, and a number of other "javres,"
a word signifying " lake " in Lappish.
High up on a hill we discern a peculiar structure, viz.,
two parallel and symmetrical block-houses joined at the
ends by means of high palisades with heavy gates.
Through these we drive into the next station, by name
Neckela. Part of one of the side-walls is occupied by an
enormous brick fire-place, in which a tremendous log-

Journeys to Hatta, Muonioniska, and Karesuando. 93
fire is blazing. We listen to a tongue we do not under
stand, which is not Lappish, very strange, and not so
sonorous. On the walls are placards, evidently in the
same language, in Swedish, and in a third language, of
which I do not even understand the characters. But where
are we ? you may well ask. We are, gentle reader, in
Russia, in the Land of the White Czar, in the home of
the knout and the Nihilist.
A great leap indeed, you will probably say ? But it
isn't indeed, I assure you ; we have only travelled twenty
miles since we left Sitschajavre. Maybe, the geogra
phical knowledge of the reader does not serve him im
mediately, so I will take the liberty of referring him to
my map. He will then see that Russia in a most
treacherous and certainly unnatural manner, but no
doubt with perfect diplomatic legitimacy, has managed
to get the Duchy of Finland wedged far in between
Sweden and Norway, in fact with such success that a
strip of land of just about a dozen miles in breadth
alone separates the dominions of the Czar of all the
Eussias from the fjords of Norway. Indeed, you may
breakfast at Koutokseino in the morning, lunch at
Neckela at noon, and dine at Karesuando in the evening,
with the consoling knowledge that you have trod the
soil of two kingdoms and an empire between sunrise
and sunset.
Probably the " wedge " theory is one with which the
reader is not very familiar, but I am sure you have, at least,
seen the cunning ease with which the workman utilises
the wedo-e practically without bothering himself about the
theory. No doubt the same sentiment inspired Eussia

94 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
when she hit on the " Finland Wedge " to split the
Scandinavian twin-kingdom asunder in the heart of
Lapland. But, hush ! — beware ! We are in the land of
Siberian mercy.
Whilst I have been thus straying into the regions of
mechanics and diplomacy we have finished our mid-day
dinner at Neckela, toasted the Czar with three cheers,
and studied to our heart's content the notices on the
wall in the triple languages of Swedish, Finnish, and
Eussian. Our halt here is at an end, our things are again
stowed away in the Pulk, the reindeer harnessed, and
we speed on.
The country now assumes a .milder character by
degrees, and its aspect varies. The barren slopes, only
in rare instances covered with straggling underwood,
become scarcer and scarcer, and shortly afterwards we
are within the immense regions of forest- land, which, in
harmony with the " Thousand Lakes," as the grand
National air of Finland says, forms the venerable kingdom
of Suomi. But as we have to be at Hatta before night,
there is no time for sentimental reflections ; so forward,
straight for our destination. Straight ? Well, the ex
pression must not be taken literally or in a mathematical
sense, as this would give a very inaccurate notion of the
reindeer's mode of running. You might as well attempt
to get the moon to move in a straight line as a reindeer.
Now a detour to the right, now one to the left, and so on
throughout the whole drive. This is the way one travels
in a straight line with a reindeer. The road is, in fact,
serpentine, or, if you know sufficient of mathematics, I

Journeys to Hatta, Muonioniska, and Karesuando. 95
may illustrate the matter by explaining that, instead
of following the diameter, the reindeer goes the half
periphery ; instead of a straight line, the road is formed
of innumerable semicircles, which makes it indeed
1 " 5708 times longer than it ought to be. One animal
follows exactly the track of the preceding one, and the
track made by the first animal and Pulk on new snow is
faithfully followed by every other going in the same
direction, however absurd the deviations may be, until it
is obliterated by a fresh fall of snow. Even if a reindeer
in a Eaide from some cause or another swerves from this
track the rest must follow, the side-spring one makes the
next one must imitate.
But in my comments on the reindeer's fondness for
digressions I have, as you may discover, been guilty of
this fault myself, so quick back to the track !
In the dark night we drive through the majestic
avenues of the immense silent forest, where the lofty and
elegant firs and spruces lift their sombre crowns towards
the sky on which the flaming aurora blends its lustre
with that of the twinkling stars, while below, to the east,
the disk of the full moon rises blood-red between the
stems of the giants of the forest.
After a splendid drive we arrived at Hatta, the church-
village in the parish of Enontekis, a name which has
recently been often mentioned in Scandinavia, as the
place is at present the centre of a religious agitation
which is, in some respects, similar to that created by
the Karesuando parson, Lastadius, and which resulted in
the tragedy at Koutokseino. There is, however, hardly
any danger to be apprehended from the present agitation,

96 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

although the choleric temper of the Lapp is highly sus
ceptible to religious influences, and has the nature of
powder, because the merciless severity with which the
arm of the Law struck those miscreants is still so fresh
in the minds of the people as to deter them from ven
turing on any such excesses as those I have previously
narrated. Still, large numbers of Lapps from Sweden
and Norway now journey to Hatta, where the parson not
only gives them absolution by laying his hand on their
head, but makes them so holy thereby that they too
can dispense absolution to any extent they choose. And
it cannot indeed be denied that the present commotion
has something in common with the last one, when we,
for example, learn that a Lapp, who would not miss any
opportunity of stealing his brother's reindeer, now goes
about dispensing a modicum of that absolution he has
obtained at Hatta.
I should, however, stray too far if I were to record here
the remarkable things which we are told take place and
are taught at Hatta, or to relate the many ridiculous and
impudent attempts made by the Lapps to stir up the
population in the neighbouring Swedish and Norwegian
parishes. Some people say that it is religious fanaticism,
others that it is simply aberration of mind which causes
the present leader to act and teach as he does. The
commotion is, nevertheless, not without interest.
Shall I describe an evening, or rather morning, at
Hatta ? If you are a lover of whist, I may tell you that
we passed the evening in the little parlour of the inn
over several quiet rubbers. Who won and who lost is,
doubtless, a matter of indifference to you, particularly as

Journeys to Hatta, Muonioniska, and Karesuando. '.)!

you did not see our cards, and cannot decide whether the
sheriff was right in insisting that I ought to have played
the knave when I preferred to throw a " nine." It is
doubtful whether a pack of cards could be obtained in
this holy place, but we had been wise enough to bring
one with us from Koutokseino. How we dared to play
cards only within a stone's-throw of the residence of

VIEW OF HATTA.

this saintly parson, you may well ask. Well, I will tell
you ; we ascertained that he was away. Had he been at
home there is not the slightest doubt he would have forced
himself into our company, questioning us whether we
were " saved "; and had he found us with cards, pipes, and
glasses, he not only might have anathematized us as the
children of Hell and the emissaries of his Dark Majesty,
but maybe had us expelled from the place. As there
VOL. II. H

98 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

was nothing of this kind to fear, we finished our rubbers
and our glasses in perfect tranquillity and peace.
There are, by-the-bye, few things I found taste
better than strong reindeer gravy-soup and the milk
which is everywhere plentiful in Finland. "Anna
minulle maido " — Bring me some milk — was indeed the
first and almost only expression of the Finnish language
I learnt on my tour.
Probably you will prefer a description of the mag-

THE CHURCH AT HATTA,

nificent winter's morning which greeted us at Hatta.
The lovely azure sky, the play of the sun on the white
glistening fields, the gay chirping of the birds from the
fir-boughs draped in hoar-frost, and the grand, immense
forests which encircle the long, ice-covered lake of
Hedansjarvi.* What a contrast to the wretched land
scape on which my eyes had dwelt for six long months !
Half hidden between the trees I behold the farms
about the place, and high above on a hill the elegant
* Jdrvi is the Finnish form of the Lappish jarve.

Journeys to Hatta, Muonioniska, and Karesuando. 99
steeple of the new church raising the cross against
the sky. As it is seen thus, remarkably handsome in
its appearance, nobody would believe that it is a cradle
of fanaticism and superstition.
There was one thing which I greatly missed in the
else so attractive and lovely Finland, viz., the strange
life and picturesque dress of the Lapps. Only on very
few occasions we met a representative of this race.

The dress of the Finn is ugly and monotonous, and
gloomy, too, is the physiognomy and bearing of the
people. The black fur-cap of the men and the short jacket
of the women are the only characteristic parts of the
dress ; it is in other respects as uninteresting as any
where else in the world. The Finns, however, often
use when travelling the Lapp Psesk. The shoes of the
H 2

100 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
Finns differ from those of the Lapps by the Komager,
and often also by the Skaller, having ankles. Very often
ordinary boots are worn by the Finns.

JOVEL VELITALLO, A YOUNG KV2EN.

Whilst the reindeer are being harnessed, I will explai
how the two races ought to be styled which, in addition

am

Journeys to Hatta, Muonioniska, and Karesuando. 101
to the Swedes and Norwegians, inhabit these regions, a
matter which is, indeed, not one of the simplest.
The Swedes call the Lapps Lappar (Lapps), but by
the Norwegians they are called Finner (Finns), while
the Finns call them Lappalaiset. They call themselves
Sabmeladschak. The Finns, on the other hand, call them
selves Suomalaiset, or Laudalaiset, but the Norwegians
call them Kvsener (Kvsens), while the Swedes. call them
Finnar (Finns), and the Lapps Laddeladsehak. Serious
consequences might, indeed, result from attempting to
solve this linguistic puzzle.
I have one more remarkable event to call attention to
before we leave Hatta. I saw here — what do you think ?
A horse ! Yes, you may smile, but I do believe that 1
would not have examined a mammoth or camel, had I
met either at Hatta with the interest and sympathy with
which I gazed at this horse. It was more than half a
year since I had seen one. It seemed to me nearly as
big as an elephant, so long had I been accustomed to
look at the small reindeer.
And now forward, at a rapid pace, as we have at present
only covered a fifth part of our journey. Therefore, at a
gallop through the splendid forests white with the hoar
frost, across the limitless, shining lakes.
As soon as the frontier of Finland is crossed, the
traveller will notice that near every farm there is a
detached little log-hut with openings, which are darkened
by smoke. If one asks what they are, the answer is
the "Savna." When some months previously I read
the account in the ' Land of the Midnight Sun ' of the
well-known traveller Du Chaillu's visit to a few Finnish

102 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

hamlets near the Baltic, in which he gives a descrip
tion of the use of the Savna, I doubted very much
indeed the strict accuracy of his assertions, in which 1
was the more justified by the circumstance that a great
many of his " experiences " in Scandinavia are coloured
by those tints which misunderstanding and want of
intimate knowledge of the people's language and
character cause a foreigner to adopt in order to cover
his defects, or enhances the interest of the narrative by
introducing a strong element of what is politely called
" fiction " into the same. But on this particular point I
can assure the reader that the celebrated gorilla-hunter is
not far from being correct.
The Savna is, in fact, the common bath-room of the
farm. Every Saturday the Savna is used by the whole
family, the servants of the farm, and any " guest "
desirous of joining. A large log-fire is lit on a hearth in
the room, and when the bricks or stones are red-hot, cold
water is poured upon them, which causes the room to
become filled with steam. When all is ready the
bathers, of both sexes and all ages, proceed to the Savna,
simply in the state in which we are told our first pro
genitors disported themselves, and this even if the
mercury is frozen to a lump in the bulb. When the
room is full fresh water is poured on the stones, and the
bathers begin to belabour each other with birch-twigs,
an operation which has about the same effect as, I should
imagine, the "rubbing down" of the nude form with
a hard brush and a scraper by a powerful ostler.
The proceedings are naturally carried on under a great
deal of fun on the part of the younger of the company.

Journeys to Hatta, Muonioniska, and Karesuando. 103

When the bath en famille is over, and a profuse perspira
tion has been caused by the whipping and the steam, the
whole company adjourns to the snow outside, in which
another bath takes place. This over the bathers disperse
in various directions in the same " clothing " as they came.
I had many opportunities of witnessing similar spec
tacles on my lengthy journey into the heart of Finland.
This is the object and use of the Finnish Savna ; if
you still doubt come and see for yourself. An illustra
tion of such a Savna may be seen in the view I have
given in a subsequent chapter of Gatkesuando. I feel,

THE FARM AT PUOLEDAD3ALA.
however, obliged in conclusion to say, to the credit of
the Finnish nation, that the habit of bathing en famille
is becoming less common.
We halted at noon at Puoledaibala, the first human
habitation we encountered in the deserted forests since
leaving Hatta.
During our stay a reindeer caravan with hundreds of
trotting animals, shouting shepherds, and barking dogs,
journeys past. Behind the women drive with the tents of
the family and the chattels. Quick as they came they
are gone, and the animated scene passes out of sight.

104 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

But we cannot rest long here ; we have still a good
distance to cover. The Finnish miles, of which there
are six between Hatta and Muonioniska, seemed to remind
me of the so-called " Scotch " ; they are at all events
much longer than the Norwegian, which is one and a half
geographical miles. We drive through forests and across
lakes, across lakes and through forests— there is no end
to the drive, although we have journeyed all day and
the greater part of the evening.

VIEW ON THE MUONIONISKA.

At last we see before us lights glittering in the dark
ness. It is Muonioniska, the goal of our journey. It is
so pitch-dark that no other object than these gleaming
gems are visible, as even in these latitudes there is
sometimes, contrary to the belief of many, no moon.
The moon, like the sun, takes into her head sometimes
to disappear altogether for a period, but then again, as
if to make up for it, she is nearly always seen at others.

Journeys to Hatta, Muonioniska, and Karesuando. 105
Much might I relate of our three days' stay at
the beautiful Muonioniska among its kind inhabitants.
The country here is very free and open, while endless
forest-lands border the Muonio river which flows through
the broad valley in two to three channels. A number of
houses picturesquely painted red with white borders and
window- frames cluster on the hill yonder around the
great cruciform church. The country on the other side

MUONIO VARRE.

of the river is another land, viz., Sweden. Here lies the
great and important trading station Muoniovarre, the
hospitable home of all travellers in Lapland.
The sleighs are harnessed, the bells sound merrily on
the backs of the horses, which in our eyes appeared quite
gigantic with the great collar of the kind used on a
Eussian troika horse and arched across the back. How
strange it was to us semi-Lapps, accustomed to lie down

106 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis
in the low Pulk close to the ground, to sit high up in
sleighs built in European fashion. And we drove to all
the neat little red houses, from one to another, and in
every one we were so kindly and hospitably received that
we soon felt we should be unable to respond to every call.
Of this I am convinced, that teetotalism has made
poor progress in Muonioniska, and I doubt whether
any advocate of the cause would make a single proselyte
here. Never mind when, never mind where we went
— there was the same forest of glasses and bottles ;
whether breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner, or supper ; whether
morning, noon, or night — there stood the glasses
and bottles ready, and it was in vain we remonstrated.
And what was so tempting to us semi-savages from
Koutokseino was the manner in which everything' was
prepared and served. Everything was offered with
the taste and elegance which are characteristic of the
Swedes. The life among the better families at Muonion
iska, as well as the language, is in every sense Swedish.
I wish I could exchange the pen for the brush, in
order to give you an idea of the pleasant days, or
perhaps, more correctly speaking, nights we spent among
these kind and hospitable people, the most happy and
contented I ever met with. Take, for instance, that
evening, or, if you like, morning at the sheriff's — who,
by-the-way, is absent — but in whose place the jolly
forestier, Herr W  , acts as vice-host. He is the incar
nation of hospitality, and smilingly invites us every fifth
minute with a "skal" or "var sagod" to empty or fill our
glasses ; how the excellent Master of the Hunt danced a
kind of Swedish highland-fling to enliven us, and how

To face page 106, Tol. II.

THE CHURCH AT MUONIONISKA.

Journeys to Hatta, Muonioniska, and Karesuando. 107
our sombre companion from Bossekop became so smitten
by the general conviviality that he treated us to nineteen
songs from a farce, in which he had, twenty years ago,
played the part of a " mute " at some amateur theatricals,
and then attempted an encore of them all ; and how the
sheriff — I mean our sheriff, not the absent one — evinced
an irresistible temptation to treat us to all kinds of songs
with original impromptu accompaniments, to all of which
the writer had to beat time with a burning candle — well,
over all these details I will draw a veil.
In the early morning, we proceed home across the
ice-covered river, where the crisp snow creaks under the
foot in the frosty air below the star-studded canopy of
the deep-blue heavens. The immense dark fir-forest
sighs mournfully in the wind, while down in the far
south some remnants of an aurora flit rapidly over the
sky. Our amiable host begins, " Lovely star, thou who
twinkles," the celebrated Wennerbeg ballad, and we all
join in the chorus — as far as we are able.
Sunday morning I paid a visit to the church, the
exterior of which was under repair. The two great silver
crosses on the towers flashed in the sun. There were
about half-a-dozen people .seated in the great body of
the church, formed by the four wings. The high walls
are covered with dark, rough deals, on which there are
some strange ornamentations in red and green. But
where is the clergyman ? Twist your neck, so that the
line of sight forms an angle with the horizon of 45°, and
vou will see, high above the altar, a little, barrel-shaped
pulpit, and in this the head and shoulders of the parson.
He wears a fur coat and cap, a little white " bib " alone

108 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

indicating his dignity. He preaches in the peculiar
Finnish tongue, the many " as " of which impart to it a
very strange sonorousness. But what has become of the
parson ? In the middle of the sermon he has suddenly
disappeared in the barrel ; in about a minute he re
appears, and continues where he left off. This is one of
the prescribed forms of the Finnish ritual. Then an
attempt is made to sing a hymn, previous to which a
figure clad in furs, sitting to the right of the altar, has
attached the number to a moveable disk. This over,
the parson proceeds with his drawling address. Such is
a Finnish church service.
I am sure it will be admitted that the Finnish tongue
is a strange one, if the following sentences be read,
which I take at random from the almanack I bought for
curiosity's sake at Muonioniska. They might, perhaps,
serve as " the standard " for a spelling bee !
" Yo nailla pohjan mailla on pitka, mutta alkaamme
tehko sita wiela pitemmaksi, silla etta hyodyllisimmilta
elukoiltamme muutamme paiwankiu yoksi ; elukat syowat
enemman, kylmassa, huoneessa kuin lampimassa, ejka
rawinto heissa kuitenkaan tule nakywiinsen enempaa."
It sounds and looks, indeed, like Chinese, and one
would hardly imagine that the famous epic " Kalevala "
was written in this tongue.
What a different force and resonance there is in the
Lappish tongue, of which I also give a specimen.
"Darve — vuorasgis vulgi dam jabmemsettom adnani,
dainago dak jabmemsettom sednama olbmuk legje sudnji
ustebak ; ja dego davvevuoras bodi dobbe ruoktod, de
mujtali dam olbmai, gutte niejda ja bsednaga ltei

Journeys to Hatta, Muonioniska, and Karesuando. 109
snoladam, atte : jos don ik doalvo ruoktod, de dakkek
soade du vuostai."
But let us return to Muonioniska, or rather let us fly
from this Geheuna, if we wish to get back alive to
Koutokseino. We were obliged to turn a deaf ear to all the tempting
propositions for detaining us, and had to resist all the
pressing invitations to more breakfasts, luncheons, and

VIEW OF KARESUANDO.

dinners ; to be brief, we are again on our road, driving as
before, after a very sincere leave-taking on both sides.
: The direction is now a different one, viz., to the north
west ; but the lakes and the forests, and the forests and
the lakes, are just the same as before, at least as far as
appearance, number, and limit are concerned.
We may, therefore, as we travel on paper, speed rapidly
past them, and, having slept one night in the narrow,

110 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

close room at Palojokki, make a leap to next day's noon,
when we are on Swedish soil, in Karesuando.
Here we had intended to have made a stay of some

LAPP FROM KARESUANDO.

days, but the sheriff and the parson were both away, and
others of our own race there are not here. Sad and
desolate is the appearance of this spot ; not a tree, not a

Journeys to Hatta, Muonioniska, and Karesuando. Ill
hill breaks the monotony of the barren view formed
by the white snow, the old church, and half-a-dozen
wretched huts.

LAPP FROM KARESUANDO.

The resident population at Karesuando consists of
Kvsens, who in appearance differ little from their
brethren in Finland. Near their dwellings are, as in

112 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

Koutokseino, a number of large chests on poles, in which
the nomad Lapps of the district store their chattels, as
a great many Mountain Lapps are found here in the
winter, of whom I give some portraits.

LAPP WOMAN FROM KARESUANDO..
In the summer they wander with their herds, like the
Norwegian Lapps, to the shores of the Arctic Ocean.

THE CHURCH AT KARESUANDO.

To fact fage 112, To!. TI.

Journeys to Hatta, Muonioniska, and Karesuando. 113

Some of these families always pitch their tents in the
Tromso valley, near the town of the same name, and may
be familiar to many tourists, as the steamer generally
stays long enough at Tromso to allow of a trip to the
valley, and obtain an idea how the Mountain Lapps live.
In consequence of the absence of the two dignitaries
we did not stay longer at Karesuando than was necessary
for dining, and this accomplished, we drove across the
river, and were again in Eussia. Now the journey lay
straight home.
In the evening we arrived at Syvrajservi, a hut with
a single room, occupied by a man and woman, their
twelve children, sundry dogs, and many other pleasant
inhabitants, all very dirty. The man and the woman,
the twelve children, we three travellers, our two Lapps,
the dogs, and the rest, were to keep each other company
in the single room that night. Well, when one has
driven in a Pulk for twelve hours, it is indeed possible
to sleep even in such company. The accommodation is
certainly somewhat limited, the air not of the purest, and
I regret to say that not all the above-mentioned creatures
sleep ; still, one gets accustomed to much in Lapland.
I have little to relate of interest from the following
day, but that we crossed the frontier — you may well ask
which ? I mean the Norwegian. It is fortunate there are
no custom-houses in these parts, else the crossing from
one land to another, then into a third, and back again,
might have many drawbacks. We made a brief halt at
noon at one of the earth-huts built for the mail-service,
in which the melting snow from the roof every moment
attempted to extinguish our laboriously made fire. We
VOL. II. J

114 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
hoped to be at Koutokseino before night. This would
also doubtless have been the case had not a sudden snow
storm of great violence compelled us to spend another

LArp BOY FROM KARESUANDO.

night like the previous one. We had, however anxious
we were to get home, to put up at night at Galanito,
and accept the shelter kindly offered us by my friend
Morten Gaino.

Journeys to Hatta, Muonioniska, and Karesuando. 115
The fatigued reindeeer are harnessed the next morning
for the last time ; in a few hours we have covered the
distance down the frozen river, and now we behold the
three flags on the staves at Koutokseino wishing us
" Welcome back."
" Wenn Jemand eine Beise thuht, so kann er was erzahlen"
said the parson, as we again sat in the cosy dining-room
of the vicarage in the homely circle. He had not to ask
us twice ; and what we told him was what I have now
related.

I 2

116 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

CHAPTEE IV.
ASSIZE WEEK AT K0UT0K2EIN0.
Great Expectations — Anxious Waiting — A Eevelation to the
Header — Terrible Disappointment — Great Gathering of
Lapps — A Lappish Court of Justice — The Troubles of a
Judge — The Sins of Lapps — "Erotic" Weakness — The Eisk
of Eeindeer Stealing — Eemarkable Sense of Eecognition —
My Daily Companions —Scenes during the Week — Lapp
Belles — Flirtation — A Surprise — Lapp Dainties — A Choice
Drink — My Popularity — The Cause — Bargaining with Lapps
— Fondness of Spirits — A Quick Descent- — A Cold Bed —
Hardy Constitution — A Drink- — Hundred per Cent. Interest
— A Pleasant Surprise — Opposite Performances — How the
Parson is Eemunerated- — Tithes versus Drink — Nature the
Best Physician — A Startling Offer — A Great Temptation —
I Terrify the Lapps — An Amusing Competition — The False
Prophet becomes the Victor — An Expedition into the
Enemy's Camp — Confronting the Prophet- — A Scene — A
Second Visit to a Sieite — A Clever Lapp — His Tale proves
an Old Acquaintance — Moving the Idol — A Strange Occur
rence — The Eevenge of the Old God — Again Alone.
It is the week after Easter.
" When may we expect them ?"
"They may be here Wednesday night, if they start
directly they land from the steamer."
The fireworks are ready, the guns loaded ; everything
is, in fact, prepared to make the reception as festive as
possible.

Assize Week at Koutokseino. 117
They did not come. The fireworks were taken in, the
guns covered up. They are sure to come to-morrow.
The rockets, the Eoman candles, and the squibs are
again mounted, and the gunner ready with his fuse.
They stood there till midnight ; then they had again to
be taken in. They did not come that night either.
" Well, now, there is not the slightest doubt they will
be here at mid-day to-morrow."
I run up a large kite, unpacked balloons, and, in the
improbable event of their arriving in the evening, the
fireworks were mounted for the third time.
All the afternoon the kite scanned the northern hori
zon with her big eyes. No, she saw nothing, in spite
of her elevation. The parson and the school-teacher
in their impatience climbed a few times on to the roof of
the vicarage ; but they saw nothing. For safety's sake,
however, the flags are run up.
The sun went down, as did also the kite, after having
shaken her head a good deal. The wind was tired of
waiting any longer ; the flags hung sleepily by the staves.
Down with them !
It is impossible to understand. Even had this or
that occurred, or had this or that been the case, they
certainly ought to have been here by now. We had
better sit up to-night; if they don't come then, they
will never come.
Hour after hour slips by ; the parson sits in my room
nodding, as he is accustomed to be in bed by nine, a
motion he continues so long that I also begin to nod.
Suddenly we start to our feet through a shout from
Henrik Pentha without. " Here they are ! " Quick, a

118 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

light to my cigar, with which the fireworks are to be
let off, and out in the cold dark night.
At a distance we hear voices and the faint tinkling of
bells ; but the voices cease and the sound of the bells
soon die away in the great, dark silence around us. It
was not them, but some passing Lapps.
Our patience is exhausted at last. The cigar is put
out, the fireworks taken in, and we go to bed in a temper.
They may now come when they like, or stay away
altogether, if they prefer ; we are too disappointed to
care for either.
And the next morning came, but not they. It would
be sheer folly to wait lunch for them now, when even the
most sanguine of us has given up all hope of their
coming. In the afternoon the merchant shouts across to us
from his window : " Here they are ! " But we were not to
be taken in again.
But what is that ? His flag runs aloft ; we had better
go and see if it should really be them.
Yes, indeed, there they are ! Up with the flags ! The
kite shoots aloft with such impetuosity that she upsets the
telephone wires. The fuse to the touch-hole of the guns :
bang, bang, bang ! — and in flying career a string of
Pulks drive up before the vicarage.
Well, I confess I have never seen three men looking
more stupid than we did when we discovered who the
newcomers were.
" But where are we now, and what is all this about, and
who are they ? " you doubtless ask, with justified im
patience.

Assize Week at Koutokseino. 119
For a reply to the first query, I beg to refer the reader
to the heading of this chapter, although such words as
fireworks, guns, rockets, balloons, kites, and telephones
might lead him to suppose that the scene was laid in one
of the centres of civilisation instead of in a corner of the
Polar desert; but they will at the same time give au
idea of the progress we have made here in the course of
six months.
And now I will tell you who they are. The fact is,
that Koutokseino has been expecting a larger number of
visitors than has probably ever been together before in
this place, where silence and desolation reign supreme.
We are about to receive a visit from the bishop, simul
taneously with the holding of the assizes. We expect
the bishop, the archdeacon, the director of the school-
board, the doctor, the magistrate, counsel, and clerks,
in addition to whom we shall doubtless see the greater
part of the Lapp population in our adjacent parishes, who
will come here for a double purpose.
Can you wonder now at our expectation and disappoint
ment, when only the archdeacon and the doctor arrived,
informing us that neither the bishop nor the director
of the school-board would come ? Terrific storms had
arrested them at Hammerfest, and at last compelled them
to return to Tromso ; hence the delay.
Great indeed was the disappointment among the people,
who had been looking forward to this as an historical
event, it being ten years since a bishop had visited the
place. Not less disappointed was the parson's wife,
who for a whole month had been busy cleaning, cooking,
and baking, and nearly turned the old parsonage inside

120 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
out, to make it suitable for the reception of the high
prelate. But the parson was, I believe, the most dis
appointed of them all : for fully three weeks he had been
at work on his sermon.
However, the matter could not be helped, so we wel
comed the two arrivals with the best grace.
Soon after, the gentlemen of the Bench also arrived,
and from far and near the natives gathered in their most
festive garb, and for eight sunny days Koutokseino could
boast of a life so gay and varying that I was fully repaid
for my long, voluntary exile, which was now drawing to
a close. My mission hither is at an end. The wonderful play
of colour from the flaming aurora is unable to resist
the faint light of night any longer. When the assizes
are over, therefore, my journey lies into the heart of
the Finnish wilderness, and thence to the shores of the
Polar Ocean.
If I were a painter I might be able to place before
you some rich and attractive scenes, which during
this week enlivened the barren sand- cliffs of Koutokseino.
But, as I unfortunately am not, I will attempt with
the pen to give some rapid sketches, which the reader's
imagination must contribute to complete.
Just let us look for a moment into the Court-house,
whilst a case is being tried. There is hardly room for us,
the great chamber being crowded with people. Behind
a bar, at a long table, sit the representatives of Justitia,
laboriously attempting to unravel the thread of facts
in the web of truth and untruth, which the delinquents
are experts in spinning. Lying, squatting, and standing,

Assize Week at Koutokseino. 121
the crowd share the floor between them. Now and then
a Lapp tries stealthily to snatch a whiff from a clay
pipe ; here a couple are sleeping off the effects of
the merchant's liquor. Barking dogs and squealing
babies perform the accompaniment to the grave pro
ceedings at the Bar.
Sometimes the crowd becomes so loud in their mutual
gossip that the proceedings are entirely drowned in an
ocean of chat, shouts, and laughter, and the judge
is compelled to knock on the table and shout in a
thundering voice : "Orro jaskat I " — Be quiet — which
stems the conviviality for a few moments. Soon after
the conversation is again in full swing. The door of
the room is hardly shut for a moment : some come,
others go.
At the Bar the interpreter, Johannes Vik — a Kvsen
by birth — acts as intermediary between the judge,
who does not know more Lappish than the above
exclamation, and the sinner, who does not understand
Norwegian. "Ask him about so-and-so," says the
magistrate. "All right," replies he. "Now, Nilas,
gulal" — hear — and a long dialogue takes place be
tween the two, the essence of which Johannes submits
to the judge with the following characteristic intro
duction : " It shall be required from him that," &c. If
however, you conclude from this that the magistrate
has only to ask for the desired information to obtain it,
you are much mistaken ; no, you don't catch a Lapp
as easily as all that. He is a master in lying, and
with remarkable agility and confidence balances between
combined systems of lies. And, if driven to the wall, he

122 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
simply denies everything. The plaintiff can marshal any
number of witnesses, evidence may speak as plainly

JOHANNES VIK, THE COURT INTERPRETER.

against him as possible ; no, he sticks to his " dat
lse tsjappis gieles " — it is all a big lie.
If I exempt the cases which may be classified as "erotic,"

Assize Week at Koutokseino. 123
in which the Court has to soften the discord arising from
a justified or unjustified objection on the part of the
Lord of Creation to pay the representative of the fair sex
the solatium which the Law assigns her for the conse
quences of certain youthful follies on his part, the cases
by far the most numerous are charges of theft, particu
larly of reindeer-stealing.
When on a dark night a Lapp comes up with a herd
of unguarded reindeer the temptation to unroll the lasso
from his shoulder, cast it around the horns of one of the
hundred animals and carry it off is very great, parti
cularly as the profit of such a transaction is equally great.
The animal is slaughtered at the first opportunity, the
flesh sold or eaten, and the skin temporarily hidden, the
ears with the mark of the owner having been cut away.
But, even if these are wanting, the owner, as a rule,
knows his skin, were it even turned into Komager or
gloves. He misses his deer quickly enough too, and never
rests until he has discovered the robber. It is simply
incredible how easily the Lapp recognises each individual
of his herd, which to the stranger seem as alike as two
leaves on the same tree. Well, I assure you, that- 1 have
shown Lapps photographs I have taken of their herds,
and they have named every animal ! If it is, therefore,
a simple matter to steal a deer, it is no easy matter
to conceal the theft.
Of the male portion of the Lapp community, the
number who have never been engaged in reindeer-
stealing is a very insignificant one, and as the Norwegian
law takes a more rigid view of this offence than the

124 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
Lapp mind, there are very few who have not personally
inspected the interior of a jail. I confess I cannot say
why, but Lapps and non-Lapps seem to look upon the
culprits in these parts with rather a benevolent eye ; in
fact, for months I have had for my daily companions
murderers, incendiaries, thieves, and jail-birds, and have
mixed with them as familiarly as if they were all mem
bers of the best society.
One case is disposed of to be followed by another,
and page after page of the Court records is filled with
truth and falsehood until the week is over.
From morning to night a gay and festive crowd
throngs the croft between the houses. Varying scenes,
some attractive, some grotesque, meet the eye every
where. Here a party have settled down outside the
house of the sheriff; they are talking about a case just
concluded. Some are in Psesks, others in smock-frocks ;
old and young, good-looking and ugly, men and women ;
just look at the quick gestures and listen to the sonorous
language which animate their talk.
There one about to depart is saying good-bye to his
friends. " Lsekgo gaergos vuolgemi ? " — Are you ready to
depart? — they say. "Lsem"* — I am. "iEle dservan
nubbe gavnadsebmai ! " — Be well till we meet again !
And he is off in his Pulk.
Four or five Kvsens summoned before the Court lie at
full length on the snow, sunning themselves. Not only
the lofty fur-cap, but the hard, stereotyped expression
* The Lapp language has the same peculiarity as the Latin in not
having words for "Yes" or "No." Are you? Will you? Can you?
are always answered, I am, I will, I can, or in the negative.

Assize Week at Koutokseino. 125
of face tells you that they are the representatives of a
different nation ; an obstinate, self-willed, but phlegmatic
race. Arm-in-arm a young Lapp walks across the river
between two girls. They have purchased and emptied
two bottles of port, and are, consequently, not quite
steady on their legs. Half-way, the thin layer of ice
formed in the night on the water which collects
during the day on the solid ice, breaks, and the three
sink, arm-in-arm, down into the water, until they stand
on the firm ice beneath. There they stand, looking
stupidly at each other, unable to realise the situation,
until somebody comes to their rescue and hauls them
out. It is a pleasure to look at the many young girls I
encounter, all in their best garments. Many really hand
some faces there are not, but the eye dwells nevertheless
with satisfaction on the gay crowd of youthful girls
who pass to and fro in their magnificent, picturesque
costumes. Look, for instance, at that little Birret, the belle
of them all ! " Voj, voj, dam meida lse tsjabesvutti !" —
Oh, how lovely that girl is ! — exclaims one of her admirers.
" Just look at her pearly row of teeth — characteristic
of the Lapps — and her roguish eyes." "Dat lse riebau
tsjalmbmik," — They are fox eyes, — says an envious girl.
Look at the coquettish arrangement around the neck
and shoulders of four or five little neckerchiefs, one over
the other, and each more resplendent than the other,
which nearly hide the string of pearls and silver orna
ments encircling the well-turned neck.
Here some girls are flirting with a young fellow, who,

126 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
amidst much laughter and fun, attempts to gain posses
sion of the furry gloves of one of them. But she manages

IHH!0I»M¥»li»)>

A LAPP BELLE.

to retain them. " Virdetsjamaj gula !"— My dear, listen
to me !— he exclaims passionately ; " gula aj don uttoe-
kaddsjam ! "—Listen, little darling ! But she only laughs

Assize Week at Koutokseino. 127
at him, and says, "Mana gsejdnosat! " — Go along ! — and
the rest shout after him, " Vuolge miu gaskat ! " — Eun
away. One evening a Lapp damsel in green jacket went past
me. " Guten Abend, mein Herr ! " she said. Had my
trusty friend Eolf addressed me in German, I doubt if I
should have been more astonished than I was. But my
surprise was greater still when she said, " Je parte Fran-
gais, Monsieur." Indeed, I had, so to speak, to pinch
my arm to know whether I was dreaming. But it was no
dream. The girl had, she told me in reply to my
questions, been both to Berlin and Paris, as a member of
a Lapp family exhibited there. She had on this journey
acquired some knowledge of German and French, and
I have no doubt she is the only one of her race who can
boast this accomplishment.
The merchant's booth is crowded with people from
morning to night, who come to buy and sell. He does
a brisk business during these few days, particularly in
figs, wine, and naphtha. The Lapps consider figs the
greatest dainty the earth produces, and no more accept
able present can be made to a Lapp damsel than a bag of
this fruit. They are also in great demand among the old
people. Another delicacy, equally highly coveted, are
some very poor cakes sold by the merchant. The Lapps
call them njalgis laibe, i.e., sweet bread.
The sale of all kinds of spirits being strictly pro
hibited, the people fall back upon port, the stock of
which is soon exhausted. It is then that the naphtha
comes into requisition. It is sold in small bottles as " a
medicine," but the Lapps consume it with great relish as

128 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
a substitute for spirits. It is certainly dear, but then it
is so much stronger. Both men and women use this
stimulant, and it can be easily smelt as soon as they
approach. In the shop, and outside it, therefore, one often meets
people who are far beyond the first stage of intoxication.
Here one is " juoiking "; there another is delivering a long
and utterly unintelligible address, accompanied by the
liveliest gestures. But the Lapps are, in this state as in
any other, very good-tempered; they are full to over
flowing of good-humour and benevolence, they embrace,
hug, and kiss each other.
During the assize week I became very popular among
them, as I possessed some brandy, of which I now and
then gave them a glass. " Voj, voj, dat lse garras ! " —
Oh, oh, it is strong — they said, at the same time looking
exceedingly pleased, and wishing for more.
One day two smart fellows came up to my room in the
vicarage, where I temporarily lodged, having vacated
my rooms for the gentlemen of the Bench. They were
Aslak Bals and Niels Eira, the latter of whom had some
remarkably beautifully carved articles of bone, which I
wanted to acquire for the museum at Bergen. As he
was in a far advanced state of " obfuscation," and did
not understand a single word of Norwegian, Aslak acted
as intermediary between us. The latter had, I may
say in passing, just returned from Christiania, where
for twelve calendar months he had been the guest
of the State, at a celebrated institution in that place.
He had at this establishment learnt Norwegian and
good manners, but he was a 'cute man, who required

Assize Week at Koutokseino. 129
watching and astuteness, if you were not to be
taken in.
He says that because it is J, I shall have the articles
for fifteen shillings. Knowing, however, with whom I
have to deal, I. offer him ten shillings. Aslak folds his
hands, and turns his eyes to the ceiling in amazement at
my proposition ; but he says, after a while, Niels wants
some money, and I shall have them for twelve shillings.
I was, however, obdurate; ten shillings, not a penny
more. A long, inarticulate conference now begins be
tween Aslak and Niels, who is half asleep on a chair by
the table. Aslak looks from time to time at the articles,
and thinks, no doubt, what a lot of drink they could
obtain for ten shillings. At last they seem to agree, and
Aslak makes the following proposal : That I shall have
the articles for ten shillings, but that I shall treat Niels
to two substantial " Drams " of my brandy, and himself to
one " for his trouble." Thus the bargain was concluded,
and I gave them the drinks, although I had some doubt
whether it was good for Niels to have any more. He,
however, polished them off in less time than it takes me
to write this, and Aslak then took him by the arm, and
they both left the room in the happiest of spirits. On
descending the stairs Niels took into his head to save
the many steps by a headlong descent to the bottom,
and as his companion was not equal to the situation, he
went with him. I heard a tremendous noise, and, look
ing out of the door, saw them lying at the bottom of the
stairs. As they did not seem to have any intention of
getting up, I went down, helped them on their legs, and
inquiring whether they were hurt, led them outside.
VOL. II. K

130 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

No sooner were they outside than both began to evince
a strong disposition to make a bed of the snow, and,
after a few ineffectual attempts on my side to keep
them up, I was obliged to let go, and as by one impulse,
they both made a sudden lurch forward, and buried their
heads in the snow. They were fast asleep ; you might
as well have attempted to rouse the dead.
I had some scruples during the evening as to whether
I might not have contributed to do harm to my two
worthy friends ; but they were all dispelled the next
morning. I sallied forth after breakfast, and who should
I behold but my two friends, arm-in-arm, as contented as
if nothing had been the matter. I saw them later on in
the day ; they were no doubt laying the foundation fo r
another dissipation by the aid of my ten shillings .
Once, only once, a Lapp offered me a drink. It was
late at night and I was out looking at the people. Ole
BaBhr came up to me, and without saying a word, dragged
me behind one of the houses, where he produced a
small flask from his pocket, saying — "Ajgokgo vinest
jukkat ? " — Won't you have some Brsendevin ? — adding
that he offered it to me because I had so often been kind
in a similar manner to him and his countrymen. Well,
now, what could I do ? For the sake of the novelty of
the situation I put the flask to my mouth and imbibed a
disgusting fluid, half fusel, half water, and returning it in
the politest manner, said, " Gitos sednag addaldaghast " —
Many thanks for the present, — at the same time asking
Ole to call on me the next day, so that I might return
the kindness.
He came the next day, and every subsequent day

Assize Week at Koutokseino. 131
during the whole week. With Lapps you may safely
say, that if they give you anything, they expect a
hundred per cent, interest.
One night I was present at a wedding at one of the
farms. Outside, a young Lapp, whom I did not know,
came up to me and asked me to lend him a shilling. He
had no money, and wished very much to go inside the
wedding-house to get some spirits. He would, he said,
next day bring me a joint of reindeer in return for it.
Not that the latter offer tempted me, but I gave him the
shilling. On returning home the parson and the sheriff
had a hearty laugh at my expense, over the simple
manner in which I had been taken in. But the next
day it was my turn to laugh at them, as the Lapp really
came with the joint. There is honesty even amongst
thieves. During the assize week many ceremonies of opposite
nature were performed, as, for instance, trials, sales and
purchases, communions, weddings, christenings, and
funerals. Parson, merchant, and judge must be employed
whilst the people are on the spot. There is no want of
guests at the weddings now, no want of godfathers at the
christenings, no want of mourners at the funerals. From
the Court-house the crowd proceeds to the merchant's
shop, from the shop to the vicarage, from the vicarage to
the church, from the church to the graveyard, where the
final tragedy of life is enacted to the words, "Dust
to dust." The bell and the hymn cease, the church is
closed, and the crowd separates, some to the wedding-
feast, others to the christening party, and some to the
house of sorrow ; here is gaiety and rejoicing, there woe
K 2

132 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

and sorrow ; and the next day the drama of Life is
played over again.
During the week the Lapps paid frequent visits to the
vicar and the merchant, carrying with them reindeer
meat, tongues, marrow bones, skin and furs. The par
son is, generally, remunerated in food. He gets, for
administering the sacrament, for example, a tongue ;
and other articles are disposed of at the merchant's
in exchange for merchandise ; but a great deal of
haggling takes place before a bargain is struck. It
happens, however, not infrequently, that the Lapp,
when he is thirsty, passes the door of the vicar and
goes straight to the merchant's, where he exchanges
his tithes for drink. The parson can wait until another
occasion, he thinks.
The assize week is the only time during the whole year
when there is a doctor in these parts. At all other times
everyone has to shift for himself. Nature is the best
physician, it is said, and it seems, at all events, to be so
here, the people's health being far better than where
there is a doctor to every ten individuals, while the rate
of longevity is certainly not. low. To attain an age of
seventy or eighty years is not unusual, and even a far
higher age is sometimes reached. Many Lapps believe,
however, that they are much older than they really are,
which is, no doubt, caused by their old age being spent
in idleness, making the time seem very long. Thus,
when a Lapp reaches the age of eighty, it is not long
before he raises the figure to a hundred, and at this he
remains until his death. Stockfleth relates that he met
a Mountain Lapp at Karasjok, who was 103 years of age,

Assize Week at Koutokseino.

133

and who had promised to give the church forty white
reindeer if he attained 200. When, however, he began

MATHIS GAUP, MY WOULD-BE FATHER-IN-LAW.

to feel death approaching, he retracted his promise. He
died at the age of 109.
A somewhat startling offer was made me during the

134 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

week by Mathis Gaup, a grinning Mountain Lapp, with
black hands, black face, and black hair, highly dis
tinguished by a nose in the shape of a German sausage ;
he wanted me absolutely to become his son-in-law. He
offered me his fair daughter there and then— a true copy
of the father, particularly as regards the nasal organ,
and a fortune of 500 magnificent reindeer ! She was

ANNA GAUP (IS), MY WOULD-BE WIFE, AND HER FRIEND ANNA EOMBY (20).
perfectly ready, too. It was a tempting offer indeed,
which I ought, perhaps, to have accepted, fair reader.
Near the vicarage I had constructed for the week a
photographic studio, according to all the rules of the
craft, and the demand for sittings was often so great that
I was unable to satisfy all. My operations in this line
became exceedingly popular among the Lapps, although

Assize Week at Koutokseino. 135
it seemed as if they thought the process supernatural and
the operator a near relative of the Devil.
But their surprise and awe was, if possible, greater on
seeing my balloons, of which I sent up some every day.
" It is the work of the Devil, I am sure," exclaimed an
old woman on one occasion. And when in the evening
rockets darted hissing through the air, followed by squibs
and Eoman candles, there was more than one who shook
his head in terror and wonder.
I referred casually in the last chapter to the fanatical
parson at Hatta, and I have now another opportunity
of mentioning this remarkable man. He, too, had
come to the assizes with some Kvsen adherents; we
did not know from what cause or for what purpose.
We were, however, prepared for scenes, even if the
bishop had not come. The houses of the Norwegians
being full, the parson had to take up his residence
at Josef Neckela's farm, just opposite, on the other side
of the river.
Have you ever been to a fair in some country village/'
where conjurors and mountebanks have raised their
booths side by side, each one doing his utmost to attract
the staring peasants to his own show ?
" This way, walk up ! " shrieks one ; bom — bom — bom
goes the drum of the other ; tra-ra-rara-ra sounds the
false trumpet of the third. In exactly the same manner
the religious and legal fair at Koutokseino was con
ducted. ;
" This way, this way, walk up, walk up ! " squeaks the
Hatta parson from morning to night, in order to attract
the crowd to his booth, where he distributes absolution

136 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
and in choice sermons makes scandalous attacks on the
authorities of the land.
" No, this way ! " it sounds from the other side.
"Here are balloons, fireworks, photographing, and
kites ! "
" You must go out, and call the people together,
Johannes, so that we can begin," at last says the magis
trate, in order to fill his booth.
In this rivalry the legal transactions seemed to attract
the public the least ; the Court-house was, indeed, some
times quite empty. For a time my booth formed the
centre of attraction ; but the Hatta parson became cer
tainly the victor in the end. Large crowds crossed
over to the other side ; I despatched balloon after balloon,
and shot off any number of rockets — no, it was no use,
the false prophet became the victor.
Sunday and the greater part of Monday passed by
in this manner, when the archdeacon and the parson
decided to pay their Finnish colleague a visit, in order
to try to put a stop to his agitation. They were
accompanied by the two Lapp teachers, the interpreter
— the celebrated Lars Hsetta — and a few others on whom
they might depend. I attached myself to the bold
band, and we crossed over on the ice. I took, however,
the precaution to stick a rocket under my Psesk, in order
to have a weapon in case of violence.
In the little room on Josef Neckela's farm, we found
our opponent, in a dress which I will, for the sake of
politeness, call " easy." He looked pretty much like an
ordinary Kvsen, and had a short clay-pipe in his mouth.
The room, the passage, and the croft in front were packed

Assize Week at Koutokseino. 137

with people, through whom the little band was hardly
able to make its way.
The archdeacon stated at once, without much circum
locution, that he had come to learn by what right the
Hatta parson preached his false creed in a foreign
country and attempted to make the people distrust their
lawful guardians. The parson replied at great length with
a quibbling sermon, containing a great many flagrant
untruths, and personal attacks on those present. The two
Norwegian clergymen tried to get up a regular con
versation, but it was in vain they attempted to stem
the flood jof rhetoric from the lips of the Finnish
agitator. When he finally, in the coarsest language,
abused the vicar of Koutokseino, the latter left the
room. At this juncture the archdeacon, heedless of the talk
of the Hatta parson, rose, and, calling on the interpreter,
began to address the people.
The archdeacon — I trust my excellent friend will
excuse my saying so — is no Adonis, but this I must say,
that as he stood thus, the tall, thin figure, with a black
plaid cast across his shoulders, there lay such an im
posing dignity over his whole person, such a gleam of
revelation on his face, that I confess I have never seen a
more impressive and striking scene. What a contrast
to the coarse individual who sat leering at the table,
sucking at his pipe !
In clear and earnest but bold words the archdeacon
implored the people not to listen to this False Prophet,
who, stimulated by egotistical fanaticism, was leading
them away from the true Faith by seductive but dan-

138 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

gerous sentiments, and by denouncing their lawful
guardians as servants of the Devil.
At the commencement of the archdeacon's oration the
Hatta parson attempted to silence him by continuing
his harangue, but as he found that the former took no
notice, he contented himself during its continuance with
interruptions and ejaculations, such as, " That's a lie,"
" Ha, ha ! " " Indeed," &c. Towards the finish the arch
deacon moved out into the open, followed by the jeers
and mockings of his Finnish opponent.
As soon as the little flock was on the other side of the
river, the latter again began to fish for the souls of the
misguided people. He continued his agitation throughout
the following day, but at a more distant farm, where he
vilified the archdeacon's character in the foulest manner.
The next day he disappeared.
Probably the report of the proceedings to the bishop
may cause the Norwegian and Finnish Governments to
take the necessary steps for putting a stop to the dis
orderly proceedings of the Hatta parson.
I have already given an account of a visit to the Sieite
on the top of the Gargovarre mountain, it may be
recollected, under the guidance of the fair Thuri Marit.
One day during the week I again visited the spot, in
order to ascertain whether there was any truth in the
popular report about the stone idol, and if so, to take
steps to get it removed in safety.
Not to go on a second wild-goose chase, I did not
confide myself to the charming Thuri Marit, but to a
man who had not only given me the most detailed
description of the spot and the Sieite, but who knew

Assize Week at Koutokseino.

139

every stone and shrub for miles. His name was
Lars Gaino, and he spoke Norwegian as well as anybody,

LARS GAINO AND WIFE.

and was a man of high intelligence. I have already
mentioned this name in connection with the religious

140 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

excesses at Koutokseino ; but unfortunately, some thefts
committed in his younger days, resulting in several
sojourns at the House of Correction in consequence, have
given a wrong turn to his life ; otherwise, I am sure this
man, with his clear head and varied talents, would have
become a distinguished person among his race.
He has only one arm, but with that he is able to do
more than many with two. He is particularly clever at
wood-carving and cabinet-making, but is also one of the
boldest and most skilled hunters Lapland possesses.
When he drives as Vappus, it is wonderful to see how
easily and cleverly he overcomes all difficulties with his
one arm, and how rapidly he executes his task. He
was without doubt the best driver I had in Lapland.
Well, in the hands of Lars Gaino I drove to the top of
Gargovarre. Eeader, have you in your childhood read a nursery
tale about a peasant's son, who, returning from foreign
parts, related to his father that he had seen a dog as big
as a horse ; and how the animal gradually decreased in
size to an ordinary cur as they neared a bridge over
which he was told no liar could pass alive ?
This was exactly the case with Lars and the Sieite.
When we left Koutokseino it had a head in human
form, distinct eyes, nose, and mouth ; when we arrived
at Galanito, Lars admitted that the weather and wind of
centuries had certainly effaced the eyes, nose, and mouth
somewhat; and when we drove up the mountain, he
began to have his doubts whether the lineaments were
not after all only the production of imagination.
At last we arrived at the Sieite, to which Lars in-

Assize Week at Koutokseino. 141
troduced me. It was, as I had expected, simply a stone
of the very commonest kind, somewhat large and long,
but without anything remarkable about it whatever.
Lars, indeed, did his very best to point out the much-
talked-of eyes, nose, and mouth ; but he might as well
have attempted to make out a bas-relief by Thorwaldsen
on the surface. I examined it in every way and from
every point; still, it remained but a common boulder.
It was most probably a stray block.
Well, I had another proof of what I had previously
experienced, viz., how little reliance can be placed on
statements made by Lapps.
That the stone nevertheless was an idol in heathen
times there cannot be the least doubt, because that is
proved by tradition, the locality so greatly favoured by
nature, and by the fact that not many years ago there
were still large quantities of bones of sacrificed reindeer
lying around it.
As there was no particular reason for having the stone
removed, I decided to take a photograph of it. Lars
pointed out to me, that the stone originally stood erect
a few paces from where it now lay, and as I desired
to take it in its original position, I requested him to
assist me in moving it. After a good deal of toil, as it
was very heavy, we succeeded with our three arms in
getting it into a Pulk and dragging it up to the top of
a little eminence, where it had no doubt stood in the
pagan days when the Lapps worshipped it as a god or
a symbol of divinity.
At that moment occurred what certainly may be re
garded as a remarkable coincidence. Whilst engaged in

142 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
moving the old god I had paid no attention to the weather,
which up till then was clear and bright. In the mean
while it had, however, become rapidly overcast, and
when I now looked up, heavy, threatening clouds came
drifting over the sky, followed by sudden gusts of wind.
I nevertheless unpacked my apparatus, but the -wind
increased every second, and in less than three minutes
we were in the midst of a violent snow-storm. I had
just screwed the camera on, and turned round to say
something to Lars, when a violent blast overturned the
apparatus — and the camera was smashed to atoms
against a projecting stone. The whole was the work of
a moment, and the incident is the cause of my not
having an illustration of the Sieite to place before the
reader. I looked at Lars Gaino. He shook his head gravely,
and said that there existed a belief amongst his people
that ill would befall him who meddled with the old
gods. There was not one of his race, he said, who did
not believe that this was the reason why I- was nearly
killed when I last visited the mountain, and he was
quite sure that the old god had raised the storm and
destroyed the wicked apparatus. He desired at once to
leave the mountain.
It seemed, indeed, as if there was something more in
what Lars said, for as soon as we were again on our way
down, the clouds cleared, the sun shone brightly, and
there was no more wind than in a cupboard. This fully
confirmed Lars and his tribe in their belief.
The old god was, I regret to say, not satisfied with
the destruction he had already wrought, but attempted to

Assize Week at Koutokseino. 143
drown me as we drove home on the river. It was dark
and late, and I had let the rein of my animal be tied to
Lars's Pulk, and gone to sleep. Suddenly I awoke through
a violent shock, and, opening my eyes, saw water on both
sides of the Pulk. It had got into a hole in the ice, over
which lay a thin layer of snow, and by the sudden
stoppage the rein broke. Fortunately the Pulk was
a little longer than the hole, so I escaped with a
momentary frightening and a cold bath.
For the future I shall leave all Sieites in peace.
The festive days are over; the people have gone
back to their tents and reindeer; our guests have all
left us. The gay, bright life is at an end : the hum of
the noisy holiday crowd has died away. The last rocket
has shed its golden stars over the sky ; the last balloon
disappeared in space; and the kite lies with broken
wings at my feet. Solitude and silence again reign over
the Land of Sand.

144 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

CHAPTEE V.
JOURNEY TO THE FINNISH POLAE STATION AT
SODANKYLA.
Mr. Nemo — Precarious Outlook — Mr. Nemo's First Trick — An
Apology for my Good Nature — A Few More of his Tricks—
A Deserted Camp — Lassoing my Eeindeer — Do Eeindeer
Walk ? — Mr. Nemo "Bests" — " Dear Friend " — Mr. Nemo's At
tendance — A Welcome Visitor — Pleasant Hours — Chased by
a Parson — A Ludicrous Scene — Mr. Nemo again "Bests" —
An Alarming Discovery — A Pleasant Situation — A Splendid
Forest Landscape — Finnish Farms — The Ladies — A Nasty
Habit — The Duties of a Farmer — Lapps in Finland — Fin
nish Eeindeer — Mr. Nemo Makes a Proposal — Finnish
Horses — Comfortable Sleighs ¦ — Eemarkable " Winter "
Weather — Mr. Nemo Turns Up — A Cheerful Companion —
His Sufferings — A " Capital " — A Charming Sojourn — Some
Finnish "Domestic Animals" — To the Goal of my Journey
— A Hearty Welcome in the Wilds of Finland — The Cir-
cumpolar Station — "Manufacturing" the Aurora Borealis
¦ — Good-bye for Ever! — A Wet Drive — Lappish versus
Finnish Scoundrel — A Terrible Drive — A Friend in Need
— An Accident — An Enviable Situation — The Eescue — A
Hardy Finn — Six Hours of Misery — Mr. Nemo Distinguishes
Himself Again — His Last Trick — Demanding " Compensation "
¦ — The Moral.
If my first journey to Finland has not tired you, I
invite you to accompany me on another, longer and more
fatiguing. The destination is this time the Finnish
Polar station, established under the International scheme

Journey to the Finnish Polar Station at Sodankyla. 145
of 1880, at Sodankyla, in the very heart of the Finnish
Lappmark. The journey cannot be performed in less than three
weeks, and I hasten to say that it will be very tire
some, as I had for my Vappus a man who in stu
pidity and laziness beat every one I ever employed.
I will not revenge myself, although he certainly de
serves it, by giving his name, but will call him Mr.
Nemo. This wretch, who had managed to insinuate himself
into my favour by his knowledge of languages, volun
teered to accompany me on this journey as guide and
interpreter, and I accepted, I regret to say, the offer,
although I was warned against him.
The kind sheriff said, indeed, take any other Lapp ;
even the worst was better than this one ; and I admit
he was right. He was then, however, in my good
books, and it cannot be denied that in some respects
he was superior to his countrymen. I therefore chose
him. But I will not let the introduction to this journey be
as long as that of the previous one, so we will at once
set out.
This is, however, not so easily done as said, as
Mr. Nemo requires two hours to get the Pulks ready
and harness the reindeer. Whilst we are waiting for
the sluggard, I will briefly inform you, that it has been
thawing for the last week, and that the snow is, in
consequence, in a miserable state, and that it is indeed
doubtful, on account of the advanced season (second half
of April), whether we shall reach Sodankyla and get
VOL. II. L

146 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
back, as the distance is altogether some three hundred
and fifty miles, and the journey lies southwards.
In Koutokseino there was not a single man who
believed I should succeed in my venture; every one
was sure I would either return the next day, or, if I
really reached Sodankyla, that I would have to return
by boat by the river during the summer, if I did not
choose to journey right away to the Baltic and return
by the common tourist track, via Haparanda. Of one
thing I became perfectly conscious, viz., that I would
have to travel during the night only, and sleep in the
daytime. Mr. Nemo has now, I am happy to say, finished his
task. It is exactly ten minutes to the midnight hour ;
the sky is overcast, dark and threatening.
I had hardly got over the first delight at being off
at last, when our progress was arrested by Mr. Nemo
pulling up at his farm, in order, as he said, to get
provisions for the journey. In spite of the scoundrel
having been prepared for this journey for several weeks,
which I think might have afforded him time enough
to fill his haversack, and in spite of knowing that I
had to accomplish the journey in the shortest possible
space of time, I had to sit, in the middle of the night, in
his abominable smoky den for two hours before he was
again ready to start.
I confess I blush with anger, when I now look back
upon this, his first trick, which was to be followed by
so many others ; and, indeed, a feeling of shame comes
over me when I think of the inexplicable circumstance
that during the whole journey I acquiesced without a

Journey to the Finnish Polar Station at Sodankyla. 147
murmur in all his outrageous propositions, and let
him in every way do as he pleased, only now and then
venturing feebly and unsuccessfully to remonstrate.
We had, in fact, not travelled far before our relations
changed, so that he became really master and I his
servant, who had to conform to all his desires, whims,
and comfort. My anger at times reached boiling point ;
but I kept, I almost regret to say, my temper. Now,
however, I am determined to expose the scoundrel in his
true colours.
We left Koutokseino with, three of Mr. Nemo's rein
deer, the plan being to travel round by Sepi, where
we should obtain three fresh, strong animals from one of
the camps there, which would stand the long journey to
Sodankyla and back. I had certainly been asked a very
high price for the hire of these three animals, but I paid
it gladly, as I was sure such an experienced (!) Lapp as
Mr. Nemo would, of course, be the . man to select three
champion trotters. Yes, he was indeed the right man.
At Sepi — about twelve miles from Koutokseino — we
halted at one of the two farms of which the place consists,
for a whole hour, for no other purpose, it appeared to
me, than for Mr. Nemo to have a quiet chat with the
inmates, whom he knocked up from their sleep. Two
miles further — at Oskald — where a single family lives,
we pulled up again, it being necessary, the rascal un-
blushingly maintained, to give the reindeer moss, and
let them rest a bit. The real object was simply that
Mr. Nemo de.sired some coffee. The animals could
easily have gone to the next camp, which was close by.
When a couple of hours had gone by with preparing and
l 2

148 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
drinking the coffee we could again set out. It was by
this time broad daylight.
At last we arrived at the camp. In one tent we
found a little boy asleep, whom we woke. He could,
however, not get us the three animals I had hired, and all
the grown-up people had, he said, left the camp before
daybreak. Another tent had also only one two-legged
inmate, a snoring lad, who, under the promise of a
shilling and a drink, roused himself sufficiently to be
able to assist in capturing the animals. The lassoes
shot several times aimlessly into the air or caught the
wrong animal, one of the performers being half asleep
and the other lazy, before we got hold of ours. A couple
of valuable hours were again lost, and it was nearly noon
before we were again on the road.
I am not quite sure whether I have said somewhere,
that a reindeer never walks ; at all events some writers
have. This is, I maintain, utterly untrue. The former
drives with reindeer I have attempted to describe were
short trips in the early part of the winter, when the snow
was good, and the animals were fresh and healthy. Then
the pace was allegro con fuoco ; but on longer journeys,
particularly towards the end of the winter, it is rather
moderato, and if, to add to this, the snow is thawing and
there sits a lazy lout like Mr. Nemo in the Pulk, who
never makes an effort to urge on the animal, and goes to
sleep every quarter of an hour — well, under such circum
stances a clumsy bullock would distance the reindeer.
Under such conditions it is tiring work to drive with
reindeer mile upon mile at snail's pace.
The snow was that clay not so bad but that we might

Journey to the Finnish Polar Station at Sodankyla. 149
have travelled twice the distance we did, but the incar
nation of laziness shuddered at the thought of the least
exertion, and even laughed at me when I modestly
suggested that we might drive a little faster.
Early in the afternoon we reached the mountain-hut
Sitschajavre. Here I slept for half an hour, and Mr. Nemo
for two hours, and when I at last awoke him — he had,
by-the-bye, taken possession of the best bed, as a matter
of course — the scoundrel had actually the impudence to
say that he had not slept at all ; he had only " rested."
It was quite impossible to start at once, he now main
tained ; he must have a cup of coffee before setting out,
else he would succumb to the fatigue. " And now," he
said, with a sickening, insinuating smile, " we shall have
a really good cup of coffee, dear friend." Yes, he said
indeed dear friend, and I am ashamed to confess I stood
it, now and on many subsequent occasions. He proposed
to " borrow " my coffee, and as he did not spare the beans,
the coffee was good and strong ; but I could not help a
sigh at seeing the big hole he had made in the coffee-
bag. Should he suggest to " borrow " it a couple of times
more my store of coffee would soon be gone. When I
had finished my cup, I waited patiently while Mr. Nemo
disposed of the rest— about three pints — and when this
was satisfactorily accomplished, he thought he might
have strength enough to travel.
We then set out, as in the morning, at walking pace,
and soon after passed, at walking pace, the Eussian
frontier, and arrived in the evening, at walking pace, at
Neckela. I suggested humbly that we should, after a
couple of hours' rest, continue the journey to Hatta, and

150 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
rest there the whole of the next day ; but no, that was
impossible, Mr. Nemo declared. He could not go on any
longer without sleep ; he felt already quite ill, as he had
not slept the previous night. That was utterly untrue,
both as regards the sleep and the illness ; he ate as if he
had not touched food for a fortnight, and I had seen him
fast asleep during the night and the day at least a dozen
times. I then dared to suggest that we might at least
set out at 4 A.M. Yes, he would do that, that is to say,
if he could awake so early, which he very much doubted.
He then sank into contemplation of the terrible hard
ships he had gone through, and the frightful fate before
him ; he would all his life regret that he had entered on
this journey, if he ever should get through at all, which
he had grave doubts of.
I wanted to have fresh grass in my shoes, and one
of the elementary duties of a Vappus is to keep the
foot-gear in order, so that the feet are kept dry and
warm ; but Mr. Nemo was of the opinion that they could
wait till the morrow. Patiently I asked the youngest son
of the house to do it for me, a request which he at once
executed with willingness and alacrity, while my atten
dant sat looking on, smoking calmly. He thought the
plan a very good one, and had his attended to, too, by
the same willing- hands. Alas ! why had I not provided
a valet for Mr. Nemo ?
Of course, we did not get away at four, and it was noon
before we reached Hatta. Mr. Nemo promised most con
descendingly to ascertain the route we were now to follow,
as he had never been further himself. In the evening
we were to set out again.

Journey to the Finnish Polar Station at Sodankyla. 151
I sat once more in the little room, where on a previous
occasion you may remember I spent such a pleasant
evening, playing whist ; and I was wondering how I
should get the many hours to pass. There was only one
civilised person in all Hatta, viz., the celebrated parson,
and he was, I thought, a little too advanced for me.
There was another personal reason for avoiding him, viz.,
that he had denounced me at Koutokseino as one of the
emissaries of the Devil, on account of my poor balloons
and rockets. I deemed it, therefore, prudent to avoid
this worthy personage.
The only amusement I could look forward to was,
therefore, a chat with my pleasant little hostess, who
about every half-hour came tripping into the room with
a cup of coffee of the very tiniest dimensions. I had
hitherto been under the impression that in coffee-drinking
the Lapps were the champions of the world, but from my
experiences during my sojourn in Finland I came to the
conclusion that they are mere babies compared to the
Finns. I had never thought that I should drink as much
coffee in my whole life as I did during those weeks.
But it is served in cups quite ridiculous in size, and I
drank cup after cup simply by way of a change.
By a remarkable and unexpected turn of good luck
another traveller arrived at Hatta the same afternoon,
and no other than the excellent sheriff from Muonioniska,
whom we had visited, but not found at home, on the
previous occasion. He was a man with a fine, frank
character, a large heart, and an even temperament. He
had a poet's ardent enthusiasm and words for the beauty
of his country and the greatness of his race. Not in the

152 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
centre of the capital could I have found a more excellent
and delightful Finn than he whom Providence brought
to me in the Finnish wilderness. In his company the
hours flew past like minutes, and I learnt with regret
that the time for breaking up had arrived. The good
sheriff from Muonioniska was kindness itself. He ob
tained us a very good dinner and some wine, and gave
me the most useful and minute information as to the

THE INN AT HATTA.

route I was to follow, the stations to stay at, &c. He
filled, moreover, my pockets and valise with provisions and
bottles, extracting a promise to come and stay with him
on my return journey, and when I left he would not
permit me to pay a penny of my bill. " You are in my
country ; it's no use arguing," was his only reply to my
expostulations. I have no doubt that the parson would have thundered

Journey to the Finnish Polar Station at Sodankyla. 153
forth damnation over us had he seen us and our table
that evening, as I can assure the reader that there are
stronger things than coffee drunk in Finland ; but I am
certain that any other comer would have been royally
received by the hospitable sheriff.
However, the hour of parting came at last, as the
weather cleared in the evening, and a slight frost made
the snow hard as a macadamised road, a circumstance
of which we ought to take immediate advantage.
At the departure a funny occurrence took place, which
necessitates the introduction of my friend the parson
once more, but I promise it shall be the last occasion. I
regret I can only furnish a second-hand report, as I was
at the time of its occurrence fast asleep, although being
the principal person concerned.
My reindeer was, as the last in the Eaide, tied to the
Pulk in front ; and as soon as we entered upon the vast,
flat ice-field at Hedansjarvi, I laid down to sleep, tired
either from the fatiguing journey of the last few days, or
maybe it was due to the sheriff's excellent beverage, of
which he insisted I never took enough ; anyhow, I fell
asleep. I suppose I had been dozing for a quarter of an hour,
when I opened my eyes unconsciously and beheld, in
what I thought was a dream, a man clad like a Kvsen
driving by my side, and who said, " Well, brother, how
do you do ? " I took, of course, no notice of it, but
merely turned over on the other side, and had wandered
far into the regions of slumber, when a confused noise,
loud, angry voices, and fast-driving Pulks, fell on my ear.
I opened my eyes just as the Pulk stopped, and whom

154 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
should I behold but my friend the worthy sheriff!
Questions and answers rapidly followed, and I learnt
that, as soon as I had left the inn, the Hatta parson
had jumped into a Pulk, and set after me. On the
sheriff being informed of this, he had, apprehending
danger to me, seized the first Pulk and reindeer he could
lay his hands on, and, not forgetting his flask, set off in
pursuit. The parson chased me, and the sheriff the
parson. I have already revealed enough of Mr. Nemo's
character not to surprise you by stating that the parson
soon overtook us, but, I am glad to say, only a couple
of minutes before the sheriff, the finest reindeer-driver
in the Finnish Lappmark, drove up.
As soon as the parson beheld his arch-enemy at his
heels, he saw that his venture had failed, and turned
home, thundering forth abuse and curses at us. The
sheriff was not a man to be bullied, and for several
minutes volley after volley of strong language was fired
from both sides, until the parson had fled out of ear
shot. Proud as a victor, the sheriff stood before me, and
uncorking his flask, proposed that we should now, when
the Evil Spirit had fled, drink to the health of his be
loved Suomi, the Land of the Thousand Lakes.
Five minutes after I was again alone with my drone ; I
do not mean the honest reindeer before my Pulk — he did
indeed exert himself to the utmost of his strength — but
I mean the scoundrel I had the misfortune to travel
with, who did nothing but sleep. When the caravan for
a moment stopped, from, want of' guiding, he roused
himself, shook the rein, starting it again, and was fast

Journey to the Finnish Polar Station at Sodankyla. 155
asleep before I could even call to him. To sleep here
was indeed very risky, as our road -lay all the night and
the following day up a broad river, where the ice, in
consequence of the strong current, was furrowed with
open holes. Luckily, the animals were more vigilant
than the snoring Vappus, else we should doubtless have
had many a cold bath on the way. I almost regret we
did not have one, for the sake of Mr. Nemo.
During the night a very serious circumstance became
more and more manifest to me, viz., that the reindeer
were getting exhausted. The middle one, drawing the
luggage, seemed, indeed, on the point of succumbing.
The tongue, quite black, hung out of its mouth, and its
heart beat in its chest with visible throbbings. Towards
morning we reached a miserable little farm, Kettomella,
where the animals had every attention I could bestow on
them, and where I slept for an hour on the only bed at
disposal, i.e., the hard floor.
Between this place and the next station, Kyro, it
became clear to me that we could not get further with
the poor, wretched animals which the blackguard
Mr. Nemo had chosen, although we had as yet only
travelled some fifty miles with them, whilst they were
said to be capable of performing the entire journey to
Sodankyla and back. All three animals were utterly
exhausted, and the middle one, having for some time
been rather dragged along than walked, fell at last on
the ice, being unable to get up again. I expected every
moment it would die.
It was indeed a pleasant situation ! I should not only
have to pay an exorbitant sum for the animal if it died,

156 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
but, what was worse, how were we to get along through
these uninhabited tracts with two exhausted and one
dead animal, and three heavily-laden Pulks ? Mr. Nemo
was, as might be expected, speechless.
We left the animal to rest on the ice for a while, when
it seemed to revive a little, and by our united efforts
we got it on its legs. I then tied it at the back of the
last Pulk, letting the strongest animal draw the two
Pulks, and we proceeded thus. Shortly afterwards the
sick reindeer fell into a hole in the ice, and the cold
bath refreshed it greatly. In spite of stoppages in
numerable we managed eventually to crawl as far as
the next station, Kyro, where we arrived at mid-day.
The country here, as well as for some distance further,
is very attractive, but somewhat monotonous. It is, in
fact, one vast fir-forest, dotted with lakes, rivers, and
marshes. In the splendid summer weather, which be
gan the day after I left Hatta, and lasted throughout
my entire sojourn in Finland, the forest nature was
certainly grand in the extreme, with the rays of the
noonday sun playing in the verdant crowns of the sombre
trees, or the tall, dark stems standing forth against the
rose-coloured twilight sky like polished granite pillars
in flaming torchlight. But, when one has the same view
before the eye for hours, days, and weeks, it becomes
at last monotonous.
These parts are seen at their best in the summer,
when the warmth of the sun has opened the eyes of
the smiling lakes, and the ice does not span its mono
tonous bridge over the prattling and noisy brooks and
rivers which wind through the majestic forest-solitude.

Journey to the Finnish Polar Station at Sodankyla. 157
The great farms, on which the sparse population dwell,
generally lie far apart. They consist of several dark,
detached log buildings, among which the lofty store
house stands prominently forth. They look, particularly
when two farms lie together, rather imposing, although
a closer inspection dispels somewhat the first impression.
There is a wide difference between the farms of the Finns
and those of the Lapps. In the latter we find dark,

A FINNISH FARM.

narrow, and dirty rooms, without a single object which
denotes civilisation or taste for improvement, while the
rooms of the Finnish farms are light, roomy, and large,
perhaps a little too large, and although they are often
used for workshops — as for instance for butter-barrel
making — cleanliness is never neglected, as it is in
those of the Lapps. We also often find here clocks,
pictures, looking-glasses, &c.

158 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
The Finnish peasants look very prosaic. The men
have something hard and cold, not to say repelling, in
their appearance and bearing. The young women are
neat and comely, but with little expression of physiog
nomy, and they are as like each other as peas, to which,
however, the monotonous dress — the short jacket, petti
coat, and shawl round the head — greatly contributes.
The old Finnish ladies are not pretty, and they have one
rather objectionable habit in common, viz., of always
smoking a short clay pipe.
Most of the farms, being the only inhabited spots in
these desolate regions, are also inns, the owners of which
are compelled by law to open their houses to the traveller
and supply him according to a fixed tariff, which is very
low. Thus, a cup of coffee, sugar, and real cream is
supplied for the ridiculous sum of five penni, or exactly
a halfpenny. The farms provide also, as a rule, reindeer
or horses for posting to the next station.
There are very few Lapps in Finland; altogether
only about eight hundred. Most of these are so-called
" Forest " Lapps, who, owning a few reindeer, some cows
and sheep, live chiefly by fishing and hunting in the
great forests. Their reindeer are a little bigger and more
muscular than those of the Mountain Lapps, and they
are tamer. In the winter they are kept near the farms,
and in the summer they stray about in large herds in
the forests. They never come to the coast as they do in
Norway. There are a few Finnish Mountain Lapps,
who live in exactly the same manner as those in
Scandinavia. The Finns, too, generally keep a few reindeer, which

Journey to the Finnish Polar Station at Sodankyla. 1 59
in the winter go about the farms like the cows and
sheep. The reindeer of the Finn is an entirely do
mesticated animal, which is far from being the case with
that reared by the Lapp.
In Finland, a harnessed reindeer will stand untethered
before the door waiting quietly like a horse ; this is un
heard of in Scandinavia.
But let us return to my own animals. Mr. Nemo
insisted that my dying animals could not possibly carry
me further, on which point he was perhaps right for
once. He proposed that I should hire a man and three
fresh animals here at Kyro for the next station, Debasto,
and that he should follow me with my three animals
freed from their burdens. I agreed to this ; in fact, it
seemed to me there was no other choice. Alas ! that
it did not occur to me to send the sluggard and his
wretched animals back to Koutokseino, instead of
dragging these four useless creatures with me through
half Finland ! Had I done this I should have saved
myself much annoyance, trouble, and expense. But, of
course, there was the unpleasantness of travelling entirely
alone in an unknown, almost unpopulated country,
without a great proficiency in the dialect.
The state of affairs was the same at Debasto as at
Kyro ; my reindeer were not better, and could not be
used. The only change was that I left Debasto with a
horse and sleigh.
When I said horse it was rather a libel on that noble
animal. I do not believe that Nature has in any other
part of the world produced such wretched creatures as
the horses which are found in Finland. Years of toil

60 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
and hardship have made them mere shadows. It was a
pitiful sight to see them exert the poor remnants of
strength they had left, the protruding knuckles, and the
hair eaten off everywhere by the harness. Year after
year they are urged on mercilessly by the heavy whip,
although hardly able to walk.
I doubt, however, whether the best horse could have
made rapid progress now, because as soon as we had
quitted the fine, level river for the forest the tempera
ture began to rise. The further we travelled the thinner
the snow became, and the more rough the ground. For
considerable distances the snow had melted entirely
away, with the exception of a narrow stripe on the
lowest side of the road. But this was a mere bagatelle
compared with what we were to experience later on.
The sleighs, which I solely employed from this mo
ment until I again reached Hatta, deserve every praise.
They are rather low and very long — twice the length
of a man — so that the thinnest layer of ice or snow will
support them. They are very light and elastic, so as to
yield when encountering resistance in the road. The
traveller lies very comfortably at full length on hay and
reindeer skins, covered with furs and rugs, while the
driver behind minds the horse; and if he is able to
sleep he will not feel the tediousness of the journey.
This mode of conveyance had, however, on this
occasion during the day certain drawbacks, in conse
quence of the very unusual weather I experienced ; a
burning sun shone for a whole week from a cloudless
sky, raising the temperature every day, and made the
Psesk and furs as agreeable as they would have been

Journey to the Finnish Folar Station at Sodankyla. 161

in Egypt. The Psesk, which soon became so hot outside
that I could not touch it, had first to be left behind,
and the fur-cap, with the eider-down crown, soon after
shared the same fate, while I had to make an improvised
cap out of a handkerchief, until I should reach Kittila,
the only place where I could obtain a seasonable head-
covering. Shortly after midnight I arrived at a place called
Jokkela, and in the morning Mr. Nemo and his com
panions turned up. He was driven to despair, he
declared ; the reindeer could not possibly go further, and
the best plan would be to let them rest there for a week,
• when he thought they might be able to walk as far as
Sirka — a few miles distant — which I would have to pass
on my return journey, if I intended to travel via, Muo
nioniska. He had indeed arranged all, and found a man
who was willing, for a consideration, to look after the
animals in the meantime, so that he could follow us to
Sodankyla. Well, I agreed to this arrangement, and
thus got rid of two-thirds of my living encumbrances.
Why I did not take the opportunity also to get rid
of the last — the most objectionable of them all — I am
again unable to understand. The use he had hitherto
been to me as interpreter was, in fact, nil; it never
for a moment occurred to him to do anything but
what was for his own comfort, and I knew sufficient
of Finnish, when I . had had a little practice, to
get what I desired. But, in spite of this, and in spite
of the fact that I wished Mr. Nemo more than once
in hotter regions than we were in, and would gladly
have exchanged his company for that of a tramp
VOL. II. M

162 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
or jail-bird, I own I was weak enough to take him
with me.
The first ten miles he shared my sleigh, where he lay
snoring at full length, but he soon found that he was not
comfortable enough there, and feeling a sudden com
passion for the horse, told me that it was really too
much for one animal, which I am sure it was not. Well,
I was good-natured enough to take his view, and let him
have a sleigh, horse, and driver all to -himself, and in
this manner the parasite journeyed through Finland at
my expense, as if he had a private income of a thousand
a year. To crown it all the impudent scoundrel kept on
complaining from morning to night of the terrible suffer
ings he had to endure, and in drawing unfavourable
comparisons between this journey and others he had
participated in. And this was the leturn I got from the
ungrateful wretch for all the kindness and assistance I
had bestowed on him during my sojourn at Koutokseino,
of which, however, I will not speak. Yes, it was indeed
a nice rod I had made for my own back.
We travelled all the night and the next forenoon from
one farm to another, changing horses and sleighs at
every one. Thus, if a farm is only two miles from
another the proprietor is not obliged to drive further
than the next, and it is seldom that he does so, as the
payment (one penny per mile and a half) is not at all
proportion to the work performed.
At mid-day we approached Kittila.
A large number of pines, between them a score or
two of large houses, covering about a mile or so, a slough
of mud — such is Kittilti, the capital of Finnish Lapland.

THE CHURCH AT KITTILA.

To face page 1 62, Tol. II.

Journey to the Finnish Polar Station at Sodankyla. 163

It enjoys this honourable distinction from not only
boasting such dignitaries as sheriff, parson, and forest-
inspector, but also a county governor, a doctor, and a
magistrate. Here are also three or four shops and a jail,
bearing the proud name of " Fortress," but, judging by
the rotten state of the paling around it, the claim seems
somewhat pretentious.
The church is of wood, and very old.
The prettiest ornament of the place is a body of three
or four snow-crested mountains in the distance, a very
rare ornament in a Finnish landscape.
I should trespass too far on the privacy of family life
if I were to give a detailed account of my two days'
sojourn at Kittila. Suffice it to say, that my time was
divided between the governor's residence and the large
building with two wings which forms the dwelling of
the magistrate and the doctor, that the most excellent
and kind-hearted people may be found in them both,
dispensing hospitality in true northern style, and in
whose homes every comfort may be enjoyed, that I
drank tea, for the first time, in Eussian fashion, from
glasses, that I smoked mountains of Russian cigarettes,
which are very common and used in large quantities
in this part of Finland, that I slept in a room in the
residence of the magistrate papered in a very original
manner with cuts from the Swedish Figaro — whose
emblem is a razor— and that every night I went to
sleep after vainly attempting to count the razors which
stared at me threateningly from every part of the
chamber. What a sensation once more to lie a whole night in a
M 2

164 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
clean bed, after having for a week only slept in Pulks
and sleighs, or at least on a bed vacated by somebody
ten minutes before ! Had the host of inhabitants left
with the previous occupier, I might, perhaps, have had
little cause for grumbling ; but, I regret to say, that was
not the case ; in fact, I brought home from my journey
some forcible experiences of what Messrs. Herodes, Sulla,

THE RESIDENCE OF THE DIGNITARIES AT KITTILA.

and Alba must have suffered in their old days. Indeed,
my kind host, the magistrate, told me that the Finnish
variety of a certain animal, famous for its strong muscu
lar powers, is in the habit of standing with its hind-legs
on the floor and its fore-paws on the window-sill, on the
look-out for unsuspecting travellers. As to the other,
which, according to the popular belief, is a relative — a

Journey to the Finnish Folar Station at Sodankyla. 165
kind of half-brother, it seems — it is said to " snarl " when
you look at it !
In Kittila I was so fortunate as to find two of the
scientists from the Polar station at Sodankyla, who were
on a visit to the magistrate, and intended to return the
following day. I was, of course, delighted at making the
journey in their company.
The distance between Kittila and Sodankyla is about
sixty miles. I was advised to travel the first half, to
the station Tepsa, with reindeer, as this would be the
quickest, the snow being here rather good. I followed
this advice, to the great disgust of Mr. Nemo, as
he had to exchange the comfortable sleigh for the
less easy Pulk; but when he saw that I had the
whole of Kittila and half Sodankyla on my side, he
made a virtue of necessity, looking, however, black and
offended. For the first half hour we had to walk on foot, as the
ground was entirely denuded of snow, but afterwards it
improved, and we arrived in the morning at Tepsa.
Here the reindeer had to be left till I returned. I had
now two caravans waiting for me in Finland.
Afterwards I used — and of course also he whom I
would again have made the object of contempt, had I
not been what you have probably already discovered, too
good-natured — horse and sleigh.
The snow became now every moment poorer, and the
bare patches larger and larger. We proceeded, therefore,
very slowly, and, as I had to conform to Mr. Nemo's hours
of sleeping, eating, and drinking, the whole day went by.
The two scientists from Sodankyla soon became tired of

166 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
travelling in this sluggish manner, and went forward in
their Pulks to announce my arrival.
As the sun sets a wide and magnificent view opens
before me. Surrounded by immense, verdant forests, set
in a frame of snow-capped mountains, and watered by
winding rivers, the lovely little village of Sodankyla
lies basking in the rays of the evening sun.

THE CHURCH AT SODANKYLA.

Shortly after I am in the cosy vicarage, welcomed by
the parson and his family, with whom are the staff of the
Polar station.
1 will not attempt to give an account of the pleasant
thirty hours I spent here, few of which were, indeed,
devoted to sleep. I will also pass over the hearty
welcome accorded to me by the six members of the

Journey to the Finnish Polar Station at Sodankyla. 167

expedition, as well as the lavish hospitality shown me
by the excellent parson, in order that I may devote
some space to the work of the scientific station.
The man to whom the honour is due of Finland par
ticipating — at the eleventh hour — in the International
Association formed in 1880 for the solution of certain
scientific problems of the Arctic regions, to which I have

THE CIRCUMPOLAR STATION AT SODANKYLA.

referred at some length in a previous chapter, is Selim
Lemstrom, Professor of Physics at the Helsingfors Uni
versity. He assisted also in establishing the station
and in guiding the first observations, when he returned
to his post in the Finnish capital. The station is, there
fore, under the charge of Dr. Ernst Biese, who, with five
assistants, among whom are a botanist and a zoologist,
all men under thirty years of age, have now for more

168 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
than two years, here in the heart of the Finnish Lapp-
mark, sedulously prosecuted the continuous series of
observations which come within the scope of the scheme.
Compared with the Norwegian station at Bossekop, the
Finnish one is more imposing, and has also cost a
great deal more money.
Of the four neat central buildings, forming a square,
three are depositories for the magnetic instruments and
the fourth devoted to meteorology ; behind, lies the little
astronomical observatory. A net of telephone-wires con
nect the buildings with the residence of the scientists,
while several electrical conductors run in various direc
tions on poles. I need hardly say, that the usual instru
ments required for the study of meteorology, such as
thermometers, rain, snow, and wind gauges, &c, are not
wanting. I do not intend to give a detailed description of the
various instruments, their arrangement and use, because
they are familiar to scientists, and of little interest to
others, but shall only touch on the main points of
interest. The magnetic instruments at the station are
particularly fine and complete, while in its terrestrial-
current apparatus it possesses a speciality hardly pos
sessed by any of the other International stations.
In a direction N. — S. and E. — W. insulated conductors
three miles and a quarter (five kilometres) in length, have
been laid out on telegraph poles, which in the further
end are connected with zinc disks buried in the earth,
and the end running out of the station, previous to
being buried in a similar manner, connected with a large
galvanometer by the needle of which the deviations

Journey to the Finnish Polar Station at Sodankyla. 169

caused by the terrestrial current are observed and mea
sured. This is effected in the same manner as with
variation instruments, viz., the needle— to be brief —
carries at one end a tiny mirror opposite which a scale
of measurement has been placed horizontally. The re
flected image of this scale is observed through a tele
scope pointed at the mirror, and as the needle swings
(oscillates) various portions of the scale, which is divided
by figures, are reflected in the focus of the telescope,
in which a fine, perpendicular wire serves to define the
image more accurately, and thereby the position of the
needle. The needle is hardly ever at rest, as electric currents
constantly course through the conductor, which are
particularly strong in that running E. — W.
During his sojourn at the station, in the winter of
1882-83, Professor Lemstrom effected some experiments
which have attracted great attention in the scientific
world, and of which I will give an account here. They
were, to speak popularly, nothing less than — manufac
turing the Aurora Borealis !
On the top of a mountain, Oratunturi, some distance
from Sodankyla, he raised what he has in Swedish called
an utstromnings apparatus, i.e., literally, a " discharging "
apparatus. It consists simply of a copper wire, along
which tiny points of iron have been soldered, a foot and
a half apart, laid over telegraph poles placed in such
a manner that the wire forms a spiral figure, covering
an area of nearly three thousand square feet. From the
very centre of the apparatus an insulated conductor runs
on poles, down to the base of the mountain — about six

170 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
hundred feet below the apparatus — where it was connected
with a platina disk buried in the earth, as shown on the
illustration. When a galvanometer was introduced into
this conductor, it was coursed by electric currents ; but
the most interesting result was, that the apparatus was
often, in the evening and the night, surmounted by a
faint, yellow-white luminosity, which, when examined with
the spectroscope, gave — though faintly — the same spectrum
as the Aurora Borealis.
Later on Professor Lemstrom made some further ex
periments with the apparatus on another mountain, where
once a single, wedge-shaped beam of light was obtained
above the apparatus, but no spectroscopic analysis of the
same was made.* A smaller apparatus of the same kind
had for some time been erected on the steeple of Sodankyla
church, but without result. It is seen on the illustra
tion of the church, above the cross, a ladder having been
raised to reach it.
My esteemed colleague, Professor Lemstrom, main
tains that the luminous phenomena thus produced are
identical with the Aurora Borealis, and concludes from
the same that the aurora lies very near the surface of the
earth. I consider, however, that it is impossible to
accept these theories, and believe that the luminous
phenomena are more related to the electric phenomenon
known as St. Elmo's Fire than to the Aurora Borealis.
Indeed, a few years ago I witnessed one of the most

* I refer here, and in the following, to what I was told by the scientists
at Sodankyla at the time of my visit. There are some slight discrepancies
between the same and Professor Lemstrom's official report of a later
date.

Journey to the Finnish Polar Station at Sodankyla. 171
magnificent displays of this phenomenon in broad day
light on a church steeple in Bergen.
The spectroscopic analysis, in my opinion, proves very
little, for this reason, that the St. Elmo's Fire has never
been analysed by the spectroscope, and by the circum
stance that Professor Lemstrom obtained the auroral

«h®.

THE ARTIFICIAL AURORA BOREALIS. (ENGRAVED FROM A DRAWING BY
PROFESSOR LEMSTROM.)
spectrum from every object around, as, for instance,
house-tops, frozen lakes, and mountains. I do not deny
that there are certain indications of the Aurora Borealis,
at all events at times, descending to the surface of the
earth, but most observations decidedly indicate that, its
true plane lies in a great height of the atmosphere.
I may add that adherents of the latter theory have

172 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
recently been greatly encouraged by the celebrated
electrician Professor Edlund, of the Swedish Academy
of Science, removing one of its greatest obstacles, by
demonstrating that a vacuum or chamber of rarefied air
does not resist the transmission of the electric current.
I will, however, not enter into a discussion of the
subject here, but merely say that Professor Lemstrom's
experiments are exceedingly interesting, although too
brief and provisional, and that they certainly deserve to
be repeated in places where there are fewer natural
obstacles against their execution than in the forest-clad,
rigid wilderness of Finnish Lapland.
Another of Professor Lemstrom's theories, relating to
the Aurora Borealis, which he considers proved by some
experiments effected at Sodankyla, is that two observers,
placed at some distance from each other, do not see
one and the same aurora, but that each sees only his
own arc. If this theory is accepted, we shall be entirely
unable to find the height of the Aurora Borealis above
the earth's crust by the methods hitherto followed.
The remarkable, though too limited, experiments
on this point made at Sodankyla were these. About
three miles north of Sodankyla an auroral observatory
was established and connected with the central station
by means of a telephone. At both stations instruments
were mounted for measuring the apparent height of the
aurora above the horizon, and the measurements were to
be made at both stations in a direction indicated by a
connecting line between them. By the aid of a tele
phone the measurements could be made at the same
moment at both stations, as soon as they had agreed

Journey to the Finnish Bolar Station at Sodankyla. 173
which part of the visible aurora, or which of the lower
edges, should be measured.
The six or seven measurements, effected in one night,
gave a most remarkable result, inasmuch as the apparent
height of the arcs in nearly all cases was smallest at the
northern station. The arcs measured stood on the northern
horizon. From whatever point of view the height of the
aurora is considered, this result is absurd, if at both
stations the same object was measured. In the most
unfavourable instance, viz., with a very great height in
proportion to the distance between the stations, the
heights measured would have been equal in both places ;
in all others the arcs must appear at a greater height at
the northern than the southern station.
Professor Lemstrom explains the discrepancies of the
measurements by suggesting that two different pheno
mena were observed, i.e., that they were different parts
of a diffused, luminous layer, which to each observer has
projected itself on the horizon in the shape of arcs.
There is nothing to prevent us accepting this view,
defended by Arago, if certain facts and observations did
not point in an opposite direction.
I have already demonstrated, in another place, that the
observations in the plane Koutokseino — Bossekop wholly
disprove such an assumption ; on the other hand, I saw
in Sodankyla drawings of auroral arcs, which showed
so distinctly the characteristics of arcs I had observed
at Koutokseino, as, for instance, the striking difference
between the eastern and western ends of the arc, that I
do not for a moment doubt their identity.
I shall not attempt to show how the results ob-

174 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
tained at Sodankyla may be explained. I believed at
first that the cause might be found in some defect in the
instrument used — a very small theodolite, a few inches
in height, of which the glass had been removed ; but I
found by directing it to the edges of clouds that its
greatest want of accuracy was only 10', while the differ
ence in one of the observations was as much as 3°.
On this point, too, we must regret that the measure
ments have been so few. I believe, therefore, that the
discoveries made by the expedition to Sodankyla cannot
be said to have in the least shaken the theories I have
advanced here concerning the Aurora Borealis.
I may in conclusion add, that the results of the experi
ments made at Sodankyla during the winter of 1883-84,
when the artificial aurora was also produced once or twice,
but very faintly — in the manner shown on the accom
panying illustration — seem rather to confirm than refute
my views on these points, and that I myself attempted
during the same winter for several months to produce
the aurora by a large apparatus erected on the top of the
mountain Esja, in Iceland, without obtaining the slightest
trace of the phenomenon, a fact which is all the more
remarkable as the island lies very near the auroral zone,
where the phenomenon is most intense and frequent.
In the pleasant, interesting company the thirty hours
sped rapidly by, but in spite of all overtures, the comfort
and the kindness, I could tarry no longer, if I would not
be shut up for several months in these parts, which are
wholly impassable in the spring. I called to my mind
all the difficulties I had encountered on my journey out,
how often I had been on the point of turning back, and

Journey to the Finnish Bolar Station at Sodankyla. 175
that the return journey even now would be far more
difficult, on account of the very unusual summer weather.
So with a heavy heart I rose from the hospitable table
of the parson at midnight.
The sleigh is at the door ; the night is dark and starry.
Good-bye ! good-bye ! Au revoir — in the next world !
We shall never meet again on earth.
The road had sadly changed ; instead of as formerly,
dark patches in the white snow, there were now white
patches on the dark ground. To Tepsa, where we arrived
the next day, the horses suffered much, but nothing
compared with the reindeer which we employed between
this place and Kittila. It took us fourteen hours to
cover the twenty-five miles. He who has never tried
such a journey cannot form an idea of the toil and
fatigue. There were big holes in the ice on the rivers,
and a foot of water on the surface, through which we had
to drive. I got, however, quite reconciled to this at
last ; it was a question whether I was not wetter than
the water. On the lakes the half-melted snow had
formed a slush, through which it was even more un
pleasant to drive, while in the forests the ground was
bare and the grass had begun to shoot. We had to walk
long distances, as the reindeer were wholly unable to
drag the Pulks over the bare ground, and here and there
to make great detours in order to avoid broken-up rivers
and the water on the ice.
But even all these obstacles could not stimulate
Mr. Nemo into the least activity. When driving he
generally slept until his cap fell off, or the animals
stopped, and when awake— which was but seldom— he

176 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
bewailed his fate, declaring in the most piteous accents
that he would either die from want of sleep, or freeze
to death from getting his feet wet. I wished sometimes
that his prognostications would prove true.
Long after midnight we at last reached the inn at
Kittila, where the host and hostess evacuated the only
bed, in which I went to sleep, but not before clean
sheets had been put on it. I did not expect less in
a capital. The next morning I took leave of the kind people at
the magistrate's, dined rather early with the governor,
and proceeded in sleigh to Sirka, where I arrived at
night. Here I was again to meet my three reindeer, whether
dead or alive was difficult to say. They were, however,
to my great surprise, in first-rate condition. The man
who had taken care of them asked a most exorbitant
sum for his trouble, which I at first refused to pay, but
which he, of course, got at last. It was Mr. Nemo's
fault again. The Lapp scoundrel had made no agree
ment with the Finnish scoundrel. I have not the least
doubt they shared the proceeds of the robbery.
I had had enough of Pulk travelling in such weather,
and I therefore ordered a horse and sleigh. At first I
was told that it was impossible to get further, either
in Pulk or sleigh, some rivers having broken up the
same day, but after a good deal of " treating," I was
told that there was a route by which I might be able to
get on. Having waited four hours for the horse, I started
in a sleigh with the luggage, leaving my four encum
brances to jog behind.

Journey to the Finnish Polar Station at Sodankyla. 177
I shall not tire the reader by repeating my troubles,
but merely state that I travelled in this manner from
Sirka to Pontsa, from Pontsa to Eavhalla, from Eavhalla
to Torrasjepi, and from Torrasjepi to Muonioniska. The
ground did not get worse ; that was an impossibility.
Thus the whole night and the greater part of the follow
ing day went by.
I was again at Muonioniska, the hospitable Muonion
iska, the gay Muonioniska, in the house of the kindest
of hosts ; no stranger could have been received more
royally than I was by the sheriff. He would not permit
me to stay less than twenty-four hours, and these
stretched into thirty-six.
At Muonioniska the snow had entirely disappeared, and
the ice on the river gone up in many places. The heat
became more and more oppressive ; the glass registered
75° in the sun, and we were in the afternoon obliged to
take our coats off and go about indoors — pardon, fair
reader — in our shirt-sleeves.
The sheriff, whose whole life is spent in travels in his
vast district, and on whose judgment I could therefore
rely, drew a plan by which I might reach Hatta, in spite
of the desperate state of affairs. My useful Vappus was
the next morning dispatched with the reindeer to
Hatta by the ordinary route, while I myself followed
another, somewhat longer, in sleigh.
The hour of parting struck also here at last, and at
6 a.m. I said good-bye to my hospitable host ; but not
before he had stuffed my pockets with cigarettes, and
the sleigh with provisions, brandy, beer, punch, &c,
enough for a whole fortnight's campaign. I brought,
VOL. II. n

178 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
indeed, more bottles with me to Koutokseino than I took
away. I had been driving up the broad, ice-covered Muonio
Eiver for about half-an-hour, when the ice suddenly
broke, and the horse sunk in. The driver and myself
were in an instant out on the ice. The horse attempted
strenuously to get up, whereby he only made the hole
larger, and sunk deeper. In a moment the driver had
freed it from the traces, and attempted to draw it up
by the reins. But it was all in vain ; it sunk every
moment deeper, so that at last only the head was above
the water. The driver was in despair, and I not less so, as
I could do nothing beyond holding on the reins in front,
so that the horse should not sink. He roared every
minute at the top of his voice, " Help ! help ! A horse has
fallen through the ice. Help ! help ! " It was of little
use, no one came, and there was no house within sight.
Again we tried to drag the horse out, but only suc
ceeded in making the hole bigger. My driver began
again to shout, with the same result, and cut steps in the
ice, so that we should stand more secure. But there is
no change, and the hope of saving him grows smaller
and smaller. Now the head is alone above the water,
the eyes being nearly closed, while the hoofs of the
fore-legs rest on the ice. The poor animal begins to
tremble, and its last hour seems to have come. When
three-quarters of an hour had gone by in this manner,
the driver dropped his rein, and requesting me to "hold
on," ran up on the bank to repeat his shouts.
Well, there I stood all alone on the wide expanse of
the Muonio in a peculiar and not at all enviable

To face page 178, Vol. II.

VIEW OF GATKESUANDO.

Journey to the Finnish Bolar Station at Sodankyla. 179

situation. I resisted with all my might, every moment
expecting that the horse and the writer of these lines
would disappear in the strong current below. Luckily
the horse, poor wretch, kept quite quiet.
When the despairing driver had shouted himself
hoarse on one bank, without success, he ran across to
the other, where he repeated his shouts, in passing en
couraging me to " hold on." I held on like grim death.
At last there came a shout of response,. and soon after
two men made their appearance with a rope, and now, as
soon as we had passed it round the animal, we began all
four to haul as if our own lives were at stake. After a
severe struggle we had the satisfaction at last of seeing
him up on the ice.
As soon as he had shaken the water off, and a cloth
had been thrown over him, he was again harnessed as if
nothing had occurred, and we proceeded.
I cannot deny that it was with a sense of relief we left
the river at Pultanen, where the ground certainly was
rougher but more secure. On a little lake near this
place my new driver fell through the ice to the waist,
and it was only after an exciting struggle I got him up ;
but the incident did not seem to affect him in the least.
He coolly sat down, drew his boots off, emptied the
water out, drew them on again, and we drove on with
out the least delay.
At the next station, Gatkesuando, I was told that it was
a sheer impossibility to get further, and that there was
nothing but open lakes and rivers to the next station,
about fifteen miles.
I promised good pay, and that helped, but I never
N 2

180 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
shall forget the six hours which followed. The whole
country was one continuous bog, where the water stood
from one to two feet in height. A few times we had to drive
right through deep, foaming currents : there was no help
for it ; I must go forward. To crown it all the weather
changed and became dull and heavy, and after a while it
came down in torrents. A sluice above, a lake below !
Of the many hours I have spent travelling, none have
been worse than these six. I had not even the amuse
ment of having Mr. Nemo to swear at.
The distance between the next two stations, from
Muotka to Hatta, was indeed a pleasure compared with
the previous. I drove here across continuous lakes, and
as the ice was strong and I did not spare the horses, we
got along at a good pace.
It was night when I arrived at Hatta. I found Mr.
Nemo calmly devouring his evening meal. He had
arrived about mid-day. And now, will you believe it ?
the — well, my vocabulary of epithets is exhausted ; you
can apply whichever and as many as you like — he had
made no preparation whatever for hastening our de
parture, although he knew full well that every hour
was precious !
He told me that it would be absolutely necessary to
hire a fourth reindeer, or else we should never reach
Koutokseino. I acquiesced, of course, as usual, and when
he had eaten and slept, and eaten again, we could set
out, but not before 3 a.m. Fancy my feelings when I
discovered that the fourth reindeer had been procured for
the sole purpose of carrying certain merchandise Mr.
Nemo had purchased at Muonioniska, to be sold by him

Journey to the Finnish Polar Station at Sodankyla. 181
at Koutokseino ! You base sinner ! how you abused my
incredible patience !
At Hatta a Lapp, who wanted to get to Koutokseino,
joined our company, and particularly between Hatta and
Neckela, where the road was wholly impassable, and we
had to crawl along between shrubs and underwood, the
contrast between Mr. Nemo's capacity, or rather inca
pacity, and that of his countryman became very glaring.
It was a pleasure to see how the latter got over all
difficulties, not only his own but ours ; and how often
had he not to assist my guide ( !) over the difficult ground ?
And he did everything with the greatest cheerfulness.
But everything has an end, as well as this journey,
so a couple of days after I was again at Koutokseino.
But what will never end is the hearty contempt I feel
for that wretch who plays one of the leading characters
in this narrative, and who, to cap all his impudence,
demanded, and obtained, an outrageous " compensation
for his assistance and sufferings," as he had the bare
faced impudence to call it.
And the moral of this tale is this, kind reader :
that should you ever come to Koutokseino, ascertain
his name at all costs, so that you may not fall into his
hands. Shun him like the plague ! Travel ten, twenty,
thirty miles to escape him, and you will have the reward
of dying in the happy knowledge that Mr. Nemo, of
Lapland notoriety, has not shortened your life on earth.

182 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

CHAPTEE VI.
FROM KOUTOKSEINO TO BOSSEKOP.
KOUTOK^INO ON MY EeTURN  My FEELINGS AT SAYING GOOD-BYE —
A Eetrospect — A Monster Kite — Its First Ascent — Driving
with a Kite — Its Tragic End — A Eeview of some" of my
Friends on leaving — Some Amusing Characters — An Excel
lent Fellow — A Schoolmaster — A Novel Method of Teaching
Beckoning — A Great Truth- — A Series of Good-byes — Pre
parations for the Journey — The First Start — A Catastrophe
—The Second Start — My Companions — A Cheerful Drive
through Water — More Misfortunes — Whitsuntide in a
Mountain Befuge — My Companions the Two Dorotheas — A
Bit of True Womanly Nature — Listening to a Nocturnal
Communion — The Next Night — Mine Host and Hostess — A
Eeligious Maniac — Mikkel Arrives — We Start again — A
Terrified Eeindeer — A Eemarkable Feat- — " Thea " to the
Eescue — A Drive in a Fog on the Mountain — A Dreary
Winter Scene — A Change — A Dangerous Descent — A Thaw
—On Horseback — The Appearance of a "Professor" — A Pig
on a Broomstick — A Greeting from the Arctic Ocean —
Welcome Back to Civilisation.
When I returned from Finland, in May, Koutokseino
was, if possible, more deserted and more quiet than
before. The parsonage was again empty. Already, when
I started for Sodankyla, I said good-bye to the excellent
young parson and his kind wife, who at the end of April
were to journey to the coast, where they are in the habit
of sojourning during the summer.

From Koutokseino to Bossekop. 183

The Mountain Lapps with their herds were already
now many miles to the north, on their wanderings to
the coast, and only a Lapp or two of the few settled at
Koutokseino indicated that there still were some human
beings in the place, besides the two Norwegian digni
taries who live here all the year round.
As the few weeks of real summer weather I had en
joyed, or rather suffered, during my Finnish journey were
followed by a little frost and snow, I was, in spite of what
I had experienced, thoughtless enough to tarry a whole
week more in the Koutokseino solitude. It may, indeed,
sound strange, but the real truth was, that my heart
became heavy at the thought of tearing myself away
from this little spot, where I had spent so many a long,
lonely, and dark winter's night, and which I should never
see again. But it became necessary at last to break the
chain which for nearly nine months had bound me closer
and closer to this desolate place and its kind people. I
could tarry no longer, if I wished to reach the coast at all,
and not wait until the river broke up, in a few months
time. My heavy luggage and my instruments I had
fortunately long ago dispatched to Bossekop, and that I
was starting at the eleventh hour I soon discovered by
the difficulty in obtaining a Vappus and reindeer for my
journey. However, I succeeded at last, by submitting
to the most scandalous extortion, in finding a Lapp who
would venture on the undertaking.
Permit me, kind reader, before I leave a place which
for the better part of a year has been intimately associated
with my dearest occupation in life, and where I have in
these my' sketches asked you to share in my impressions,

184 Under the Bays of the Aurora Boreahs.
my thoughts, my joy and sorrow — a place for which
I dare to hope you, too, have conceived a modicum of
sympathy and interest — permit me, before I say good-bye
for ever, to dwell a little on the last few days I spent there.
When I started on my journey thither, it was with a
vivid consciousness of having to suffer many a dark,
lonely hour, to renounce every comfort, spiritual and
physical, and to suffer the merciless climate of the Arctic
regions ; but I candidly confess the reality was far from
being as terrible as anticipated.
To begin with, the intense cold for which these parts
of the globe are renowned, and for which I entertained
no small amount of respect, did not put in an appearance.
True, the thermometer fell sometimes to a degree under
which many a Southerner, no doubt, would say human
beings would succumb ; but a hundred and twenty degrees
of frost — by no means uncommon in these parts — I luckily
escaped. The lowest temperature I experienced — and
survived — was sixty degrees of frost, a respectable cold
enough. But man can accustom himself to much, and
even a cold of forty degrees of frost appeared to me,
after a time, to be quite pleasant, when the air was quiet.
Terrible, however, was the frost when accompanied by
wind ; well, then a man must indeed have good temper
to endure with equanimity the stinging pain in the face,
the cutting sensation in the benumbed limbs, and the
thousand-and-one troubles of handling metal instruments
for hours.
The dark hours in the land of the Lapps were terribly
depressing. Certainly it was no continuous pitch-dark
night, as the Southerner is wont to imagine. I could

From Koutokseino to Bossekop. 185
thus, even at Christmas, read print out of doors at noon
for about an hour ; but still the total absence of the sun,
the constant use of artificial light, and the total want of
the least change for months in a life of monotony, was
enough to crush the heart and spirits of the stoutest,
weigh down the mind of a man, and drive him to the
verge of madness, when brooding on the secrets of life,
Death, and Infinity.
Operas, balls, concerts, theatres, circuses, you do not
find in Lapland ; these and much more you have certainly
to renounce if you care to visit these regions ; but if you
are content to remain for some months among a few
excellent and kind-hearted families, who spare no trouble
to make you comfortable, you will often forget what you
have left behind, and acknowledge that an evening can
be spent as pleasantly accompanied by fifty degrees of
frost as in the oppressive saloons of a London mansion.
When I now look back through this vista of abnegation,
monotony, and silence, along which the days flowed by
in Ultima Thule, I behold many a bright spark of joy in
the darkness. How many new and strange impressions
did I not gather ! how many pleasant and amusing ex
periences do I not treasure of this peculiar, weird world in
which I moved, of this interesting race, who formed my
daily companions !
And strange as the Lapps, their characteristics and
their habits, were to me, stranger still were my mystic
pursuits and devil-fostered proceedings to them.
Picture to yourself, you over-educated, electricity-
nurtured denizen in the heart of the world, these naive,
uncultured people, who know nothing beyond their daily

186 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
habits and the changes of the seasons — picture them
to yourself; and can you wonder that they treated me
with awe and reverence, in fact, as one of the Egyptian
magicians of old was treated by the terrified Eomans ?
Indeed I do not exaggerate in the least when I say
that for a century, if the race exists, the Lapps will talk
in whispers in their tents and Gammer of nastiduthke —
the Astrologer — or nastiherra — the Lord of the Stars —
as I was always called, and the winter he passed in their
midst. In an earlier chapter, I have related how I increased
the Lapp conception of wonders with such things as
fireworks, balloons, and photography ; and that I even
went so far as to call into requisition the latest inven
tion of modern science, the telephone, in the snowy
deserts of Lapland ; and when I discovered that even the
most primitive of flying-machines, the kite, was unknown
to them, I decided to make one larger than myself, on
which I painted two enormous staring eyes terrible to
behold. What a delight to these children, great and
small, to see it soar high among the clouds, and to be
allowed to hold the string, and feel how it tugged !
But I did not rest content with this. I decided to
construct the greatest kite which the world had ever seen.
I had to discard the orthodox shape, with the semi-curved
head, as an iron buckle large enough was not to be obtained
at Koutokseino. I made, therefore, two long, slender poles,
twelve feet long, which I laid crosswise, and tied the four
corners together by means of a rope a quarter of an inch
thick. Next I bought at the merchant's eight yards of
linen for clothing this monster. The result of my labour

From Koutokseino to Bossekop. 187
was "the production of a wall of canvas, nearly eighty
feet square, which, when it was up, I was hardly able to
move, on account of its great weight and the force of the
wind upon it. Four lines meeting at a point below it, were
arranged so that the kite,-in spite of its weight, would rise
with a fairly strong wind. It came, and of course the
kite was at once to be tried. The end of the thick rope
which held it was securely fastened to a pole in the
ground. But now arose the question : How was I to get
a tail for such a giant ? An ordinary paper tail would
have had as much effect as a match would in the steer
ing of a man-of-war. After some deliberation I made
up my mind. I constructed a tail of firewood-ends
strung on a rope ! At last the solemn moment arrived
when the machine was to ascend, and what nobody ex
pected occurred— the monster kite shot up like a rocket.
But it was also the signal for a general stampede of the
crowd, as well as its constructor, as the colossus with
its terrible tail, on account of a certain want of equili
brium, described the wildest and most alarming antics in
the air, with a rapidity of motion quite startling, and
threatened every moment to come down headlong, to the
woe of he whom it struck. He would admire no more
kites in this world.
On a later occasion this kite drew five persons up a
hill with the greatest ease ; on the plain it would have
been certain death. I soon learnt, however, that even
a monster kite cannot resist the influences of nature. I
flew it several times, but every time it became more and
more damaged; now the rope broke and down it came
with a terrific crash ; now it suddenly took into its head

188 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
to descend headlong, and the canvas was damaged ; and
now the wind tore the canvas. It was with my monster
kite as with The Great Eastern— it was too big. The
pleasure and satisfaction of its production was greater
than its utility. Probably you wish to know its ultimate
fate ? Indeed, it was very tragic. It was metamorphosed
into — shirts. Two parties fought for the honour of be
coming its possessor for this purpose, and the school
teacher, Henrik Pentha, became the victor. It was,
doubtless, a terrible mesalliance to my poor kite.
Never shall I forget the host of amusing Lapp figures,
who during the winter camped in the vicinity of Kou
tokseino, and whose acquaintance I made by degrees,
but whose portraits my poor pen fails to depict faith-
fully. There was, for instance, Dorba, as he was nicknamed,
a most amusing fellow ; funny Dorba, who once hit on the
genial idea of appearing in church dressed as a woman,
to the great displeasure of some, but to the immense
amusement of others ; Dorba, who some years ago, on
account of his confused ideas of meum and tuwm, was on
the way to the House of Correction, but found an oppor
tunity to escape from the steamer in a boat, and on
being followed by one of the officers, drowned his pur
suer ; Dorba, whose term of imprisonment became some
what prolonged on account of this last playful trick, who
lost his whole four-legged wealth on the same occasion,
and who has ever since been engrossed with only one
idea, viz., to prosecute the judge, the administrators of the
law, and the whole government ; yes, Dorba, who became
so angry with me, because I offered him, he asserted,

From Koutokseino to Bossekop. 189
four shillings for three carved spoons, whereas I had
offered him three shillings for four spoons.
There was Easmus Auda, to whom I once gave a rocket
requesting him to hold it tight. I set fire to it, and poor
Easmus fell terror-stricken on his back, to the immense
amusement of the bystanders. When he arose, he looked
at his blackened hands, stared into the sky for the won
derful object which had felled him to the ground, shook
his head at such sorcery, and slunk off in silence.
There was Garre Eastus, who once seen was enough to
make any man laugh ; there was Giste Aslak, with his soft,
polished manners — acquired in the House of Correction
— but with the rogue lurking in every lineament ; there
was Mikkel Bongo, there was Johan Speinsen, there was
Elen Marie, and there was the " fair " Thuri Marit.
Yes, here one, there another. One asked me to let him
have snow, one to let it thaw, and one to show him the
thief who had stolen one of his reindeer.
There was the verger, with his portly figure, and half-
a-dozen daughters, rivalling the father, whom, when I
saw how well he behaved himself amongst us Nor
wegians — which is, by-the-bye, the case with all in
telligent Lapps— and was told that he lived in the
primitive manner of his forefathers at home, I presented
with a dozen plates, spoons, knives, and forks, which
he promised me solemnly to use for the rest of his life,
instead of eating in good old Lapp fashion out of the
pot. I am sure he soon became tired of his promise.
There was Henrik Pentha,* the Lapp school-teacher,
one of the kindest and most excellent of his race whom
* His name is not Pintha, as some travellers have called him.

190 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
I came across. A true and honest fellow, always ready
to help others, and with a remarkably versatile dis
position. Henrik Pentha had many functions. If the
parson wanted firewood cut, Henrik Pentha was the
woodcutter ; if the sheriff was unable to travel in the
execution of his duties, Henrik Pentha was his deputy ;
if I wanted a telephone wire laid out, Henrik Pentha
was the engineer. Henrik Pentha climbed to the
top of the church-spire to fix an apparatus for me.
Henrik Pentha carried water up and down from my
photographic chamber. Whether it was flying a kite,
a balloon ascent, or discharging fireworks, Henrik
Pentha was the same willing assistant. When I was
compelled, on account of my lengthy night work in
the cold, to seek a few hours' rest in the mornin°\ I
trained Henrik Pentha to make the meteorological
morning observations. It was a severe struggle before
he mastered it. Fractions, particularly decimal fractions,
were monsters he had a respect for bordering on terror.
So sometimes he counted fifteen-tenths to a unit, and
at others he meant that four were sufficient. For a
long time it was a treat to see him go about, look at the
sky with a critical mien, in order to gauge the state of
the clouds, and mutter to himself, " Eight ; no, four ; no,
no, no — five," and so forth.
When he had at last become acquainted with the
meteorological instruments and denominations, he was
not a little proud of his knowledge, and went about
in the morning with his lantern and pocket-book, as
dignified as a general inspecting his defences the
morning before battle.

From Koutokseino to Bossekop. 191
There was the equally amusing Christensen, also a
Lapp teacher, whose duty it was to travel from tent to
tent, and impart to the Lapp children who could not
come to school such fragments of knowledge as he
possessed. About this man I will relate a story, as its point
contains a great truth, which deserves not to die
with its propounder, and by which the world might
benefit. In consequence of the visit of the archdeacon to Kou
tokseino, Christensen had to meet him there, to show
a little of his knowledge. He was asked to examine
the children in reckoning. " Will you permit me, Mr,
Pastor, to follow my own method ? " he says. " Certainly,"
the pastor replies. Christensen rushes to the door.
The pastor stops him, asking him what he runs away
for; "he was to examine the children in reckoning."
" Yes, Mr. Pastor, I am only going to fetch an A B C."
"What in the world do you want an A B C for to
teach the children reckoning ? " " Yes ; you see, Mr.
Pastor, I use it because the A B C is the foundation of
all human knowledge !"
Good-bye, my amusing friends ! Thanks for all the
diverting pictures of your life and nature you let me
behold. Thanks for every hour we spent together.
We were, you remember, always good friends ; were
we not ? You will, I am sure, as long as I, remember
the winter which " Eomholta " * passed with you, stood
* The Lapps cannot pronounce two consonants following each other
at the beginning of a word, while they are much given to append an
" a " to all foreign names.

192 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
you drinks, drove with your reindeer, and slept in your
tents. Good-bye, all !
And good-bye, most excellent merchant, with your
towering form and honest face, who have weathered
poverty and suffering in your youth, but are now, after
a life of toil and hardship, able to look cheerfully at
the future. You, who have shown me so much kind
ness, and done everything in your power to bring change
and diversion into my winter life up yonder. Good-bye,
my excellent friend !
And good-bye, worthy sheriff ! If by my sojourn in
the North, I have succeeded in adding the smallest modi
cum to the scientific knowledge of our age, it is greatly
due to you, who spared no trouble, no exertion in
assisting me, and making my stay with you as pleasant
as circumstances would permit of. During the long,
weary winter hours, I found in you, my friend, a spirit
with whom I could exchange ideas, and commune in
sympathy. You not only made my stay bearable, but
even instructive. I shall always cherish the recollection
of you as one of my dearest. Good-bye, my kind and
hospitable host !
And good-bye, Koutokseino ! Good-bye, you barren,
cheerless cliffs of sand, where silence reigns supreme
during the long, dark Polar night, and the long, light
Polar day. Good-bye, you broad, crystal river, with the
white hillocks, and the level shore. Good-bye, you little
red church on the hill, and you three Norwegian houses
which sheltered me, and in which I enjoyed so much
hospitality, you Lapp farms and Gammer. Good-bye, all !
Good-bye, Koutokseino !

From Koutokseino to Bossekop. 193

My journey from Koutokseino to Bossekop I shall never
forget. I had in my company, strangely enough, two
Lapps, who both bore the name of Mikkel, and two Nor
wegian servant-girls, both with the name of Dorothea,
who had been in service in Koutokseino. But there was
also a third fellow-traveller, who proved to be more
troublesome than all these four, viz., Eolf.
When, about noon, we were ready to start from Kouto
kseino, my reindeer and Pulk were placed in the middle
of the Eaide, and Eolf tied to the Pulk, under the
suspicious glances of fourteen reindeer - eyes which,
doubtless, took him for a wolf; while Eolf, on his
side, seemed highly surprised at the novel situation
in which he found himself for the first time. Each
party waited in the highest expectation for what was
to follow.
All clear ? Then forward !
Two seconds later the situation was this. I sat at
the end of the Pulk in a hole in the ice on the river,
one of the Dorotheas lay screaming on the ice, her
Pulk capsized where just now her boxes had been lying
— they are there no longer; they are taking a swim
in the hole wherein I lie. It was Eolf. He had broken
his rope, and was capering and barking madly around
the terrified animals, who did not know whether to fly
or attack him in sheer desperation. The two Mikkels
were in a terrible rage.
I was hauled out of the hole, the screaming Dorothea
picked up, and her luggage fished out of the water,
an operation accompanied by more screaming, which
however, only reached its climax when all was up, and
VOL. II. o

194 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
she discovered that a lot of things in a bag were damaged
by the water.
The reindeer and Pulks were again put in order, and
after half-an-hour's work we were again ready to set out.
We are off at last. Eolf is now the last in the Eaide,
and in this manner it went better, although many a
heart would have stood still at the wild, headlong chase
down the ice-covered river, where holes yawned on all
sides. By degrees Eolf became tired, and the reindeer more
accustomed to him, so that the latter part of the journey
was better than the opening had led me to anticipate.
My real Vappus was Mikkel Isaksen Tornensis, a
fellow with a face so like a Eed Indian's that he might
have been taken for "the last of the Mohicans" in
Lappish costume. As his reindeer were then many
miles to the north, he had persuaded his friend — if such
a term can be used between Lapps — Mikkel Isaksen
Hsetta to drive us the first part of the way to Pingis-
javre, whence he would himself convey us to our desti
nation with fresh animals.
The first ten or twelve miles of the way lay down the
river, and were soon covered. But the following twenty-
five were not so easy. There was hardly a vestige of
snow, and where the earth was bare it was covered with
water. Consequently we proceeded but slowly : it took
us fourteen hours to cover the next thirty miles.
The drive might have been bearable if one had been
able to keep the water out, but that was quite impossible.
The Pulk was as leaky as a basket, and as the Psesk
absorbs the water like a sponge, it soon becomes a

From Koutokseino to Bossekop. 195
disgusting, sloppy mass, difficult to move and a tor
ture to carry about. When at starting I sat for some
minutes in the above-mentioned hole, I became wet too
in one place, viz., that most intimately connected with
the Pulk. To drive throughout a whole night in such
a manner is not pleasant, believe me. I attempted in
every way to mend the shortcomings. First I tucked
a handkerchief in the wet place — in a few minutes it
was so wet that I had to wring it — another one; the
same result; I then stuffed down the cushion in my
Lapp cap ; that helped for a while — it was both thick
and warm — but finally it became as pleasant as a
dish of cold porridge by my side ; the cap soon followed
suit. I became at last so wet in a dozen places, that I
gave up every idea of stemming the familiarity of the
water, and made up my mind to become a martyr in a
water-butt. To crown all my misery, Mikkel, just before
we reached the hut at Pingisjavre, conceived the brilliant
idea of driving me right through a foaming river, the
water of which was above the rim of the Pulk. When,
as you know, you almost lie down in it, the result is
better imagined than described. Luckily, it was not far
to the hut, otherwise I should never have been able to
write this book ; as it was, I escaped with a fever of some
days' duration. Wetter than I when we arrived at
Pingisjavre no human being ever was. Not even a seal
or a fish could have been wetter. I had to take every
bit of clothing off, wring it, and dry it.
Mikkel No. 2 was, as I might have expected, not at
Pingisjavre; I had to wait three whole days before he
0 2

196 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
turned up. They were three pleasant days, I can tell
you, and Whitsuntide, too. The cause of Mikkel's non
appearance was the bad weather which set in soon after
we had reached Pingisjavre. For several days we had
storms, snow, and thaw, and under these circumstances it
was impossible to travel.
What I had to divert myself with during these weary
hours is soon told. It was, firstly, with the hope of
Mikkel turning up, and, secondly, with the hope of the
weather improving. Mikkel came not, and the weather
did not change, but, of course, the more reason I had for
hoping. There was, besides these, that of attending to my wet
wardrobe, an amusement which lasted as long as my
hopes, the water obstinately refusing to leave what it
had forcibly taken possession of ; yes, the Psesk was not
even dry when I had to start, so I was obliged to put it
on wet.
There were also my two female companions in my mis
fortunes. Both were, as I have stated, named Dorothea,
but one was, for convenience sake, called " Dorthe " and
the other "Thea." The only accomplishment of the
first-named was swearing, which she practised in a
manner which might have excited the envy of a Bil
lingsgate porter ; she was constantly embellishing her
speech with the choicest ornaments of malediction.
Thea, on the other hand, was a quiet, modest girl, and
very practical. Without many words, she understood
how to clear away a good many of the difficulties which
we encountered on our journey, not only for herself, but
also for her swearing sister — in name. Yes, she was even

From Koutokseino to Bossekop. 197

able, now and then, to give me a hand, when I had stuck
in a pool of water, or when my harness got out of order.
In fact, I doubt whether two women ever surprised me
more, the one by her swearing, and the other by her skill
in all Lappish accomplishments.
The first day they were both sad and gushing at
leaving their people ; in tears they expressed their
great regret at leaving a place where they had been
so comfortable and happy, and people who were so ex
cellent, that they never and nowhere would find their
equal. But it was only the first day that this tune was played.
Already the following night — we had, of course, to
occupy one and the same room — I heard them, whilst
they believed I was asleep, communicate to each other in
whispers all the bad points they had discovered in their
masters and mistresses, and all the outrageous treatment
they had had to endure ; there was not a single member
of the three Norwegian families at Koutokseino who was
spared ; every one was weighed and found wanting. Old
and new stories were paraded in array, one supplementing
what the other left out, and vice versa; stories which, had
only a tenth of them been true, would have made me
endorse their ever-repeated sigh — Thank God that I am
well away from them ! Never before or since has the
world witnessed such a perfect harmony of two souls as
that prevailing this night between the two Dorotheas in
reviewing the outrageous treatment they had suffered
from their masters and mistresses during the last few
years. The following night the harmony was at an end. Now

198 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
they were quarrelling about some matters concerning
themselves alone.
In the second room of the hut, reserved for mine host
and hostess and their race, the proceedings during the
Whitsuntide were of a highly religious character : hymns
were sung and the Bible read aloud from morning till
night. The lady of the house had just been seized by
the modern Lsestadian mania, and had, in consequence,
prohibited her worthy spouse from tasting alcoholic
liquor, which, however, did not prevent him ' from ac
cepting the drink I offered him in the shape of a glass,
or more correctly speaking, cup of grog ; but he drank it
with as much fear as pleasure, and every time he heard
the footsteps of his amiable better-half he quickly hid
the cup.
The previously mentioned religious commotion attacked
an old woman here to such a degree that I had, for the
first time, an opportunity of seeing a person in the
peculiar ecstatic state into which Lapps, particularly
women, sometimes fall, when the religious mania over
powers them. She was, poor wretch, exactly like one
mad ; now she screamed at the top of her voice, now she
said she had terrible pains all over her body, and now she
cried so that the tears flooded her withered old face. In
one moment she sighed and wailed, and ejaculated ex
pressions of repentance and mercy, and in the next she
was seized with the most intense delight, shouted with
joy, and threw her arms and legs about in the greatest
ecstasy. Each phase followed the other in rapid succes
sion. And what made the spectacle more disgusting still,
was the shameful rudeness and vulgarity with which the

From Koutokseino to Bossekop. 199
children of the hut, great and small, chaffed the poor
old woman when under the influence of the religious
malady. Monday afternoon, Mikkel No. 2 arrived at last with
the reindeer. The snow-storm had ceased, and in the
evening we started.
As the new reindeer were not acquainted with Eolf, we
again underwent many moments of anxiety before we
were fairly off. My own reindeer was particularly terror-
struck, as Eolf was tied to my Pulk. It made the most
reckless, most break-neck jumps in the yard-deep snow ;
now springing to the left, now to the right, now dash
ing in between the Pulks in front, now stopping all of a
sudden, and now running headlong in the opposite direc
tion to that which we were going. At last it performed
a feat which I had never seen or heard of before : it rose
on its hind legs, and— threw itself on its back right on
the top of me ! It lay there with all four legs kicking in
the air. I had been in many a strange situation during
my journeys, but this one was the most comical so far.
Fancy me lying in the low boat-shaped Pulk, with the
left hand holding Eolf back, so that he should not rush
forward and make matters worse, in the right the rein,
while the infuriated reindeer, as if struck by an apoplectic
stroke, lay on my stomach, pointing its four legs towards
the sky. It seemed like turtles and some insects
which cannot get up when on their back ; but the ever-
watchful Thea was soon by my side, and got it off me.
We drove the greater part of the night, and as the
newly-fallen enormous masses of snow had, so to speak,
absorbed the water underneath, we arrived without further

200 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
accidents, but after a tedious journey, at the mountain-
hut Suolovuobme.
It was night before we could leave here. Thick, heavy
clouds enveloped Beskades, across which our road lay
that night. When we reached the top of this mountain
plateau — more than 2000 feet above the sea — the fog was
so thick we could not see a yard before us, and the rain
came down steadily in a manner which reminded me of a
November day in London. But even here the quantity
of snow was so great that we had little cause to grumble.
The country through which our road lay after we
left the Alten Eiver is desolate and sad in the extreme.
Now and then a hill, here and there a few black dwarfish
shrubs, peeping melancholily from the snow, is all the
eye encounters in every direction. But as soon as the
northern slope of Beskades is reached, Nature assumes
at once a richer and softer aspect. Pine-forests clothe
the steep slopes, groves of birches smile a welcome from
the valley.
Here are the renowned Gargia slopes, so dangerous
in the winter, which from the plateau lead down to the
mountain-hut Gargia, dangerous, not only on account of
their steepness and great height, but by their being
closely covered with trees and underwood. One has
to pay every attention here when driving with rein
deer in the winter, if one wishes to get down with a
whole skin.
For us there was nothing to fear, for the simple reason
that every vestige of snow was gone, and the entire slope
furrowed by a thousand foaming brooks. We were, in
consequence, two hours in getting down, whereas, when

From Koutokseino to Bossekop. 201
the snow is good, the distance can be easily covered in
six minutes.
When in the early morning we arrived at Gargia, we
were told that it was utterly impossible to get further
with reindeer, in which I fully concurred when I later
on traversed the country. The usual winter road to
Bossekop, the Alten Eiver, was in this part of its course
completely open ; the summer road was without snow,
or under water. I'%was therefore obliged to say good
bye to Mikkel No. 2 and his reindeer, and send a mes
senger to Alten for horses, which arrived a little later.
It was late in the afternoon when I left Gargia on
horseback. The road was almost impassable ; in many
places it formed a roaring river, in others a soft, dangerous
bog. My progress was therefore, of course, slow, and it
was first when I had been conveyed on horseback across
the big, foaming Eiby Eiver, and got on to the fine new
high-road to Alten, that I was able to let my horse canter
a bit, and distance the post-boy with the luggage.
The costume in which, in the silent hour of midnight,
I rode through the great solemn forests was indeed most
remarkable. " He doesn't look like a ' professor ' at all,
but more like a Lapp," I heard the post-boy say about
me at Gargia. Although I don't know what remarkable
conception this youth had formed of the general ap
pearance of "professors," I fully agree with him that
they do not as a rule appear in the garb I then, wore,
the production of several races for a variety of seasons.
Draw upon your imagination, and picture to yourself
a figure made up of the following pieces : on the feet,
Lapp summer - komager ; the legs in furry winter-

202 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
bsellinger ; around the body the blue Lapp summer-coat
with red and yellow borders held together at the waist
by a woman's variegated belt ; over this a London-made
mackintosh ; on the head a kind of jockey-cap I bought
at Kittila, and the hands in great Lappish fur gloves,
and mounted on a thin horse — I looked like a pig on a
broomstick. Luckily it was so late that I met nobody
on the road.
At last I am up on the hill. ®d\acraa, -rakaaaal
Before me lies the lovely, the ever-youthful sea, coloured
by the rosy tints of the rising sun.
The gentle murmur of the emerald waves from the
Arctic Ocean, as they roll majestically up the shore at
my feet and retreat with a deep sigh, is the softest music
I have heard for nine weary months.
From the staff at the Polar station the flag flutters in
the wind ; it is terminal day. One of the members is
just mounting the high thermometer cage. " Welcome,
welcome back ! " he shouts as 1 ride by. It was my first
welcome back to Civilisation.

( 203 )

CHAPTEE VII.
from alten to hammerfest.
Ebturning to Civilisation — The Alten Fjord — Visit to the
Komag Fjord — A Hospitable Old Man — Contented People —
Visit to the L^erreds Fjord — The Sea Lapps — Their Pursuits,
Food, Dress, and Dwellings — Moral Standard — Character
istics — Sea Lapp versus Norwegian and Kvjen — Excitement
on my Arrival — " Making Portraits " — Great Preparations
— The Eesult — The Eeturn — En route for Talvik — On the
Fjord — Seeking Shelter — Eemarkable Hospitality — A Mag
nificent View — Proceeding — A Nasty Voyage— A Pleasant
Comfort — A Lovely Spot — A Haunted Vicarage — A Terrible
Ghost Story — A Night in the Haunted Eoom— The Kaa
Fjord — The " Strandltnier " — An Important Geological Dis
covery — A Dark View — A Deserted English Colony on the
Arctic Shores — A Decayed English Churchyard — English
Enterprise in the Far North — Life versus Death — A Bound
of Parting Visits — An Alarming Incident — I am taken eor
a Madman — A Dinner in my Honour — Festive Arrangements
— My Thanks — A Wreath of Arctic Flowers — Good-bye-
Charms of an Arctic Summer's Night — In the Ox Fjord —
Arriving at Hammerfest.
My stay among the nomads of the North was at an
end. I was once more in a part of the world where
people wear coats, trousers, and boots, travel by steam,
and correspond by electricity.
I was again in the lovely Alten, where the broad,
majestic river winds through a delta of forests and fields,
where the waves of the Arctic Ocean ripple on the white,
sandy shore, and where snow-capped, purple-tinted moun-

204 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
tains form the frame of the smiling vista in the dreamy
fjord, the Italy of the North.
I was again at the Polar station, surrounded by my
scientific colleagues, who excelled each other in kindness
and hospitality. The scientific work had progressed
steadily and without the slightest hitch. The result of
the various observations of a good many hours was to
be seen in a number of journals, whose pages were
covered with figures.
The winter had been comparatively mild, and in con
sequence of the number of civilised people in Alten, and
its connection with the outer world by steam and tele
graph, the winter sojourn had not been so monotonous
and dreary as might have been expected at a Polar sta
tion. Still, the members were looking forward to the
expiry of the three remaining months, and the return
to their friends and families in the South.
Of the fortnight I remained in Alten, I used a week
for visiting some places of interest along the Alten fjord.
Do you care to accompany me on my trip into one of
the many bye-fjords ? Well, then we will step on board
the little steamer which plys on the fjord, and in which
the first part of the journey is made.
The Alten fjord proper cuts into the province of
Finmarken from north to south, and is about twelve geo
graphical miles in length. To the north it is connected
with the Arctic Ocean by three narrow but imposing
sounds, Stjern Sound, Eogn Sound, and Varg Sound,
formed by the continent and two great islands, Stjerno
and Seiland. We speed along the eastern side, past the
towering, barren mountains, which fall straight into the

From Alten to Hammerfest. 205
sea, and only now and then recede to make room for a
tiny bit of shore, on which nestles a little hut or earthen
Gamme on a patch of greensward.
For a few hours we lie to at Jupvig, a little trading
station, whose only claim to attention is that it was here
the French expedition of 1839 erected an observatory for
measuring the height of the Aurora Borealis in conjunc
tion with Bossekop. I have already mentioned that
these measurements were futile, caused by the too close
proximity of the two stations in proportion to the height
of the Aurora Borealis above the earth's crust.
We call at a good many places of this kind, each one
as uninteresting as the other. Half a dozen little huts
on shore, a man in a boat coming alongside to fetch some
thing — that is all. Sometimes there are three, sometimes
only two huts, sometimes there is a parcel for the man in
the boat, sometimes nothing — this is the only change.
We will, therefore, speed on, until we at about noon enter
the Komag fjord, our first halt, where we say good-bye
to the steamer, which now steams for Hammerfest.
The Komag fjord is a little bay in the northern part
of the Alten fjord, enclosed by lofty mountains. How
it obtained this peculiar name — Komag is, as we know,
the Lappish name for shoe — I am as unable to say as
those of whom I have asked this question. Human eyes
will search in vain for something in the fjord resembling
the Lappish foot-gear; but probably there is some
legend connected with it. Any other point of interest
in this place than the name I failed to discover, al
though there is a flourishing trading-station here.
I decided, however, to stay here for awhile, for two

206 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
reasons, viz., because there was a large number of Sea
Lapps living in a fjord close by, and because the
trading-station is the property -and residence of one of
the most well-known and hospitable men in Finmarken,
i.e., "OldFrandrem."
To have been in Finmarken and not seen " Old Fran-
drem," would be as great a blunder as having been to
Eome and not seen the Pope. Although a perfect
stranger, I was received with his customary, never-
failing hospitality — a ¦virtue, by-the-bye, I have never
seen exercised in such a manner as in these regions
— and my host would on no account permit me to
proceed without having spent some days under his
roof. Time does not weigh heavily on the guest — the ex
cellent host takes care of that. He is an old man in
years, but a youth in mind and body.
In the winter he and his family reside in the distant
Karasjok, a hamlet to the north-east of Koutokseino, right
down by the Eussian frontier, the trading station of
which also belongs to him. The summer he spends in
the Komag fjord, always the same active worker, always
engaged in a variety of pursuits. Several ethnographical
museums are indebted to Old Frandrem for valuable
presents of Lappish relics, and his own collections have
obtained deserved praise and reward at many exhibitions.
He has a big box of medals and marks of distinction,
and with what touching pride the old man placed them
before me — with what charming simplicity he enter
tained me with interesting narratives from his long life
in the Arctic regions !

From Alten to Hammerfest. 207
The landscape around the station cannot boast of
much beauty or attraction, as lofty precipitous, jet-
black mountains — enclosing the little fjord on nearly all
sides — arrest every view ; only to the north a glimpse is
caught of the enormous emerald-green glacier on the
Seiland island— the northernmost glacier in Europe —
which, when the sun is setting or rising, holds the
spectator spell-bound in wonder and admiration by the
marvellous play of light and colour on its crystal surface
and towering sides.
Here, as well as in many other places, I learnt that
the Flower of Contentment can flourish as well, or perhaps
even better, in homes on the wild, barren shores of the
Arctic Ocean, as in the most sumptuous marble palaces
in the loveliest gardens of the South. Every time I had
an opportunity of peeping into the hospitable family
circles, I found everybody happy and content with his
home; nobody who yearned for softer and less sterile
surroundings ; nobody who had a wish to exchange his
isolation and solitude for a residence in the whirl of the
surging world, where man fights his brother-man hand to
hand for existence amid the shrieks of steam-engines
and the din of factories.
In the company of the sheriff from Talvik, who was
also the guest of Old Frandrem, I made a visit by boat
to the Lserreds (linen) fjord some ten miles further north.
In this case I am able to satisfy curiosity as regards the
origin of its name. Look up along the black, precipitous
mountain wall, looking like a stratum of coal, and you
will discover in the dark hornblende three or four long,
narrow stripes of whitish slate running horizontally, to

208 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

some extent resembling linen laid out to bleach. Hence
its name.*
I now invite you, kind reader, to accompany me on a
trip into this fjord, for the purpose of seeing something
of the life and habits of the strange people who dwell on
its shores.
A cluster of little wooden or earthen huts ; a number of
wooden rails for the drying of fish ; a number of boats
on shore and sea ; thousands of boulders scattered all
around ; rotten entrails and bits of fish about, and the
scent peculiar to the same — such is a Lapp fishing-
village in the Lserreds fjord, and, in fact, everywhere else.
I have in a previous chapter made a casual reference
to the Sea Lapps, to which I will now make some
additions. The chief means of livelihood of the Sea Lapps is, as
of most of the Norse inhabitants of Finmarken, fishing.
In fact this industry is of such importance to the
dwellers in these parts, that without the fish no human
being would be found here. Not only do the Sea Lapps
participate in the " great " fisheries of cod and its species
at certain periods of the year, but fishing is their chief
occupation throughout the year. From the icy waters of
the Arctic Ocean the Sea Lapp fetches his daily bread,
and it is seldom that the sea is so chary as to refuse him
this poor article of sustenance. He also keeps generally
a cow or two, and a few sheep.
* On account of the mixed population in these parts, nearly every
place has a double Norwegian and Lappish name, the former being
generally a translation or corruption of the latter ; as, for instance,
Komag fjord — gabmag vuodna — and Layreds fjord — lini vuodna.

From Alten to Hammerfest. 209
In the way of food the living of the Sea Lapp is very
much the same as that of the Norse fisherman in
Finmarken. Fish is his usual and most cherished food.
Most people eat it once and sometimes twice a day, the
semi-dried fish being preferred to the fresh. It is
simply boiled in water with a little salt, and eaten with
out any additional article of nutrition, but generally
dipped in the oil of the liver, which is cooked separately.
In a few places where potatoes are cultivated, this
vegetable is eaten with the fish. Another dish, greatly
relished by the Lapps, is a soup of flour and water
mixed with bits of meat and lard, which is considered
a splendid breakfast dish. Meat the Lapp seldom ob
tains, as only very few can spare a cow or a sheep for
slaughtering. The dress of the Sea Lapp is, in the main, like that of
his brother of the Mountain, but the coats of the men are
mostly white or grey, and sometimes European garments
are mixed with the national ones. This is still more
applicable to the women, who, when they can afford it,
deck themselves with gaudy aprons, shawls, and necker
chiefs. The coats of the women are, as a rule, darker
in texture than those of mountain women, while the shape
of the cap varies a little in different districts.
Many Sea Lapps live in ordinary wooden huts, which
are small and poor, but neither better nor worse than
those of the Norse fishermen ; but sometimes we come
across the most primitive dwellings too, somewhat similar
to those we have already seen among their brethren in
land, viz., the earth Gammer.
The Gamme of the Sea Lapp is generally oblong, and
VOL. n. p

210 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
has then a roof like that of an ordinary house. The
rafters and beams are trees about the thickness of an
arm, which are raised on end or laid horizontally sup
porting each other. They are covered with birch-bark in
order to keep out the wet, over this turf is laid, which
gives the whole the appearance of a small mound. The
entrance is very low, and the door made so that it closes
of itself. It is either situated at the end of the hut, or in
one of the side walls, in which latter case it separates the
dwelling into two parts, one being used by the human,
the other by the animal inmates.
There are no windows, light being obtained through
an opening in the roof, which also serves as an escape
for the smoke from the hearth in the middle of the floor.
In the winter, and the fire is burning low, the opening
is closed for the night with a wooden shutter, and in the
daytime with the skin of a fish, the stomach of a turbot,
strapped across it, through which the light struggles
feebly. The hearth is simply a few loose stones, around which
four poles have been driven into the ground, whereon
sticks are laid crosswise for pots and kettles.
The floor is strewn with sprigs and thin branches of
birch trees, on which the inmates squat in the clay and
sleep at night.
If the Gamme ¦ consists of two rooms, the first, and
generally the largest, is fitted with stalls on each side for
the cattle, whilst the family retain the other for their use.
Such a Gamme is, of course, more roomy and airy, and in
the summer, when the cattle are grazing, not so offensive ;
but in the winter, when human beings and beasts, with all

From Alten to Hammerfest. 211
their pleasant belongings, crowd the narrow space, the hut
is so full of smoke, dirt, and stench, that the traveller who
is unable on account of the weather to reach his desti
nation, and has to take refuge here, may indeed ten times
prefer the drifting snow and the raging storm without to
the shelter offered within, in spite of the kindness and
attention which the inmates always extend to him.
Another kind of Gamme consists of one room, about
twenty feet square, with bare earthen floor and deal
walls, the height being hardly more than a yard. The .
roof is conical in shape, with a hole at the top for the
escape of the smoke. Outside, the roof of the Gamme is
covered with turf, which in the summer becomes quite a
little field of grass and flowers, the pasture for a couple
of goats and sheep, which are tethered on the roof, in
order to keep them from falling down. The entrance is
formed by two logs raised parallel, which are also covered
with turf; it is, however, so low that one has to stoop
when entering.
When a visitor steps suddenly from the warm, sunny
day without into the gloom of the Gamme, the effect is
very striking. The sooty walls, the simple fittings and
arrangements, and the peculiar people, at once tell him
that he has entered the dwelling of a race which is
still in savagedom. There is but one room: sitting-room,
bed-room, larder, cattle-pen — all in one. On one side is
the family bed, on the other the stalls for the cattle.
The bed, if such a name can be applied to a few reindeer-
skins thrown on the bare floor, is common to the whole
family, entirely regardless of sex and age, and even if a
traveller be compelled by the weather to take a temporary
p 2

212 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
refuge for a night in such a hovel, no change is made
in these arrangements. It is evident, therefore, that
the moral standard of these people is not a very
high one.
Of chairs and tables there are none, but sometimes a
log of birch-wood will serve the housewife as chair when
occupied with domestic functions. In the middle of the
room a fire is always kept burning on a few stones,
the smoke from which contributes considerably to arrest
the light .struggling through the hole in the roof.
In this" gloom the Lapp woman sits by her spinning-
wheel, the dusky, wrinkled face and the jet black eyes
being from time to time lit up by a gleam from the
lurid fire, while her skeleton fingers pass mysteriously
over the slender threads, as if she were some fell witch
of old, spinning the thread of Fate.
In East Finmarken, however, I have seen some
Gammer of a superior kind. The first I approached
had the same primitive appearance as those previously
described, but the interior was quite different. Outside
it looked like a turf hut, but inside the walls were
covered with deals, and there were windows. There was,
however, no upper story, and sooty rafters supported
the roof. '- There was only one room for the whole
family, which was very hot, as turf is much more heating
than wood, and next to it two stalls, separated by doors,
for a horse and a couple of cows. This hut, entirely
built of turf, was maintained by the laying of a fresh
layer of turf on it every year. The selling value of the
whole structure was about ten shillings. .
From this improved structure we entered one very

From Alien to Hammerfest.

213

peculiar and primitive, being circular and constructed of
poles, between which turf was laid.

A SEA LAPP.

Besides these huts, whether of earth or wood, the Sea
Lapp has some little wooden sheds in which he keeps
his hay, fishing-gear, and boats.

214 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
The characteristics and peculiarities of the Sea Lapps
are very interesting, differing considerably from those of
the Mountain.
It is only natural that the Norwegians in Finmarken,
with their superior manners and more developed minds,
please the visitor better than the unsophisticated and
dirty Sea Lapps ; still, the latter are not without their
good qualities. They are good-natured, orderly, honest,
and confide as much in the word of others as they
expect to be confided in themselves. Thus, when a
Sea Lapp pays his taxes or tithes, he hands his purse
to the magistrate or parson, so that he may take what
is due to him, and he never asks for a receipt. The Sea
Lapps are gay and lively too, although their emotions
are more violent than those of the Norwegians and
Kvsens. They are quicker in their movements too,
seldom walking, but nearly always running, and their
strokes when rowing are very fast. Neither can the
Lapp be called rude, or too familiar, as, if he asks any
question which may occur to him, interrupts people,
walks into a house without knocking, or commits
similar blunders every day of his life, it is not from
impudence, but because he knows no better. In fact,
I must say, that nobody will be treated with impudence
or bad language who does not treat the Lapp as a slave ;
and certainly when the Lapp meets a traveller on the
road, and curtseying in his peculiar manner, says:
" Good day to you, God's peace be with you," he appears
far superior to the arrogant, insolent Kvsen, who will
continue sucking his pipe, with his hands deep in his
pockets, without either move or greeting.

From Alten to Hammerfest. 215
In connection with this subject, it will not be without
interest, by way of comparison, to make a brief re
ference to the characteristics which distinguish the two
other races which inhabit Finmarken, viz., the Nor
wegians and the Kvsens.
It is, for instance, very remarkable that the Norwe
gians in a part of Norway so far from the great centres
of civilisation, have no dialect. This is chiefly caused
by their being immigrants from nearly all parts of the
country. They are, on the other hand, distinguished by a
very phlegmatic nature, a laisser aider sort of disposition,
which makes them averse to much exertion of body and
mind, beyond what is necessitated by the demands of
existence. Not so the Lapp ; he is far less averse to
work than either the Norwegian or the Kvsen.
The two latter will never attempt to seize an opportunity
of doing a good stroke of business, even if unattended
by any trouble or exertion ; while, although hearing that
the fish is standing in large shoals at the mouth of the
fjord, they will sit perfectly quiet, and wait until it
comes up to the door of the house ; and if it does not
come at all, they will say that God will probably be
more merciful next year.
The regular work is performed from day to day, but
nothing beyond, and if this cannot be done from some
cause or another, they will never dream of turning their
hands to something else. Even if a peasant or fisherman
be on a journey, and bad weather prevents him from
proceeding, he will loaf about, pipe in mouth, until
matters mend, and never think of working in the mean
time.

216 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
The houses of the Kvsens are generally neat, some
times neater than those of the Norwegians, while they
are remarkable for their cleanliness. These people are
distinguished by. their great- thrift, their industrious,
though slow, habits, and their aptitude for various pur
suits. "-They must be said to be the best agriculturists
in Finmarken, and -their- appearance is prepossessing,
while the women are very- clever in female accomplish
ments. Such are the characteristics which strike the
visitor at first sight, and they are indeed all their good
qualities. Against these we must enter their bad ones,
viz., arrogance, obstinacy, insincerity, quarrelsomeness,
and brutality, which all possess, almost without an
exception. I must, however, point out that this is far
more the characteristic of the Kvsen, who has said good
bye to his own country, than his half-brother the Finn,
who has remained in his native- land.
And now we will return to the Lserreds fjord. There
was a great stir among the settlers when I produced my
apparatus " for making portraits," as the Lapps called my
camera. They had never seen such a thing before, and
the excitement was as great as if the sea-serpent had
suddenly made its appearance in the bay. They looked,
and they touched, and they wondered at the apparatus ;
they asked a hundred questions, and shook their heads
with great incredulity. My friend the sheriff from
Talvik attempted to impart to my honest admirers some
rudiments of the theory of Daguerre and Talbot's noble
art, but I am afraid with as little success as if he had
attempted to teach a cod-fish mathematics.
He persuaded, however, some men, women, and chil-

SEA LAPPS.

To face page 216, Vol. II.

From Alten to Hammerfest. 217
dren to form a group, but as all of them mustering in
their working garb, which was somewhat dilapidated and
dirty, he asked them to make themselves a little more
tidy, in consideration of the importance of the event,
explaining that the portraits I " made " reproduced every
detail with faithful accuracy ; Mikkel's torn coat as well
as the hole on Jossa's knee, Anne's dirty neckerchief as
well as the black spot on Elen's nose.
The. stir and bustle became now as great as if they had
been invited to a Court ball. The heads of all the little
ones disappeared in buckets, after which operation the
mother's hands served as comb for the whole family.
Then the old, dirty rags were exchanged for the newest
coats, the jauntiest caps, the smartest aprons, and the
gaudiest shawls. When an hour had been spent in these
preparations, and another twenty minutes in placing the
group — of course, everybody did his best, as on all such
occasions, to place himself in the most ridiculous position
and assume the strangest expression — I obtained the
negative of which you have already seen the reproduc
tion. Having both returned to the Komag fjord, it was
high time to think of getting across to Talvik — a
distance of some thirty nautical miles — on the other,
western, side of the Alten fjord. There seemed, indeed,
very little prospect of getting off, apart from the exertions
of our excellent host and his family, who did their very
best to prevent us from leaving, as there was not only
a strong north wind blowing dead against us, but the
currents, too, were running up the fjord. In a fjord as
narrow, comparatively speaking, as the Alten fjord and

218 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
its environs, the tide produces currents which are some
times so violent that no rowing or sailing boat can make
headway against them. Sometimes it is possible to row
up the fjord along the eddies and backwaters in the bays,
where the currents set the reverse way, but of course this
makes the journey doubly long and fatiguing.
We waited for the currents to turn, and the wind to
follow their example. The former were very obliging :
the currents changed twice; but the wind refused most
obstinately to listen to all our overtures or " whistling."
When at last we decided coute que coute to start, we were
unable to get boatmen who would venture on the journey.
Luckily, in the afternoon of the second day, a boat
arrived at the station pulled by two brothers — one
sixteen, the other twelve years of age — who volunteered
to row us at all events part of the way. At seven o'clock
in the evening we left the hospitable Komag fjord and
its excellent inhabitants.
The lads rowed for a time with all the strength they
possessed, but the store was soon exhausted, so that
when we got mid-fjord, where there blew a stiff breeze
dead against us, our progress might have been compared
to that of a fly on a tarred broom.
Shortly afterwards one of our youthful navigators let
go his oars and declared that he was " done up," in
consequence of which the boat evinced a strong disposi
tion to return whence we started. The sheriff now came
to the rescue, attempting with his muscular arms to
overpower the wind and the currents, in which effort he
at last succeeded. True he succeeded, but it took us
four hours to cover the distance between the t«o pro-

From Alten to Hammerfest. 219
montories, Korsklub and Korsnaes — a distance of barely
three miles.
It was by this time midnight, and we might indeed be
glad that there was a trader at Korsnses with whom we
might obtain shelter. It would have been sheer madness
to have attempted to get further that night.
The door of the trader's house we found open, and the
sheriff, who knew the people slightly, entered first. He
found man, wife, and children in the soundest sleep,
and, declaring that it would be a pity to wake them,
took, as a matter of course, possession of a room in which
there was a bed and a sofa, assigning the former to me
and occupying the latter himself. I suggested that it
was rather drawing a little too heavily on Norwegian
hospitality in such a matter-of-course manner to enter
a stranger's house and take possession of his best bed
room, but the sheriff declared that "it was all right;
there was no occasion for ceremony."
For a while I lay listening to the wind as it came
howling and screeching up the fjord, shaking the house
with a savage growl, grateful for not being subject to its
anger in an open boat; but soon after I too was as
soundly asleep as if I had been lying in my own bed,
instead of being the uninvited occupier of that of a man
whom I had never seen.
The sheriff was quite right in his estimate of northern
hospitality. Our host seemed, indeed, the next morning
to think that he was under a great obligation to us for
thus coolly taking possession of his house. He could
not say enough to thank us, and nothing was too good for
us. We were served with good coffee and an excellent

220 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

breakfast, for which he refused payment, while he procured
two men to convey us to Talvik.
Korsnses shoots somewhat far into the fjord, and has
obtained its name from the circumstance that several
fjords and sounds meet here, forming a "Kors'' (cross).
From this promontory a view of nearly all parts of the
Alten fjord is obtained. To the north the lofty moun
tain cones on the Seiland Island rise majestically from
the blue waters of the fjord, below jet-black in colour,
but above crowned with eternal ice and snow-fields,
which flash in the rays of the rising sun. To the right
of this isolated colossus the eye follows the narrow Varg
Sound, and to the left the Eogn Sound divides it from
its smaller but equally grand and imposing brother, the
island of Stjerno. Let your glance sweep westward,' and
you behold the emerald-green Polar Ocean, with its
thousand jagged mountains springing from the sea.
A little further to the south we have the entrance to
the Lang fjord, with the pointed peaks, the Kovetinder,
on one side, and just opposite the solitary mountain of
Algas raises its crest to the sky.
A little more to the south, and the mountains around
Talvik and the Kaa fjord come into view, all still
glistening in their winter dress.
The view I gaze on is so grand, so majestic, so bold of
outline and varied in colour, that my pen fails to give
an adequate idea of its sublimity.
The wind when we set out was rather stiff, but our
course was more favourable than the night before.
The sail — a great lug-sail of the kind used in Fin
marken — was hoisted, and we shot forward.

From Alten to Hammerfest. 221
We discovered, however, soon, that if we did not wish
to lay our bones to rest in the icy Alten fjord, we
should have to get another boat, with less inclination
to bury her stem in every wave she encountered, and
less determination, vulgarly speaking, to " chuck us
out" whenever a gust of wind heeled her over. We
had again to get ashore, at Jokkeluft, to get another
boat and a third man. Both being procured we again
set sail.
I shall have to confess I am a great coward in a little
skiff under a breeze and sea which would keep many an
owner of a one-ton yacht in port ; indeed, I was very
much inclined to have remained at Korsnses, in spite of
the danger of probably having to stay there for the rest
of my life, but I plucked up courage from fear of being
thought as great a coward as I really was, and went on
board. However, every time the boat heeled over, so that a
gallon or two of water came surging in, I could not help
shifting to the opposite side, although I knew quite well
how useless my precaution was. Neither did I obtain
much consolation from my worthy friend, as he had several
times the kindness to remind me what to do in case we
should capsize, which often seemed imminent enough.
His advice was very simple : — climb up on the keel and
ride across it. It was the easiest matter possible, of
course. A cheering comforter, I thought. When to this
pleasant prospect I add that it was pitch dark before
we reached our destination, that the wind cut me to
the bone, and that we had neither food nor drink with
us — ah ! how I thought of the goose at the dinner the

222 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
previous day — you will understand that I have spent
pleasanter days than that crossing the Alten fjord.
The cause of the excessive duration of our journey was
the extraordinary capriciousness of the weather. Now it
was calm, then a stiff breeze ; now we had the wind on the
quarter, then dead ahead. At one moment we scuttled
along with the speed of a steamer, the sail some inches
in the water, and the next we had to beat, without,
as it seemed, getting away from the spot ; again the
sail flopped against the mast, and had to be taken in,
and in a few minutes after the sheriff had to veer, in
order not to sail boat and all into the big, foaming
waves. There was a constant transition from satisfaction to
discontent amongst us, but so that both were always in
the boat. When the sail had to be struck, it was the
writer who was happy, whilst the others grumbled at
having to take to the oars ; but when the boat lay with
half her sail in the water, satisfaction and discontent
changed abodes.
It was late when we reached Talvik, and now we were
all happy, which is not to be wondered at, as everybody
was famishing and half frozen to death.
The sheriff's supper was excellent, and his warm rooms
preferable to the nasty boat and the cold fjord.
A lovely semi-circular bay ; upwards green, gentle
slopes, the uppermost parts of which are covered with
underwood, which even steals up the sombre mountains
behind ; by the shore a row of pretty houses, some modest
and simple, others large and ostentatious — such is Talvik
in the days of summer.

From Alten to Hammerfest.

223

The comparatively large number of dwellings and the
whole character of the landscape reminds one far more
of Sogn and Hardanger than the fjords of Finmarken.
A little way up the verdant hills the wanderer arrives
at the great lake of Storvandet, with its crystal surface,
and surrounded by luxurious woods, whose water finds an
outlet into the fjord through a little noisy, foaming river,

f^M^M&>::(.,

iSllliiS1'1'*

j _ _ *23E«WB

_-^ ... '  : , - .::-'.

VIEW OF TALVIK.

which hastens onward over the slopes, now and then
leaping into a small waterfall. Stand only once, on a
calm, lovely day, on the wood-covered slopes here alone,
with the great, solitary nature around, whilst the birds
chirp gaily in the underwood, the river rushing foamingly
downwards, whilst your eye rests with charm on the
pensive fjord below and the blue mountains yonder, and

224 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
you may imagine that the view you behold is one of the
loveliest in the highlands of Scotland or Wales.
A little above the houses lies the church. It was
being built at the time of my visit, the former church
having the year previously been swallowed up by the
fjord, during one of those terrific hurricanes which are in
the habit of visiting the shores of Finmarken. It was
turned over by the wind, and carried bodily into the sea.
The same fate befell two other churches in Finmarken
the same night.
Still further up we have the large and comfortable
vicarage, where I received a most kind and hospitable
welcome from the parson and his young wife.
I had a very particular but strange reason for wanting
to pass a night here ; i.e., because the house is haunted.
This is not only the belief among the people all along
the Alten fjord, but I have been told that it is a fact by.
people who declare that they have experienced the most
marrow- and nerve-stirring sensations in this vicarage.
The vicar, who has only been here a short time, told
me that he had never experienced anything very unusual,
beyond that the doors seemed to have the extraordinary
fault of opening of their own accord, and that invisible
hands seemed to find great delight in knocking on them
during the night.
But listen to the tale of the Talvik sheriff ! It was the
last day of Anno Domini 1879. He was staying at the
vicarage, and went to bed a little before midnight in a
room in the house which was most notorious for the
pranks of the ghost. He had hardly put out his candle
and turned over to go to sleep, when a most diabolic,

From Alten to Hammerfest. 225

blood-curdling " Ha, ha, ha ! " burst from one of the cor
ners of the room. He declared afterwards that it could
only be compared to the satanic laughter of a strolling
actor he had once seen play Asmodeus. The sheriff, a
man of iron nerves, was not daunted, and, indifferent to
either ghosts or devils, lit a candle, with which he care
fully examined the room, outside and inside, floor and
ceiling. No, there was nobody.
Again he goes to bed, puts out the light, and lies in
great expectation of what is to come next. His eyes are
just closing, when suddenly the same satanic, mocking
shout breaks forth from another corner — " Ha, ha, ha ! "
This was rather too much for the sheriff; he felt a cold
chill creeping down his back, and retreated under the
coverlet of the bed.
Another quarter of an hour drags slowly by ; his mind
is more at ease, and he actually manages to smile at his
silly fears, and persuades himself " that it was all ima
gination." He is just on the point of reappearing from
under the coverlet, when for a third time the voice
shouts " Ha, ha, ha ! "
This was more than even the sheriff could stand, and
he made a jump so violent and sudden that the bars in
the bottom of the bed — a large wooden poster — gave way,
and the hapless sheriff, with all the bed-clothes, went
down on the floor with a terrific crash.
There he lay, without moving a muscle, until sleep
overpowered him.
When the servant the next morning — as customary here
— came with the coffee, the bed was empty ! It was as
sumed that the sheriff had taken a morning stroll. One
VOL. II. Q

226 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
hour, two hours — no sheriff. The girl is again sent into
the room — no ; the bed was empty. Another hour — still
no sheriff. At last the parson himself enters the room.
There were his clothes, but where was the sheriff ? He
examines carefully the bed — there lay the sheriff fast
asleep, probably dreaming of his adventure of the night !
Such a tale was enough to rouse my interest to the
highest pitch.
I have, to use the words of a celebrated English physio
logist, a certain weakness for the incidents of life where
in the natural mingles with the supernatural, and have
always had a burning desire once " to see something "
myself. Here was the opportunity, and consequently I
asked if I might sleep a night in the notorious room, a
wish to which the parson readily acceded.
Night came. I examined the room carefully, and looked
if anybody be concealed in the cupboard or under the
bed ; but I found nothing suspicious.
I went to bed, and lay for several hours straining every
nerve to catch any supernatural sound ; but no, silence
reigned around me ; not even " the breath of a ghost " did
I hear, and on waking in the morning I was as wise as
when I went to bed. I was greatly disappointed.
Shortly after noon I said good-bye to my new friends
at Talvik, and proceeded by boat for the Kaa fjord, in
the southernmost corner of the Alten fjord.
The wind blew so strongly from the south, that even
the most sanguine nature would have come to the conclu
sion that the sail would be of no use ; consequently it was
left behind, to my great relief.
During this journey nothing noteworthy occurred, and

From Alten to Hammerfest. 227
it would indeed be too much to ask that every page of
this work should be filled with accounts of events such as
I should feel it my duty to record, if only for the sake of
the happy existence of future generations.
On the way to the Kaa fjord, as well as when journey
ing in other parts of the Alten fjord, the traveller has
frequent opportunities of seeing the so-called " Strand
linier " — shore lines — i.e., terraces in the mountains which
run parallel with the sea. These were formerly believed
to be the remains of previous " shore lines," and thus in
dicating that the land had, in ages gone by, risen from
time to time ; but this theory has during the last few
years been proved untenable by the excellent researches
of the celebrated Norwegian geologist, Dr. Karl Pettersen,
in the fjords about Tromso. This savant, who for years
has given this phenomenon the most careful attention, by
examining the fjords of North Norway, has come to the
conclusion that these terraces were not made by water,
but by ice. In fact, he asserts, and with great plausi
bility, that the terraces were made by icebergs and
glaciers, which during the glacial age were carried from
the North Pole to Norway and Sweden, and eventually
to England and Central Europe. The terraces were
formed through the " scouring " of the mountain by the
enormous ice-masses which ground the softest strata in
the rock to dust, the real power of which is only realised
inland, where almost every rock is polished or ground to
sand, and • boulders, as, for instance, in Norwegian Lap
land. It is, however, not within the scope of this work
to deal at length with these interesting researches.
In bold letters Nature has engraved her history on
Q 2

228 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
these rocks, and her writings are most striking in the
winter, when the snow collecting on the terraces forms
long white stripes running parallel with the fjord.
Dark and confined is Nature in the Kaa fjord. Nearly
on all sides black, threatening mountains raise their
heads to the sky ; only to the north the eye is per
mitted to escape to the Alten fjord and the snowy peaks
around it.
In the very recess of the little bay with its stony,
barren soil lie a few dark,' detached houses, which look,
if possible, more melancholy than the landscape itself.
A little further to the north we alight on a large white
building, whose bright and cheerful appearance promises
comfort and hospitality within, and it seems to have got
into the neighbourhoodby mistake. Approaching nearer
we find, however, that it is empty and dilapidated ; some
of the windows have been smashed, others are closed with
shutters and boards.
In front of the house is a large, flat space, where the
eye can trace unmistakable signs of a garden having once
been laid out in English fashion. Here a sandy carriage-
drive has been dug in the verdant lawn, there was once a
fish-pond, and there once a neat little bridge ran across a
stream ; but it is all gone now. The road is covered with
weeds, the lawn is long and coarse, the pond is dried up,
and the bridge has tumbled down.
We ascend further up the hill, on the top of which lies
the church, also English in style; we walk into the
desolate, dilapidated churchyard, and read on the many
tombstones and crosses around English inscriptions, which
inform us that here in Ultima Thule, to the very shores

From Alten to Hammerfest.

229

of the Arctic Ocean, the English race has extended its
enterprise, and that some score of its sons sleep their last
slumber in a chilly grave far away from the lovely ever
green fields and woods in the homes of their childhood.
If we look from the croft by the church to the north,
we seem to have an extensive industrial concern before us.
There the furnaces raise their chimneys high above their

THE LATE ENGLISH COLONY AND COPPER WORKS IN THE KAA FJORD.

numerous surroundings, here piles of ore and brick-shaped
slag seem only to wait for the steamer to lie-to at the
quay and fetch them away, and yonder we discern the
holes in the mountain wall, with apparatus for raising and
sinkinp; the ore. But no smoke issues from the tall shafts,
no sound comes from the ore-breaker, no steamer lies by
the quay, no report of blasting reverberates through the

230 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

tunnels. All is silent, deserted, dead. Only ruins re
main, among which wind and weather rival each other in
finishing the work of total destruction.
What I have just attempted to describe is the monu
ment remaining of a once flourishing concern, viz., the
Kaa fjord copper-works.
Ever since 1826, when the copper mines here were
opened, they have belonged to an association of English
men, which for many years derived considerable profit
from them ; while they were of great importance to the
district around, by the commercial life and activity intro
duced into the province, and the employment they gave
to some thousand people. The workmen here were chiefly
Kvsens, who formed quite a small town a little to the north
of the works. However, since the middle of the century
the working of the mines has been attended with so little
profit — chiefly on account of the fall in the price of copper
abroad — that the owners have been compelled to cease
their operations.
A great number of the labourers, who, deprived of all
means of existence in these inhospitable parts, scorned
to become a burden to the parish, emigrated to America.
It was chiefly the hurricanes previously referred to
which wrought such havoc in the place, and gave the
whole concern the wretched, tumble-down aspect it has
to-day. Here, v here the furnaces once belched forth volumes
of black smoke, where the echo of the blastings re
sounded through the mountains, where steam-engines
snorted, while waggons of ore were conveyed to the
furnaces, and where English, Finnish, and Norwegian

From Alten to Hammerfest. 231
was heard on all sides from the busy crowd of workmen.
Silence now reigns supreme. Only now and then it is
broken by the hoarse shrieks of a raven, which alights
on the furnace shaft, or stares stupidly at the inscrip
tions on the tombstones, or peers through the empty
windows into the deserted houses, and flies away with an
exulting croak. Sic transit gloria mundi.
From the Kaa fjord to Bossekop the journey is only
five miles, which I covered the following day in a boat,
being rowed by the same men who had taken me to
Talvik. My excursion around the Alten fjord was at
an end.
Soon, too, the day came when I had to say good-bye to
Bossekop and my friends there. The inn-keeper was
kind enough to lend me his horse and trap the last day,
in which I therefore paid a round of parting visits. I
drove from the parson to the sheriff, from the sheriff to
the doctor, from the doctor to the postmaster, from the
postmaster to each of the three merchants, from them to
the magistrate, and from the magistrate to the Polar
station. During the last-named drive an incident occurred
which, though comical, might have prevented me from
relating it.
The doctor had on parting presented me with a
bottle of chloroform, as a preventive against sea-sickness,
which I put in the pocket of my coat, but forgot all
about. When leaving the residence of the magistrate,
I jumped into the trap, and in the same moment heard
something crash underneath me, and driving along
the road, felt a peculiar, cooling sensation by my side,

232 Under .the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
which seemed to proceed from the cushion on which
I was sitting. In an instant the situation flashed upon
me : I was sitting on a quantity of chloroform large
enough to kill an army ! Not a moment was to be
lost, and realising the danger of taking the coat off and
exposing myself to the whole force of the narcotic, I
gave the horse the reins, and began to belabour him
with the whip, in order, if possible, to reach the station
before I became insensible. Whack ! Whack ! Whack !
Faster and faster gallops the horse ; a sickly odour
ascends to my nose, a kind of mist seems to gather
before my eyes. At that moment the station comes into
view. A strong effort on my part, and more exertions of
the horse. In the next minute we fly into the yard of
the station as if pursued by a host of savages. The
people, on hearing the terrific rattling of wheels, have
come outside, and to them the writer presents the
spectacle of an apparently semi-intoxicated man fling
ing himself out of a trap, tearing off his great-coat, and
throwing it as far away as his strength would permit.
No wonder they thought I had gone raving mad. I
believe it is the first time that anyone has been exposed
to being chloroformed in such a manner.
Festive were the arrangements at the Polar station for
the last dinner in my honour. Kindness and hospitality
held out their hands on all sides, and more than ever I
felt how painful it was to say good-bye to these excellent
people in Ultima Thule, who, old and young, small and
great, had treated me as a friend and brother, from the
first moment I set foot in their midst. Overwhelmed by
the feelings of the moment, the words in which I re-

From Alten to Hammerfest. 233
turned my thanks for every kindness shown me, with
wishes for the future, were poor and incoherent at the
moment when the champagne corks measured the dis
tance between table and ceiling ; but nevertheless I
venture to repeat them, as a tribute to my friends, par
ticularly because it will be the last occasion I shall have
an opportunity in this work of referring to the Norwegian
circumpolar station, and, in fact, to the scientific labour
which drove my friends, as well as myself, to the Far
North. " I thank you, my friends ! I thank you ! I will
twine you a wreath of flowers ; but not of the gaudy
imitation flowers of flattery, nor of the tinsel leaves of
empty oration : I will weave it of the honest flowers of
the field, the symbol of an upright heart. First I place
in my wreath the blushing rose of the sweetbriar ; may
the scent from each of its tiny leaves bring you my
thanks for every kind word, every kind thought, for
all you have done for me. Next in the wreath I wind
the coy forget-me- not ; it begs you not to forget the
stranger who found a home amongst you, as he will
never forget you. Then I deck the wreath with the ice-
ranunculus, a flower fostered in storm and frost, as a
symbol of your having braved the dreaded cold and
storms of the Arctic regions, and with minds hardened
by scientific enthusiasm, resisted the darkness and
depression of the long winter's night. By its side I
fasten a sprig of the poor heather, to demonstrate that
you did not journey hither for the sake of gold, did not
endure want and hardship for courtly distinctions, but
did it disinterestedly for the sake of Science. And now

234 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
I twist in the wreath the blue amaryllis, the flower
of Fidelity. Heavy and fatiguing, monotonous and
troublesome your labour has been, but as true servants
of Science you never failed in your duties to her. As
an appropriate frame for my wreath, I entwine it with
the early, tender green leaves of the birch : it is the
lovely colour of Hope, expressing the wish that the
many wants, the exhausting exertions, the great en
durance may be rewarded in the manner — the only
one — you as well as every worshipper of Science covets :
to have added another stone to her magnificent temple,
which the Present raises on the foundations laid by the
Past. This is my wreath ! It is woven with affection
and sympathy, accept it as a token of such ! "
Shortly after I stand on the deck of the steamer. The
bell rings in the engine-room, the screw revolves, and
we speed forward. On shore my friends stand waving
their handkerchiefs. Good-bye ! Good-bye ! Good-bye !
The next moment the vessel rounds a headland. I am
again alone.
The journey out through the fjord did not boast much
in the way of novelty. The steamer called at most of the
places I had visited before, but a lovely, soft, summer
serenity held the waters of the fjord captive ; it was long
after midnight before I could persuade myself to go
below. At this time of the year — about the end of May
— there is no night in these regions. The sun never sets ;
even at midnight it looms blood-red above the sparkling
surface of the sea.
The next morning we anchored in the Ox fjord, where
at night I should catch the mail- steamer for the North.

From Alten to Hammerfest. 235
In the Ox fjord Nature is imposing and wild in the
highest degree. Dark, threatening mountains rise pre
cipitously out of the sea on all sides, capped with silvery
glaciers, from which pointed jet-black cones spring
defiantly to the sky.
Here, too, I found in the house of the merchant a home
where kindness and comfort vie with culture and wealth
in making the stay of. the visitor a pleasant one, and even
in the garden there was a magnificent, copious flora of
red, yellow, and blue auriculas greeting the traveller,
and coyly nodding their tiny heads, as if to persuade
him that he was not standing on the shore of the Arctic
Ocean. The mail-steamer arrived at the appointed hour, to the
great annoyance of both host and guest, who equally
wished it had been delayed a few days.
Another good-bye to a friendly circle. When I awoke
the next morning, we were at anchor in Hammerfest, the
northernmost town on the globe.

236 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

CHAPTEE VIII.
PROM HAMMERFEST TO VADSO.
The- Northernmost Town in the World — A Sad but Busy Town —
A Terrible Winter — A Spot of Scientific Importance — Fish
ing by the Midnight Sun — ¦ Waiting for the Steamer — A
Midnight Promenade on the Arctic Shores — The Charms of
the Midnight Hours — The Midnight Sun — A Marvellous
Spectacle — Photographing the Sun — At the Foot of the
North Cape — Which is the Northernmost Promontory in
Europe ? — A Strange Shipwreck — The Knivskj^erodde —
Ascending the North Cape — A Lovely Flora — At the Verge
of the European Continent — A Sublime View — The Violence
of the Winter Storms — A Find on the Cape — My Beward —
A Cure for Dyspepsia — Leaving Hammerfest — A Bough Good
bye — An Exciting Scene — The Last Beacon on the Globe —
Again by the North Cape — A Deserted Island — A. Tale of
Eussian Barbarity — A Bird Mountain- — A Wonderful Sight —
North Kyn — Lovely Weather — Steaming along the Coast —
A Serious Drawback — An Arctic Fishing Village — To Vardo
— The Easternmost Town in Lapland — In the Streets at Mid
night — The Northernmost Fortress on the Globe — A Tale
of Sheep — To Vadso.
Just behind the northern promontory of the Kval island
there is a little semi-circular bay, with a shore covered
with weeds, and surrounded by barren mountains. Along
the foot of the same lies a group of houses, which are
partly protected on the western side by a rugged promon
tory. In the bay the flags of several nations may be
seen, and in the streets various tongues may be heard.
Oil-mills puff by the shore, and bundles of fish, sacks of

From Hammerfest to Vadso.

^37

flour, and barrels of oil pass in and out of the store
houses. Hammerfest— the name of this little town, the
northernmost in the world (lat. 70^° N.)— hiding behind
the mountains, does not impress the visitor favourably ;
he , sees only dark, barren mountains ; hears only the
hideous shriek of the sea-birds or the brawling songs of
Eussian sailors ; smells only oil ; he feels a chill ; every
thing around indicates that he is in a true Arctic town.
And this impression does not disappear even if he seek
Nature in the environs of the town ; Hammerfest possesses

VIEW OF HAMMERFEST — THE NORTHERNMOST TOWN IN THE WORLD.

no nature ; bleak mountains, boggy, flora-less dales, and
an isolated lake — Storvandet. These are the substitutes
for forests, fields, flowers, and life.
The harbour may be said to be almost unprotected.
True, to the north it is sheltered by a low mountain ridge,
finishing in a promontory, Fuglensesset— the Bird pro
montory — on which a little battery has been erected ; but

238 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
to the west it is almost open, being only protected by a
few islands in the distance.
Around nearly the entire town and harbour runs a
ridge of sterile mountains, where only a solitary dwarf-
birch now and then stretches forth its stunted, knotty
branches over the reindeer moss, or a pale sickly patch of
green covers a boulder or two in the stone-strewn glen.
The dark waters of the bay are the haunts of thousands
of sea-birds, which, in storm and calm, in rain and snow,
disport themselves there, and fill the air with their
sad shrieks, greatly contributing to the depressing in
fluence of the surroundings. And, as I have said, even
away from the town the feeling is the same ; no birds sing
here by the prattling brook, no wild-flowers ornament
the valley, only now and then the wanderer is startled
by a mocking, jarring croak by his side from a raven,
the only bird whose voice breaks the silence in these
desolate wastes.
But in spite of the bleakness of the spot, there is an
active commercial life in Hammerfest. Eussian schooners
and Nordland sloops arrive and depart, and many a craft
plies in the harbour laden with sacks of flour, hailing from
the land of the Czar, and dried fish from Norway. On
the deck of a vessel the Eussian skipper paces rapidly up
and down with the Norwegian merchant at his side. It
may be concluded, from the quick gestures, that the
conversation is one of much importance, as the Eussian
from time to time strokes his long, black beard in an
impetuous manner, and casts suspicious glances at the
fluent orator by his side : there can be no mistake about
It ; they are discussing the prices of flour and fish.

From Hammerfest to Vadso. 239
There we have some Sea Lapps coming into port in
their small, open boats, with every sail set. The boats
are heavily laden, as the dried fish is stacked high up
along the mast, and covers several barrels of oil in the
bottom. The Lapp himself sits at the tiller, in his white
coat with variegated ornaments, giving some orders in his
sonorous tongue to his wife, who sits by the main-sail in
her pointed, green cap, carefully watching the land, and
as skilled in the craft of the sailor as her lord and master.
On the quays and by the custom-house the bustle
and activity is, however, greatest. The merchants pass
hurriedly to and fro, exchanging a word or two in
passing. They have no time for conversation, as they
are continually besieged by clients. Here a Eussian is
examining the skin of a fox or a wolf with the eye of a
connoisseur, and there a Nordland fisherman is remon
strating with a merchant because he has not yet received
some flour he has purchased, while in the background
the Lapp waits humbly, cap in hand, until these high
notabilities may have concluded their business.
The Hammerfest merchant possesses a remarkable tact
for getting rid of people, or concluding bargains with
them. Experience, and the short summer, has taught
him expeditiousness, and business is done quickly. Sales,
purchases, and contracts, which in the south of Norway
would be discussed for hours and days, are here concluded
in a couple of minutes. He knows that Father Winter
will soon pay his visit, and arrest the machinery of
commerce with his icy breath. But the light season is
short, and the business to be done so great, that the mid
night sun may sometimes contribute his share for the

240 Under the. Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
dispatch of business equally well with that of noon
day. To the traveller it is exceedingly interesting to watch
this busy commercial life at the very extremity of the
Old World, which never ceases as long as the sun stands
iii the sky and thaws the white shroud of snow by the
shore. It may fitly be compared to a mountain torrent
which is hurrying to join the ocean before it is arrested
by King Frost.
About a hundred years ago there were not a dozen
people living in Hammerfest, but the Danish Crown — to
whom Norway then belonged — in 1787 granting this
town, as well as Vardo and Tromso, the rights and privi
leges of a borough, some traders, artisans and labourers
settled here, and the new-fledged village soon began to
assume the appearance of a town. At the beginning of
the present century it had only eighty inhabitants, and
now it boasts about 2,500.
The appearance of the town itself is, however, like that
of most towns in the north of Norway. The frame is a
number of store-houses facing the sea, most of which were
swept into the sea by a storm some years ago, and behind
these some evidence of attempts at road-making; here
and there is a tiny garden, one even boasting a small
fountain. All the houses are of wood, and most of them
small, but those belonging to dignitaries in the place
are larger and neatly finished. In the eastern part of the
town by a little river we encounter a couple of earth-
huts, which strongly bespeak their Lappish origin.
As I have already said, the town and its surroundings
do not impress one with any idea of beauty or charm,

From Hammerfest to Vadso. 241
and what particularly contributes to give the town its
bleak, desolate appearance is the ugly, barren mountain
of Salen, covered with boulders, which rises scowlingly
just behind the town, and by its position makes the
winter's night twice as long as Nature has intended.
Behind the Salen again stands another mountain, still
higher, which, on account of the sunshine it deprives
Hammerfest of, has very appropriately been named
Tyven — the thief.
Even in the height of the short summer no cheerful
green covers the steep slopes of the mountain, no tree,
no flowers attempt to hide the bleak, sterile rock.
As all along the coast of Arctic Norway, the sea is, on
account of the Gulf-stream — as is generally known —
never covered with ice in the winter ; but nobody must
therefore imagine that the temperature in the summer is
proportionately high. I will, in order to give the reader
an idea of what existence sometimes means in the
northernmost town on the globe, make the following
extracts from the local paper of what occurred in
Hammerfest in 1867.
Under July 2nd, 1867, this journal says : " During the
last few days our streets have, by the exertions of the
authorities and the householders, been cleared of the
enormous mass of snow which has now for nearly nine
consecutive months covered the town, but around, the
outlook is still gloomy. Wherever we turn we see drifts
of snow eight to ten feet in depth, and only in a very few
places a few dark knolls appear above the layer. The
Storvand is covered with a solid layer of ice two feet in
thickness and six inches of snow above it, and would,
VOL. n. R

242 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
we feel sure, offer a splendid field for a sleighing
party." A fortnight later, July 16th, we read : " The weather
during the month has been cold and foggy, which has
greatly retarded the melting of the snow. The ice
still covers the Storvand, and the people living around
it have a poor prospect of a summer."
It is, however, not so bad every year. Thus, during
my stay here in the beginning of June, Spring had
already long ago put Winter to flight. Every trace of
ice and snow had disappeared, and the temperature was
pleasant throughout the twenty-four hours of constant
daylight. There are here, besides the Protestant church, some
meeting-houses, in which the Kvsens exercise their riotous
and licentious Lsestadian worship ; there is a Catholic
chapel here, the town being the northernmost strong
hold of the Church of Eome in the world.
Along the little bay on the southern side of which the
town lies, a road — the only one running into or out of
the town — leads to the promontory Fuglensesset, where
the British Consul has erected a spacious and comfortable
house, and in the vicinity of the latter stands a fine,
polished column of granite and bronze, viz., the meridian
column at Hammerfest.
The inscription upon it is in Norwegian and Latin,
and informs us of what scientific importance this spot
is, and in honour of what scientific achievement the
column was raised. It is as follows : —
" The northern end of a meridian of 25° 20' from the
Arctic Ocean to the river Danube, through Norway,

From Hammerfest to Vadso

243

Sweden, and Eussia. Measured, at the instance of their
Majesties King Oscar I. and the Emperors Alexander
I. and Nicolaus I., by the geometricians of the three
countries, after a continuous labour from 1816 to 1852.
Latitude 70° 40' 11" 3."
I spent four very pleasant days in Hammerfest. I
had a few acquaintances here, and such being in most

THE MERIDIAN COLUMN AT HAMMERFEST.

northern towns the key to every house, I learnt that
wealth, comfort, and kindness flourish as well within a
few miles of the North Cape as in the great centres of
civilisation. I shall never forget the pleasant hours I spent when
towards midnight we started in a couple of boats for a
fishing tour on the fjord, land and sea tinted in the rosy
colours of the never-setting sun, and having caught what
r 2

244 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
we desired, landed on the stony, uninhabited shore, lit
a bonfire, and cooked the magnificent fresh produce of the
sea, which we consumed with the rays of the midnight
sun sparkling in our wine-glasses, while mirth and
laughter were borne by the balmy air across the slum
bering waters. In such moments of enjoyment I felt
that however ugly and uninviting Hammerfest is, and
however charily Nature has endowed its surroundings,
life here in the halcyon days of summer has attractions
which many a southern town, far more picturesquely
situated, might envy.
The charming calmness of a summer night in the Far
North lies over the little ugly town which lies nearer to
the North Pole than any other in the world. Not a
breath of air ruffles the crystal surface of the pensive
fjord, in which the blue heaven and the dark mountains
are reflected as though another landscape lay beneath its
waters. The rays of the never-setting sun play on the
great, slumbering surface as if it were shot with threads
of gold and purple, while thousands of snow-white gulls
whirl in great flocks through the air, the lofty islands
of Hoia and Hjelmen in the distance being veiled in a
lovely, rosy tint. On a little hill near the town, ladies
and gentlemen are promenading in the balmy summer's
air, on the look-out for the mail-steamer from the South.
The steamer is coming! The steamer is coming from
the great world without, with news, letters, papers, and
goods ! , Her coming is one of the great events which
breaks the monotony of existence here, and makes the
blood course quicker through the veins. Everybody
has some interest in the event, from the blushin"-

From Hammerfest t) Vadso. 245
maiden of eighteen summers, who expects an amorous
missive from her sweetheart in the South, to the
sedate merchant, who is anxiously looking forward to
hear of " the state of the market " from his business
friends there. What wonder, then, that the whole of the
little town is abroad during the lovely Arctic night,
scanning the calm, broad expanse for the welcome
object ?
A sudden bustle in the throng : far down in the
horizon a faint streak of smoke is seen. There she is !
Higher and higher the black column ascends into the
transparent air, the lofty masts appear above the sea, the
polished funnel, which shines like burnished gold in
the sun, comes out of the water, and the hull soon follows.
Smaller and smaller becomes the distance, greater and
greater the objects : now it is even possible with a
telescope to discern people on deck. Boats set off, the
people gather on the quay, and shortly after Kong Carl
glides softly into the little bay.
Some of the steamers, which, running from Christiania
and Hamburg along the Norwegian coast, and not pro
ceeding beyond Hammerfest, generally make in the sum
mer, soon after their arrival, a trip to the North Cape,
in order to enable the tourists on board to ascend the
famous promontory. Kong Carl being one of these,
remained, therefore, only a few minutes in the harbour,
and as a visit to the northernmost extremity of the Land
of the Lapps was one of the principal points of my
programme, I had to make haste to get on board, and
in such a hurry was this decision carried out, that I went
off in one boat, my luggage in another, and my trusted

246 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
Eolf in a third. But we finally got all safe on board,
which was the principal thing.
A few minutes later we are steaming for the North
Cape. There is a most charming attraction in the light
summer nights of the North, when the weather is fine, the
sky clear, and the sun is above the horizon. The mid
night hours are the most pleasant of day and night, and
whether a lover of Nature or not, no one can resist being
enraptured with the silent charm which she breathes
from land, heaven, and sea during these mystic hours, as
the steamer feels her way slowly between roseate islands
and skerries. It seems a profanation of Nature's sub
limity and force to go to sleep before this lovely spectacle.
And add to this the marvel of beholding the sun at
midnight. How many thousands of tourists journey for
weeks and months for the purpose of witnessing this
wonderful spectacle of Nature — to be disappointed, more
or less, in their expectations. Misled by exaggerated
descriptions and fantastic illustrations, most people expect
far more than Nature is capable of producing. The
fact is, as everybody may understand, that the midnight
sun is not very different in appearance to the sun any
where else on the globe when it is near the horizon.
The only difference is, that, instead of sinking below, it
moves along the horizon. But if the spectator happen to
be in the midst of some of Nature's grandest surroundings,
as for instance, by the snow-crested Alpine peaks of the
Lofodden Islands, and the air be charged with vapours,
which imparts to the sun at midnight a ruddy glow,
then the spectacle is grand in the extreme ; then a magic

From Hammerfest to Vadso. 247
glimmer veils land and sea, the snow-white glaciers
lie enveloped in the most gorgeous colours, and the
mind becomes filled with a sense of admiration and
wonder of Nature's greatness and glory which can
hardly be inspired by any other spectacle on earth.
From the gloomy upland, which faces the Arctic Ocean,
and looks straight towards the Pole, the glorious Orb
of Day is seen, as it were, floating on the sleeping
waves. The spectator stands upon a bare and lifeless
cliff, and his vision ranges along a broken but mono
tonous headland enveloped 'in the rosy tint of the
mysterious sun. Nothing draws the mind away from
the hour of midnight — the hour between sleeping and
waking — from the contemplation of the vast expanse of
water and sky over which the sun holds sway.
Many a traveller has attempted to paint in words
the weird splendour of the scene, when, at midnight,
the purple orb hangs above the horizon diffusing over
all a rich yet mysterious glow with an effect words
cannot describe. The light is that of day, but it is
not day, and Nature seems to sleep as if shrouded in
darkness. The impression cannot be conveyed in words, but the
picture has again and again been delineated by those
who have been fortunate enough to witness the spectacle ;
by nobody better, perhaps, than Bayard Taylor, who
describes it thus : —
"Eddies of returning birds gleamed golden in the
nocturnal sun, like drifts of dead leaves in the October
air. Far to the north the sun lay in a bed of saffron light
over the clear horizon of the Arctic Ocean. A few bars

248 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
of dazzling orange clouds floated above me, and still
higher in the sky, where the saffron melted through
delicate rose colour into blue, hung like wreaths of
vapour, tinted with pearly opaline flushes of pink and
golden grey. The sea is a web of pale slate colour, shot
through with threads of orange and saffron, the air filled
with a soft mysterious glow, and between the headlands
stands the midnight sun shining on us with subdued fires,
and with the gorgeous colouring of an hour for which we
have no name, since it is neither sunset nor sunrise, but
the blended loveliness of both."
But far deeper than any impression made by physical
beauty must be that which is inspired by the thought of
the dark sleeping world behind, out of which the traveller
has come to " look through golden vistas into heaven."
This is the idea upon which Carlyle seized when placing
Teufelsdrockh at the northernmost limit of the continent,
" Silence as of death, for midnight, even in the Arctic
latitude, has its character ; nothing but the granite cliffs,
ruddy-tinged; the peaceable gurgle of that slow, heaving
Polar Ocean, over which, in the utmost North, the great
sun hangs low and lazy, as if he too was slumbering.
Yet is his cloud-couch wrought of crimson and cloth of
gold, yet does his light stream over the mirror of waters,
like a tremendous fire pillar, shooting downwards to the
abyss, and hide itself under my feet. In such moments,
solitude also is invaluable, for who would speak or be
looked upon, when behind him lies all Europe and
Africa fast asleep, except the watchmen, and before him
the silent Immensity and Palace of the Eternal, whereof
our sun is but a porch-lamp ? "

From Hammerfest to Vadso. 249
But there are not many travellers who are so fortunate
as to witness this sublime spectacle ; many are far more
unfortunate, as they end their long journey without
having seen the faintest glimpse of the midnight sun —
without having seen anything but rain, watery clouds,
and chilly fogs. Nature -on. the Arctic shores smiles only
occasionally ; as a rule there lies a dark, stern severity

THE MIDNIGHT SUN.

over her face ; but he who does see her smile will never
forget it.
Not one of the least piquant features of the midnight
sun is that one may light a cigar with a burning-glass
at midnight, write and read, and even photograph as at
mid-day. One of the greatest peculiarities of photographing the
midnight sun is, however, that by the process the body

250 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
of the sun, on account of its great brightness, will appear
black, and the outlines to melt away into the air. It is
also very seldom possible to reproduce the so-called
" Solar Corona."
In spite of the great charms of the midnight sun and
the lovely nights of the North, I am obliged to confess that
this continuous day becomes tiresome after a length of

THE NORTH CAPE, LOOKING WEST.
time. One always gets very late, or rather early, to
bed, and when there it is impossible to sleep. An ocean
of light comes streaming into the room, and, in spite
of all curtains or shutters, the sun-rays penetrate every
opening and chink. There are, indeed, moments when
the would-be sleeper can fully realize the feeling which
prompted Lord Dufferin's celebrated cook to commit
suicide in sheer disgust, or wishes for the long Polar

From Hammerfest to Vadso. 251
night in preference to this long, never-changing day.
Man is never content.
Now in the open Polar Ocean, now, between islands and
tiny skerries, the steamer speeds on during the splendid
balmy summer's night. The journey lasts about six
hours, and at five o'clock in the morning we cast anchor
at the foot of the North Cape.
The grand, imposing headland is situated on the
northernmost island in Europe and Norway, the Magero,
a continuous mass of rock, which at a distance seems to
form a single level plateau, the sides of which fall
abruptly into the sea. In several places, however, the
rock is cleft, and deep fjords cut into the island, all
running in the direction of the centre.
Wanting in other points of advantage over other
people, the few dwellers on the island possess that of
living nearer to the North Pole than any other inhabi
tants of Europe and Asia — I may almost say than any
on the globe — an advantage, however, which they do not
value very highly, and would, no doubt, gladly exchange
for a patch of grazing or a bit of forest. A few wretched
huts at Tuenses, a little to the west of the Cape, indicate
the northernmost spot where Europeans have settled.
Still, the North Cape is not the northernmost promon
tory of Europe. Perhaps that surprises you ? It is
stated, you will say, in all books of travel, and taught
by all geographers. It is no use. Chimborazo was, for
centuries, accredited with being the highest mountain on
the earth, and had to cede the place to Mount Everest.
So, too, it is with the North Cape. It has been obliged
to renounce this distinction in favour of another pro-

252 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
montory, the Knivskjserodde, i.e., the "knife-skerry-
point." This promontory, which lies a little to the west of the
North Cape, and separated from it by a deep bay,
stretches its pointed beak a little further north than the
North Cape, a distance recently scientifically proved to
be about a thousand feet.

THE KNIVbKJiEKODDE, THE NORTHERNMOST PROMONTORY IN EUROPE.
It. is, however, not likely that the North Cape will
suffer much in its reputation or lose any of its attrac
tion from the recent artful discovery by trigonometricians,
as its new competitor cannot boast any of the former's
grandeur or height.
Some years ago the steamer Nordstjemen took it into her

From Hammerfest to Vadso. 253

head to mount the very nose of theKnivskjserodde,as she
was returning with a number of tourists from the North
Cape. The mount proved rather expensive to the owners,
as the rider fell off the horse, and was never seen again.
They had to console themselves with the circumstance
that their uninsured vessel had selected one of the most

W/

'

VIEW OF THE NORTH CAPE, WITH " THE HORN.
interesting points in Europe for her exploit, and the poor
passengers to cheer themselves with a similar comfort
during the long hours they had to spend on the cold
and barren rock. In connection with this shipwreck I
will relate a strange occurrence in another chapter. .
The North Cape, in lat. 71° 11' 40" N, is almost

254 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
exactly a thousand feet in height, and falls on all sides
apparently straight into the sea, which, together with the
level surface, gives the mountain its sombre but striking
appearance. Majestically it rises from the waters of the
Arctic Ocean ; the sides, withered and rent, are furrowed
by clefts and fissures. It is only accessible from the
Eastern side, where it forms a little bay, Hornvigen — the
" horn-bay," a name derived from a very remarkable
protuberance on the side of the mountain, called " The
Horn." I succeeded in obtaining a faithful illustration
of it by means of the camera.
This peculiar formation of rock reminds one somewhat
of the horn of a rhinoceros, and may by imaginative
natures be taken as a symbol of the weapon whereby the
North Cape fights the raging elements of sea and air.
Kong Carl had cast anchor in the Hornvig, and whilst
some passengers remained on board to fish for cod, the
rest of us, about half-a-dozen, went ashore for the purpose
of ascending the mountain.
Fatiguing the ascent is, in the highest degree, as even
in the most favourable place the declivity is very steep,
and most climbers are exhausted long before the plateau
is reached. The path follows the course of a little brook,
which in miniature falls leaps down the precipitous side.
In some clefts there is still some snow, but black and
dirty on the surface. But what a wonderfully copious flora
along the banks of the brook, nearly right up to the top !
Close and succulent grass covers the slopes with a
lovely green, while thousands of wildflowers peep there
from. What a delicious sight, what charming colours !
Do I dream ? Do I stand at the northernmost promontory

From Hammerfest to Vadso. 255
in Europe, or in some southern field ? Here are forget-
me-nots, violets, butter-cups, saxifragas, and sweet-briar-
I cannot resist the temptation. I gather a large bouquet
of gorgeous wildflowers, which have since furnished
tangible proof that I was not dreaming.
After a long and laborious climbing, sometimes on
all fours, we stand on the plateau at last. Far down
below us lies the steamer — a pretty little toy.
We have still to walk a quarter of an hour before we
reach the point of the Cape, but the walk is not very
fatiguing, as the surface is as hard and level as a floor.
Yes, a dance might, indeed, be given here ; there is no
trace of snow, only now and then we come across a little
pool of water, from which we obtain a delicious draught
after the exhausting ascent.
At last I stand at the verge of the European continent.
Maybe human imagination is contributory to all our
impressions, and probably there are views on the earth as
striking and sublime as this, but I confess I have never
experienced such an overpowering — I must say solemn,
sensation as that which held me spell-bound in the early
morning on the brink of the North Cape.
I stood silent, lost in contemplation of the wondrous
spectacle ; silent, heedless of my companions, gazing at
the awe-inspiring view spread before me. It seemed a
profanation to utter even a word of admiration.
Below lies the majestic, the enigmatical, the unknown
Arctic Ocean, indigo-blue in colour, melting into the
horizon, a mirror at my foot; no breeze durst ruffle the
crystal surface, to wake the slumbering giant forces which
are hidden in its deep.

256 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
Desolate as a desert, the wide expanse spreads before
me ; no ship arrests the eye, no boat breaks the immense
survey. Imposing ocean ! Imposing when you roar in
wrath, imposing when you slumber and dream one of
your beautiful dreams of summer !
And the eye wanders across the grand, desolate and
sombre landscape which bounds the icy waters of the
Arctic Ocean. Seen from here, in bird's-eye view, it is
like a map in relief. To the right the Svaerholtklub
and Nordkyn stretch their long, wedged headlands into
the sea ; and to the left the Knivskjserodde juts forward
with the lofty mountain on the Hjelmso and Eolfso in
the background ; only to the south the view is arrested
by the lofty Magero.
Above it all stretches the blue canopy of heaven, and
from the north-east the sun sheds a golden glimmer over
land and sea.
Near the brink of the Cape stands a column- of granite,
about a dozen feet high, raised in memory of the visit
of Oscar II. in 1873, and as an example of the force of
the terrible storms which sometimes sweep over the
headland, I may mention that it was blown clean over
during the winter 1881-1882, in spite of its solid foun
dation. At the foot of it we find a bottle with some written
scraps of paper inside, which we break, and read the
more or less apocryphal names of people who some
time before us have visited the spot and seemed to have
felt a desire to leave this testimony of their visit behind
for the benefit of coming generations. We follow their
example, and place our own more or less apocryphal

From Hammerfest to Vadso. 257
names in another bottle, which will, no doubt, suffer a
similar fate at the hands of the next batch of visitors.
I found something very remarkable on the North
Cape, viz., a large bunch of keys ; they were of steel,
iron, and brass, large and small. Nobody of the company
had lost them. We pitied the unfortunate man, who on
his return from the North Cape would stand helpless
before his numerous trunks and boxes without being able
to get at their contents. Although little prospect of a
reward existed, I put the lot in my pocket as a souvenir
from the North Cape.
To conclude. The scramble down from the Cape was
as difficult as the upward one, particularly as I had my
hands full of flowers and my pockets full of stones and
keys. The great secret of a safe descent seems to be to
take care that the head is higher than the feet.
When we were again on board I heard a terrible com
motion among those members of the ship's personelle who
are no less important than the crew, more so after a
climbing excursion of a dozen hours, viz., the stewards.
The chief steward had lost his keys ! And it was soon
rumoured what a find I had made on the Cape, which
turned out to be those of the larder, cellar, and closets of
the ship. The chief steward had been w ith us to the top,
but was some way off when I discovered the keys he had
lost. I was fully rewarded by the thanks of half-a-dozen
famishing passengers for my care in taking them with
me. It was indeed luck. Without them we might
have had neither lunch nor dinner.
The passengers on board had in our absence caught
some magnificent cod, which, thanks to the finding of the
VOL. II. s

258 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
keys, formed an excellent part of our lunch, to which we
did ample justice ; in fact, I should recommend any one
suffering from want of appetite to try the climbing and
descent of the North Cape as a cure.
The anchor is up ; the machinery in motion ; the screw
revolves ; we are again under weigh. In the evening we
are again at anchor at Hammerfest.
A few days after this excursion I started on my journey
along the coast to the easternmost town in Lapland.
It was a rough morning. The storm howled between
mountains, half hidden in masses of clouds, lashed the
sea into foam, while the heavens seemed to have opened
their flood-gates afull. It was a cheerless prospect for
the journey I had in view, as the Magero is the last in the
chain of islands which forms the solid bulwark against
the fury of the ocean along nearly the entire Norwegian
coast. East of the North Cape, however, continent and
sea. embrace each other; the steamer enters upon an
unequal struggle, and the wretched passenger suffering
from sea-sickness has no other consolation than to think
of the calm passages in store for him in. the long fjords.
I, being a bad sailor, thought the best I could do was to
try to sleep, and went below.
A quarter of an hour after we were in motion I hear a
great commotion and shouting on deck, people running
backwards and forwards ; the engines stop. Certain that
we are about to be run down, I rush on deck, where the
first sight which arrests my attention is the lowering of
the life-boat. In the next moment I have ascertained
that there is nothing wrong with the ship ; but, quick !
quick ! clown with the boat — human life is at stake.

From Hammerfest to Vadso. 259
There, within a stone's-throw lies a capsized boat tossed
by the raging waves ; her crew, two poor Sea Lapps,
have scrambled up on to the turned- up keel, across which
they ride, their hands clutching the straw of safety, and
their faces distorted in the agony of death, as one wave
after another sweep over them with a sullen, deep roar
and drown them in a sea of froth. Pull ! Pull ! every
moment is valuable ; the convulsive clutch seems to be
weakened ; the waves sweep over the men with renewed
vigour and fury : two minutes longer and you will possess
your spoil. A breathless silence reigns on board. But
the life-boat cleaves the waves gallantly, driven by strong
arms ; in the next moment it turns against the other in
the heavy sea with a crash ; the capsized boat disappears,
and in the same moment the two poor Lapps are — saved.
They are put on shore, the life-boat hoisted up, and
we are again off.
The. episode was not one to encourage a heart already
trembling at the prospect of a four days' sea voyage
in such a storm, and I decline to dwell on the terrible
dreams and sufferings I should have endured had not
the weather changed soon after we rounded the North
Cape. It became charming summer weather ; calm air,
sunshine, and a quiet sea, which lasted throughout the
voyage. The two last islands on this side of the North Cape are
Eolfso and Hjelmso, and during the voyage between
these, the remarkable lighthouse of Fruholmen is seen
far out in the Polar Ocean, remarkable as being the
northernmost beacon on the globe.
Trim and cheerful, this little Tower of Philanthropy s 2

260 Under the Bays of -the Aurora Borealis.
now glistens in the summer sun; but fancy what
existence here must be during the long, pitch-dark Polar
night, when the wind from the Pole shakes the structure
in its very foundation, and urges the sea to overthrow
the intruder into unknown regions, as it sends the
mountain waves hissingly up to the lamp whose blink
is the guardian star, the solitary ray of light in the
darkness, to the skipper who heads for the North Cape.
Wild and frowning are these rugged shores in such
weather as that in which we left Hammerfest ; poor and
wretched the few aspects of life we encounter at the
places of call. Eoaring and hissing, the froth-crested
waves break incessantly over the polished rocks; the
wind moans mournfully between the mountains ; and the
sea-birds mingle their mournful cry with the roar of wind
and sea ; while dark, rent clouds hasten southwards, as if
anxiously hurrying to reach less sterile surroundings.
Water drizzles from the turf-roof of the wretched hut;
water drips from the clothes of the poor fisherman ;
water washes down the mountain side, the boulders, and
over the stunted flora which tries to hide the bareness
and sterility of the earth. The spectator wonders how
human beings are able to exist under such conditions in
a constant, never-ceasing battle with the severe and
inhospitable elements of nature, for such a poor reward,
and suffering so many hardships.
On leaving Gjesvser — just one of these sad and de
pressing spotSj on some islands right under Magero' —
there are two roads for the steamer, viz., either south of
Magero, through the Magero Sound, or north of the
island, past the North Cape. Both routes are equally

From Hammerfest to Vadso. 261
long, and the weather therefore decides the choice. The
wind on this occasion being southerly, we followed the
northern route.
Again I beheld the North Cape, but its aspect was
very different from that of my former visit. Dark and
threatening, the mountain reared its gigantic form,
below encircled by a ring of foamy breakers, above half
hidden in heavy, grey clouds, while thousands of rills
hastened down every crevice.
A little after the steamer takes a more southerly
course, and arrives at the little trading-station Kjelvig.
A more lonely, isolated, and depressing spot human
imagination cannot conceive. Half a dozen huts on a
tiny patch of green between the waves and the lofty
precipitous mountains at the back — such is Kjelvig.
The few small huts which have found room in the bay
are enclosed by mountains on all sides but one, and the
vista open in that direction is formed of the deserted
ocean and the bleak headlands Svaerholt and North Kyn.
The mountain-high seas and the terrific storms from the
Arctic Ocean penetrate through the opening into the
bay in all their fury, and from the west the wind rushes
into it with no less violence, through a gap in the rocky
wall. The church and the huts have for this reason
been, so to speak, " moored " to the ground by means of
stout ropes, which prevent them from being either
blown up the mountain or swept into the sea. The
church here, the only one on the island of Magero, was
also, if I recollect rightly, blown down during the last
cycle of hurricanes visiting East Finmarken.
This great island was formerly much better populated ;

262 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
and there were -six churches ; Kjelvig being then a place
of far greater importance than at present, but the in
cessant fights with the Eussian s last century had the
effect of dispersing the population.
Of that period the following story is related at
Kjelvig. A large number of Eussians had arrived at
Honningsvaag, about three miles south-west of Kjelvig,
for the purpose of murdering and plundering, eight of
whom compelled a Lapp — friendly to the Norwegians —
to guide them across the mountain to Kjelvig during
the night, with a view to killing the population in the
darkness and pillaging their houses. The Lapp walks
in front with a torch in his hand ; nearing the precipice
facing Kjelvig, he increases his pace, at the same time
calling upon the Eussians to follow quickly, and, arrived
at the brink, throws the torch into the abyss, at the
same moment clambering to a projecting rock. The
Eussians seeing nothing in the darkness but the light
descending, step over the cliff and are killed. A cross
marks the spot where this ghastly occurrence took place.
By Kjelvig the long and broad Porsanger fjord
cuts into the land ; it is one of the greatest in Norway.
Its great width and straight course, which enable the
winds from the Polar Sea to rage unchecked along the
fjord, and also the eye to look from the bottom straight
into the ocean, cause the exterior parts to be bare and
rugged. But further in, they lose their wild and bleak
character, the steep inclines so characteristic of these
regions being softened into gentle slopes with luxuriant
greensward and groves of birch-trees.
Kistrand — to which reference has been made in an

From Hammerfest to Vads

203

earlier part of this work — on the: western side, and the
southernmost point which we call at, is situated very
prettily on such a slope, and the imposing buildings of
the dignitaries, and the telegraph-office,. look quite cheer
ful in the verdant surroundings.
The eastern shore of the fjord, along which we are

. THE BIRD-MOUNTAIX, SV.2ERH0LTKLUB.

steaming, without, however, calling at any of the few
spots where human beings dwell, is even more unin
teresting than the western. The eye sees but a con
tinuous lofty mountain wall falling straight into the sea.
The long, narrow peninsula, or rather mountain mass,
which separates the Porsanger from the Laxe fjord, looks

264 Under the Baijs of the Aurora Borealis.
from the sea as level as if it were cut with a knife
above. In a few hours and we round the cape of the peninsula,
viz., the famous bird-mountain Svserholtklub, jet black
in colour, one of the most remarkable sights in the
world. The mountain rises to a height of very nearly a
thousand feet, exhibiting bold and fantastic contours and
steep cliffs, while the base is lined with boulders. But
what forms the attraction and interest of the rock are
the millions of sea-birds which nest on it. Along every
one of the innumerable terraces, caused by the stratiform
formation of the mountain, and all of which run nearly
horizontally, white birds sit in rows, like the porcelain
jars in a chemist's shop, one above the other, so close that
the mountain in many places has the appearance of being
covered with snow. A word of command sounds on board,
a jet of smoke issues from the port side, and the next
moment the report of a gun reverberates through the air.
In a second we gaze on one of the grandest and most
marvellous spectacles it is given human eyes to behold.
From every terrace and cavity in the mountain snow-
white birds issue in millions — looking at first like a
gigantic foaming torrent — which rise and descend in
enormous flocks with deafening cries, and so great is
their numbers that at times mountain, sky, and sun are
obscured. It is chiefly a kind of gull (Larus tridactylus) which
forms the largest portion of the feathered inhabitants.
The steamer is again steering southwards, and having
called at Svserholt, where of course the steward pur-

From Hammerfest to Vadso. 265
chased gulls' eggs to enable us to taste this delicacy, we
steam into another of the great Finmarken fjords, the
Laxe fjord. Here we only call at Lebesby, whose little
church, vicarage, and trading-station, surrounded by
green fields and underwood, look quite charming.
In the northern part of the fjord an arm of it runs
eastward, the bottom of which is separated by a strip
of land, only about a thousand yards broad, from a similar
one which the Fana fjord sends out from the west, so that
one can look from the steamer in one fjord right into the
other. The great peninsula, connected with the Euro
pean continent by this narrow strip, which is called
Kjorgosh-Njarg — a Lappish denomination — reminds one
much of the Magero, a similarity which will be still
more apparent when, as is contemplated, the isthmus is
cut through.
When out of the Laxe fjord, and running into Kjolle
fjord on the western side of Kjorgosh-Njarg, we pass the
so-called " Finnekirker " (Finn churches), viz., two or
three peculiarly-shaped rocks standing by the shore,
which, even close by, seem to be the ruins of a church or
convent, and which formerly were worshipped by the
heathen Lapps.
Again the journey lies eastward along the jagged
Kjorgosh-Njarg, and a little after we have reached the
northernmost promontory of the European continent, viz.,
North Kyn, or, as it is also called, Kinnerodden. In
form and size it reminds one of the North Cape ; it is
the same level plateau above, the same bold, striking fall
into the sea, the same dark, sombre rock furrowed by
thousands of crevices. Look westward and you see his

266 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

half-brother, the North Cape, shoot his giant form boldly
into the ocean.
It is, indeed, one of the most charming and interesting
features of this voyage along the northernmost shore of
Europe, that, in fine weather, the visitor can survey at a
glance every detail of the formation of the land ; for

NORTH KYN. THE NORTHERNMOST PROMONTORY OF THE EUROPEAN
CONTINENT,

hours, aye, for days, he has every point of prominence as
clearly before him as on a map in relief. Here are no
islands to bar the view or break its continuity, while the
headlands and mountains are so high that they may be
discerned at a very great distance. I have journeyed a

From Hammerfest to Vadso. 267
hundred times and more on the fjords in southern
Norway, so famous for their beauty, and enjoyed the
dolcefar niente life of a calm steam passage in the most
magnificent weather, but the pleasure of the former was
as naught to this smooth voyage along the rugged
shores of the extremity of Europe, now on the broad
expanse of the fjord, now with the great, silent Polar
Ocean on one side, and majestic, sombre mountains on the
other. The wide ocean lies before me as calm as a lake ;
great pink medusas move lazily through the crystal
azure element, while shoals of whales play hide-and-seek
around the steamer, lashing the sea into foam as they
descend, and sending spouts of water high into the
air on reappearing, their enormous blue bodies glisten
ing in the rays of the sun, while above, in the balmy
transparent air, thousands of shrieking sea-birds whirl
in pursuit of fish.
It was one of the strangest but loveliest spectacles I
ever beheld; but I hasten to say, in case the reader
of these linos should feel inclined to make the same
journey, that one thing he must bespeak beforehand,
viz., fine weather, such as I was favoured with ; without
that he will find little to attract him in these parts, and
probably, greatly disappointed, bring an action against
the writer for fraud and deception.
When, the mighty ocean is lashed into fury, when the
wind howls and shrieks among the mountain clefts, and
the heavens open their flood-gates, do not think of
visiting the weather-beaten shores of Arctic Norway;
but when the sun smiles from the azure sky, and the
light, shining clouds are reflected in the crystal deep,

268 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
then come and see, and you will stand lost in ad
miration. The coast and fjords of Norway are like the sea-
anemone : when it contracts it is an ugly, inanimate
lump of flesh, but when it opens its wreath of variegated
arms, the spectator is lost in admiration of the startling
display of colour. It seems impossible to believe that
it is the same creature.
One of the drawbacks, however, of travelling eastward,
even if the weather be ever so fine, is that it shortens
one's life and ruins one's watch. Thus, the degrees of
longitude are here, so near to the Pole, exceedingly
small ; one need only travel twenty geographical miles
eastward in order to be in a degree greater longitude.
That is in itself not so very remarkable, but the
consequences are serious. Let us assume, for instance,
that we take two hours to cover the twenty miles ; we
start at four o'clock, and when, after two hours' steam,
we are twenty miles further east, the time in this place
is not six o'clock, but four minutes past six. Of course,
the watch can be put forward, but who compensates me
for the four minutes of my life of which I have been
cheated, and which are irrecoverably lost ? My hour has
only fifty-eight minutes, while other human beings boast
of a plethora of sixty ! A deduction of two minutes off
every hour makes forty-eight per day, and a loss of
twenty-four hours a month. My year is twelve days
shorter than everybody else's. That this is a most
iniquitous tax to pay for being permitted to travel by
this route everybody will admit, I am sure. But I have
one satisfaction in my misfortune, viz., that I will make

From Hammerfest to Vadso. 269
up for the loss when I again journey westward ; then
the rest of the inhabitants of the earth shall learn with
envy that my hour has sixty-two minutes and my year
377 days.
Worse still is the case near the North Pole. Fancy
that you were near enough to travel around it in twenty-
four hours. If you then travel eastward you deprive
yourself of your entire future, as the time will always
remain the same as at starting. If, on the other hand,
you travel westward, you have two days in one. How
absurd the case would be at the North Pole one dares
hardly contemplate, from fear of mental aberration. It
wants a strong mind to resist such facts, that the time at
the Pole is one, two, three, four — up to twelve all at
once, in fact, everything time can be and still nothing at
all, and that by turning either right or left, in a few
seconds you may deprive yourself of days and months of
your life, or add to it. I said right or left, and not east or
west, as there is another humorous peculiarity about the
North Pole, viz., that there is no east, west, or north ;
there is but one point, i.e., south, and that is in every
direction. Do you follow ?
Again our journey lies south, past Kjorgosh-Njargs'
deep fjords and lofty crest, where here and there a patch
of snow still lingers in the crevices. We round the
eastern point of the peninsula, and are on great broad
Tana fjord. We keep close to the western shore, and
a little before reaching the village of Finkongkjeilen
we pass another bird-mountain. Again the guns roar
across the waters, the steam-whistle sounds, and again
the air is filled with clouds of feathered beings. The

270 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

number of birds is, however, far smaller than at the
Svserholtklub. Finkongkjeilen, where I went ashore for a few hours, is
the very pattern of a Finmarken fishing-village. On
three sides it is encircled by great mountains, so lofty
that only in the morning is the sun able to throw some
rays into this cul-de-sac in the rock, where the snow even
at this season still lies in some places in large drifts
down to the shore. Everything else is fish, or related to
fish. Live fish, dead fish, dried fish, cured fish, fish-
heads, fish-entrails, smell of fish, stink of fish, vessels
which bring fish, and vessels which fetch fish, people who
buy fish, and people who sell fish, people who only live
for fish, people who only live on fish, only speak, think,
and dream of fish — nothing else.
The village boasts, in the way of dwellings, a trading
station, and a considerable number of little huts princi
pally inhabited by Sea Lapps. The pyramidal piles seen
in this place are characteristic of such fishing marts,
being formed of the long, narrow poles on which the
fish is hung to dry. If there be many of these piles the
prospects are not good, as they indicate scarcity of fish.
We now steam up the fjord, nearly to the bottom, to
Stangnses, and a little further south lies the greatest
trading station here, viz., Guldholmen, or Tanen, but
thither the steamer is unable to get, on account of the
numerous shoals of sand which the Tana Eiver forms in
its estuary. This river, the greatest in Finmarken, is
celebrated for its splendid salmon and lovely romantic
shores. The mountains in the interior of the fjord rise
to a great height, some being 2,500 feet, and offer by

From Hammerfest to Vadso. Ill
their distinct stratiform formation, bizarre contours and
precipitous declivities, a most striking and interesting
sight. We now steam northwards, and having rounded the
headland of Tanaholm, speed along the northern side of
the great peninsula Vargak-Njarg, formed by the Tana
and Varanger fjord. The whole northern shore is
without interest; the mountains form the same mono
tonous table-shaped structures which are characteristic
of the North Cape, but by degrees they become lower
and lower, and more and more uninteresting. One head
land shoots into the sea behind another as far the eye
can reach, every one similar in form and construction.
There are a few good fishing grounds along here, but
otherwise there is nothing to attract the traveller par
ticularly, as he is generally satiated with the beauty and
charms of the sights he has already enjoyed.
At midnight we cast anchor at Vardo, the eastern
most town in Scandinavia. The steamer stayed here only
a few hours, during which I went ashore and sauntered
through the few empty streets in the light summer's
night, and took some photographs. I have, therefore,
but little of interest to relate of this town, and I doubt
whether anybody else has.
Vardo is situated on a little island outside the
Varanger promontory, and separated from the same by a
narrow sound. It was at first a little fishing village, but
became later on one of the most important commercial
towns in Finmarken. Thus from, in 1825, having only 88
inhabitants, it boasts now more than 2,000. The nervus
rerum of the town is like every other in Finmarken — fish.

272 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
It is in the middle of that district in which the great
Finmarken fisheries take place every year — in April and
May — when the cod-fish comes close in-shore in enor
mous shoals in pursuit of a tiny kind of herring called
" Lodde " (Mallotus arcticus), which is its most cherished
food. At this time some four or five thousand fishermen
come to Vardo from distant parts.
Two bays, one from the north, the other from the south,
separate the island on which Vardo lies from the main
land connected by a narrow isthmus. The northern of
these is the harbour proper, the southern being chiefly
used as a refuge harbour for boats.
Few towns are, I should say, less favoured by Nature
than Vardo. Without any protection whatever of islands
or mountain ridges, it lies exposed to all the winds of the
terrible Polar sea; a raw cold spot when the wind,
fostered on the Siberian tundra and the ice-choked Kara
sea, sweeps into the harbour, and, whipping the icy water
into froth, sends the spray right over the town ; or when
the clammy fog from the Arctic Ocean descends, destroy
ing every trace of summer. Only rarely the weather is as
fine and pleasant as during my short stay ; but on the
other hand, the winter cold is not so great, measured in
degrees, as the position of the town would lead one to
imagine, irrespective of the Gulf stream.
As in most other Norwegian towns, the steamer was, as
soon as we had cast anchor, surrounded by a number of
boats, the crews of which, with shouts and gesticulations,
rivalled in offering their assistance to us for being put
ashore. Leaving three of them to fight for the possession
of my person, I went into the boat of a fourth, who rowed

From Hammerfest to Vadso.

273

me to the long wooden quay which ornaments the eastern
side of the harbour. Long and frightfully steep ladders
lead from the sea to the top, up which we crawl, in
imminent danger of making a backward summersault
into the sea.
A miniature London or Paris Vardo is not. The
visitor will not be overwhelmed by wonderful architec-

THE CHURCH IN VARDO.
(From a photograph taken by the Midnight Sun.}

tural structures, nor by art galleries or museums. There
are only simple, honest, wooden huts here, the monotony
of which is only broken now and then by a sign-board
informing people in general that here boots may be had,
there clothes, there bread, there grocery. No, Vardo
boasts no streets lighted by electricity, and cafes flashing
with glass and gold, thronged by noisy crowds in the
VOL. II. T

274 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
hour of midnight, only Nature's golden orb sheds a
mystic purple light over the town, where the only sign
of life is a party of belated guests returning from a con
vivial gathering, whose footsteps resound through the
silent streets, and who stare in curious wonder at me
as I raise my photographic apparatus in the middle of
the street.

VARDOHUS. THE NORTHERNMOST FORTRESS IN THE WORLD.
(From a photograph taken at Midnight.)

On the western peninsula lies the northernmost
fortress in the world, Vardohus.
The northernmost fortress on earth consists of a couple
of houses, half hidden behind a parapet, two or three iron
tubes, honoured with the distinguished denomination
guns, a flag-staff, a little powder for saluting on the
King's birthday, a commander and twenty soldiers, who

From Hammerfest to Vadso. 275
during peace find employment as fishermen. It does not
look very terrible, indeed it looks rather amiable ; it
stares thoughtfully into the Polar sea as if ruminating
why and how it got there, and for what purpose.
I had taken into my head to try and get a photograph
of the northernmost fortress on earth at midnight, and I
succeeded, as may be seen. It was precisely twelve
o'clock when I took it.
Vardo, the little insignificant Vardo, has, however, once
had its name inscribed on the scroll of Science, and
indeed contributed a share to solve one of the greatest
problems of astronomy, viz., the distance of the sun from
the earth. Thus, the passage of Venus across the sun
was observed from this spot in 1769, by the Austrian
astronomer Hell, who was despatched hither by the
King of Denmark, as being one of the few places where it
could be observed, and where he sojourned nearly a year.
Hell raised his observatory on the isthmus, and be
hind it, by the present boat-harbour, he built two columns
for the purpose of ascertaining if the land was rising.
It is greatly to be regretted that so little attention
has been paid to the same that they have entirely dis
appeared. In my endeavours to relate something interesting
about Vardo, I cannot refrain from informing you as to
how sheep are bred here, according to "an authority."
He says, that as the ground is nearly free from snow in
the winter, the sheep are let at large during this season,
and that they thrive very well on a couple of small
islands near the town. Sometimes, however, it happens
that the evaporation from the animals, when having
t 2

276 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
taken shelter against some rocks, will form into ice and
keep them captive, or they have to leave parts of their
skin adhering to the stone in tearing themselves away.
It is therefore customary to pay the poor animals a visit
from time to time, in order to "patch up" their torn
coats. Se non e vera e ben trovato.
And with this addition to our knowledge of the
conditions under which sheep exist in some parts of the
world, we leave Vardo, sleep four hours during the
voyage along the low, bleak shore of Vargak-Njarg,
and awake the next morning in Vadso, the last town on
the Norwegian coast, and in Europe.

( 277 )

CHAPTER IX.
FROM VADSO TO RUSSIAN LAPLAND.
The most Lucrative Callings in Vadso —A Town with many
Names — -Fish ! Fish ! — The Whaling Industry — A Novel mode
of Hunting — A Eemarkable Gun — A Drive with a Whale — ¦
Cutting up a Whale — Whale Steak — -An Uninteresting
Town — A Walk — An Alarming Discovery — Excursion in the
Varanger Fjord — Sensitive Lapps — Extraordinary Voyage
of a Box — The Last Village in Norway — Another Excursion
— A Lovely Day by the Arctic Shores — A Splendid Salmon
Eiver — Norwegian Sheriffs — A Strange Contrast— Another
Eussian ." Wedge " — A Trip into Eussian Lapland — A Eussian
Priest and his Wife — A Good Oarswoman — Crossing the
Frontier — Hospitable People — The Northernmost Greek
Church in Europe — Eussian Lapps — An Altar of Sacrifice —
Superstitious Belief — Faith versus Greed — Good-bye to a
pair of Lovely Eyes — Good-bye to the Land of the Lapps.
If I were not Alexander I would wish to be Diogenes ; if
I were not what I am, I would be boatman in Vadso. It
must be one of the most lucrative occupations in the
world. I have travelled a good deal, and experienced
much in the way of extortion, but the voyage from the
steamer to the landing-stage in Vadso is the most expen
sive I ever undertook.
Next to that of being boatman in Vadso I should
wish to be hotel-proprietor there. I lived for a week
under the impression that I was staying at an hotel of
eighth or tenth class ; but when I was presented with my

278 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
bill, I discovered that I had been greatly mistaken, the
figures demonstrating beyond a doubt that in the way of
charges this hotel would put any of the finest hotels in
London or Paris to shame. It was a veritable " lawyer's
bill." For eight days I remained in Vadso, viz., seven too
many, as a single day would have been quite sufficient
for seeing what there is of interest in the town. But

THE STREET IN VADSO.

there was no steamer till the week after my arrival, so
I was compelled to wait. Fortunately the time was
pleasantly shortened by the kindness and hospitality of
the inhabitants ; had this not been the case, I believe I
should have died from ennui.
Make a knot in the middle of a bit of string and you
have the ground-plan of Vadso. The knot is " the city "

From Vadso to Bussian Lapland. 279
of the town ; here the Norwegian population dwells, the
elite of the community ; the merchants and the civil
dignitaries. Here are a few neat houses, and signs of
abortive attempts at making streets. At the ends of the
string are two rows of tiny wooden houses, lining the
shore in opposite directions, in which the Finns, i.e., the
Kvsens, who chiefly during recent years have immigrated
from Finland, and are now the Norwegians' superior in
numbers. The eastern row is called the " outer," and the
western the " inner " Kvsen- village.
In fact, Vadso is more of a Finnish than a Norwegian
town, and the Finnish language is heard in the streets and
shops oftener than the Norwegian. Two other tongues
are also frequently heard in this peculiar town, par
ticularly during the fishing season, viz., Lappish and
Russian. The merchants are, in consequence, obliged
to understand all four languages, while this miniature
Babel on the Arctic shores can boast of four names,
viz., in Norwegian, Vadso ; in Lappish, Tjatse-suolo ; in
Finnish, Vesi-saari ; and in Eussian, Vasino.
The most characteristic features of the town are the two
Kvsen-villages, while more than in any other town in-
the north the visitor is reminded that fish is the Alpha
and Omega of the population. The narrow strip of shore
between the street and the sea is covered with " Hjselds,"
nets, and lines, while all kinds of fishing-gear embellish
the streets and the roofs of the houses. Everywhere the
eye encounters gigantic barrels in which cod-liver oil is
fermenting, and huge cauldrons in which this article is
boiled, while half-rotten fish, entrails, and dried heads
and bones fill every spare patch of ground.

280 • Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
The surroundings of the town are bleak and triste in
the highest degree. Not a shrub, not the tiniest tree,
breaks the flat, monotonous landscape. Just outside the
town lies a somewhat large island, Kirkeoen, " the church-
island," as barren and bleak as any other part of the
town. The sound thus formed is the harbour of the town.
At low-water the island is really only a peninsula, as
it is possible to walk across to the town; but at high-
water it is navigable for boats and small vessels.
Kirkeoen, where a good view of the town is obtained,
of the knot as well as the long, narrow appendices, has
during the last few years become a place of interest and
importance, by being the centre of the great whaling
industry which the celebrated Norwegian whale-hunter
Sven Foyn has founded here.
During my stay in Vadso a large whale was caught,
which gave me an opportunity of witnessing this inter
esting process, and taking some photographs of the same.
Foyn's operations of hunting and preparing whales being
without equal, and his mode of proceeding highly ori
ginal, I venture to give a description of both from my
own observations and from information supplied to me.
The manner in which the whale was formerly hunted
was, as is generally known, by pursuing it in boats be
longing to whaling-ships, whence a harpoon was thrown
into the animal from a certain distance. Such a harpoon
was provided with a shaft of iron or wood, and with a
strong barbed point at one end and a ring with a rope in
at the other, the latter being held by the harpooner. As
soon as the animal was wounded it descended so rapidly
that the harpooner . had great difficulty in keeping the

From Vadso to Bussian Lapland. 281

rope from getting entangled as it was paid out, as
otherwise the boat would have been dragged under
water. When the animal reappeared several more har
poons were thrown into it, while it was speared by the
crew until death ensued from loss of blood.
Apart from the barbarity of this method, it had other
drawbacks, as, for instance, the dangers of having to
leave the ships in small boats in the open ocean, and
that of the latter being crushed when too close to these
monsters. Foyn has entirely discarded this old method, and hunts
the whales — in steamers !
The vessels are specially constructed, and measure
from 80 to 100 feet in length, with powerful engines,
but their most interesting feature is doubtless the gun
by which the whales are harpooned and killed. It is
mounted on a platform right in the stem, so that it
can be turned in all directions. To this novel piece of
artillery belongs a shaft which is inserted into the gun,
leaving a small portion outside the muzzle, carrying four
moveable hooks pointing towards the gun and placed
crosswise, each being about eight inches long. In front
of these a large iron ball, or shell, with a steel point is
affixed, which is filled with an explosive substance. On
the shaft runs an iron ring, to which a cable is attached,
about the thickness of an arm, which, when the shaft is
inserted in the gun, is run up close to the muzzle-end,
where it is secured by a cord.
Thus equipped the steamer starts in search of whales.
When sufficiently near the animal the gun is pointed at
one of the softer parts of its body, the fuse lighted, and

282 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
the terrible projectile launched into the whale. The
tremendous jerk of the rope is diminished somewhat by
the cord holding the ring breaking, which thereby runs
up to the top of the shaft. As soon as the wounded
animal makes the first pull at the cable the hooks on the
shaft spring into a horizontal position, by which action,
through an ingenious mechanism, the substance in the
shell is fired, and the latter explodes with such force that
death is almost instantaneous. This is Foyn's invention,
on which he has spent large sums, and many years of
his life.
The gun was, when first constructed, not so perfect as
it is at present ; but the inventor has, by gradual im
provements, brought it to perfection. That this was the
case may be gathered from the following incident during
the first year of his operations.
One day a whale was shot, but the shell did not ex
plode, and the consequences were that the whale, with the
harpoon in its body, made off with the steamer in tow, a
vessel of some twenty-horse-power ! The engines were
ordered full-speed astern, but with no more success in
arresting the career of the whale than if it had been
an ironclad at full speed. The wounded animal mak
ing for the open ocean, dead against the wind, Foyn
had a sail set in order to check its speed; but it had
hardly been hoisted taut, when it was rent to shreds
by the velocity of the progress against the wind. The
wind increased to a storm, with high sea, but still the
Giant of the Ocean kept up his speed, while sea after sea
swept the steamer. The situation became serious, and
several of the crew asked Foyn to cut the cable ; he

From Vadso to Bussian Lapland. 283
was, however, evidently bent upon testing his apparatus,
perhaps in the hope of the shell exploding. But no ; on
went the mad drive over the Polar Ocean for ten hours :
it was as if the mighty God of the Sea himself had been
harpooned, so terribly swift was the progress, so un-
abating the speed. At last the cable snapped — to the
great relief of all on board.
When the whale is dead a chain is slung round its
lower jaw, the animal hauled alongside the steamer, the
chain secured, and she tows it to Vadso.
Since 1868 Sven Foyn has killed a great many whales
yearly with his steamers, and a few years ago he captured
in one summer very nearly a hundred ; but during the
last few years the number has, through scarcity or
migration of whales, greatly decreased ; thus the whale
killed during my stay at Vadso was only the third that
season. There are chiefly two kinds of whales caught in these
waters, viz., the common " fin " whale (Balcenoptera mus-
culus), which attains a length of 60 to 70 feet, and
the so-called " blue " whale {Balcenoptera sibbaldii), which
sometimes attains a length of 100 feet. They both be
long to the family of whales which have been named
" fin " whales, from a fin on the back. These two varie
ties were formerly not hunted, partly on account of
their great strength and swiftness, which rendered them
difficult of capture, and partly from their poor yield.
Thus, whilst a "Greenland" whale (Baloena mijsticetus)
may realise from £400 to £600, a "blue" whale will
hardly fetch above £250.
In front of the factory at Kirkeoen is a smooth, sloping

284 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
beach, which at high-tide is under. water, but at low-tide
dry. When the tide is at its highest, the dead whale is
hauled, head first and on its back, up on the beach. In
this position lay the whale I saw at Vadso, the tail only
being under water, as shown on the first illustration.
It is very difficult, even from the best illustration, to
form an idea of the appearance of one of these mammalian
monsters ; only he who has seen it can do so. The speci
men in question was not one of the largest ; still, one felt
one's own littleness by the side of this flesh colossus.
The fin alone was longer than a man.
When the water had fallen sufficiently the process of
cutting up commenced, by means of large knives fixed
on long sticks. A fin was first detached, the flesh
around being cut away and a chain slung around it, it
was hauled out by means of a winch on the beach
whilst the sinews were cut through with knives. The
belly is, as may be seen, white, and has a lot of grooves
running perpendicularly, the use or advantage of which
to the animal still remains a mystery.
When the fin has been cut out, the blubber is cut
through to the flesh, in strips about a foot wide running
from head to tail, and one end of a chain being fastened
to the tail end and the other to the winch at the head,
each one is torn off in turn, the knives assisting in the
process. In this manner all the blubber on the exposed parts is
taken off — as shown in the second illustration — but the
back has to be left for the present, as there is no power
here capable of turning the whale when on the beach.
The next stage is the removal of the thin, beautiful layer

gutting up a whale (1).

To face page 284, Vol. II.

From Vadso to Bussian Lapland. 285
of muscles which lies on the belly between the blubber
and the flesh, which is done by the same agencies. The
whale loses more and more of its grandeur. The fleshy
parts in the lower jaw are then cut away, and the tongue
falls out, which is so soft that it trembles at the slightest
touch, and if one steps on to it, the boots sink down to the
ankles. The mouth is now open and one sees the baleen
plates in the upper jaw. Finally the breast and belly
are opened. During the quarter of an hour this opera
tion lasts, it is not safe to remain near the whale, as it
becomes a kind of animal volcano; nasty smells rush
violently through every fissure, while columns of blood
and dirt are thrown out like intermittent geysers. It roars
and wheezes in the carcass, as if a steam engine was at
work inside, while jets of steam ascend from the blood
and entrails. In spite of it being thirty hours since the
animal was killed, the internal parts have retained their
natural temperature. The entrails being now taken out
through the enormous throat, the blood rushes down the
beach in veritable torrents, and the whale, which a few
hours ago impressed the spectator by its noble, giant
proportions, is reduced to a miserable ruin.
When the baleen plates have been cut away, the rest
is left till high-tide, when it is turned, and the same
process gone through on the back.
The whole operation finished, the trunk of the animal
is removed to another part of the factory, where the flesh
is separated from the bones, cut to pieces, and the fat
removed by boiling. The remains are then dried and
pulverised and sold as guano, while the blubber and fat
are melted to oil.

286 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
From this description it will be understood that Foyn,
in opposition to all other whale-hunters, utilises every
part of the animal except the entrails; but even these
are not quite wasted, as they are towed far out to sea,
and serve, no doubt, as food for thousands of hungry
stomachs in the deep.
The baleen plates of these two kinds of whale are not
of much value, on account of their coarseness and in
elasticity, compared with those of the Greenland whale.
They cannot be used for the purpose which makes the
latter so much valued by ladies.
I consider that the flesh of the whale, the least pro
ductive part, ought to be put to a better use than that
of serving for guano. At my request one of the men cut
me a large piece — it looked like beef, but with a little
coarser grain — which I had cooked at the hotel as a
steak, and although, of course, it could not for a moment
be compared to the best English meat, I, as well as my
friends who tasted it, agreed that we had tasted worse.
Moreover, I have been told that dried, pulverised, and
preserved in tins, it is far superior to the so-called
American pemmican.
When it is considered what enormous quantities of this
excellent flesh are to be had, and its low price, it is to be
wished that the population in these parts would over
come their silly prejudice against it, and not scorn a
splendid article of sustenance which may be had almost
for the asking.
Other diversions than seeing the cutting up of whales
Vadso boasts not, and even that is only enjoyed by
the stranger, as the inhabitants are too accustomed to

- , -'.' '  —  —

CUTTING UP A WHALE (2).

To face page 286, Vol. II.

From Vadso to Bussian Lapland. 287
it ; in fact, would rather not be present, on account of
the unpleasant odours.
One day, being more than usual ennuye, I decided to
go for a drive along the new and — according to report so
excellent — high-road by the Varanger fjord running to
Nyborg. There was, I was told, in the whole town only
a single vehicle, which the owner perhaps would let me
hire, "if he was in good temper." I sent an humble
message to this individual, to which he replied that the
vehicle was being painted ; so there was no drive.
The first day I was in the town I went out innocently
with my photographic apparatus to take some views,
followed by Eolf ; but I soon discovered that neither had
been seen before in this excellent town. Five minutes
after leaving my lodgings, I had more than half the
juvenile population at my heels, while fathers, brothers,
mothers, sisters, aunts, followed me with their eyes from
every door and window. An unpleasant sensation took
possession of me by being the object of so much attention,
viz., of being taken for a street juggler with his perform
ing dog, so I retired precipitately to the hotel, and the
three objects were never again seen together in the good
town of Vadso.
The pleasantest days of my stay in Vadso were those I
did not spend there. Thus, in the local steamer which plys
on the Varanger fjord I made two excursions, in order to
see as much of the coast as possible during my short so
journ. I trust you will again accompany me, kind reader.
The first of them will not occupy us very long; it
lies up the Varanger fjord, which from Vadso stretches
twenty-five miles westward. We steam along the

288 Under the Bays of tlie Aurora Borealis.
northern shore, where the country again rises a little,
and where the eye rests again with pleasure on indica
tions of a flora. The shore is well populated, one place
of call lying close to another; most insignificant in
appearance, but with strange names, such as Andersby,
Mukkenses, Paddeby, Kariel, Finnses, Perlarsenvig,
Klubben, etc. We stay a while here and a while there ;
take on board a barrel here and land one there ; a
passenger here, two there ; and as the weather is a little
foggy, most of the morning is spent in these proceed
ings. At last we arrive at Nsesseby, in the bottom of the
fjord, where I land, whilst the steamer proceeds, returning
in the afternoon. I pay a visit to the parson, whom I
met a few days previously in Vadso, when he requested
me to come and see him.
At Naesseby there are, besides the comfortable vicarage,
a church, which I did not, however, see, as the fog hid
everything without a radius of a couple of yards, and
some earth Gammer and Sea Lapps, invisible through the
same cause.
I was desirous of taking some portraits of the Lapps,
but it was with great difficulty I succeeded, not on account
of the fog, but for another, very strange, reason. It was
this: that the previous year a French expedition, under
Pouchet, had paid this place a visit, and having obtained
some portraits of the people, published them in a French
journal. It had been forwarded to the parson, who
showed it to the Lapps. Their rage knew no bounds.
It was an insult to them to be thus paraded before the
whole world, and they had conceived a great disgust of
the noble art of photography !

From Vadso to Bussian Lapland. 289

Should my friends at Koutokseino and elsewhere be
equally sensitive, and come to see their likenesses in this
work, I am afraid that my follower, if I ever shall have
one, will have a ticklish task to accomplish.
I succeeded at last, after a great deal of bargaining,
and on the condition that the parson took his seat in the
midst of them, in obtaining the photograph of a group,
and subsequently induced, for a bright, tempting silver
coin, the jovial Mikkel Eriksen to sit solus before the
camera, whose handsome likeness you have already seen
in another chapter as " A Sea Lapp."
I will now relate the promised story connected with
the remarkable shipwreck at the Knivskjserodde.
A couple of months after the disaster the parson at
Nsesseby was out in his boat on the Varanger fjord.
Suddenly he sees a little box floating on the water, and
having got it safely on board, who can describe his
surprise on seeing his own address upon it ! The box
had been consigned to him from Christiania, and the
steamer Nordstjernen finishing her journey by the Cape
Knivskjserodde, leaving the cargo to take care of itself,
the little box evidently decided to reach its destination
by itself.
It was cast hither and thither by the fierce waves,
while currents playfully carried it out of its course, but,
determined, it never lost sight of its destination. It
worked its way foot by foot the two hundred geo
graphical miles of its journey ; passed the North Cape
in safety, rounded the Svserholtklub and North Kyn,
resisted every invitation to pay a visit to either of the
many fjords, turned the corner nicely at Vardo, entered
VOL. II. u

290 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
the Varanger fjord, and finally floated into the arms of
its owner !
Wasn't this cleverly done by the little box ? If any
body doubts the story, let him pay a visit to the vicarage
at Nassseby, where this scientifically important occurrence
will not .only be confirmed, but the doubter may see the
very table-cloth spread on one of the tables which the
box so faithfully conveyed to its destination.
The pleasant hours I could spare here were, as such
hours always are, gone too quickly. The steamer's fog
horn calls me angrily from the fjord — see the vessel I could
not, on account of the fog — and the parson having himself
set me on board, the course is shaped for the southern
shore, running with half speed so as not to run down
anything, or on to the headlands. Suddenly it brightens
before us ; we are close to the shore ; a gust of wind
and the sun comes out in all his glory on the azure sky ;
behind us stands the fog like a wall of grey sandstone.
We are at Latnseringen, one of the last fishing villages
on the Norwegian coast.
Eural fertility or charm you do not find here. The
innermost creek of the Varanger fjord is a bleak, mono
tonous mountain mass. But an active and animated
life you will find here; a swarm of elegant craft with
high stems you will find here ; endless fields of fish
drying on rails you will find here ; a quantity of noisy,
good-natured Lapps you will find here ; fish, smell of
fish, offal of fish, and everything relating to fish you will
find here.
The steamer has her cargo of fish on board, and we
steam northwards. We are again in the fog, and have

From Vadso to Bussian Lapland.

291

to proceed under half speed. We again stay a little
while there, a little while here ; we take again a barrel
on board, or leave one ; again a two- or four-legged
passenger, and at night we are again at Vadso. The
future millionaire, the greedy Caron of the Arctic waters,
adds another extortion to his long list.
Two mornings later we again go on board the same

VIEW OF LATN.ERINGEN.

little steamer, and cross the fjord, here about six miles
wide, to Bugonse8, lying just opposite Vadso. Eastwards
the coast is cut up by deep fjords between mountains
rising to a height of nearly two thousand feet. The
country around these fjords, the last parish in Norway, is
called Syd (south) Varanger.
We enter the Bog fjord; the country assumes at once
u 2

292 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
a softer character, and one may fancy oneself in far more
southern latitudes. The little village of Kirkenses, with
the church and the vicarage, is prettily situated on the
peninsula formed by the two arms of the Bog fjord. We
enter the eastern, at the bottom of which lies Elvenses,
the seat of the sheriff.
I have before me a difficult task, which I shall not be able
to execute, at all events, satisfactorily : I have to describe
the loveliest day I spent in the Land of the Lapps. But
I fear that words will only give a faint interpretation of
the beauteous harmonies which held me captive on that
never-to-be-forgotten day : a poor picture of reality.
How can I picture the warm, golden sunshine, which
enveloped fjord and mountains with its glory; the
emerald sea, and the birch-groves which clothe the
undulating hills ; the noisy, foaming river, which
hastens through the valley ; the rich, hospitable home,
where comfort and elegance reign, where culture and
kindness speak from every heart — those clear blue
maiden's eyes : clear as the crystal river, blue as the
sky above ?
How can I picture this to you as I beheld it; the
dream I dreamt ?
Yes, a lovely dream I dreamt this day in the furthest
corner of the North, where nature and people rival each
other in surprising the visitor. And, indeed, no greater
surprise can be prepared for him than a few miles from
Vadso, where the air reeks with the vapours of fish and
oil ; from the barren, rocky shore of North Varanger,
where no tree grows, no plant is able to thrive — to find
an oasis where a southern flora covers hill and dale.

From Vadso to Bussian Lapland. 293
The Pasvik Eiver, the offspring of the lake Enare, in
the wilds of Finland, rich in salmon and waterfalls, and
which for a long distance forms the boundary between
Norway and Eussia, joins the sea at Elvenses. The
number of salmon I do not know, that of the falls is
twenty-nine. The river is rather a series of lakes than
a river, following each other in succession, and joined by
means of calm-flowing sounds, roaring waterfalls, or swift
currents ; before the thunder of one fall is lost to the ear
that of another is heard. As in the greater part of its
course, the river at Elvenses flows through woods and
fields; the softly rounded hills are covered nearly to the top
with groves, where the noble birch raises its slender, snow-
white stem by the side of. ash, willow, and blackberry.
As in Alten, the spectator exclaims, Can this be under
the 70th degree of latitude ?
And I became no less surprised by the remarkable
difference which exists between Norwegian sheriffs. In
the southern parts of the country one finds sheriffs who,
as regards living and intellectual status, do not stand
higher than the commonest peasants. What a tremen
dous gap between them and my excellent friends at
Koutokseino and Elvenses ! Owner of a little steam-
yacht, a house like that of a landed proprietor, where
even a king has been a guest, a bearing, knowledge, and
tuition like a statesman, of which the varied library, re
presenting half a dozen languages, bears proof- — such are
the surroundings of the sheriff at Elvenses. A rough
log-house, two rooms with bare walls, an unpainted
bed-poster, a couple of unpainted chairs, a Bible, a book
of hymns, a catechism, food at which a beggar would

294 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
turn up his nose, without servants, carrying the grass on
his own shoulders from the dizzy heights above — such I
have found sheriffs in southern Norway.
The cause of this enormous difference in a class is, no
doubt, due to the circumstances that the sheriffs in
Finmarken are paid better than in any other part of
Norway, and that they are the only representatives of the
Crown within a great distance, whereby their position
becomes far more important and influential.
When the steamer laid-to at Elvenses I saw among the
people waiting on the shore a peculiar, foreign -looking
person in a long coat and with a " wideawake " on his
head. He stood there as the representative of another
nation. It was the parson from Boris-Gleb in Russia,
who had come to fetch his letters.
Eussia, to whose fondness for the " wedge " I have
previously referred, shoots another one nearly right up to
Elvenses, encroaching even a little bit on the western
shore of the Pasvik Eiver. In this spot stands the new
elegant church and the little chapel named after the two
Saints Boris and Gleb. The boundary here was, in 1826,
given this divergency, in order to enable the church to
remain Eussian. It was, I was told, originally built in
the sixteenth century by a monk from Novogorod, by
name Trifan, who was the first missionary among the
Russian Lapps.
As I was very anxious to enter the Land of the Czar on
this side also, and see something of his Majesty's Lapp
subjects, I accepted with pleasure the invitation of the
Eussian priest and his wife to return with them to Boris-
Gleb.

To face page 294, Vol. II.

THE RUSSIAN CHURCH AT BORIS-GLEB.

From Vadso to Bussian Lapland. 295
We went, all three, into a boat, the wife taking the
oars — in fact, she seemed far her husband's superior in
all ordinary accomplishments. She could even speak a
little Norwegian, whilst her husband only knew a dozen
words. In spite of this, he evinced a great inclination
for conversing with me, and when the dozen words were
exhausted — which he, by-the-bye, always declined with
Russian tenses — he supplemented his argument with
pure Russian. As my knowledge of Russian was as
limited as his of Norwegian, it is not to be wondered
at that our conversation sometimes lagged, or rather
became as intelligible to him as to me, but then his
wife came to the rescue. He seemed, however, to be
good-nature itself ; when I said something he laughed,
when he said something he laughed doubly, and when
his wife explained what neither of us had understood, he
laughed outright.
The wife is hard at the oars ; it is one of the long
elastic river boats, which requires great skill in handling,
as not only is the current very strong in some places,
but boulders and shoals abound on every side.
We now pass the Russian frontier, and shortly after
the pretty church with its cupolas and glittering stars
rises from among a grove of verdant birch trees. The
sight of this pretty structure, situated so romantically,
was as striking as that of Elvenses.
I became the guest of the priest, and his wife treated
me to a real Russian tea, which had never smelt the sea
— no mixture of "leavings" and milk — strong tea in
long glasses, with sugar and lemon.
I was obliged, in spite of the hot weather, to finish

296 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
one glass after another of the scorching but excellent
beverage, in order not to offend the good people, who
exerted themselves to the utmost to make me at home.
The priest donned one of his ordinary robes of office,
and asked me if I would photograph him in the church.
He took me into the interior, where the eye is dazzled
by the splendour and glitter of gold and silver, banners
and paintings, and eventually into the room which no
woman must enter, and finally, so that I might peep into
it, opened the door for the sanctum sanctorum, which only
the Czar and himself are permitted to enter. Assuming
a splendid robe, shot with gold and silver, and decked
with gems, he placed himself at the door, and I succeeded
in taking the accompanying illustration.
That the Russian Government have decorated this
church so magnificently — the poor Lapps might be con
tent with less — is due to the circumstance that it is the
corner-stone of the Russian faith in the Far North,
the spiritual mile-post which indicates that here begins
the Russian Empire, and the only Road to Heaven.
Close to the church, and almost hidden by the trees,
lies a little wooden chapel, which is considered so sacred
by the Russians that its position caused the true boundary
— the river — to be violated. One half is a little higher
than the other, and on the latter is mounted a Greek-
Catholic cross. I did not see the interior. By the side
of it is the churchyard, studded with similar crosses.
Near these stand some wretched wooden huts on poles,
in which a dozen Russian-Lapp families dwell. From
every nook and corner they swarmed on my arrival, one
more ugly and dirty than the other. What a herd of

THE INTERIOR OF THE RUSSIAN CHURCH AT BORIS-GLEB.

To face page. 296, Vol. II.

From Vadso to Bussian Lapland. 297
children ! most having nothing else to cover them than
a torn shirt ; it sounds almost incredible that they could
exist in the 70th degree of latitude with hardly any
better protection than savages at the Equator. There
was then only one man in the village ; the rest were
away fishing.
In conclusion, I will give some particulars of the land
and habits of the Russian-Lapps.
Russian Lapland, chiefly consisting of the peninsula
of Kola, is very sparsely populated, and the mode of
living of the Lapps here differs but little from that of
the Lapps in Norway and Sweden. They live chiefly by
fishing — in the summer spread along the shores of the
lakes, rivers, and sea — in little huts ; in the autumn, how
ever, they move to their winter dwellings, which form
generally little villages or settlements. This mode of
concentration shows that the Russian-Lapps cannot
possess large herds of reindeer, as the latter would soon
exhaust the moss-grazings, which would drivS the settlers
to other parts. The number of reindeer kept by the
Lapps in Russia is so small that they may reside in the
same place for a good many years.
There are two reasons why the Russian-Lapps have
given up reindeer-raising in preference for fishing:
firstly, that the Arctic Ocean and the White Sea, the
two great lakes Imandra and Notozero, and a number of
smaller ones, are real gold-mines by their richness in
fish, much easier turned to profit than the products of
the reindeer ; and, secondly, that the Russian religion
for nearly half the year — every other day is a saint's
day — prohibits them from eating meat.

298 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.
A little above the Lapp village at Boris-Gleb is the
first of the many falls in the Pasvik River. It is not very
high — only some twenty feet — but its great breadth makes
it very imposing, and it forms a great ornament to the
landscape. The only man left at Boris-Gleb rowed me back to
Elvenses, and with him I could converse better than the
priest, as, although the dialect here varies somewhat
from that at Koutokseino, we understood each other and
managed to keep up a fair conversation.
Near the mouth of the river are some holes in the
mountain, near the water's surface, which are due to
the withering away of the rock. One of these is called
"Trifan's Cave," after the Saint previously referred to,
In the interior, which is only reached by climbing the
straight wall, hangs a coarse linen curtain, behind which
is the sanctum, in which is hung a small painting
of the Madonna and a white curtain embroidered with
a golden cross. In front stood two thin wax candles
and on a tray lay half-a-dozen kopek pieces. Here the
Lapps offer money and candles to Trifan when they
start for the fisheries, in order that he shall give them
a good take ; but I am told, that if their expectations
are not realised, they will re-pocket the deposit.
When I attempted just now to describe the loveliest
day I spent north of the Polar Circle, I am afraid my
words were vague, my drawing defective — it was the
skeleton instead of the animated living being, the frame
instead of the painting. But even if my words fail to
picture you in true colours, lovely Elvenses, I beg you

From Vadso to Bussian Lapland. 299
will accept my thanks for the day I spent there. Accept
my thanks to your verdant, birch-covered slopes, where
the scent of flowers blends with the aroma of summer
leaves ; accept my thanks, you prattling river, with the
gold-laden, rippling waves ; my thanks, you hospitable
dwelling, where culture and harmony reign ; my warmest
thanks, you lovely young maiden, who wove the dearest
forget-me-not in the wreath of souvenirs I brought with
me from the Land of the Lapps !
The signal-horn of the steamer booms across the fjord ;
the last pressure of the hand, the last.
Sad at heart I stand on the deck of the vessel, gazing
at the world of beauty yonder, where I have been a guest
so long, and which I now quit. Sad in mind, I waft a
last farewell to the woods, the slopes, the river, and the
deep, blue eyes on the shore, until all is hidden from
view — for ever.

300 Under the Bays of the Aurora Borealis.

CHAPTER X.
GOOD-BYE.
With sadness, too, patient reader, I now grasp the pen
for the last time to say good-bye to you here from the
verge of Europe. I have written as one friend writes to
another, and you have patiently and — may I hope so ?—
with interest and sympathy followed me on my journeys
in the regions of the Far North ; therefore I part from
you with sadness.
I have, I said, written as one friend writes to another ;
judge my production in the same spirit.
I have had no sublime language, no grand ideas to
offer you, no profound discourses ; what I have tendered
you is but a simple narrative of life and nature in the
Polar regions where the fir-clad Nomad of the Frigid
Zone roams with his strange herd over snow-white wastes
under the rays of the flaming Aurora Borealis.
Have I succeeded herein my reward is earned. I
desire no other.
Finally, accept my thanks for every sympathetic
thought you may have bestowed on me during my life
in the Land of the Lapps. And now — good-bye !

THE AUTHOR.

To face page 300, Vol. II.

INDEX.

Aalesund, i. 5
„ auroras at, i. 272
Abo, aurora3 at, i. 272
Adventures of my dog, ii. 4
Africa, aurorse in, i. 243, 245
Aidejavre, ii. 91
Aleppo, aurora at, i. 243
Alone at Koutokajino, i. 175
Alsteno, i. 14
Altars for reindeer, ii. 11
Alten, i. 35
Alten Fjord, the, ii. 204
Angstrom, Professor, i. 227
Archdeacon's speech, the, ii. 137
Arcs of the aurora, i. 209
Arctic stations, the, i. 39
Area of the aurora, i. 239
Asia, aurorse in, i. 243
Asia Minor, auroEe in, i. 243
Assize week, the, ii. 160
Aslaksdatter, Marit, ii. 54
Atlantic, the, aurorse in, i. 243
Auckland Isles, aurora at, i. 245
Aurora australis, the, i. 245
Aurora borealis, the, i. 192
Aurora, the artificial, ii. 169
Austrian Polar expedition, the, i. 271
Autzie, ii. 3, 77

Backhouse, i. 257
Baikal, aurorse in, i. 242
Baleen plates, the, ii. 285
Balloons, the, ii. 135
Bands of the aurora, i. 214

Bargaining, ii. 128
Barrow, Point, aurora? at, i. 261
Bathing among the Finns, ii. 102
Belljaschvarre, ii. 11
Bergen, i. 1, 277
Bergen, aurora at, i. 212, 247, 261
Bergman, i. 257
Bible translated into Lappish, ii. 83
Biese, Dr. Ernst, ii. 167
Bird Mountain, the, ii. 264
Bjevjavteijoikka, the, ii. 89
Black Sea, aurorse in, i. 242
Boat capsized, a, ii. 259
Boats, the, i. 68, 140
Bod6, i. 17
Boris-Gleb, ii. 294
Bossekop, i. 32 ; ii. 203
Bossekop, aurorse at, i. 215, 261
Bossekop Fair, i. 176
Bossekop Observatory, i. 49
Boscovich, i. 257
Bow-like forms, the, i. 232
Breaking-in the reindeer, i. 163
Bride, a, i. 185
Brsendevin, i. 188
Bucht, ii. 50, 69
Burials, i. 179
Burning of Koutokseino, ii. 76
Buyer of reindeer, i. 164

Calculating height of the arc, i. 252
California, aurorse in, i. 242
Carlton Fort, aurorse at, i. 261
I Carlyle, Thomas, ii. 248

302

Index.

Celsius, i. 274
Ceremonial at weddings, i. 187
Ceremonies of the assize week, ii. 131
Character of the Lapps, ii. 124, 156
Children, the, i. 147
Chloroformed, ii. 231
Christensen, ii. 191
Christiania, aurora at, i. 261, 272
Cliristiansund, i. 6
Christmas in Lapland, i. 174
Church at Koutokseino, i. ISO
Church, a Eussian, ii. 296
Circumpolar stations, the i. 38
Cladonia rangiferina, i. 163
Climate, ii. 184
Clouds, auroral,!. 223
Cloth square, the, i. 187
Cod fisheries, the, i. 18
Coincidence, curious, ii. 142
Colour of the aurora, i. 225
Conversation among the Lapps, i. 155
Copper mine, a deserted, ii. 228
Cornfields, the northernmost, i. 33
Corona, the, i. 220, 234
Cosmic theory, the, i. 285
Courting customs, i. 189 ; ii. 126
Crime in Lapland, ii. 123
Crown, the bridal, i. 187
Cruelties of the fanatics, ii. C6
Cuba, aurorse in, i. 242
Cumberland House, aurora at, i. 257
Curves of the aurora, i. 232
Customs of the Lapps, i. 115
Cuzco, aurora at, i. 245
Cycle of aurorse, the, i. 265

Daily aurorse, numbers of, i. 278
Dalton, i. 257
Debasto, ii. 159
Direction of the aurora, i. 230
Doctrines of Lastadius, the, ii. 30
Dog, my, ii. 4, 193
Dogs of the Lapps, the, i. 116
Dorba, ii. 188
Dorotheas, the two, ii. 196
Dress of a bride, i. 186.
Dress of the Lapps, the, i. 144

Drinking among the Lapps, i. 1 88 ; ii.
128

Edessa, aurora at, i. 242.
Edlund, Professor, i. 286 ; ii. 172
Education, i. 189
Electric origin of the aurora, i. 275
Eleven year cycle, the, i. 265
Elvebakken, i. 35
Elvenajs, the sheriff of, ii. 293
Esja Mount, ii. 174
Enontekis, ii. 95
Extent of the aurora, i. 239

Farm, a Finnish, ii. 157
Farms, the, i. 82
Fearnley, Professor, i. 256
Ferric dust theory, the, i. 285
Finkongkjeilen, ii. 270
Finns, the, i. 124; ii. 99, 15S
Fight between Autzie anil Koutoksaino,
ii. 79
Fireworks, effect of, ii. 135
Fishing at LofodHen Isles, i. 18.
Fjseldlapper, the, i. 126
Flowers at the North Cape, ii. 255
Foldenfjord, i. 60
Forest Lapps, the, ii. 158
Forms of the aurora, i. 195, 231
Foyn's whale-catching, ii. 280.
Frandrem, Old, ii. 206
Franklin, i. 257
Fritz, Professor, i. 239
Funerals, i. 179

Gaino, Lars, ii. 66, 139
Galanito, ii. 19, 66
Games of the Lapps, i. 149
Gamme, the, ii. 209
Gargia, i. 59 ; ii. 200
Gargovarre, ii. 14, 140
Gaup, Aslak, ii. 32
„ Inger, ii. 33
Geographical extension of the aurora,
i. 239

Index.

303

Ghost story, a, ii. 224
Girls, the, ii. 125
Godthaab, auroras at, i. 268, 273
Gorvatus, Elen, ii. 49
Greenland, aurorse in, i. 211
Greetings, i. 154
Griffenfeldt, i. 8
Guldholmen, ii. 270 .

Hammerfest, ii. 236
„ aurorse at, i. 272
Hatta, ii. 95, 150, 180
„ the parson of, ii. 135, 152
Hsetta, B. M , i. 139
„ Lars, ii. 46, 60, 70, 82
„ J. J., ii. 52
„ Matthis, ii. 54
„ Aslak, ii. 54, 59, 65, 69, 82
„ Johann Mathiesen, ii. 51
Hayricks, i. 84
Hedansjiirvi, ii. 98
Height of the aurora, i. 250
Herd of reindeer, a, i. 164
Hestmanden, i. 14
Herring fishery, the, i. 28
Hiorter, Professor, i. 274
Hjfelds, the, i. 25
Hobart, aurora at, i. 245
Hornelen, i. 4
Horns of the reindeer, i. 161
Hvoslef, ii. 58, 72, 80
Hurricane, a, ii. 88
Huts of the Sea Lapps, ii. 209

Ice accident, ii. 178
Ice action, ii. 227
India, aurorse in, i. 243
Induction, unipolar, i. 286
Instruments at Koutokseino, i. 91
Intensity of the aurora, i. 236
International stations, the, i. 40
Isoaurores, i. 248
Isochasms, i. 210
Ivigtut, aurorse at, i. 272

lacohshavn, aurorse at, i. 272

Jasrv, the, i. 166
Jokkela, ii. 161
Jossa, ii. 8
Judicial proceedings, ii. 121
Juel, Bishop, ii. 56
Jupvig, ii. 205

Kaa Fjord, ii. 227
Karesuando, ii. 29, 111
Kendal, aurorse at, i. 261
Keys found, the, ii. 257
Killing reindeer, i. 171
Kinnerodden, ii. 265
Kistrand station, the, i. 277.
Kite, a huge, ii. 186
Kittila, ii. 163, 176.
Kittomella, ii. 155
Kjserris, the, i. 107
Kjelvig, ii. 261
Kleinschmidt, i. 268
Klipfisk, the, i. 26
Knivskjserodde, the, ii. 252
„ shipwreck at, ii. 289
Komag Fjord, the, ii. 205 «
Komse, the, i. 147
Koronses, ii. 220
Koutokasino, i. 75
auroras at, i. 223, 226,
229, 234, 237
„ outbreak at, ii. 65
„ the revival at, ii. 36
Peder, ii. 62
Kuriles, the, auroras in, i. 242
Kvsenangen, Niels, ii. 52
Kvaans, the, ii. 100, 216
Kyro, ii. 155

Laakkek, the, i. 107
Ladnijavre, i. 65
Lasrreds Fjord, the, ii. 207
Languages, the, ii. 108
Lapps, the, i. 113,124
„ character of, ii. 124
„ costume, i. 98, 144
a revival among the, ii. 28
the Russian, ii. 297

304

Index.

Lapps, topographical knowledge of, i.
170
„ wedding among the, i. 185
Lassoing the deer, i. 120
Lastadius, ii. 29
Learned damsel, a, ii. 127
Lebesby, ii. 265
Leem, Knud, i. 238
Lekoen, i. 12
Leko-mo, i. 12
Lemstrom, Professor, ii. 167
Lichen rangiferinus, i. 163
Life in an observatory, i. 49
Light of the aurora, i. 236
Loddika, i. 63
Lodingen station, the, i, 277
Lofodden Isles, the, i. 17

Madeira, aurorse in, i. 242
Magnetic observations, the, i. 44.
Magnetic origin of the aurora, i. 275
Mairan, i. 257
Makerston, auroras at, i. 261
Man on horseback, the, i. 14
Map of isochasms, i. 240
Marks of ownership in reindeer, i. 162
Marriage, a proposal of, ii. 134
„ garments, i. 185
Mathiesen, Johannes, ii. 77
Mauritius, aurora at, i. 245
Maximum zone, the, i. 244
Meals of the Lapps, i. 115
Measuring the height, i. 250
Melbourne, aurora at, i. 245
Meridian column, the, ii. 242
Mexico, auroras in, i. 242
Midnight Sun, tlie, ii. 246
Mikkel, ii. 194
Milking the deer, i. 121
Minimum zone, i. 244
Molde, i. 5
Moon, effect of the, i. 284
Mortuary chamber, the, i. 179
Moss, reindeer, i. 163
Mossel Bay, aurorse at, i. 264
Motka, J. A., i. 60
Mountain Lapps, the, i. 128
Munkholmen, i. 8

Muonioniska, the, ii. 104
ii. 177
„ the sheriff of, ii 152
Muoniovarre, ii. 105
Murders by the fanatics, ii. 69
Music, i. 181
Namso3, i. 12
Naphtha as a beverage, ii. 127
Neckela, ii. 92, 149
Nemo, Mr., ii. 145
Newbury, aurorse at, i. 272
Newfoundland, auroras at, i. 272
New Haven, aurorse at, i. 272
Newton, Sir Isaac, i. 256
Nicolayewsk, aurorse at, i. 243
Night, the Polar, i. 95
Nordenskibld, Baron, i. 220, 256
North Cape, the, ii. 250
„ Kyn, ii. 265
Northernmost European cape, the, ii.
252
Northernmost European fortress, the,
ii. 274
Norway, aurorse in, i. 211
Novaya Zemlya, aurorse in, i. 264
Numbers of the reindeer, i. 165

Observations at Koutokseino, i. 228
„ Sodankyla, ii. 170
Observatories, the, i. 42
Odour, the characteristic, i. 190
Oratunturi, ii. 169
Oxfjord, the, ii. 234
Oxford, aurorse at, i. 261
Pace of the reindeer, i. 168
Passk, the, i. 66
Palestine, aurorse at, i. 243
Parish arrangements, i. 190
Pasvik river, the, ii. 293
Pekin, auroras at, i. 243
Pentha, Henrik, ii. 189
Pentha, J. P., i. 138
Periodical movements, i. 267
Periods of the aurora, i. 260
Pettersen, Dr. Karl, ii. 227

Index.

305

Photographic group, a, ii. 216
Photographing the aurora, i. 237
Physical characteristics, i. 151
Pingisjavre, ii. 195
Polar bands, the, i. 283
Porsanger Fjord, the, ii. 262
Port, consumption of, ii. 127
Prague, aurorse at, i. 261
Preacher, a Finnish, ii. 108
Preachers of Lastadius, the, ii. 30
Presents at a wedding, i. 188
Prophet, a, ii. 135
Pulk, the, i. 106, 167
Pulsating clouds, i. 233
Punski, Easmus, ii. 49
Puoledaibala, ii. 103
Pustosersk, aurorse at, i. 261

Quebec, aurorse at, i. 261, 272

Eaide, the, i. 107, 166
Eeindeer, the, i. 159
„ the camp, i. 105
„ driving, i. 108 ; ii. 9
the herd, i. 100
„ how identified, ii. 123
,, pace of, ii. 148
„ their tracks, ii. 94
uses of the, i. 130, 159, 172
Eeliance, Fort, auroras at, i. 272
Eeligious movement, a, ii. 30, 198
Eescue of Hvoslef, ii. 80
Eing of the aurora, the, i. 216
Eio Janeiro, aurora at, i. 245
Eist, Aslak, ii. 34, 48, 60, 69
Eiver Lapps, the, i. 132
Rocket, a, ii. 189
Eolf, the dog, ii. 4, 193
Eorboder, the, i. 22
Eussian border, the, ii. 93
Eussian church, a, ii. 296
Ruth, ii. 50, 59, 69

St. Petersburg, aurorse at, i. 272
Sandfald, the, i. 35
VOL. II.

Sandwich Islands, auroras in, i. 242
Savings of the Lapps, i. 155
Savna, the, ii. 101
School among the Lapps, i. 189
Sea Lapps, the, i. 131 ; ii. 208
Sepi, ii. 147
Servants, i. 150
Siberia, auroras in, i. 211
Sicily, auroras in, i. 242
Sieite, a, ii. 11, 141
Silence of the aurora, i. 285
Simpson Fort, auroras at, i. 261
Sirka, ii. 176
Sitschajavre, ii. 92, 149
Skjservo, disturbance at, ii. 34
Skeleton obtained, a, i. 184
Sketch of the aurora, an old, i. 238
Ski, the, i. 135
Skinn, Elen, ii. 60
Slaughtering the reindeer, i. 171
Sleighs, the, ii. 160
Sling-like forms, the, i. 232
Smith Sound, auroras at, i. 264
Sodankyla, ii. 144, 166
Solapper, the, i. 131
Solar disturbances, i. 265
Somby, Mons., ii. 52, 60, 70, 82
Sound of the aurora, i. 284
Spain, auroras in, i. 242
Spectrum of the aurora, i. 227
Spein, Easmus, ii. 34, 40, 45
Spitzbergen, aurorse in, i. 264
Stat, i. 4
Steen, Dr., i. 47
Stockfleth, Nils, Ville, ii. 34
Stockholm, aurorse at, i. 272
Stolpeboder, i. 83
Storfossen, the, i. 70
Storvandet, Lake, ii. 223
Streamers of the aurora, i. 218, 232
Sun-spots, i. 266
Suoppa, the, i. 120
Sussana, ii. 49
Svasrholtklub, ii. 264
Sweden, aurora in, i. 262
Switzerland, aurora in, i. 262
Syria, aurora in, i. 242
Syvrajservi, ii. 113

306

Index.

Talvik, ii 222
Tanen, ii. 270
Taylor, Bayard, ii. 247
Temperature in the Arctic regions, i.
43.
Teneriffe, aurora at, i. 243
Tents, the, i. 113
Terror, the reign of, ii. 28
Thaw, consequences of a, i. 169
Theories of the aurora, i. 170, 217, 285
Thunderstorms, i. 276
Thuri Marit, ii. 20
Time among the Lapps, i. 156
Time changes, the, ii. 268
Torghatten, i. 13
Tornearis, ii. 194
Trading, ii. 128
Track of the reindeer, the, ii. 94
Travelling, mode of, i. 167 ; ii. 8
Trial of the fanatics, ii. 57
Trial, the second, ii. 82
Trifan's Cave, ii. 298
Tromso, i. 29
Trondhjem, i. 6, 277

Unipolar induction, i. 286
Upernivik, aurora at, i. 272
Upsala, aurora at, i. 261, 275

Utzi Anders, ii. 54

Vadmel, i. 145
Value of reindeer, i. 165
Vappus, the, i. 167
Varanger Fjord, the, ii. 287
Vardo, ii. 271
Vardohus, ii. 274
Veil, the, i. 235
Verger, the, i. 180
Vicar of Koutokseino, the, i. 178

Waves, auroral, i. 224
Wealth of the Lapps, i. 165
Weather, effect on the, i. 282
Wedding at Koutokseino, a, i. 185
Weyprecht, Lieut., i. 40, 203, 270
Whale catching, ii. 280
Wolf, the, i. 166
Women's work, the, i. 142
Worcester, aurora at, i. 272
Work at Koutokseino, i. 91

Yearly period, the, i. 262

Zone, the auroral, i. 267

THE END.

LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAU CLOWES AND tONS, LIMITED,
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