Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1857-06-05

scme fir-frees, from which the snow had
been shaken, Frightening even with their
gloomy green the white monotony of the
Lapland wilderness. Ii was like sudden
CLEAN Of sunshine.
We reached Lippajarvi at twelve, having
made % miles of hard travel in five hours.
Here we stopped two hours to cool a meal
and change our deer, and then pushed on to
reach Palajoki the same night. We drove
through the birch woods, no longer glorious
as before, for the snow had been SHAKEN off,
and there was no sunset light to transfgure
them. Still on, plowing through deep seas
in the gathering darkness, over marshy
plains, all with slant southward, draining
into the Muonio, until we reached the birch
en- ridge of Suontajarvi, with its beautiful
frs rising here and there, silent aud imno-
vable Even the trees have no voices in
4 the North, let the wind blow as it will
There is nothing TO be heard bat the sharp
whistle of the dry snow-the same areary
music which accompanies the African si-
NOON. The night was very dark, and We
began to grow exceedingly tired of sitting
fiat in our pulks. looked sharp for the
Palajock ely, the high fr-fringed banks Of
which remembered, for they denoted our
approach to the Muonio; bnt it was long,
long before We descended from the marshes
upon the winding road of snow covered ice.
In vain | shifted my aching legs ard work.
ed my benumbed hands, looking out ahead
for the embouchure of the river. Braisted
and encouraged each other, whenever we
we're near enough to hear, BY tho reminder
that we had only one more day with rein
deer After long time spent in tlis way,
the high banks fattened, level SHOWS and
woods succeeded, and we sailed into the
port of Palajoki.
The old Finnish lady curtsied very deep
| ly as she recognized US, anil FASTENED to
cook our coffee aud reindeer, and to make
us good bed with sheets. On our former
visit the old lady and her sons had watched
! us undress and get into. bed, kaszon this oc-
casion tlsreo huxom daughters, of ages ran
ging from sixteen to twenty-five, appeared
about the time for retiring, and stationed
themselves in a row near the door, where
they watched US with silent curiosity. As
we had shown no hesitationin the first case,
we determined TO be equally courageous now,
and commenced removing our garments with
great deliberation, allowing them every op-
portunity of inspecting their fashion and
the manner of wearing them The work
thus proceeded IN mutual silence until We
we're nearly ready for repose, when Brais-
ted, by pulling off stocking and display
a muscular calf f,suddenly alarmed the young
est t.who darted TO the door aud rushed out.
The second caught the panic, and followed,
and the third and oldest was therefore obi
ged TO Go likewise, though with evident re-
Iuetance, was greatly amused at such an
unsophisticatnd display of curiosity. The
perfect eomposure of the girls, AMI the
steadiness with which they watched US,
showed that they we're quite unconscious O
having committed any impropriety.
This morning was clear aud cold. Our
deer had strayed so far into the woods thai
We did not get under way before the fore
noon twilight had commenced. We expee-
ted to find broken road down the Muonio,
but heavy snow had fallen yesterday and
the track was completely filed. Long
Isaac found so much difficulty in taking the
lead, his deer constantly boiling from the
path, that Anton finally relieved him, aud
by standing upright in the pulk and thump-
ing the deer's fanks, succeeded in keeping
up the animals spirits aud forcing way.
1t was slow work, however, and the sun, rol.
ling his Whole disc above the horizon, an
noupced midday before we reached Kyrkes-
suando. As we drove up 10 the little Inn
we were boisterously welcomed by Hal, Herr
Forsttom's brown wolf-dog, who had stray
ed thus far from home. Our ieer were be-
ginning to give ont, and we were very aux
lous to reach Muoniovara in tiimc for din
ner, so We only waited long enough to give
the animals a feed Of moss and procure some
hot milk for ourselves.
The snow-storm, which had moved over a
narrow belt Of country, had not extended
below this place, and the road was c1nse'
quently well broken. We urged our deeI
| into fast trot, and slid down the icy floor
CT the Muonio, past hills whose SHOWS fash
ed scarlet and rose-orange in the long splep-
dor of sunset. Hunger and the fatigue
which our journey was producing at last
made us extremely sensitive TO the cold,
though it was not more than 20 deg. below
zero. Ny blood became so chilled, that
was apprehensive the extremities would
freeze, and the most vigorous motion of tho
muscles barely sufieed 70 keep at bay tht