Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1857-06-05
BaJara Taylor in I.apland.
The Return to Muoniovara.
MUoNIovARA, Lapland,

MUoNIovARA, Lapland,
Jan. y, 1857.
While at Kautokeiao completed my
Iapp outfit by purchasing a scarlet cap,
stuffed with cider down, pair of batliRger
or reindeer leggings, aud the komagey, or
broad, boat shaped shoes, filled with dry,
soft bay, aud tightly bound around the an
kes, which are worn by everybody in lap
land. Attired in these garments, made
a very rassable lIapp, barring a few super
fuous inches of stature, and at once rea-
lized tie prudence of conforming in ones
costume to the native habits. After the
first feeling of awkwarducss is over, Meth
ing can be better adapted to the Polar
Winter than the Lapp dress. ! walked
about at FIRST With the sensation of having
each foot in the middle OF large feather
bed, but my blood preserved its natural
warmth, even after sitting for hours IN an
open pulk. The 5aHiager, fastened around
the thighs by drawing strings Of reindeer
sinew, are 50 covered by :he poesk that one
becomes, for all practical purposes, biped
reindeer, and may wallow IN the snow as
much as he likes, without the possibility Of
particle getting through his hide.
The temperature was, nevertheless, sin
eularlv mild when We set out on our re-
turn. There had been violent Storm of
wind and snow the previous night, after
Which the mercury rose to l6 deg. above
zero. We waited until noon before our
RENDERS could be collected, ard then set
IF, with the kind farewell wishes of the
fom Norwegian inhabitants Of the place
1 confess to a feeling of relief when We
turned our faces sauthward, and commenced
.our return to daylight. We had at last
seen the Polar night, the day without
sunrise, we bad driven our deer under the
arches Of the aurora borealis, we had learn
ed eaough Of the Laps to convince us
that further acquaintance would e1of lit
lie profit, and it now seemed time 10 at
tempt au escape from the liuIbo of Death
into which we had ventured. Our faces
had already begun to look pale and faded
from three weeks of alternate darkness and
twilight, bu; the novelty Of our life pre-
served rs from any feeling Of depression,
aud prevented any perceptible effect upon
onr bodily health, saci as would assuredly
have followed protracted experience Of
The Arctic wmter. Every day now would
bring us further over the steep northern
shoulder Of the Earth, and nearer to that
great heart of life ia the south, where her
blood pnlsares with eternal warmth. Al
ready there vas perceptible increase of
tie suns altitude. and at MONDAY thin
nppcr slice Of his disc was visible for about
half an hour.
BY Herr Berger's advice, we engaged as
guide to LPPajary, Lapp, who bad for
merly acted as postman, aud rroressed TO
tc able 70 6nd his way in The dark. The
wind had blown 50 violently that il was
probable nc should have TO break our own
road for the whole distance Leaving
Kantokeiro, we travelled up the valley OF
a frozen stream, toward desolate ranges Of
hills, or rather shelves Of the table land,
running northeast and south west They
were spotted vitt pa'chcs OF stuntcd birch,
but elsewhere bare and dismal Our deer
were recruited. aud we made very good
progress while the twilight lasted. At
<oiha Lapp tents, where we stopped 10 make
inquiries abogt fhe lee, / was much amused