Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-05-22
INTERESTING LETTER.
BAYARD TAYLOR IN
NORTHERN EUROPE,
THE RETURN TO MUONIOVARA.
MuoSlovAaA, Lapland,


let cap, stuffed with eider down,
pair OF beilinger, or reindeer leggings,
and the komager, or broad, boat-shap-
ed shoes, filed with dry, soft hay, and
tightly bound around the ankles,
which arc worn by everybody in Lap
| land. Attirod in these garments, l
made very passable Lapp, barring
| few superfluous inches OF stature, and
ut once realized the prudence Of con-
forming in ones costume TO the ma
tive habits. After the first feeling of
awkwardness Is over, nothing can be
better adapted to the Polar Winter
than the Lapp dress. walked about
ut first with tho sensation OF having
each foot In tho middle Of large fea-
ther bed, but my blood preserved It's
natural warmth, even after sitting for
hours In an open pulk. The bGlieng-
er, fastened around the thighs by
drawing-strings ofreindeer sinew, arc
so covered by the poesk that one be-
comes, TO all practical purposes, BIZ
ped reindeer, and may wallow in the
snow as much as he likes without the
possibility of particle getting thro'
his hide.
The temperature was, nevertheless,
particularly mild when we set out on
our return. There had been violent
storm of wind and snow the night be-
fore, after which the mercury rose to
Ice above zero. We waited till noon
before ourreindeers could be collected,
and then set of, with tho kind fare
we'll wishes of the four Norwegian in
habitants OF the place. I~confess TO
a feeling of reliefwhen we turned our
faces southward. and commenced our
return to daylight. We had ut last
seen the Polar night, the day without
u sunrise, we had driven our reindeer
under the arches of the aurora bore
alis, we had learned enough Of The
Lapps 10 convince us that further ac-
Iquaintance would be of little profit,
and Il now seemed time TO attempt
an escape from the limbo of Death
into which we had ventured. Our fa-
ces had already begun TO look pale
and faded from three weeks of alter
nate darkness and twilight but the
novelty Of our life preserved us from
any foeling OF depression and prevon-
tod any perceptible effect upon our
bodily health, such as would assured
ly have followed a protracted oxpor-
ience of the Arctic Winter. Every
day now would bring us further over
tho stcep northern shoulder of the
Earth, and nearer TO that great heart
of life In the south, where her blood
pulsatos with eternal warmth. AL
ready thero was u perceptible increase
of the suns altitude, and ut MONDAY
a thin upper slice of his disc was Wis
ible for about half an hour.
BY Herr Berger's advice, we enga-
god us guide to LippaIarvi, u Lapp,
who had formerly acted us postman,
and prolessed to be uble 10 find his
way Ia tho dark. The wind had
blown 80 violently that II was proba-
bic We should have 10 break our own
road for the whole distance. Leaving
kautokeino, we travelled up tho val
| ley Of n frozen stream, toward desc
late ranges OF hills, or rather shelves
Of the table land, running north. h.east
and south-westh. They were spotted
with patches Of stunted birch, but
else wero bare and dismal. Ourdeers
were recruited, and we made very
good progress while tho twilight last.
ed. At some Lapp tonts whero we
stopped 70 make inquiries about the
leo | was. amused at tho appearance OF
group OF children, who strilxingly
resembed bear cubs standing on their
hind legs. They were coated with
reindeer hide from head TO foot, with
only a little full moon Of tawny red
face visible.
We stopped at Siepe an hour to
bait tho deer. The single wooden hut
was crowded with Lapps, ,onc ofwhom,
apparently tho owner, spoke little
Norwegian. He knew who we were
and asked me great many questions
about America. He was most anx-
ous 10 know what was our religion
and what course the Government took
with regard TO the different sects.-
Ho seemed little surprised, and not
less pleased, TO hear that oil varieties
Of belief were tolerated, and that nc
one sect possessed any peculiar privi,
lege over another. Otis only recent,
ly that dissenters from the Orthodox
Church have been allowed TO erect
houses Of worship in Norway y
While we were speaking on those
matters an old woman, knccling neal
US, was muttering prayers TO herself
wringing her hands, sobbing, and ri
wing other evidences Of violent relig
ious excitement. This appeared I,
be common occurrence, as mono O
the Lapps seemed to notice II. hav,
no doubt that much Of that hallucina
tion which led 10 the murders at Kau
tokeino still exists among the people
kept alive by secret indulgence
Those missionaries have much TO an
swer for who have planted the seed
of spiritual disease among this ignor
ant and impressible race.
The night was cold and splendid,
clear. We were obliged to leave tn
river on account of rotten ice, an'
took TO the open fields, where our dee
sank 10 their bellies in loose snow
The leading animals became fraction
and we were obliged TO stop ever,
few minutes, until their paroxysm
were over. / could not perceive tina
the Lapps themselves exercised mucl
more control over them than We, VIII
were new to the business. The dom
esticatcd reindeer still retains his will
instincts, and never fails TO protest q
gainst the necessity of labor. Tn
most docilc will fly from the track
plunge, face about, and refuse TO draw
when you least expect it. They ar