New-York daily tribune., 1857-04-24
B,yard Tayhr in Northern Europe.
No. XVIf.
a REINDEER JOURNEY ACROSS LAPLASD.
n.-,.spssSenee sf Tl~ ~ Y. fribsne
KAvrOKEINO, Norwegian LapiaDd,

KAvroKEINo, Norwegian Lapiand,
Lat 69o ~, Jan. lS, 1867.
We kft Mucn,svars at Dosn on Thursday last,
~, prepared for three days journey across the
v,is Of Laplan1. We were about TO traverse the
Aayr.,. elevated tsble-land, which divides the
vstsrs Of the Bothnian Guff from those oi the
u.ythers ocean, dreary, unirieDdy region, 'n-
A.l;tsA Only by q few wandering LaPps. EVep
vslsat the prevalence Of famine, we should have
~ difficulty in procuring food from them' SO we
>,,ard ourselves with saddle OF reindeer,
sr ,oayes of rye bread, sugar, and can OF
ssGee. The carpenter lent us cup and saucer,
And Anton. who felt all the responsibility OF boy
xAo 10 employed for the first time' slowed every
Nus AWAY nicely in the broad baggage Pulk. We
s..,a il impossible to procure Lapp leggings and
.A... at Huouioyara, but our Russian boots proved
=. admirable substitute. The poesk OF reindeer
.a;n IL the warmest covering for the body which
..uA be devised. 1t is drawn over the head like
shirt, fitting closely around the neck and wrists,
where il is generally trimmed with ermine, and
reaching halfway below the knee. thick wooden
sash, wrapped FIRST around the neck, the ends then
twisted together down 10 the waist, where they
are passed tightly around the body and tied in 'front.'
at only increases the warmth and convenience OF
the earment, but gives it highly picturesque air.
Our seaotter caps, turned down so as To cover the
ears and forehead, were fastened upon our heads
with crimson handkerchiefs, and our boas OF black
and red squirrel tails, passed three around the
seek, reached TO the tips of our noses. over our
Seg.skin mittens We drew gauntlets OF reindeer
skin, with which if was difficult to pick up or take
hold Of ANYTHING: but as the deer's rein is twisted
around ones wrist their cumsness does not inter
tere with the facility Of driving. lt.would seem
impossible for even Arctic cold to penetrate through
such defenses-and yet it did.
Herr Forstr6m prepared us for the journey by
good breakfast of reindeers marrow, justly
celebrated Lapland deicacy, and We SET out with
splendidly clear sky and cold Of l2o below zero.
The HuOnio valley WAS superb toward sunrise,
with pale, creamy, saffron light on the snow, the
forests on the tops Of the hills burning like Jagged
masses of rough opal, and the distant range OF
Palastyntre bathed in pink light with pure sap
phiU shadows on its northern slopes. These Arc
tic Examinations are transcendent nothing can
equal them, and neither pen nor pencil can describe
them. We passed through MuonOniska and kept
up the Russian side through an unduatng, wooded
country. The road was quite good, but my deer,
10 spite of his size and apparent strength, was
hry beast, and gave me much trouble. | was
obliged to get ont of the pulk frequently and punch
him in the tanks, taking my chance to tumble in
hsadlong as he sprang forward again. l soon be-
came disgusted with reindeer travelling, especially
when, after we had been on the road two hours aud
1t was nearly dark, We reached Upper MuOnionisks,
only eight miles. We here took the river again,
and made better progress to Kyrkessusndo the first
Here there was very good little inn, with bed
for travellers.
We had seven reindeer, two of which ran loose,
no that We could change occasionally on the road.
insisted on changing mine at once, and received
IN return smaller animal, which made up in spirit
what be- lacked in strength. Our conductor was
tall, handsome Finn, with blue eyes and a bright,
rosy complexion. His name was Isaac but he is
better known by his nickname of Pitka Eaaki, or
Long Isaac. He is a slow, good d-humored, pru-
dent careful fellow, and probably serves our pur-
pose as we'll as anybody We could have found.
Anton, however, who is making his first journey
with us, is invaluable. His father had some mis-
sivngs on account Of his tmidity but he il 70 am
bilious to give satisfaction that We find him forward
eoeugh.
have already described the country through
which we passed, as it was merely continuation
Of the scenery below Muonionisks--lOw, wooded
hills white plains, and everywhere snow, snow,
snow, silence and death. The cold increased to
$50 below zero, obiging me to bury my nose in
my boa and to keep up vigorous exercise Of my
toes to prevent them from freezing as it is impos-
able to cover ones boots in a pulk. The night
was calm, clear and starry, but after an hour
banh of auroral light gradually arose in the north,
aud formed broad arch which threw its luster
over the snow and lighted up our path. Almest
stationary at first, q restless motion after time
Agitated the cleaning bow; it shot out broad
streamers of yellow fire, gathered them in and
launched them forth again, like the hammer of
Thor, which always returned to his hand, after
striking the blow fer which it had been hurled.
The most wonderful appearance however, was an
Immense square curtain, which fell from ali the
central part Of tho arch. The celestial scene
sAifters were rather clumsy, for they allowed one
end to fall lower than the other, so that it over
kpyed and doubled back upon itself in broad
foh. Here it hung for probably half an hour,
slowly swinging to and fro, as if moved by gentle
wind. What new spectacle was 10 secret prepsra
ton behind it We did not learn, for it was hauled
up 90 bunglingly that the whole arch broke and fell