Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-05-12

ahead with strong reindeer and pilotec
us. The sagaclty with which these ami.
mails find the track under q smooth cover.
ing OF loose snow, Is wonderful They
follow it by the feet, Of course, tut with
the utmost ease and rapidly, often while
going al full speed.
We pursued our way in complete sill
ence Our little caravan, in single file
presented strange, shadowy, mysterious
appearance as 1t followed the winding
path, dimly seen through the mist, first
on this side and then on that, no. a sound
being heard except the crushing Of ones
own pulk over the SNOW nv reindeer
and myself seemed to be only living things.
and we were pursuing the phantoms of
other travellers and other deer. who lono
ago persisted IN the wilderness. 1t was
Impossible TO see more lhan a hundred
yards; some short, stunted birches IN their
spectral coating of snow, grew along the
low ridges OF the deep, loose SNOW which
separated the marches, but nothing else
interrupted the monotony of the endless
gray ocean through which we went foun-
derlng, apparently at haphazard. How
our guides found the way, was beyond my
comprehension, for | could discover no
distlngulshable landmarks.
COT LOST.
The fog now became thicker than ever
We were upon the watershed between
the Bothnian Gulf and the Northern
Ocean, about 400 feet above the sea-
The blrches became mere shurbS, dotting
the low mounds which here and there
arose out of the ocean of snow The
pulks all ran IN the same track and made
Il single furrow, so that our gunwales
We're generally below the saow level
The snow was pecbed so tight, however,
that we rarely shipped any. Two hours
were passed, and / was al length reused
from Il half sleep by the evidence of Cur
having lost the way. Long Isaac and the
guide stopped and consulted every few
minutes StrIGlng sometimes III one direc-
ton and sometimes III another, but with
out any result. We ran over ridges of
heavy, hard tussacks, blown bare OF snow
which pitched our puyks right and left
just Us have bumped over the coral reefs
Of Loo-Choo, Ill ships cutter. Then
followed deep beds Of snowdrifts, which
tasked The utmost strength of our deer,
low birch thickets and hard dges again,
over which we plung, d In the wiIdes, way
possible.
After wandering about for a consider
able time, we suddenly heard the barking
of dog al some distance on our left
Following the welcome sound, we reach
ed a scruby ridge, where we were salu-
ted with a whole chorus Of dogs. and soon
10 Il 1rl- I
aroused the inmates, and the sAriu cry oe
Il baby proclaimed that there was life and
love, even here. Presently a clumsy form,
envcloped III skin. waddIed ou; and entered
into conversation with our men.
DOMESTIC SCENE.
The Lapps readily gave us permission
to enter. We lifted the hanging door OF
reindeer hide, crept in stutnJlIng over a
confused mixture of dogs and deer-skins,
until we found room to sit down. Two
middle aged women, dressed in poesIls,
like the men, were kndllng Il fire be-
tween some large stones IN the center,
but the air inside was still as cold as out
side. The damp birch sticks gave out a
thick smoke which almost slifsd us, and
for half an hour we could scarcely see or
breathe. TIE women did not appear 70
be incommoded III III least, but | noticed
that their eyes were considerably intlam-
ed. After i time our company was in
creased by the arrival of two stout, ruddy
girls of about seventeen, and Il child OF
two years old, which already wore a COM
plete reindeer costume. They were all
very friendly and hospitable in their de-
meanor toward US, for conversation was
scarcely possible. These women were
neither remarkably small nor remarkably
ugly, as the Lapps are generally repre-
scented. The Ground-tone OF their COM
pleXion was glowing red Oh their checks,
and their eyes were i dark blush gray.
Their voices were agreeable, and the
language Ga branch of the Flnnish) had
none OF that barbarIc harshness common
TO The tongues Of nomadic tribes. These
favorable features, nevertheless, were fa1
from reconciling me to the idea Of triaI
of Lapp life When | saw the filth, the
poverty and discomfort in which they lived
| decided that the present experience was
all sufficient. Roasting on Ole side and
freezing On the other, with smarting eyes
asphyxiated lungs, soon forgot whatevel
IilGIe WIS u Liz JItluitSR uc III my Sltud'
ton, and thought only Of the return of oul
Lapp guide. The women at last cleared
away several dogs and made room for u:
to lie down. more tolerable position il
our case, though how whole family. will
innumerable dogs, stow themselves in tht
compass of a circle eight feet in diameter
still remains mystery.
nan DRIVING sSO UPSET.
Siepe stands on a steep bank, dowr
which our track led to the stream again
As the caravan set off, my deer, whicl
had behaved very we'll through the day
suddenly became fractious, sprang off tht
track, whirled himself round Oh his hins
legs, as if on a pivot, and turned the pull
completely over, burying me in the snow
Now, had come from Muoniovara, NOR,
than hundred miles, without being one,
overturned, and was ambitious to nlak'
the whole Journey with equal success.
therefore picked myself up, highly dis
concerted, and started afresh. The YER
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