New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-04-14


certaned that there were skuts, or relays OF post
horses, AS far as Muonioniska, 2lO Enghsh miles,
but beyond this could only learn that the people
were all Finnish, spoke no Swedish, were mlsers'
bly, poor, and could give US nothing TO eat. was
told that certain official parsonage at the apothe
cary's shop spoke German. and FASTENED thither;
but the official. dsrk-eyed olye-aced Finn. could
not understand my first question The people even
seemed entirely ignorant of the geography of the
country beyond Upper Torneaa or Matsrengi. 40
miles fl. The doctors wife, buxom, motherly
LADY, who seemed 10 feel quite an interest in our
Undertaking and was as Kind and obliging as such
women always are, procured for us supply of
fod5r6d made of rye. and delightfully."- crisp and
hard-and this was the substance Of our prepare
items Reindeer mttens were not to De found, nor
a reindeer skin 10 cover our feet, so we rehed az
before on plenty of hay and my Scotch plaid We
might, perhaps have had better success in Torneas,
but knew no one there who would be- likely 10 Is
sist US. and we did not visit the old place. We
had taken the precaution of getting the Russian
wise, together with small stock of roubIes, at
Stockholm, but now find that il was quite unneces-
sarv No passport is required for entering Torneas,
or travelling on the Russian side Of the frontier
Trusting TO luck. which is about the best plan
after all, We started from Haparanda yesterday at
no,n The day was magnificent, the sky cloudlcss
and respondent as polished steel, and the mercury
81 below zero The sun, scarcely more than the
breadth Of his disc above the horizon, shed faint
orange light over the broad, level snOwplans, and
the bluisL Nv hite hemisphere of the Bothnlan Gulf,
visible beyond Torneaa The air was perfectly still,
and exqustely cold and bracing, despite the sharp
grin II took upon my nose aud ears. These Arctic
DAYS, short as they are, have majesty of their
own-a splendor subdued though it be; breadth
and permancnce of hue, impaired alike to the sky
and to the snowy earth, as if tinted lass was held
before your eyes. l find myself at a loss how to
describe these effects, or the impression they pro-
duce upon the travellers mood. Certainly, It Is the
very reverse of that depression which accompanies
the Polar night, and which the absence of any
real daylight might be considered sufficient to pro-
duce.
Our road was well beaten but narrow, and We
had great difficulty in passing the many hay and
wood teams which met US, on account OF the depth
Of the loose snow on either side. We had several
violent oyerurns at such times one of which occa-
stoned us the loss Of our beloved ppe--a loss which
rendered BREASTED dsconsolate for the rest OF the
day. We had but one between U.s. and the bereave-
ment was not slight Soon after leaving Haparan
da. We passed q small white obesk, with the
words Russian Frontier upon it, The town of
Torneas across the frozen river, looked really I'M
posing with the sharp roof and tall spire of its old
church rising above the line Of low red buildings.
Campbell, remember, says,
"Cold a. the rocks on Torneo's hoary brow,'
with the same disregard of geography which makes
him grow palm trees along the Susquehanna River.
There was Torneaa; but looked in vain for the
"hoary brow" Not q bill within sight, nor
rock within a circuit of ten miles, hut one unvary-
ing level like the western shore of the Adratc,
formed by the deposits of the rivers aud the retro
cession of the sea.
Our roud led up the left bank of the river, both
sides Of which were studdcTwith neat little vii
lagos. The country was well cleared and cult-
waited, and appeared so populous and nourIshing
that | could scarcely realize in what part of the
world We were. The sun set at quarter past /,
but for two hours the whole southern heaven was
superb in IFS hues Of rose and orange. The sheep
skin lent us by our landady kept our feet warm,
and We only felt the cold in our faces my nose,
especially, which, having lost coat of skin, was
very fresh and tender, requiring unusual care. At
o'clock. when We reached Kuckuls, the first sta
ton, the northern sky was one broad flush of the
purest violet melting into lilac at the zenith where
it met the fiery skirts of sunset.
We refreshed ourselves with hot milk, aud
pushed ahead. with better horses. At O'Clock it
was bright moonlight, with the stest air. We
got on brayely over the level, beaten road and in
two hours reached Korpikya, large new inn,
where we found very tolerabe accommodations.
Our beds were heaps of reindeer skins; fright
fully ugly Finnish girl, who knew a few words OF
Swedish, prepared us supper OF tough meat
potatoes and ale. Everything was nov pure Fin
nish, and the first question Of the girl, " Hrdr,-
FRAN kOmmar dul ," (Where dost thou come
from y showed all ignorance of the commOnest
Swedish form of address. She awoke Us with
cup Of coffee in the morning, and negotiated for US
the purchase of o reindeer skin, which We pro-
cured for something less than a dollar. The hus-
JOnds (hOuse-peasant as the landlord is called
LeGe) made 20 charge for our entertainment, but
said We might give what We pleased. l offered, at
a venture, sum equal to about fifty cents, where
upon he sent the girl to say that he thanked us
most heartily.
To-day has been a day to be remembered: such
glory Of twilight splendors for six full hours was
beyond all the charms of daylight i'll any zone. We
started at seven, with temperature of 300 below