The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-06-02
Bsyatd Tsyios's Christmas Hide q"
NOvslaad

Bay.sd Tsyios's Christmas hide ."
NOrsiand.
The following extract from one Of BAyAaD
TAYLoRs Scandinavian Pictures illustrates
the rare descriptive powers which make the
charm OF his lectures, and lis reproduction
now has a peculiar pcrtinency to the subject
Of his lecture to morrow night on " Life in
the North" while II will have independent
interest for our readers in recalling the
characteristics Of our own winter expe.
rience
We arose betimcs on Christmas morn, but
the grim aud deliberate landlady detained
US an hour in preparing our coffee. was
in the yard about five minutes, wearing only
my cloth ovcrcoat aud no gloves, and found
the air truly sharp and oipping, but not
painfully severe. Presently, Braisted came
running 10 with the Thermometer, exclalm-
ing, with a yell Of triumph. Thirty, by Ju'
pi,er" go deg. OF lseanmer, equal to 351a
deg. below zero of Fahrnheit). We were
delighted with this sIgn Of our approach TO
the Arctic circle.
The horses were at last ready we muilled
up carefully and set out The dawn was
just s,reaking the East. the sky was crystal
clear, and not breath Of air stirring My
beard was soon solid mass Of ice from the
moisture Of my breath and my nose required
constant friction. AZ II grew lighter, We
were surprised to find that our postillon
was "a girl She had heavy sbeepskin
over her knees, u maii for her hands, and u
shawl around her head, lesving only the
eyes visible. Thur aecouired, she drove on
merriIy, and except that the red Of her
cbeeks became scarle, and purple. showed
90 signs Of the weather. Looking down iD-
10 the snowy valley oi Gormyole, we saw
the straight pillars Of smoke rising from the
houses high into the air not spreading, but
gradually breaking Oh into solid masses
which sank again and filled the hollow, al
most concealing the houses. Only the white,
handsome church, with its tall spre. seated
on mound, rose above this pale blue film
aud shone softiy in the growing ilnsh of day
We ordered horses at once. after drink
ing bowl Of ho. milk, favored with CHINA
mon. This il the iAyorite winter drink 0i
the people. sometimes with the addition 0l
brandy. Isut the fnkei. or common brandy
oi Sweden. 10 o detestable beverage. rcsem'
bling mixture Of turpentine. train oil, aDd
bad molasses, and We took the mix uDmixed
which admirably assisted in keeping up the
animal heat The mercury had by this time
fallen 10 81 deg. below Dro. We were sur.
prised ard delighted 10 fad tina, We stood
tie cold 40 easily aud priled 0urselycs not a
little on our powers 81 en1uranee.
The cold. however, played sone grote@Iue
praaks with rs. Ny beard, monstacbe, cap
and far collar were soon ons undivided lump
Of ice. Our eyelastes became now-whIte
and heavy with frost We saw everything
through yi-Jrs barred With ivory. The nfI-
tati0n " our bDstrils occad0ned the greatest
inconvenience, ard a. the baDJkercbiefs
fr0ze Instantly. IT soon became matter
oi pain and difficulty u ase them. lou
nigh, a. well attempt 10 blow your
noe with poplar chip. We could
no, bare our hands q mnu,s without f>eI-
Ing an iron grasp of cold which seemed u
s1aesze tbe hssh bike vloc aud turn tie
very blOpd 10 ice. In other respscn Nc
were warm aud jolly api have rarely been
10 higher spirits Ths air ~as erqnsi'siy
pure and .ver,. aod e0nid opsn my iooa'h
la IA, ~ is icy grating psr@'tteij and ih-
hale iul draagh,S iDto ti's lungs 9th dc-
Bc,ous vfssa,loa oi frir,shmsnt sDd eKhile.
raiisn had 10, expected to bnd such
ire.dom of r,-pirsti'a 10 40 loo 'empra.
,are. 50ur descriptions Of -sefe cod 10
C.Lada and siDsrs sh'oh ] have Rad
ra's tha, st such iim's ,he air occasions a