Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-01-01
THE GAZETTE.
SATURDAY MORNING, JANUARY l, 1859.
BAYARD TAYLOR ON .sTIlE NORTH"

1t was by Bayard Taylor, ON Lie III Tic
North"
In the outset, Mr.. TAYLOR spoke of his
route to the far North, which he chose to
take by way of Lapland, because thereby he
had an opportunity to retreat when neccSsa-
nv. The natural features and varied aspects
of Lapland were sketched Among other
things, the character of its extreme North
was shown; there were on the Norwegian
side of portion of the coast, currents from
the Atlantic which were 50 warm IL to keep
the harbors open. while on the Russian side
the harbors were frozen six months in the
yea~ Russia was anxious to obtain posses
sion of these Norwegian harbors, as she could
not afford to have her maritime power frozen
up six months in the year. The walruS
fishers had penetrated to 81 degrees, and
found open water II degrees further North
than Parry went. The length of the day in
the North of Lapland had struck him with
admiration, far more than the gorgeous and
beautiful aurora The snow constantly frccZ-
ing after Il snow storm made scene of ala
baster; different entirely from what we see
i'm our Northern SHOWS; all these scenes had
tints varying with the time of day-at one
hour pink, at another rose, at another GRIM
son, rs if this singular beauty WAS given Us
a compensation for the want OF heat.
In Il snow storm the snow struck the face
like needles: the breath froze and the face
became framed in ice !; the cold came nearer
the citadel of life; all things looked ghastly;
one felt that life had no luxuries there; when
the cold perces through triple furs to freeze
the hand it is no joke; to take Oft the glove
the hand feels as if it was crushed by the
cold. The breath freezes on the beard, hair
and eyebrows. till all are white; the eyelashes
become loaded, and only by constant winking
could the eyes be kept open; if you drive Il
black horse. in fifteen minutes he becomes
white. When the cold is at 40 or 80, and the
wind from the North, it is constant battle
for life: YOU can almost see the cold III the
dead stecl-bhe air. Men are met with
white rim of ice on hair and fur, and purple
faces, with white frost spots, looking like
ANYTHING but human beings The ahsorp-
ton of cold is gradual, SO that il comes like
deadly creeping chill, and the worst trouble
one has is the constant fight for life. 1t Is
when one gets into warm room, after pas
sing this ordeal. that he feels it worst for he
shivers sometimes for two hours rs II he had
the ague When one goes into warm room,
TOO, the steam rises from 4 person ike
dense atmosphere.
We have living within the Arctic circle
there, the Swcdcs, the Firms and the LappS
three different races SO we could judge OF
the effect of the cold on man.
The faces of the SwcdeS were oval, the
complexions were fair, the frames strong and
well built. and the eyes pale blue. Under
these full eyes and fair faces. lay passions
not easily aroused, hut when aroused. terri
bic in the extreme. The men are cold only
through their superior self-control. You
rarely hear a word of endearment, because
love is eternal There is truth and fidelity.
The women there are not beautiful, but
healthy and strong and know not about
nerves.
In Finland, we find different class:
square browed. ruddy, more passionate; with
beauty of language, and various oriental
traits which it is curious 10 find in the Arctic
circle. They are passionate. prone to excess
imaginative, superstitlous. and yet destitute
of traditions. Their imagnations were d.
rected in religious direction They were
formerly given to drunkenness, but have
somewhat reformed. Their ideas OF pro-
priety seem contradictory; both sexes use
the yapor bath together and salute by an en-
brace with the right arm, and yet the KISS Is
considered immodest, and lady expressed
her establishment ut the knowledge that III
the other parts of Europe kissing was COM
mon, and said if her husband dared to KISS
her she would box his ears SO that he would
feel it for fortnight.
Tbey are indolent. because in winter it is
dark most of the time and they can do moth
ing but eat, smoke and sleep; and In summer
when it is. always daylight, there is plenty OF
time. So the extreme cold, like the torrid
zone. is unfayorable to the full development
of man. No.
The Laplanders are small, and seeah to be
the natural tenants Of that region; they are
small, tawny, with red Cheeks; yet one skele-
ton of girl is preserved over seven feet high;
they are sort of gipsies: their paganlsm
has departed, and with it their peculiarities
and whatever is picturesque NO more do
the wizards sell to the Norwegian mariners
spells to charm the winds: no more dispose
Of charms to find silver mines; and the en-
thusiasm runs in the direction OF relgion'---
The task of the missionaries among them Is
not sinecure, and even when preaching the
Church is so filled with steam that ne can
hardly see the congregation. The country Is
n terrible desolatiOn, and but TOR the reindeer
life would be impossible He Is not larger
than large Newfoundland dog. and one OF
the most Stuplu anu contrary ttiii'' nus
nable. From them almost every thing that
supports life is derived, and the family that
does not possess Il hundred reindeer Is poor:
They can 90 fifteen miles in IN hour. and
some of them can travel for many consecutive
hours. To learn to drive them in slelghS is
difficult task, and no one can prevent them
from stopping, turning around, and staring
at YOU, ;,S much rs to say, what are yon 90
ing to do about it?" The Lapiandcrs have
much patience with them, and he had seen
one get out and turn his deer around forty
times day.
In those climates one feels the utter deSoia-
ton of the scene: human life exists but IN
sufferance; he had seen the most startling
magnifcence, the most weird and rcmarka-
bly, picturesque beauty, but in all that dream
there had been an unseen nightmare OF de
struction, and he should never dream that
dream again. Summer, short as 1t IL, is no
where received with such unmitigated joy as
in the Arctic regions, and vegetation in a
brief three months hurrieS through It's annual
season of bud, flower and ripeness.
The people are removed from temptation
They have so hard struggle to live that they