Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Travels through Sweden - Chapter XI
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
THROUGH SWEDEN. 185
of ail our expedients for difcovering the eveneft paths, our fledges
were every moment overturned to the right or the left; and fre-
quently the legs of one or other of the company, raifed perpendi-
culatly in the air, ferved as a fignal for the whole caravan to halt.
The inconvenience and the danger of our journey were ftill far-
ther encreafed by the following circumftance. Our horfes were
made wild and furious, both by the fight and the fmell of our
great pelices, manufactured of the fkins of Ruffian wolves or
bears. When any of the {ledges was overturned, the horfes be-
longing to it, or to that next to it, frighted at the fight of what
_ they fuppofed to be a wolf or bear rolling on the ice, would fet
off at full gallop, to the great terror of both paffenger and driver.
The peafant, apprehenfive of lofing his horfe in the midft of this
defert, kept firm hold of the bridle, and fuffered the horfe to drag
his body through maffes of ice, of which fome fharp points threat-
ened to cut him in pieces. The animal, at laft wearied out by
the conftancy of the man, and difheartened by the obftacles con-
tinually oppofed to his flight, would {top ; then we were enabled
to get again into our fledges, but not till the driver had blind-
folded the animal’s eyes: but one time, one of the wildeft and
moft f{pirited of all the horfes in our train, having taken fright,
completely made his efcape. The peafant who conducted him,
unable any longer to endure the fatigue and pain of being dragged
through the ice, let go his hold of the bridle. The horfe relieved
from this weight, and feeling himfelf at perfect liberty, redoubled
his {peed, and furmounted every impediment. The fledge, which
Voi. I. Bb he
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
