Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Travels through Lapland - Chapter I
<< 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 LAPLAND. 11
man of fixty-feven years of age, and his fon of twenty-fix. The
old boatman had known this paflage twenty years, and navigated it
always with fuccefs, and in the courfe of that period he had taught
his fon his own dangerous calling. It is impoflible to conceive
any thing more ftriking and interefting than the collected and in-
trepid expreffion of the old man’s countenance in the progrefs of
the paffage. As our refolution to defcend this cataraét was not
adopted rafhly, but after a minute enquiry and cool reflection, we
were prepared to obferve the detail of our adventure in its moft
trifling circumftances. The old man never fat down, but ftood
upright, holding the rudder with both hands, which was tied on
purpofe for the occafion to the ftern of the boat. In paffing the
fmaller cataracts, they defcend with the rudder untied, which
they hold between their arms, and fit all the while. When we
were in the moft critical moments of the paflage, we had only
to caft our eye on the old man’s countenance, and our fears al-
moft inftantly vanifhed. In places of lefs difficulty he looked
round to his fon, to obferve if he had proceeded with fafety. It
was plain his thoughts were more occupied about his fon than him-
felf; and indeed the young man grazed the rocks on two different
occafions. As foon as all danger was over, we drew in to the fhore
to repofe and enjoy the triumph of our fuccefs, It was then we
remarked that the fon, who had piloted the fecond boat, looked
extremely pale through terror; and my companion’s fervant, who
had been in his boat, informed us that they had received two yio-
lent fhocks, and that on both occafions he gaye himfelf up for lott.
C2 CHAP-
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
