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THROUGH LAPLAND. a6
Among the Laplanders of Kautokeino was one, as I have men-
tioned, who bore the fpecious title of {chool-mafter. This appel-
lation {truck me very much ; for I had conceived that I was in a
place far removed from any fchool, or any inftitution for the pur-
pofe of inftruction. The name of fchool-mafter was as great a
fubject of pride to this Laplander, as a red or blue ribband may be
to any one in the refined parts of Europe. He was, doubtlefs, as
much gratified by the appellation of {chool-mafter, as any one in
our ftate of fociety may be by his rank of nobility, or other emi-
nent diftinction. This {chool-mafter, both in his perfonal appear-
ance and manners, was as complete a Laplander as his neighbours
around him, except that from fome defective conformation of na-
ture, there was fomething very fingular and ludicrous in his mode
of walking, his feet being always turned out into what 1s called
by dancing- mafters the firft pofition.
Having paffed the frontiers of Lapland,* and continued fome
time in Norway, he had learned the Danifh, or rather the Nor-
wegian language : and his knowledge of this opened an employ-
ment to him the moft fingular and droll in its nature of any that
ever fell under my obfervation in any country. The prieft, or
minifter, being wholly unacquainted with the Lapponian tongue,
cannot convey his fentiments to his audience, who know not any
other. To remedy this inconvenience, the fchool-mafter takes his
* Norwegian Lapland is named by the Danes and Norwegians Finmark. I fhall
ftill, however, call it Lapland, in order not to confound the inhabitants of this
country with thofe of Finland; for both affume the appellation of Finlanders.
12 #tation
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