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109 TRAVELS
ten? We were informed that the North Cape was diftant from
Alten thirteen Norwegian miles; that is, above a hundred miles
Englifh; that it was impoffible to get there by land, and that
the only way was to go by fea. The whole of this peninfula they
defcribed as one continuation of mountains, interfected by lakes,
rivers, and impenetrable moraffes, which would intercept our pro-
grefs at every ftep. They affured us, that admitting the poffibi-
lity of overcoming thofe obftacles, we could not poffibly reach the
North Cape by that way in lefs time than a fortnight. A journey
to the North Cape, they faid, had never been undertaken by any
one in fummer, on account of its great length and the almoft in-
fuperable difficulty of accomplifhing it: and as we were limited
in refpect of time, and had a great diftance to go back to Tor-
nea, we might be too late in the feafon for doing fo. If we were
overtaken by the bad weather, we fhould not be able to return
till winter had fairly fet in, fo that we might travel in fledges.
After weighing all circumftances, we determined to proceed to
the North Cape by water; and we propofed, when we fhould be
about half way to make fome excurfions into the peninfula.
The third day of our ftay at Alten, the merchant procured us
four men, and an open boat with four oars. One of thefe men
had doubled the Cape before, and confequently was acquainted
with the courfe to be taken. The other three were very good
feamen, and had been on thofe coafts on the bufinefs of fifhing.
One of them, who atted as pilot, fpoke the Norfe, or Norwegian
language ; the other three that of Finland and Lapland. It pro-
mifed
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