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202 REGNARD’S JOURNEY TO LAPLAND.
drank it, and emptied the pot very courageoufly. It was not likely that, as we were in
Sweden, we fhould drink the King of France’s health and forget that of the King of
Sweden ; it was therefore drank out of a veffel which was fcarcely inferior in fize to
that of the other: and after having drank feveral healths out of it, every one was filent
to fay prayers. It happened unluckily that at this time one of our porty faid fomething
witty, and obliged us to burf{t out into loud laughter, which continued fo long, that the
whole affembly, whofe eyes were turned towards him, were extremely difpleafed : and
what was {till more vexing was, that as every one was uncovered during the repaft, on
account of our being prefent, our hats had been carried away ; fo that we had no means
of hiding the laugh, which we were unable to refift, and the more we endeavoured to
ftifle it, the more it burft out : on which account the priefts, fuppofing that we made a
jeft of their religion, left the aflembly, and were unwilling to return. We were informed
by a little prieft, who was more our friend than the reft, that they had determined to
attack us on the fubject of religion: however, we avoided talking with them on this fub-
ject, and we went to find them in another place, to which the company had retired for
the purpofe of fmoking, whilft the fervants cleared the tables : they brought, as a defert,
pipes and tebacco, and all the priefts drank and {moked till they fell under the table.
In this manner it was that they watered the grave of John Tornzus; and thus the feaik
ended. Olaiis Graan, fon-in-law of the deceafed, endeavoured as well as he was able
to conduct us to our boat, with his pot in his hand, but his legs failed him; he was
very near falling into the river ; and he was obliged to be carried home by two men,
We believed that the whole ceremony was finifhed, when next morning Olaiis Graan
again made his appearance, followed by fome other priefts, who came to reque(ft our
attendance on the morrow. I aflure you, Sir, that this furprifed me; I had never heard
of a fecond day’s feaft, except at a marriage, and I did not fuppofe that it was the fame
with regard to funerals. We were neceflitated to refolve on a fecond attendance, and
we had a conference with Olaiis Graan during the happy interval he enjoyed between
paft and future drunkennefs.
This Olaiis Graan, fon-in-law of the deceafed, is prieft of the province of Pitha; a
learned man, or at leaft calling himfelf fuch, a geographer, chemiit, furgeon, mathema-
tician, and above all pluming himfelf on his knowledge of the French language, which
he fpoke in a manner you may have fome idea of from the following compliment he paid
us: “ La grand ciel,’’ he repeated feveral times, “ conferve vous et votre applicabilité,
“* tout le temps que vous verrez vos gris cheveux.” ‘ The great heaven preferve you,
“ and your applicability, every time that you look upon your grey hairs.’ He fhewed
us two medals, the one of Queen Chriftina, and the other a fhekel of the Jews, which
on one fide reprefented the rod of Mofes; and onthe other, a cup from whence a kind
of incenfe iffued. Befides all his other qualifications, he pretended to poffefs a perfect
knowledge of pharmacy; and to convince us, he drew from feveral pockets a quantity
of boxes of all fizes, and of cordials fufficient to fill an apothecary’s fhop. He gave
me a piece of the tefticle of a caftor, and aflured me that he extracted an excellent oil
from the tail of this animal, which was ufeful in all kinds of difeafes. When our con-
verfation was finifhed, we were conducted to the place where we had been the day be-
fore, where every one, to pay honour to the defunét, drank plentifully, and thofe who
were able returned home.
We remained at Torno on our return from Lapland eight days. Wednefday and
Thurfday were fpent at the funeral; Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were only diftin-
guifhed by the frequent vifits we received, when it was neceflary to make every one
drink. On Monday the burgomafter gave usa dinner ; and on ‘Tuefday at day-break,
the
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