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OUTHIER’s JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE TO THE NORTH, 281
by gnats, which fcarcely allowed us the liberty of examining the neighbourhood. We
returned to our boats, afcending the river as far as the mountains of Kagtilla, which we
went up: we vifited three of their fummits, and thence perceived another mountain
towards the north, which feemed perfectly adapted to our operations, but which was
entirely covered with trees. Our failors told us it was Pullingi, and we immediately
refolved on going there.
While our failors with great difficulty got the boats up the cataract of Kattilla, we
proceeded on foot along the bank ; and here it was I firft paffed the polar circle. It was
nearly feven in the morning when our boats received us above the cataract: we found
the river {till fine and fpacious, fome very good fields on its fides of excellent rye, barley,
and hops, near the hamlets of Komnus, Hiougfing, and Rattas. We got out of the
boat again- to examine the mountains of Rattas, but found they could be of no ufe to
us. We left them at noon, and arrived by two o’clock at Lambifen Nieva: we found
there a comfortable houfe, where we left a part of our things in order to get to Pulling,
through the woods and marfhes, with greater facility. It was two leagues diftant; we
attained its fummit at feven o’clock, exceedingly tired ; the gnats tormented us here
more than any where before: befides thefe, the air was full of extremely fmall flies,
whofe ftings drew blood. In order to eat our bread, for we had nothing elfe, we were
obliged to be very quick in pafling our hand under the veils which covered our faces 5
without this precaution we fhould have been covered with blood by their ftinging, and’
have fwallowed as many of them as crumbs of bread. M. Helant and I were by our-
felves, with fix foldiers or failors: we enveloped ourfelves both together in the cloth of
a tent in fuch a manner as to leave no entrance to the flies, and {vated ourfelves near
a large fire in order to fleep.
The eaftern extremity of Pullingi is the moft elevated part of the mountain, but co-
vered with fir trees of a much larger fize than any which we had hitherto met with.
From the top of a tree I difcovered Avafaxa and Horrilakero, and I determined on erec¢t-
ing a fignal ; but it was neceflary to fell beforehand a part of the trees. Our fix men
were employed about it inceflantly, and the fignal was raifed on Wednefday, the eigh-
teenth, at four in the afternoon; we then retraced our way to take our cloaths at Lam-
bifen Nieva, and re-afcend the river in our boats. We were fo much fatigued, that we
did not land on going down the catara& of Kattilla, which in truth is not the moft
dangerous; and at nine in the evening we left the frigid for the temperate zone. We
afterwards defcended the cataract of Sompa, and continued our route till Thurfday
morning, the nineteenth, at five o’clock, when we arrived at the top of Cuitaperi,
where we were all collected together. All the morning it continued raining ; in the
afternoon the obfervations, begun by the gentlemen whom we joined, were continued ;
they were completed on Friday, the twentieth.
M. Meldecreutz, who left Stockholm with a defign of accompanying us through our
operations, preferred travelling with M.de Cederftrom through the country, not to fay
the defarts; for to the north of Pello few habitations are to be met with. As foon as
they arrived at Torneo they fet off going to the fources of the river, and the lake of
Torneo; they even faw the north fea. M. de Cederftrom, on leaving us, propofed to
us this journey; but M. de Maupertuis with the whole party were of opinion, it would
be better to begin the work which formed the fubject of our voyage.
M. Meldecreutz, on his return, learnt we were upon Cuitaperi; he came there. M.
de Maupertuis behaved with great civility towards him; but as he had not thought
proper to begin the work with us, we paid no attention to the inclination he manifefted
of continuing it with us, and he departed to join M. de Cederflrom.
VOL, I. 90 At
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