Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Pages ...
<< 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.
OUTHIER’S JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE TO THE NORTH. 317
Although we had every reafon to rely upon the exactitude with which we had de-
termined the amplitude of the arc of the meridian, comprehended between Kittis and
Torneo, by the obfervations of the fextant made upon the ftar 3 of the dragon ; the
{tar a of the fame conftellation, pafling very nigh to the zenith, we formed a defign
of taking advantage of the time which the long winter afforded us, to obferve again at
Torneo, and afterwards at Kittis, the diftance to the zenith from the latter ftar 2. We
made ready the fextant for this purpofe, and the fky being clear on the feventeenth,
eighteenth, and nineteenth, we made the obfervation on thofe days.
The South was determined at the little obfervatory, built at Torneo upon the edge
of the water. Already feveral days had pafled fince we had fixed ftakes in the {fnow,
following the direétion of the meridian: on this line we fought with a quadrant two
points, from which two perpendiculars fet off, the one anfwering to the grand obferva-
tory of the fextant, the other to the fteeple of the church of the town. We meafured
on Thurfday the twenty-firft the diflance between thefe two points, that is to fay, be-
tween the parallel of the church of Torneo, and the parallel of the obfervatory of the
fextant. We found the diftance 73 toifes, 4 feet, 5 inches.
Friday the twenty-fecond the weather was very mild, the fnow funk, and melted a
little. Saturday the twenty-third, we took down the fextant; we put it into the cafes,
and prepared whatever was neceflary for the voyage to Pello, which we propofed being-
ing the following Monday. M. de Maupertuis on Sunday the twenty-fourth, gave a
grand dinner to the governor. More than thirty perfons were prefent.
On Monday the twenty-fifth, Meffrs. Clairaut, Le Monnier, Celfius, and myfelf, fet
off one after the other ; each having care of the inftruments, which we tranfported in
fledges ; we followed the fame road we had gone before ; and all of us had arrived at
nine o’clock in the evening at the houfe of M. Brunius, and the next day, Tuefday the
twenty-fixth, we reached Pello. We could not always keep on the ice of the river, it
was too uneven in the cataracts; there were even fome confiderable breaks; we were
on this account fometimes obliged to traverfe the woods. We found in them three
Lapland families, who had erected there their huts.
Thefe huts were formed of a number of poles twelve or fifteen feet high, one end
leaning on the ground, where they formed a circle of about twelve feet: by the other
extremity thefe poles joined at the top, and formed a cone. ‘They put over thefe poles
fome rags, and fome rein-deer fkins, which only covered a part. The top is entirely
open, and ferves for a chimney for the fire which they make in the middle of this fort
of tent. They pafs their winter thus, very badly clad, and often fleep with the fnow for
their pillow. When they change their abode, they carry away their rags and deer-
fkins, and leave their poles as they were; fecure of finding others every where in the
forefts. We faw anumber of thefe huts which had been abandoned. One of the
three families which we met with, confifted of twelve perfons, the two others of no
more than five or fix.
When we were at our landlord’s at Purainen, we found his court full of Laplanders,
with their fledges loaded with merchandife; that is to fay, cod, dried fifh, and rein-deer
fkins. Thefe poor Laplanders lay in the middle of the court during a moft rigid froft,
in fome of the fledges which were empty ; we even fawa child among them who per-
haps was not a year old.
Wednefday the twenty-feventh, Meffrs. Sommereux and Helant arrived with the
telefcope of the fextant. We had already placed upon mount Kittis a large three feet
quadrant, and the inftrument for taking the South. ‘Thurfday the twenty-eighth, we
returned to the mountain, and verified the quadrant by a back obfervation. Friday
7 the
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
