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3355 TRAVELS OF EHRENMALM.
the Laplanders, and to diveft them of their idolatrous practices. The minifter Forfberg,
who formerly held this {chool, is of the fame opinion, which appears to have greater foun-
dation, fince to the prefent time the converfion of the Laplanders has only been a fcene
of fraud and hypocrify. Infatuated with the cuftoms and opinions of theiranceftors, they
resard our ceremonies with the fame eye that we behold their fuperftitions. They fee no
other difference between their idolatry and chriftianity, than the protection afforded to the
golpel by the government, It may juftly be concluded from their manner of life,
their averfion to the Swedes and efpecially to the minifters, from the fear they teftify at
jpeaking of religion, from the habit which they have of agreeing with their fuperiors on
the truths of chriftianity, {lll fufpending their offerings to the facred trees, from the
fecrecy they all preferve, when they commit ations forbidden among chriftians. It
will coft a great deal of trouble to make them renounce their drums of divination.
Yhey have innumerable places to conceal them in their woods and deferts, eternal afy-
Jums of fuperftition. ‘The minifter Forfberg broke one of thefe inftruments of their
pretended magic, but they foon made others at little expence. It is not the drums
which muft be broken, nor the books which muft be burnt ; but it is the human mind
which muft be infenfibly freed from its errors, by reafon, and efpecially by the mild
laws of a government, beneficial to the nation which finds itfelf fubdued. When the
people are happy, they do not difturb themfelves with idle difcuflions of tenets, they do
not become fanatics for their opinions. It is the cruel infatuation, of forcing them to
admit that which they cannot perfuade, of impofing filence by punifhment ; it is per-
fecution, ina word, which firft creates enthufiafts, then martyrs, then fects, then rebels,
and finally civil wars.
The Laplanders are furprifed when we would forbid their drums, which ferve them,
they fay, to directthe winds; while the Swedes have compafles to direct their courfe,
and mark the progrels of time.
Notwithftanding, the Laplanders do not entirely rely on their juggling. They are
attracted to the religious feftivals by the fairs. Among other merchandile, they bring
fins and furs. In exchange for this clothing furnifned by nature, they take that
which art has manufactured, fuch as woollen cloths or {tuffs. Jor meats and dried fifh
they procure tobacco and pipes, falt and pepper. For cords drawn from the roots of
trees, they receive hemp of which they make nets. ‘They fell bafkets, and buy kettles,
knives, fometimes hatchets, more rarely planes or augers. ‘They prefer before all thefe
tools brandy or port wine, which they find excelient when mixed with that flrong liquor.
The Laplanders are unwilling to be paid in copper money, though it is current in the
trafic between the Swedes who come from Oumea, and the coloniits of Afehle: but
they.accept, and even feek the filver money. Such is their clownifhnets, that they have
no confidence in a fuppofed value, which only has the {tamp of the prince for guarantee.
At our departure from Afehle, we took fome Laplanders as guides, for we had to
afcend the river Anghermanna, with its falls. We met with fom_ of great height,
which obliged us to convey our boats and crews by land. Sometimes we were com-
pelled to walk two or three miles, to relieve thofe who rowed, dragged, or forced the
boats againft the current. The Laplanders reckon the way by journies, and the Nord-
landers by miles. From the church of Afehle to the mountains to which we went, the
diftance is nearly feven miles. During this route, the magnetic needle pointed to the
N., N. E., and N. W.; but the moft part of the time to the N.N.E. ‘The river
makes a great many windings. ’
It was about fix in the morning, when we arrived at Wolkfio. At midnight a thick
fog arofe, which began to diffipate about four in the morning, and was completely an
perled,
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