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374 TRAVELS OF EHRENMALM.
benevolence of thofe who fpeak, they willingly liften and’ readily conceive. If they
were more induftrious, their condition would become eafier, they would increafe’ their
money both for the means of living, and for paying the impoft.: Though it is fo:fmall
as not toexceed ten copper crowns for the richeft Laplander and all his family, they
find it exorbitant. Yet the province of Afehle only contains: fifty-three inhabitants
fubje& tothe tax. Hence’ we perceive what revenues Sweden may derive from Lap-
land.
My fellow traveller, the Baron of Cederhielm has endeavoured”to encourage the
Laplanders to quit the mifery, in which their natural inertnefs retains them. He had
carried half acafk of rye, with the intention of trying whether the corn would thrive in
this country, of which he had conceived the moft fanguine hopes. But finding the
difficulty of attempting the execution himfelf, and- unwilling to quit Lapland, without
having contributed at leaft to fome happy trial for its improvement, he fearched for a
foil proper for the experiment he had at heart. He imagined that he faw fome lands of
fufficient goodnefs in the parts where they had eftablifhed folds of rein-deer and fheep.
He therefore had the corn fowed in his prefence, by fome Laplanders, to whom he had
gratuituoufly given it, on condition that they fhould inform him: of the fuccefs of his
experiment. ‘They could very promptly execute every thing which was direéted to
them, and they fet about it with that ardour infpired by a’project the utilityof which is
conceived. Their docility was not unrewarded, and the Baron de Cederhielm has’ fince
informed: me, that thefe Laplanders having come to the fair of Koll, had affured him of
the good fuccefs of his rye.
Induftry alone is wanting to this people in order to render them happy ; for® they
poffefs few vices, particularly thofe injurious to’fociety. Compelled for ever to wander,
and not always being able to tranfport the whole of their provifions, they place them in
magazines erected in the midft of the woods, with four {takes fupporting a roof,
Thefe magazines continue open, and notwithftanding, the provifions there placed: fhel-
tered from the injuries of the weather, are, {carcely ever taken away. If urgent neceflity
do’fometimes prompt a Laplander to fteal, it is only to appeafe his hunger; he eats in
thefe magazines whatever he choofes, but never carries any thing away.
In fine, the Laplanders, humane and charitable towards the poor, live together in
good underftanding. Far from accufing one another of their bad actions, they are
careful to conceal faults and the guilty in order to fave them from the rigour of the
laws. This a confequence of that national fpirit, which a people fubjected toa foreign
dominion, nearly always preferves, by a fecret revolt againft laws, or mafters, which
are not of their choice.
Here I conclude the relation of my travels into Nordland and Lapland. I have
written it as much for my own inftruétion, as with the intention of acquitting myfelf to
the academy of a duty which the fentiments of my heart impofe. With more leifure I
fhould have added to this work other particulars. But happily my occupations have
fpared my readers from great wearinefs. If fome errors have efcaped my attention and
my fincerity, 1 prefume to hope that thofe who are fufficiently enlightened to perceive
them, will have the indulgence to pardon them.
I fhall finith thefe obfervations, by a reflection which they have more than once fug-
gefted to me. Ihave not been able to think on the wife conftitution of my native
country, without feeling how advantageous it would be to it, were its citizens to apply
themfelves to the knowledge of a country, in the profperity of which, they poflefs fo
much intereft. Our youth are all inflamed with the defire of travelling into foreign
countries. But what do they go to feek? Perhaps vices unknown in theirs; tafte and
fancies
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