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412 ACCOUNT OF DANISH LAPLAND BY LEEMS.
than once, that travellers, obftructed either by the thicknefs of the fnows or length of
the way, are obliged to pafs whole nights under the open air. Whenever this happens,
the Lapland traveller erects a {mall tent, made of very coarfe linen, which he always has
at hand, on the fnow, and lighting a fire refrefhes his body. In winter whenever occu-
pied in religious affairs, or engaged in any other bufinefs, they tie the rein-deer that
draws them to atree or trunk not far from them in the wood.
On the maritime excurfions of Laplanders nothing occurs which can long detain the
curious reader. It is fufficient juft to mention that they always have a tinder-box with
them, and when the occafion requires it they can light a fire and their pipe of nicotiane,
or get ready their meat ; for they are ever ready, if they happen to catch a fifh, imme-
diately to landon the next coaft to them, and lighting a fire between two ftones, which
they chufe for this ufe, and hanging the pot by a pole, with each end propped on each
{tone the fire-place is made of, boil the fifh they have caught. In the fame manner they
prepare meat for themfelves from the otter or any other wild beaft they might Kill on
the way.
From what has been hitherto narrated, it is abundantly manifeft that the ftate and
condition of this nation is, beyond defcription, reftlefs and hard ; but fince the fufferers
are accuftomed to this kind of life from their childhood, they are held by fo great a love
of their native foil, that fcarce any other nation, enjoying the moft happy and munifi-
Went bounty, can equal them: in confirmation of this aflertion it will be fatisfactory to
read the following hiftory.. When his majefty the King, of moft glorious memory,
Chriftian VI., on his journey which he undertook through the kingdom of Norway in
the year 1733, had {topped at the gulf of Aalefund, im the divifion of the province of
of Sundmoer, he honoured me moft humanely, through the favour of Andrew Ro-
fenpalm, admiral of the fleet, and a moft worthy gentleman, with an audience on the
twenty-ninth of July ; which day, as it was to me moit propitious and defirable, fo fhall its
remembrance never fall from me. It was agreeable to his moft royal Majefty to propound
various queftions concerning the miflion to Lapland, on merchandize and other matters
re{pecting Finmark, and in his goodnefs, truly royal, to hear my humble anfwers, and
then to mark with his royal hand, which I humbly repeat, the name of his moft liege
fubje&t in his diary, in fign and token of future promotion, after the ten years miniftry
in Lapland. His Majefty then enjoined on me that I fhould moft humbly take care that,
as foon as poffible, fome of the young men of Lapland fhould be fent to him at court.
L obeyed, as I fnould, the commands of my fovereign; but who could imagine that
any perfon could be found who would refufe fo munificent a condition ? But all did refufe.
At length a young man, whole name was Nicholas Peterfon Korfnes, with fome diffi-
culty fuffered himtfelf to be prevailed upon to go to Copenhagen. This young man was of
a middling ftature and figure. There were others who could have recommended them-
felves by ftature and comelinefs in a greater degree, among whom was a young man
from the gulf of Alten, of no common degree, of manly beauty among that people, whom
Ind eavoured to prevail on by loading him with promifes to go to Copenhagen, and
would have fucceeded without doubt had not his mother oppofed it tooth and nail, who,
at that time pregnant, came to me, afluring me in form, that it would be a {cruple of
con{cience to me fhould I rend from her the only and dearly beloved fon fhe had, and
that I fhould fuffer for it in the juft judgment of God, if any accident had confequently
befallen her, and thé birth near its time, through grief. But I return to Nicolas Peterfon.
As foon as he arrived at Copenhagen he was, for his condition, indulgently received, and,
handfomely entertained by his Majefty. He was dreffed in coftly cloaths, whofe bor-°
ders and lower extremities were diftinguifhed by filver trimmings, yet ornamented in
the Lapland fafhion. ‘Lhe bonnets in common ule among the Laplanders are trimmed
with
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