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770 KERGUELEN’S VOYAGE TO THE NORTH.
end of this provoftfhip is a mountain with feven points, very highly elevated, and which
are diftinguifhable twenty leagues from fhore. ‘The inhabitants are principally engaged
in the fifhery, as well as thofe of Finmark. Finmark is divided into eaftern and weftern.
The firft part includes the mountain called Nord Kia, ten Danifh miles from the North
Cape, at the extremity of the main land; it comprehends the ifle of Wardoe as well,
fituated about an Englifh mile from fhore: befide a port of this ifland is the town of
Wardhus, which is the moft northerly fortrefs in the world. The fecond part of
Finmark, the weftern, comprizes the ifle of Mageroe, in which is the moft northern
mountain of Europe, called the North Cape. On all thefe fhores, ports, or excellent
anchorage, is met with. It feems as if nature took pleafure in forming retreats of
greateft fecurity in the moft frightful quarters of the univerfe, and in the moft ungeniak
climes; any veflel, tempeft toft, which fhould be under the neceflity of making for
the coaft, is every where fecure of an afylum whatever wind may blow. The reader
has to be informed that every fifherman is a pilot, and that they proceed two leagues
out to fea to pilot a veffel, however high the wind may be. It is further to be under-
ftood, that notwithftanding thefe coafts have a moft tremendous apppearance, they are
much lefs dangerous than they feem, on account of all the peril being vifible and navi-
gation fafe every where except where there are breakers feen, What I have mentioned
of the coafts and inhabitants of Nordland and Finmark may be faid of the coafts and
neighbouring nations; all of whom trade in tallow, butter, oil, fifh, and wood; they
follow the fame mode of living, and are far from being fo cowardly as fome authors
have reported. On the contrary, all thefe people are brave. Oftentimes they have
been feen to wait f{teadily for the famifhed bear advancing to feize them : others, with-
out any other weapon than a knife, purfue thefe animals at the rifk of being ftrangled
and torn to pieces, which frequently happens.
Detailed accounts of the Laplanders and Samoiedes are not wanting, but they agree
in fo few points, that the reader is at a lofs what to believe; add to this, they are fo
much encumbered with childifh fables, that I confider it to be obliging the public by
undeceiving it on thofe matters, falfe or doubtful, which relate to thefe favages.
The particulars Iam about to detail were afforded by a learned man, who has made
feveral voyages to Archangel, and who tranflated for me into Latin, all the obfervations
which he had written in German. Nothing is fo important for the natural hiftory of
mankind, as to obtain exact acquaintance with thefe northern nations, in which is ftill
to be traced the original character of man in his primitive ftate of nature; whence may.
be calculated the progrefs of inftruction and the value of fociety.
Many journals of voyages to Ruflia, and above all, the obfervations on the Samoiedes,
publifhed at Peterfburg in 1732, fix the earlieft eftablifhment of thefe people in the
neighbourhood of Archangel. On the contrary, it is a fact that they are not to be
met with nearer than three hundred werlts, or two hundred and ten miles Englifh from
this town; what gave rife to this error was the circum{tance of fome Samoiedes bring-
ing fifh, oil, and merchandize to Archangel for the account of different merchants, who
maintain them as well as their rein-deer; this alfo has induced others to aflert, that
the fifhery for feals and fea-calves upon the coafts of the White Sea, from which oil is
extracted, is carried on by Laplanders and Samoiedes inhabiting the fhores of that fea.
This affertion is devoid of truth. The Ruflians alone carry on that laborious and.
dangerous fifhery ; neither Laplanders or Samoiedes ever inhabited the banks of the
White Sea. ‘Their firft habitations which are not ftationary, are found on the diftri&
of Mezene, beyond the rivers of that name. This colony confifts of three hundred fa-
milies, all of which are defcended from two different tribes ; one of which is called Laghe,
2 and
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