Lachesis Lapponica Part 7

_July 29._

Tanning of leather is thus performed by the Laplanders.

The scaly cuticle of the birch being first stripped off, the bark is then sc.r.a.ped from the tree and boiled fresh in water, for about as long a time as is requisite to boil fish; being afterwards set by to cool, to a certain degree, that it may not injure the hide by being too hot. The latter, having previously been scalded, by dipping into luke-warm water, is then soaked in the decoction of bark, and the vessel containing it sunk into a hole dug in the ground, at the extremity of the hut. The hide is taken out every day, and softened in luke-warm water, till the hair becomes loose, when it is sc.r.a.ped off by such a knife as tanners use. The skin is then replaced in the tan when cool, without any previous drying, till the third day after the hair comes off, when it is hung up to dry in the shade. When the leather is but half dry, they often cut it up for shoes, which are always made by the women, without any last. The thread used for the purpose is that made of tendons.

Some persons never scald the hide, but sc.r.a.pe off the hair with a knife, soak it a little in water, and then plunge it into the tan.

Near Swartlar I noticed a mineral spring, but whatever may be its qualities, n.o.body has yet made any inquiries concerning them.

The river Lulea divides into two branches, not far above the bounds of Lapmark and Westbothnia, one of which is called the little river Lulea, whose origin is among the mountains towards Hyttan, the other Stor Lulea, running from the alps in Norbattra.

_July 30._

On examining the cultivated Hop (_Humulus Lupulus_), I found the structure of the female as follows. Calyx consisting of an universal involucrum of four leaves, and a partial one, likewise of four ovate leaves, containing eight florets, each of which has an ovate spatha, of a very large size with respect to the rudiments of the fruit. Petals none. Pistils two, horn-like. Stigmas acute. Seed-vessel none, the base of the spatha enclosing the seed, which is solitary.

The sh.o.r.e of the river Lulea produced, in excessive abundance, the Water Sedum (_Tillaea aquatica_); likewise the Aquatic Dwarf Plantain (_Limosella aquatica_). The Spiked Water-gra.s.s, with a bent stem, here grew above other plants, twisting its leaves round them, like a sort of bindweed. (_Alopecurus geniculatus_ . _Sp. Pl._ 89. See _Fl. Lapp. n._ 38.)

The Water Sedum (_Tillaea aquatica_) proved no less plentiful by the sides of the roads.

In the river I gathered an herb, which I was doubtful whether to refer to _Stellaria_ (_Callitriche_), to _Potamogeton_, or to the _Aponogeton_ of Pontedera. (This appears to have been the latter, _Zannich.e.l.lia pal.u.s.tris_.)

I reached the old town of Lulea in the evening.

It rained and thundered violently during the whole night.

_July 31._

This day I had intended to prosecute my journey towards Tornea, but a heavy rain, with tremendous thunder and lightning, confined me entirely to the house.

The wife of the princ.i.p.al clergyman of Lulea, on whose accuracy I have the greatest possible dependance, a.s.sured me that she had, at the posthouse of Biorsio, in the parish of Torp, in Medelpad, seen large quant.i.ties of the Yellow Aconite (_Aconitum lycoctonum_; see vol. 1.

36), collected and boiled for the use of the table, like cabbage. This astonished her very much, as she knew it to be used in Jemtland to poison flies. When she expressed her apprehensions about eating of this herb, the maid-servant laughed at her, telling her it was much too good to be so slighted.

Hares are always hunted in this part of the country, and the dogs are trained not to bark. If they offend in this respect they are sure of a beating.

_August 1._

I found some Truffles (_Lycoperdon Tuber_) between Heden and Swartla.

Near the road grew _Glaux_ (_maritima_), as well as the Narrow-leaved Sea Plantain (_Plantago maritima_), and Small-leaved _Angelica_ (_A.

sylvestris_). On a bank I observed _Tritic.u.m maritimum_. (This last is thought by Dr. Afzelius to be _Elymus arenarius_. See _Fl. Lapp. ed._ 2 _n._ 34.)

Here various plants, which I had found blossoming at Uma, were now laden with fruit, as the _Mesomora_ (_Cornus suecica_), _Vaccinia_ (Whortle-berries), _Chamaemorus_ (_Rubus Chamaemorus_, Cloud-berry), and _Chamaerubus_ (_R. saxatilis_, Stone Bramble), all which vied with each other in the profusion of their berries. But little Ling (_Erica_) was to be seen.

The hills are but trifling. Rising grounds, which had partly been burnt, were covered with Spruce firs, and even with Reindeer-moss (_Lichen rangiferinus_).

Towards evening I arrived at Tornea. The weather was fine.

Near Grotnas, situated opposite to the church of Calix, is a ferry to convey pa.s.sengers to this church, adjoining to which the inhabitants of Lulea and Tornea keep a fair.

The river produces abundance of Flote-gra.s.s, which at this time bore its spikes or heads of flowers. I had long been acquainted with the plant, it being very abundant in this country as well as in Smoland, and had wondered what species it could be; especially as I never heard of any botanist who had met with the fructification. It is a _Sparganium_, whose leaves are very long, reaching a fathom or two, according to the depth of the water, and floating on its surface. They are convex at their back, except in the lower part, which is flat on both sides. (This plant named _Flotagraes_, or Flote-gra.s.s, in Linnaeus's native country of Smoland, is the _Sparganium_ _n._ 345* of _Fl. Lapp._, in the second edition of which work I have called it _S. natans_, on his own authority in the _Flora Suecica_ and _Species Plantarum_; but in _English Botany,_ _v._ 4. 273, and _Fl. Brit._ 962, this error is corrected, so far at least as concerns the original Lapland specimen, which is unquestionably _S. simplex_, _Engl. Bot._ _v._ 11. _t._ 745, a species he did not, in his works, distinguish from our common _S. ramosum_, _t._ 744. I am now persuaded he confounded this _simplex_ with the _natans_ in his Lapland tour, as well as in his herbarium, where the original specimens of the two are pinned together.)

_August._ 2

They dry their corn upon drying sheds as is practised in Smoland. The cross piece is turned towards the south, but the method here differs from that of the Smolanders in one respect. The latter place one sheaf on the top of another, but the inhabitants of Westbothnia lay the sheaves cross-wise, in an alternate order, each thinking their own method the best for procuring the most complete ventilation. In this country fifteen sheaves are lodged under each shed, without supporters; but in Smoland twelve only, ten of which are in the main pile and two at the sides. The Smolanders therefore are able to reach high enough to place their uppermost sheaves by hand, but the inhabitants of Westbothnia find it necessary to be provided with what they term a _Skyllkrok_, or Rick-hook, consisting of a round pole, with a transverse projecting piece of wood, (like a direction-post in England, as appears by the sketch in the ma.n.u.script,) by means of which each sheaf is lifted up.

On a heath very near the river Sangis I noticed some earth of a red colour. The dry part of the forest which had been burnt down, produced Reindeer-moss (_Lichen rangiferinus_) in such abundance, that the whole face of the ground was covered with it.

The evening was fine when I reached Zangis (or Sangis), where I took leave of my native tongue.

_August 3._

At sun-rise the marshes were all white with h.o.a.r frost. In the preceding night winter had paid his first visit, and slept in the lap of the lovely Flora. I did not observe that she had suffered from her rude visitor, except with regard to the _Dracontium_ (_Calla pal.u.s.tris_), the leaves of which a.s.sumed a pallid aspect. The plants latest in bloom at this place, are _Erica_ (_vulgaris_), the Red-flowered Persicaria (_Polygonum Persicaria_), and _Hieracium praemorsum_ (_Leontodon autumnale_, _Sp. Pl._ 1123. _Hedypnois autumnalis_, _Fl. Brit._ 826.

_Engl. Bot. t._ 830.)

On leaving Sangis, I left my mother-tongue behind me. At Saris I met with native Finlanders only, whose language was unintelligible to me.

Here grew the _Masarooth_ (_Selinum pal.u.s.tre_) with a proliferous umbel.

The mouse-traps used here are made like those for catching squirrels; which I have already described.

Between Zeivis (perhaps Saris) and Tornea are three ferries to pa.s.s. In my way I noticed a new species of _Stellaria_ (_Callitriche_), of a small size, not leafy at the top, erect, not creeping like the _S.

minor_; (see _Fl. Lapp. n._ 2. _var._ ?.) It had the appearance of _Potamogeton graminifolium_ (_gramineum_). (What particular state or appearance of the _Callitriche_ this might be, does not appear, nor is it mentioned in _Fl. Lapp._)

I reached Tornea by three o'clock.

TORNEA.

_August 4._

A reindeer may be driven in a carriage twelve (Swedish) miles in a day, or, at the utmost, fifteen; but the animal is generally killed immediately afterwards with the Laplanders' spears, and eaten.

The Laplanders are perhaps so called from the (Swedish) word _lappa_, to sew or patch together, because their garments usually answer to that description.

The degree of cold is certainly greater on the alps than in less elevated regions; for instance, it is colder in Jamtland than at Tornea, though the former lies about one hundred miles further south. Thus it appears that the cause of the severity of the cold does not depend so much on the approach towards the pole, as on the elevation of the ground, which ought to be carefully observed. Hence the plants of the north of Lapland are such only as are capable of resisting the most severe and long-continued cold, and hence snow lies on the alps of Italy.

Alpine plants are, for the most part, perennial, except the Little Blue Centaury (_Gentiana nivalis_), and perhaps the Single-flowered _Lychnis_ (_apetala_). I wish botanists would endeavour to discover and make known any new kinds of pulse or grain, especially such as are of a hardy const.i.tution, and not likely to suffer from the severity of winter. Some are perhaps to be found among the gra.s.ses. It is necessary to ascertain what degree of northern lat.i.tude they would bear, and whether they are capable of growing within the frigid zone. It is worthy of inquiry in what respects the Alps, properly so called (of Switzerland,) agree with ours of Lapland, as well as how far, and by what means, they are susceptible of culture. The descriptions that have been given of them may be consulted. The Greenland alps would also be worth examining, to see how far these different countries agree in their native plants, in varieties of situation, and in plenty of soil, compared with the proportion of rocks or large stones. Do they all agree in the diminutive stature of their plants?

The tranquil existence of the Laplanders answers to Ovid's description of the golden age, and to the pastoral state as depicted by Virgil. It recalls the remembrance of the patriarchal life, and the poetical descriptions of the Elysian fields.