er on I passed a somewhat long and narrow house built entirely of
turf, which I also visited, and as I came out of it a very strange sight
greeted me. Several people were returning with their dwarfish carts
loaded with seaweed; each was drawn by a team of two wretched little
oxen not bigger than the cows of the place--that is, not more than three
feet in height. Some were driven by women, others by men or children.

These queer-looking small carts were of the same pattern as those used
thousands of years ago. The wheels were of a solid block of wood hewn
out of the trunk of fir trees, which grow on the banks of some of the
fjords, though the land is so far north, owing to the effects of the
Gulf Stream. These wheels were of the pattern first made by man, and for
thousands of years there had been no improvement; just as in some parts
of the world the natives to-day still use the dug-out, or canoe made of
the trunk or bark of a tree--the primitive boat of man. The carts were
loaded with seaweed, fish, or reindeer moss.

I stayed here several days, and one day I went to see Ole Maja, the
nabob of the place. Ole was an old Sea Lapp, who was considered very
rich among his neighbors. His house was entirely built of logs, and was
much admired by the people. The little room had two plain pine-wood
beds, a cast-iron stove (the only one in the hamlet), a clock and three
wooden chairs. Everything was exceedingly clean. He belonged to the best
type of Sea Lapps.

Ole owned a horse, which had a special stable built of turf, and his
four cows, two oxen, and twelve sheep were kept in another building. I
asked what he wanted a horse for in these high latitudes. He answered:
"We use them on the frozen rivers to draw logs." "The hay I gather in
summer," he added, "is for him. Horses are very particular, they will
not eat the kind of food we give to our cattle, sheep or goats." I did
not wonder at this.

I noticed, as there was no snow on the ground, that all the dwellings of
the little hamlet had small patches of land round them, which were to be
planted with potatoes when warm weather came.

Those who had the best houses wanted me to stay with them, and to avoid
making distinctions I agreed to remain with each family one day until I
went away. They seemed very much pleased.

I witnessed one day the feeding of the cattle, sheep, and goats. This
was a sight! They were to be fed on that day with raw fish cut in
pieces, instead of boi