before you start let the stick be in the snow about
three inches deep. Thus you will be prevented from going down too fast.
Don't forget to start with your skees running straight along side of
each other." I went down riding the stick, and reached the bottom of the
hill in safety. I felt very proud of my success, but thought that if I
could ever do this like Joseff how happy I should be.

Then Joseff gave me another warning. "Paulus," said he, "people must
look out carefully not to run into boulders as they go down hill, and a
hill full of boulders only those who can guide their skees well can
venture to go down. Avoid such hills when you are further north, for
otherwise you might even be killed."

[Illustration: "Paulus, try again!"]

Shortly after our return to the farm the wind began again to rise, and
another terrific windstorm blew over the land. The hillocks of snow were
swept from where they stood and new hillocks were made in other
places. When I went out the wind almost took me off my feet.

I found that my friends in Haparanda were right. The Lapp costume is
well adapted for cold weather. Nothing is warmer than reindeer skin, and
it is convenient either when the wearer is driving in his Lapp sleigh,
walking or travelling on skees, or when breasting violent windstorms.

I finally bade good-bye to Joseff, and thanked him for having taught me
to go on skees. And I continued my journey northward, with a guide to
show me the way.

CHAPTER VIII

A PRIMITIVE STEAM BATH HOUSE.--HOW THE BATH WAS PREPARED.--WHAT ARE THE
TWIGS FOR?--I ASCERTAIN.--ROLLING IN THE SNOW.--FINE EFFECT OF THE
BATH.

A few miles further on I came to a little hamlet composed of a few
farms. The inhabitants were all Finlanders. Travelling was so bad, on
account of the big drifts of snow, that I decided to stay a few days in
the place. The following day was Saturday and the afternoon was the
beginning of Sunday, and the boys and the young men of the place said to
me: "Paulus, to-day is bathing day. Every Saturday we have a bath."

"All right, boys," I replied, "I will have a bath with you." Of course
they did not mean a water bath, but a steam bath.

Pointing to a little log building, they said, "Paulus, this is the bath
house. Come, and we will show you how we work out a steam bath in our
country. You see the bath house stands away from other buildings, to
prevent the fire from spreading in case it should start anyw