ng,
with a temperature varying from 9 deg. above to 13 deg. below zero. On the
morning of the 14th, however, the sky finally cleared, with a cold south
wind, and we saw, for the first time, the range of snowy mountains in
the east. The view from our hill, before so dismally bleak and dark,
became broad and beautiful, now that there was a little light to see it
by. Beyond the snowy floor of the lake and the river Muonio stretched
the scattering huts of Muonioniska, with the church overlooking them,
and the round, white peak of Ollastyntre rising above his belt of black
woods to the south. Further to the east extended alternate streaks of
dark forest and frozen marsh for eighteen miles, to the foot of the
mountain range of Palastyntre, which stood like a line of colossal
snow-drifts against the soft violet sky, their sides touched by the
rosily-golden beams of the invisible sun. This and the valley of the
Tornea, at Avasaxa, are two of the finest views in Lapland.

I employed part of my time in making some sketches of characteristic
faces. Mr. Wolley, finding that I wished to procure good types of the
Finns and Lapps, kindly assisted me--his residence of three years in
Muoniovara enabling him to know who were the most marked and peculiar
personages. Ludwig was despatched to procure an old fellow by the name
of Niemi, a Finn, who promised to comply with my wishes; but his
ignorance made him suspicious, and it was necessary to send again. "I
know what travellers are," said he, "and what a habit they have of
getting people's skulls to carry home with them. Even if they are
arrested for it, they are so rich, they always buy over the judges. Who
knows but they might try to kill me for the sake of my skull?" After
much persuasion, he was finally induced to come, and, seeing that Ludwig
supposed he was still afraid, he said, with great energy: "I have made
up my mind to go, even if a shower of knives should fall from heaven!"
He was seventy-three years old, though he did not appear to be over
sixty--his hair being thick and black, his frame erect and sturdy, and
his colour crimson rather than pale. His eyebrows were jet-black and
bushy, his eyes large and deep set, his nose strong and prominent, and
the corners of his long mouth drawn down in a settled curve, expressing
a melancholy grimness. The high cheek-bones, square brow, and muscular
jaw belonged to the true Finnish type. He held perfectly still while I
drew, scarcely movi