ed at such an unsophisticated display of
curiosity. The perfect composure of the girls, and the steadiness with
which they watched us, showed that they were quite unconscious of having
committed any impropriety.

The morning was clear and cold. Our deer had strayed so far into the
woods that we did not get under way before the forenoon twilight
commenced. We expected to find a broken road down the Muonio, but a
heavy snow had fallen the day previous, and the track was completely
filled. Long Isaac found so much difficulty in taking the lead, his deer
constantly bolting from the path, that Anton finally relieved him, and
by standing upright in the pulk and thumping the deer's flanks,
succeeded in keeping up the animal's spirits and forcing a way. It was
slow work, however, and the sun, rolling his whole disc above the
horizon, announced midday before we reached Kyrkessuando. As we drove up
to the little inn, we were boisterously welcomed by Hal, Herr Forstrom's
brown wolf-dog, who had strayed thus far from home. Our deer were
beginning to give out, and we were very anxious to reach Muoniovara in
time for dinner, so we only waited long enough to give the animals a
feed of moss and procure some hot milk for ourselves.

The snow-storm, which had moved over a narrow belt of country, had not
extended below this place, and the road was consequently well broken. We
urged our deer into a fast trot, and slid down the icy floor of the
Muonio, past hills whose snows flashed scarlet and rose-orange in the
long splendour of sunset. Hunger and the fatigue which our journey was
producing at last, made us extremely sensitive to the cold, though it
was not more than 20 deg. below zero. My blood became so chilled, that I was
apprehensive the extremities would freeze, and the most vigorous motion
of the muscles barely sufficed to keep at bay the numbness which
attacked them. At dusk we drove through Upper Muonioniska, and our
impatience kept the reindeers so well in motion that before five o'clock
(although long after dark,) we were climbing the well-known slope to
Herr Forstrom's house at Muoniovara. Here we found the merchant, not yet
departed to the Lapp fair at Karessuando, and Mr. Wolley, who welcomed
us with the cordiality of an old friend. Our snug room at the
carpenter's was already warmed and set in order, and after our reindeer
drive of 250 miles through the wildest parts of Lapland, we felt a
home-like sense of happiness and co