about a minute and a
half before it thawed sufficiently to mount. The temperature was
probably 50 deg. below zero, if not more--greater than any we had yet
experienced. But it was six o'clock, and we must travel. Fortifying
ourselves with coffee and a little meat, and relying for defence in case
of extremity on a bottle of powerful rum with which we had supplied
ourselves, we muffled up with more than usual care, and started for
Kihlangi.

We devoted ourselves entirely to keeping warm, and during the ride of
six hours suffered very little except from the gradual diminution of our
bodily temperature. It was a dreary journey, following the course of the
Muonio between black, snow-laden forests. The sun rose to a height of
seven or eight degrees at meridian; when we came over the same road, on
our way north, he only showed half his disc. At Kihlangi the people
recognised us, and were as well disposed as their stupidity would allow.
The old woman cooked part of our reindeer joint, which, with half a
dozen cups of strong coffee, brought back a comfortable warmth to our
extremities. There were still twenty-four miles to be traversed; the
horses were already exhausted, and the temperature only rose to -42 deg. at
midday, after which it fell again. We had a terrible journey. Step by
step the horses slowly pulled us through the snow, every hour seeming
lengthened to a day, as we worked our benumbed fingers and toes until
the muscles were almost powerless, and yet it was dangerous to cease.
Gradually the blood grew colder in the main channels; insidious chills
succeeded, followed by a drowsy torpor, like that which is produced by a
heavy dose of opium, until we were fain to have recourse to the rum, a
horrid, vitriolic beverage, which burned our throats and stomachs like
melted lead, yet gave us a temporary relief.

We almost despaired of reaching Jokijalka, on finding, about ten o'clock
at night, that our postillions had taken us to the village of Kolare,
and stopped before a large log house, where they seemed to think we
would spend the night. Everybody had gone to bed, we knew not where we
were, and had set our hearts upon the comfortable guest's room at
Jokijalka. It was impossible to make the fellows understand me, but they
saw that we were angry, and after a short consultation passed on. We
again entered the snowy woods, which were dimly lighted up by an aurora
behind us--a strange, mysterious, ghastly illumination, like t