AND TOBACCO LAPP STAPLES.--BABIES IN STRANGE CRADLES.--HOW THE
TENTS ARE MADE.--GOING TO SLEEP WITH THE MERCURY AT 39 deg. BELOW.

When I had left Pajala I travelled on the frozen Muonio, passed the
stations of Kaunisvaara, Killangi, and Parkajoki, and came to
Muonioniska. All the hamlets or farms had comfortable log buildings.
Some of the dwelling-houses were quite large. Wood was not lacking and
the houses were quite warm. Forests of the fir were abundant.

The sun was now hidden below the horizon. The snow was getting deeper
every hour--and was about seven or eight feet deep on a level after
being packed. I was coming to another great "Snow Land." From
Muonioniska I travelled on between the Muonio and Ouanasjoki rivers.
(Joki means river in Finnish.) I became acquainted with many nomadic
Lapps who wandered with their reindeer over that great snow land--among
them were two very pleasant men of the name of Pinta and Wasara, who
agreed to travel with me for a while.

Wasara, the younger, was the son of a very rich Lapp who owned nearly
ten thousand reindeer, and possessed besides a good bank account.

Pinta was poor, the possessor of only about one hundred reindeer, which
pastured with those of his elder brother. Pinta was about thirty years
old; Wasara about twenty-five. Both were men of splendid physique; broad
shouldered with very muscular legs and arms, which were apparently as
hard as wood. They had blue eyes and fair hair. One was four feet eight
inches and a half in height, the other was four feet ten inches. They
were very skilful on skees; in summer they could make tremendous leaps
over rivers and ditches with the long poles they carried with them, and
could drive the most intractable reindeer, which are even worse than our
broncos.

While travelling, I drove next to the leader, for reindeer follow each
other mechanically in the same furrow. The leader is the one that has
the most work; but if he follows a furrow, his reindeer gives him little
trouble.

Pinta generally took the lead, I came next, and Wasara third. Pinta and
Wasara had their faithful dogs with them.

Travelling was fine; the snow was well packed, and so crisp that the
sleighs glided over it lightly. Often we travelled at the rate of
fifteen miles an hour, for our animals were strong and had not been used
for several days.

How I shouted, for I had such an exuberance of spirits. I felt so
strong and healthy. I wanted to go, to