ht, and I looked at them with great
curiosity, for I had never seen such people before--women who were
sailors, some captains of boats, going to sea and braving the storms of
the inhospitable ocean.

Captain Petersen said to me: "Almost all these sea Laplanders own their
crafts. Some of these are commanded by the husband, while the wife, the
daughters, sister or hired woman form the crew; the women are very
hardy, and excellent sailors; they pull as hard as strong men, and can
use the oar as long as the men do."

The captain was right--for I could not see any difference between their
rowing and that of the men as they followed us.

When they learned that I had come to see their land and wanted to live
among them, they were glad. They asked my name, and they were told that
I was called Paulus.

Then many of these Sea Lapps said:

"Come, Paulus, and stay a few days with us; we will take good care of
you;" and pointing to a hamlet at a distance, "there we live, and soon
we shall be at home."

Looking towards where they pointed, I saw smoke curling up from
strange-looking dwellings. The settlement was scattered on the brow of
a hill looking down upon the fjord.

As the word went round that I was coming to stay with them, the Sea
Lapps made haste and rowed with all their might; the women were
especially in earnest, for they wanted to prepare their houses for my
reception before I landed. Soon they all were far ahead, and after they
had landed I saw them running as fast as they could towards their homes.
Evidently they were going to announce my arrival to the people who had
remained at home.

Here I parted with the _Ragnild_, which sailed to another fjord for more
fish.

CHAPTER XXXII

A SEA LAPP HAMLET.--STRANGE HOUSES.--THEIR INTERIORS.--SUMMER DRESS OF
THE SEA LAPPS.--PRIMITIVE WOODEN CART.--ANIMALS EAT RAW FISH.--I
SLEEP IN A SEA LAPP'S HOUSE.--THEY TELL ME TO HURRY SOUTHWARD.

When I had landed, and ascended the hill towards the settlement, I found
myself in a Sea Lapp hamlet. I looked at their dwellings with great
curiosity. Some of the buildings were conical and resembled the tent of
the nomadic Lapps; but they were built of sod or turf. There were others
resembling in shape log houses, with only a ground floor, built entirely
of the same material. Others were partly of stone and turf. Some were
entirely of stone slabs. Two houses were built of logs.

In the mean time the people had c