about four feet eight inches in height, well built, broad
shouldered, nimble as a deer, about forty years old, with a face made by
the wind as red as a ripe tomato. He lived and pastured his herd of
reindeer south of Karesuando.

As we were introduced to each other we shook hands, and I said, "Mikel,
we are going to be friends."

"Yes," he replied, "we are to be friends."

Then all the Sea Lapps that were round us shouted with one voice:
"Paulus, we are all your friends! Mikel will take good care of you."

"I will," said Mikel. "I will take good care of Paulus." "Thank you,
Mikel," I replied. From that moment Mikel and I became fast friends.

An hour after the arrival of the reindeer and after a hearty meal of
codfish and black bread we were ready to start.

Before seating myself in the sleigh, I turned my face towards the North
Pole and looked at the Arctic Ocean beyond the fjord, and shouted:
"Farewell to thee! farewell, tempestuous Arctic Sea! farewell to thy
gales! farewell to thy snow and sleet storms. But I am glad I have been
through it all, for I have learned something I did not know before. I
have gained knowledge about the people and 'The Land of the Long
Night.'"

One of the Sea Lapps held my reindeer, and after I was seated another
drew my bearskin round me, and made it secure with the cord belonging to
my sleigh.

When Mikel saw that I was ready he jumped into his sleigh and we
started.

"Good-bye, good-bye, Paulus!" shouted all the Lapps.

"Good-bye, good-bye, dear Sea Lapps!"--I shouted back to them, and the
last words I heard were: "Lucky journey, Paulus, come to see us again,
come to see us again."

CHAPTER XXXV

WE ENTER A BIRCH FOREST.--THE REINDEER ARE SOON FAGGED.--SLEEP ON THE
SNOW.--THE RAYS OF THE SUN MELT THROUGH THE SNOW.--GREAT DIFFICULTY
IN TRAVELLING.--MEET HERDS OF REINDEER.--REINDEER BULLS FIGHT EACH
OTHER.

We entered the birch forest soon after our departure. We had great
difficulty in driving among the trees. I was glad our reindeer were not
as frisky as in the earlier part of the winter. I could hardly follow
the track of Mikel, and sometimes I could not do so at all. I drove
sometimes against one tree and then against another, then the boughs of
the birch would strike against my face. I had not been five minutes
among the birches when I was upset.

At last, losing patience, I shouted to Mikel, "When are we to get out of
these birch trees into