chap, ii THE ARCTIC CIRCLE 21 



the town a little stone-carrier's cart passed along, driven by 

 a small boy. It had two small wheels in front and two 

 larger behind, and on the axle of the larger was hinged 

 a sideless floor, resting on the front axle, but ready to 

 tip over backward at the smallest pressure behind. We 

 called after the boy to stop and we scrambled on, all three 

 of us crowding on a small sack and holding ourselves 

 tightly together, only just keeping our elbows clear of the 

 wheels. When the pony trotted we were jostled and jolted 

 finely, and felt the livers within us. " Where is Lervoss ? " 

 we at last thought it time to ask. " Miles behind," was the 

 answer. So we tipped the youngster and struck away at 

 right angles from the road, heading for the river, which was 

 somewhere in that direction. A field track led to a farm- 

 house with a flying flag and a big swing in the garden. But 

 no food was to be got there by hungry wayfarers, so we 

 followed the track to another beflagged farm, where a crowd 

 of men were gathered in their Sunday best. One spoke good 

 American ; he was home on a holiday from Minnesota. He 

 made inquiry for us whether we could get a meal, and the 

 hostess came forward and invited us in. " You seem very 

 gay hereabouts with all these flags flying," we said. " Is it 

 a wedding or a public holiday ? " " It is neither," they replied, 

 " but a funeral ; this is the way we show our friendship for 

 the dead." We talked with the American about the Pre- 

 sidential election. He was all for M'Kinley. The hard 

 times in the United States dated for him from the Demo- 

 cratic Free Trade platform. " I'm a sound money man," he 

 said. " I'm in favour of whatever I think likely to make 

 trade look up." The meal was soon served. Thirty male 

 guests sat down in one room ; we had a table in another. 

 The woman served the men and stood about waiting in our 

 room, where a mother nursed her baby, which laughed and 

 crowed at us in the intervals of its fare. The hostess came 



