106 SOME WANDERINGS IN THE NORTH OF FINLAND. 



long stick, crying out piteously every now and then, when 

 she did not know where she was. 



From this house we travelled the greater part of the next 

 day on two large lakes (Raanajarvi and Miekojarvi), rowing 

 ourselves, while women or an old man steered with a paddle. 

 Then for two more days we walked through the forest, 

 sometimes being forced to retrace our steps by a swamp we 

 were unable to cross. Once a Finn guided us for some 

 way, and then, before leaving us, explained, by drawing a 

 diagram on the ground, how we should come presently to 

 a lake, round which we should have to make our way, to 

 find a path again on the other side. The paths are often 

 faint and difficult to follow, so that you have to be careful 

 to watch for marks cut on the trees. In the evening of the 

 same day another very good-natured Finn took us quite a 

 long way through most intricate forest, passing with such 

 ease and swiftness under the low branches of the trees 

 that we had difficulty in keeping pace with him. He left 

 us on a path which took us to a night's lodging, and would 

 not accept more than 2^d. as a token of our gratitude, 

 which " Kiitoxia, kiitoxia " — the only word of thanks we 

 knew — could not adequately express. 



All the natives were wonderfully good-natured, and 

 were always ready to do what they could ; but it was not 

 so easy to make them understand what we wanted, and they 

 generally took a little time to recover from astonishment at 

 our appearance. One old man, whom we met in a swamp, 

 slashing at the grass, first on one side and then on the 

 other, with his curious, short-handled scythe, was most 

 provoking. We were a little annoyed at not being able to 

 cross the swamp and the stream which flowed through it ; 

 and I can see him now, laughing at us and sa^dng, 

 "Eeumoron, Eeumoron," to all our gesticulation, until we 



