34 THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. [chap. 



forms a well protected harbour. Here, only a few kilometres 

 south of the northernmost promontory of Europe, are to be 

 found, besides a large number of fishermen's huts, a church, 

 shop, post-office, hospital, &c. ; and I need scarcely add, at 

 least for the benefit of those who have travelled in the north 

 of Norway, several friendly, hospitable families in whose society 

 we talked away many hours of our involuntary stay in the 

 neighbourhood. The inhabitants of course live on fish. All 





OLD-WORLD POLAR DRESS. 



Lapp, after original in the Northern Museum, Stockhohn. 



agriculture is impossible here. Potatoes have indeed some- 

 times yielded an abundant crop on the neighbouring Ingoe 

 (71° 5' N. L.), but their cultivation commonly fails, in conse- 

 quence of the shortness of the summer ; on the other hand, 

 radishes and a number of other vegetables are grown with 

 success in the garden-beds. Of wild berries there is found here 

 the red whortleberr}', yet in so small quantity that one can 

 seldom collect a quart or two : the bilberry is somewhat more 

 l^lentiful ; but the grapes of the north, the cloudberry (jmdter), 



