5 
THE ELK IN NORWAY. Mey 
the ground behind him at an angle of 45° (about). 
And though going at such a tremendous velocity, he 
can steer clear of stumps or trees with marvellous 
nicety, often jumping as much as eighteen feet when 
occasion requires it. 
On Sunday the peasants may often be seen in off- 
lying districts, for instance, in parts of Thelemarken, 
where there are no roads, coming to church, men, 
women, and boys; the women frequently carrying 
babies on their backs, gipsy fashion. In the north, 
the Lapps, I have been told, leave the babies outside 
the church to keep them warm. They dig a hole in 
the snow, and pop them in, leaving a dog to keep 
guard against any wolves. A friend of mine told me 
that he has often passed a comfortable night under the 
snow in preference to going into the filthy huts in 
parts of Finland. But it is of course dangerous to do 
so unless well wrapped up, or if the clothes be wet. 
The practised ‘‘ skie-lober ” binds his skie to his foot so 
as to prevent their slipping ; but for a tyro this would 
be highly dangerous, as a broken leg or sprained ankle 
may, and does, frequently, result from travelling with 
the “‘ skie”’ fastened. 
It is a most exhilarating exercise; the rapidity with 
which one rushes through the clear frosty air has a 
most wonderful effect on the system. The great danger 
to guard against is catchmg cold, which from the 
