SIR CHARLES LINN^US. 11 



1731 the academy came to the decision to send ont 

 another traveller to make discoveries in that wild 

 region; and the choice fell on Linnaeus for this 

 purpose. 



On the 17th of May, 1732, he started on this journey 

 to Lapland, with a very small allowance for travelling- 

 expenses, and without any promise of ultimate 

 reward from the society ; indeed, the whole sum which 

 the academy devoted to this perilous and uncomfort- 

 able journey did not amount to ten pounds. 



The only reliable biographer of Linnaeus is Dr. 

 Stoever, whose book was published in the Swedish 

 language about the year 1785, and an English 

 translation of which, published in 1794, says of 

 this journey : — 



Under these unencouraging circumstances he 

 started alone, sometimes on horseback, and sometimes 

 on foot, for Lapland. He was persuaded at various 

 places to wait for milder weather, but being impatient 

 of this, he resolutely pursued his journey. Trees, 

 herbs, animals, mountains, and almost every curiosity of 

 nature which offered itself, became the objects of his 

 observation and attention. Difficulties and hardships 

 surrounded him. Rivers over which he had to pass 

 were often swollen and had rapid torrents, and so his 

 life was often in danger. Bogs, forests, lack of 

 provisions did not stop him, and often lie had to 

 content himself with a bed such as he could make 

 of twigs and leaves. Fortunate did lie consider 

 himself if, after the hard and trying work of the 

 day, he could discover the hut of some Laplander 



