214 BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



inactivity, mixed with a kind of gruff independ- 

 ence, that bespoke a laird of the mountains. 

 He had, fof the last two summers, brought his 

 herd of deer to the mountains of Whale Island, 

 from the interior of Norwegian Lapland a dis- 

 tance of more than two hundred miles. Here 

 he remained between two and three months ; 

 and, before the approach of winter, again re- 

 turned to his native forests. 



'* In about two hours, the distant barking of 

 the dogs indicated the coming of the leer, which 

 we at last discerned winding slowly along the 

 mountains, at the distance of near a mile, ap- 

 pearing like a black moving mass. They now 

 approached the fold, which was a large space 

 that had been cleared of the brushwood, and 

 inclosed by branches of dwarf birch and aspen, 

 stuck around to prevent the deer from straying. 

 As the herd came up to it, the deer made fre- 

 quent snortings ; and a loud crackling was 

 heard, produced by their divided hoofs striking 

 against each other. These animals, being endued 

 with an exquisite sense of smelling, soon per- 

 ceived there were strangers near ; and our 

 appearance, so different from the dress of the 

 Laplanders to which they had been accustomed, 

 alarmed them to such a degree, that it was 

 necessary for us to retire till they had entered 

 the fold. After some difficulty, the whole herd 

 were at length collected within the circle; and 



