^ VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



burned, by which the land was cleared for cultivation. 

 The burning of a forest is a very common event in 

 this country ; but it is most frequent towards the 

 north of the Gulph of Bothnia. Sometimes a consi- 

 derable part of the horizon glares with a fiery redness, 

 owing to the conflagration of a whole district, which, 

 for many leagues in extent, has been rendered a prey 

 to the devouring flames. The cause is frequently at- 

 tributed to lightning ; but it may be otherwise ex- 

 plained ; and we shall have to notice some remarkable 

 instances of these fires in the secjuel." 



Again, Dr. Clarke mentions that in Lapland, be- 

 yond Tornea, " some forests were on fire near the 

 river, and had been burning for a considerable time. 

 Mr. Tipping informed us, that these fires were owing 

 to the carelessness of the Laplanders and boatmen 

 on the rivers, who, using the Boldim igniarius (Ger- 

 man tinder) for kindling their tobacco-pipes, suffer 

 it to fall in an ignited state among the dry leaves 

 and moss. They also leave large fires burning in 

 the midst of the woods, which they have kindled to 

 drive away the mosquitoes from their cattle and from 

 themselves ; therefore, the conflagration of a forest, 

 however extensively the flames may rage, is easily 

 explained. Yet Linnaeus, with all his knowledge of 

 the country and customs of the inhabitants, attributed 

 the burning of the forests in the north of Sweden to 

 the effects of lightning. During these tremendous 

 fires, the bears, wolves, and foxes are driven from 

 their retreats, and make terrible depredations among 

 the cattle. A bear, having crossed the river, about a 

 fortnight before we arrived, had killed in one night 

 six cows and twelve sheep, the property of a farmer. 

 We saw their former owner, and the place where all 

 this slaughter had been committed, having landed to 

 walk by the side of the river, while our boatmen were 

 engaged in forcing the rapids. The farmer attributed 



