76 WANDERINGS AND MEMORIES 



although in most instances they are quite unfit for 

 ladies to sleep in. Of course, men can rough it 

 anywhere; but when it is known that more than 

 half of these dwellings, though well constructed to 

 keep in the warmth, shut out all possibility of the 

 light and air, whilst many of the beds are tenanted 

 by superfluous visitors, residence in houses is not 

 an unmixed joy. So we took our own tents, and 

 stuck to them, in spite of Thorgrimmer's constant 

 assertions that we should be starved to death in that 

 cold climate, to say nothing of the rains that no tent 

 could withstand. Of course, none of these things 

 happened. We were all fairly comfortable, only 

 suffering slightly from cold at times, and when 

 thoroughly chilled it is wonderful how warm you 

 can get by creeping into your snug Wolsey mattress 

 or reindeer bag. 



The reasons that led Thorgrimmer to so strongly 

 recommend the houses of his friends were obvious ; 

 but there was no fault to find with him on that 

 account, for it has always been the custom for 

 travellers to stay at farmhouses and the people to 

 reap some monetary return thereby. Wherever 

 we went poor Thorgrimmer, I believe, got pitched 

 into by the people for allowing us to come to 

 their farm in tents in so horribly independent a 

 fashion. 



We remained for a week by the Fly Lake, daily 

 tortured by the abominable flies, and had to engage 

 the financier to help Jon in looking after the ponies, 

 as they were liable to stampede off to the hills and 

 get lost. To give one instance of the attacks of 

 these flies on the horses. Wishing to go to a 

 distant part of the lake, I asked Jon to bring the 



