336 THE REIN-DEER. 



away, and it was determined again to proceed, after a 

 short halt, to recruit the strength of the jaded deer. 



" Our halt scarcely exceeded a quarter of an hour ; but, 

 before the expiration of this, our twilight had failed us, and 

 the arch of heaven was studded with twinkling lights. 

 We had no time to lose ; for we had yet many a weary 

 stretch of mountain, before we should arrive at any place 

 that would afford us wood for our night's bivouac. The 

 evening star, which shone brightly, cheered our lonely 

 way, as we glided along the frozen top of the Solivara, 

 the highest of the Finmark Alps. The snow on its bleak 

 surface was hard as adamant, and our deer, refreshed by 

 the rest they had made, flew swiftly along. We had at 

 this time accomplished about half the distance to the com- 

 mencement of the descent on the opposite side of the moun- 

 tains. Hitherto we had considered ourselves fortunate in 

 the clearness of the weather, but we were now about to 

 experience a striking reverse. Our guides, with the usual 

 caution of these people when crossing the mountains, on 

 looking to the westward discovered a small misty appear- 

 ance, which slightly obscured that quarter, and seemed to 

 be approaching us. I probably never would have dis- 

 covered it myself. The Laplanders, however, know too 

 well by experience what these mists portend, and are too 

 fully aware of the danger of meeting with them, not to 

 keep a constant look-out. In an instant we were in con- 

 fusion, our guide quickly made known the approach of 

 our enemy in the rear, and the immediate necessity there 

 was of pushing forward at the utmost speed to which we 

 could put the deer. 



" The guide coming to me, and whispering in my ear 

 with a seeming mystery, gave rne a piece of advice of 

 some importance. The fog, said he with earnestness, 

 would shortly overtake us, and when that happened, he 

 briefly counselled me to halloo on my deer as fast as it 

 could gallop to mind no other person, and never to be in 



