74 HEROES OF SCIENCE. 



taste proved delicious, and I found, with pleasure, 

 that these poor Laplanders know better than some 

 of their more opulent neighbours, how to employ 

 the good things which God has bestowed upon 

 them." 



The bird is prepared by a process of salting and 

 drying, and will keep even for three years, if neces- 

 sary. Linnaeus next proceeded up the river of 

 Umoea as far as Lycksele, where he was hospitably 

 received by the worthy pastor of the place ; and 

 the next day, being Whit-Sunday, he stayed there, 

 and would fain have remained longer ; but, for fear 

 of the floods impeding his journey, he hastened his 

 departure on the morrow, and on the ist of June 

 entered the territories of the native Laplanders, 

 passing through wild forests, with no traces of 

 roads. A more desolate picture of wretchedness 

 than this region presented, could hardly be 

 imagined. It was flooded by the rivers, and the 

 bogs were utterly impassable. At every step the 

 water was above the knees, and the feet felt the ice 

 at the bottom. "We pursued our journey (con- 

 tinues the diary) with considerable labour and 

 difficulty all night long, if that might be called 

 night which was as light as the day, the sun dis- 

 appearing for half an hour only, and the temper- 

 ature of the air being rather cold." The poor 

 inhabitants had themselves, at this season, nothing 

 to eat but a scanty supply of fish ; for they had 

 not begun to kill their reindeer, nor to milk them. 

 In addition to these evils, the villainous bites of 



