152 THROUGH THE FIELDS WITH LINN&US 



it a stage to dry corn and pease on, about eight ells in 

 height, formed of perpendicular posts with transverse 

 beams. The hay, or flax, is hung up to dry on these 

 crossbars of what appears to be a gigantic six-barred 

 gate about twenty feet high. The rye, less plentiful 

 here than barley, is laid here to dry. 



f To whatever side I cast my eyes, nothing but 

 lofty blue mountains were to be seen. The little straw- 

 berry-leaved bramble (Itubus arcticus) l was in full 

 bloom. A quarter of a mile further is Doggsta, near 

 which, close to the road, stands the tremendously steep 

 mountain of Skula. This I wished to explore, but the 

 people told me it was impossible. With much difficulty 

 I prevailed on two men to show me the way. We 

 climbed, creeping on our hands and knees, often slipping 

 back again. Sometimes we caught hold of bushes, 

 sometimes of small projecting stones. I was following 

 one of the men in climbing a steep rock, but seeing the 

 other had better success, I endeavoured to overtake him. 

 I had but just left my former situation, when a large 

 mass of rock broke loose from a spot which my late 

 guide had just passed, and fell exactly where I had 

 been, with such force that it struck fire as it went, and 

 was surrounded with fire and smoke. If I had not 

 providentially changed my route nobody would ever 

 have heard of me more. At length, quite spent with 



1 The Rubus arcticus is a valuable plant for its fruit, which par- 

 takes of the flavour of the raspberry and strawberry, and makes a 

 most delicious wine, used only by the nobility in Sweden. SMITH. 



