158 THROUGH THE FIELDS WITH LINNAEUS 



The people wear a kind of shoes, or half boots, called 

 kangor, easy in wearing and impenetrable to water. 

 Those who walk there may walk in water up to the tops 

 without wetting their feet, for the seams never give way 

 as in our common shoes. They only cost two copper 

 dollars. They are cut so that not a morsel of leather 

 is wasted. Thick soles are here needless ; neither are 

 heels wanted. Nature, whom no artist has yet been 

 able to excel, has not given (high) heels to mankind, and 

 for this reason we see the people of Westbothland trip 

 along as easily and nimbly in these shoes as if they went 

 barefoot. 



May 26. I took leave of Umea 1 and turned out of 

 the main road to the left,, my design being to visit 

 Lycksele Lapmark. By this means I missed the ad- 

 vantage I had hitherto had at the regular post-houses, 

 of commanding a horse whenever I pleased, which is no 

 small advantage to a stranger travelling in Sweden. It 

 now became necessary for me to entreat in the most 

 submissive manner when I stood in need of this useful 

 animal. The road grew more and more narrow and 

 bad, so that my horse went stumbling along at almost 

 every step among great stones at the hazard of my life. 

 My path was so narrow and intricate along so many by- 

 ways that nothing human could have followed my track. 

 In this dreary wilderness I began to feel very solitary 



berries, raspberries, currant bushes, peas, carrots, and potatoes, with 

 a stretch of green fields beyond. Cauliflowers, cabbage, and lettuce 

 had headed, peas were bearing fully, and melons were growing 

 under glass. 



