T94 THROUGH THE FIELDS WITH LINNAEUS 



' August 7. The town of TorneS, stands on a small 

 island I call it an island because it is bounded on the 

 north by a swamp, on the south-east by the great river 

 of TorneS, and on the west and south-west by a shallow 

 arm of the sea. No kind of plough is used at Tornea 1 , 

 the ground being turned over with the spade.' 



Linnaeus detected the cause of a dreadful disease 

 among the reindeer of North Lapland : some had died 

 in the winter, but more in the spring when turned out 

 to grass. He discovered the water-hemlock, 1 one of 

 the most virulent of vegetable poisons, growing in the 

 marshes. By pointing out the plant he enabled the 

 people to guard against the danger ever after. He re- 

 commended the Torneans to employ people to root it out. 



' Not understanding the Finnish language, I found 

 it inconvenient to proceed, and preferred returning. I 

 made several excursions to an adjacent island. 



' September 4. I went to Biorknas in order to be 

 instructed in the art of assaying. Here I stood sponsor 

 to the son of the burgomaster (or mine-master) Swan- 

 berg, who was born in the preceding night.' In the 

 summary of his travels he mentions how, on his return 

 through Lulea", he learned the art of assaying from 

 the mine-master Swanberg, at Calix, in two days 

 and a night ; and having suffered extreme fatigue, 

 lie reposed himself at the house of M. Hoyer, the 

 magistrate. 



' September 14. I took my leave of Biorknas. The 

 1 Cicuta virosa. 



