2 4 6 THROUGH THE FIELDS WITH LINN&US 



On August 7 the reports are all very short, hurried, 

 and so cramped as to be almost illegible. It was a hard 

 day that, as the 6th had likewise been. They came to 

 the Sarna Lake, where the East and West Dais rejoin 

 and again diverge. The first church on the return 

 journey is Transstrand. Here the road begins ; a mere 

 track it was then. Then comes Lyma Kyrkia ; Makings 

 and Eppleboda (Appelbo) are the next hamlets. The 

 inhabitants of the West Dal are a quicker and more 

 lively race than those of the East Dal so much so 

 that they seem to be of different origin. The travel- 

 lers still keep up the journal with its observations, 

 but it has lost the spirit of the earlier record. They 

 were all tired, by day only eager to get on, at dusk only 

 eager to turn in. The Lapland bunting with his single 

 call-note failed to waken them early. Linnaeus alone stood 

 ever on the watch, like Columbus on the prow of his 

 vessel, eager for fresh discoveries, patient, brave. But this 

 was easy work to him after his toil in the Lapland Alps. 

 As they get on lower and lower ground the days draw 

 in perceptibly. l The sun's rim dips, the stars rush out. 

 At one stride comes the dark.' 



They all wind their watches, implying by their 

 action that they have well filled that day and may roost 

 content. Their leader is watching the sun and moon, 

 the mighty timekeepers. He is never contented with 

 himself, as the world in general is never content with 

 things outside. An early frost has blackened the potato 

 patches and tinged the beautiful flowing hair of the 



