LYCKSELE LAPLAND. 105 



Other prospect than still to remain in ob- 

 scurity, even his great merit not being 

 likely to procure him any further advance- 

 ment. 



In the forests of this neighbourhood good 

 pasturage is now and then to be found, but 

 the corn-fields and meadows are poor, espe- 

 cially the former. After the marshes have 

 been mowed one season, or at most two, 

 they produce no more grass. The Bog- 

 moss (Sphagnum) overruns them, and 

 renders them barren. Surely this extensive 

 country might be as well cultivated as 

 Helsingland, which is equally mountainous, 

 and in other respects less fit for improve- 

 ment than this. I have noticed large tracts 

 of loose bog or moss land, which I am 

 persuaded would make excellent meadows, 

 if any drain, though ever so small, w^ere 

 made to carry off the water. This, I was 

 told, had been tried in some instances, but 

 that no grass grew on the land in conse- 

 quence of it ; on the contrary, the whole 

 was dried up and barren. This arises from 



