26 THE LAPLAND ALTS. 



are then twisted together by means of the 

 hand upon the thigh or knee. They are 

 generally held with the left hand, and twist- 

 ed with the right upon the left knee, 

 proceeding downwards, the thread being 

 moistened from time to time with saliva. 



In this part of the country the Empetrum 

 (Crow- or Crake-berry) serves for firing. 

 Otherwise the most common fuel is the 

 dwarf Birch (Befula nana), and the Wil- 

 low with lanceolate white hairy leaves (Salix 

 lappomun), so very abundant on the Lap- 

 land alps. The dwarf birch bears very 

 small leaves in these elevated regions. 



When the children are taken out of the 

 cradle, which I have already described 

 [vol. 2. p. 23), they are dressed in a small 

 garment of reindeer skin. They are usually 

 able to stand on their legs by the time they 

 are four months old, and turn their head 

 and eyes about with a degree of intelligence 

 hardly ever seen in our children at that 

 early age. 



I never met with any people who lead 



