LULEAN LAPLAND. 113 



came under my notice, the devastation ex- 

 tended several miles' distance. I traversed a 

 space three quarters of a mile in extent which 

 was entirely burnt, so that Flora, instead 

 of appearing in her gay and verdant attire, 

 was in deep sable, a spectacle more abhor- 

 rent to my feelings than to see her clad in 

 the white livery of winter, for this, though 

 it destroys the herbage, leaves the roots in 

 safety, which the fire does not. The fire 

 was nearly extinguished in most of the spots 

 we visited, except in ant-hills, and dry 

 trunks of trees. After we had travelled 

 about half a quarter of a mile across one 

 of these scenes of desolation, the wind be- 

 gan to blow with rather more force than it 

 had done, upon which a sudden noise arose 

 in the half-burnt forest, such as I can only 

 compare to what may be imagined among 

 a large army attacked by an enemy. We 

 knew not whither to turn our steps. The 

 smoke would not suffer us to remain where 

 we were, nor durst we turn back. It seem- 

 ed best to hasten forward, in hopes of 



VOL. II. I 



