22 A SPEING AND SUMMER IN LAPLAND. 



horses are furnished by the neighbouring farmers, 

 each in his turn, and the postmaster has some- 

 times to send a distance of two English miles for 

 horses ; consequently, the traveller is often delayed 

 a couple of hours at each station, but by the law 

 he must not be kept more than three. If he 

 sends forward a messenger or " forbud" in advance 

 (which will cost him, perhaps, 6d. the Swedish 

 mile), the horses will be ready for him; but he 

 must not keep them waiting, or he will have to 

 pay for the peasant's time. I observed, however, 

 on my journey up, that at most of the stations 

 now the mileage is a little higher, and they were 

 bound to furnish us with horses in a quarter of an 

 hour, so that a " forbud " is unnecessary. The 

 rate of travelling may be estimated at one Swedish 

 mile in the hour; and what with delays, bad 

 horses, and hilly roads, the traveller may truly be 

 said to crawl through the country. The charge, 

 per Swedish mile, is about Is. for each horse, and 

 Id. for the cart or sledge. The drivers are gene- 

 rally little peasant lads sharp, merry, rosy- 

 cheeked urchins ; and capitally they drive ; and if 

 they receive Id. per Swedish mile as postilion fee, 

 they are more than satisfied. The horses are 

 small, but always in good condition (for the 

 Swedish peasant looks after his little horse like a 

 child), and a galled back or broken knee is rarely 



