6 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



passed the place of execution of three Lapps, who, 

 with others, had been found guilty of the murder of 

 several people in Kautokino some years ago, in an 

 outbreak of religious fanaticism, it is said ; but this, 

 I think, must have been but a pretext. The real 

 object must have been plunder, as every Lapp I saw 

 was utterly indifferent to religion. One of the crimi- 

 nals pretended that his head could not be taken off ; 

 and, strangely enough, the executioner failed twice to 

 make any impression on the neck of the condemned 

 man, until the priest, who Avas present, reminded him 

 of the ancient Norwegian law which decrees that, if 

 an executioner fail three times, he himself shall be 

 placed in the stead of the felon. This remark nerv- 

 ing the man, he made a desperate effort, and suc- 

 ceeded. On the priest telling another of the fellows 

 that he had the " brand of Cain " upon him, he clev- 

 erly retorted in the words of the text, "Ah, the Lord 

 set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should 

 kill him ! " 



Twice a year a great fair is held in Bosekop, at 

 which the Lapps obtain a good and ready market for 

 their produce, consisting chiefly of reindeer articles 

 and ptarmigan. This market or fair is largely at- 

 tended by the traders of the neighbouring towns, and 

 even Throndhjem firms send their representatives to 

 make purchases, and to dispose of articles of finery to 

 the nomads. The chief staple is, however, brandy, 

 and the method of dealing generally barter. The 



