A EEINDEER RIDE THROUGH LAPLAND. 29 



did go at a terrific pace; "full gallop" does not 

 adequately express the speed ! The deer literally 

 flew, and it was no easy job to keep inside the poolk, 

 it being dangerous to use the arms as balancers owing 

 to the number of tree-stumps lying in the path. 

 We were now nearing the long and very steep descent 

 called the " Karasjok bakken," which was the climax 

 of difficulty on the whole route. After reaching the 

 foot of any declivity more than usually abrupt, I 

 asked my friend, "Was that the Karasjok hill?" 

 and always got the answer, " No ; " and the next 

 question of course was an anxious inquiry, "Is the 

 Karasjok hill worse than the one we have just come 

 down?" When I was told that the dreaded place 

 was come at last ; when I observed the amtmand and 

 his son leave their poolks and prepare to walk down ; 

 and when, lastly, the wapooses made extraordinary 

 precautions with the harness and accoutrements of 

 their beasts, I felt a somewhat sinking sensation at 

 my heart. I must admit that I had a sort of faint 

 hope that the wapoos would advise me also to get out 

 and walk, which, with seeming reluctance, and with 

 many protestations, I would have done with secret 

 joy. But no. They had eventually overlooked me 

 entirely, or, as I fondly flattered myself, thought me 

 already so good at reindeer-driving as to be quite 

 capable of managing the descent. 



Holloa ! The cortege already now begins to move ; 

 the foremost deer disappears over the brow of the hill, 



