A KEINDEER RIDE THROUGH LAPLAND. 31 



Assembled also are thefoged of the district, the lens- 

 mand (doctor), retstolk or official interpreter, and the 

 sexton, who, with their families and that of the clergy- 

 man, form the civilised portion of Karasjok society. 



Hastening to disencumber ourselves of our heavy 

 garments, we are soon inside the comfortable house, 

 and have our bedrooms assigned to us. It can be 

 easily imagined that one of the first things we did was 

 to have a right good wash, after which only we felt 

 ourselves fit to sit at a civilised board, and discuss a 

 civilised dinner. 



Karasjok, on the river Kara, is a collection of 

 wooden huts, in the midst of which a small church 

 raises its by no means lofty spire. The population is 

 about 400 or 500, and consists almost exclusively of 

 Lapps, the exceptions being the persons before men- 

 tioned. At this time of the year the usual half-yearly 

 court is held (the other taking place about midsum- 

 mer), and the criminal cases that have arisen in the 

 interval are disposed of. Thus it was we found col- 

 lected in the hamlet many (comparatively speaking) 

 civilised beings. Here was the district doctor, whose 

 clientele hardly equals the number of square miles 

 under his jurisdiction ! The foged of Tana (the office 

 oifoged resembles closely that of a sous-prefet), and 

 his satellite the interpreter, also for the moment 

 gladdened the place by their presence. Both officials, 

 doctor and lawyer, appear to thrive among the popu- 

 lace. The former has a very profitable practice, sell- 



