36 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



these men could not possibly get away from the 

 place even if they tried, which was unlikely; as, 

 being Swedish Lapps, and without friends to pro- 

 cure reindeer and poolk for them, they would have 

 been entirely helpless had they even succeeded in 

 getting out into the waste. I further learned that 

 these two gentlemen were to be our travelling com- 

 panions on the following day, accompanied by their 

 keepers, who were to deliver them to the authorities 

 further down the river. 



It was with great regret that I left Karasjok, as I 

 had met with much kindness from its inhabitants. 

 Any information I had desired had always been 

 readily accorded me ; and on leaving the house of 

 good Mr Fandrem, the trader, he refused all remun- 

 eration for my board and lodging. Mr Fandrem was 

 a very interesting old man, and had been presented 

 by the king with a gold medal "pour le merite 

 civile." His time is divided between his establish- 

 ment at Karasjok and his summer residence at Komag 

 Fjord, a minor inlet in the great Alten Fjord. At 

 the latter place Mr Chambers, of the well-known 

 journal of that name, had once spent some time with 

 him, and he still looked back to that time with 

 pleasure. 



From him I got much information about the social 

 and moral condition of the people, who, it seems, 

 must be placed very low indeed in the human scale. 

 They have no recognised head-man or chief; and 



