THE JOURNEY UP. 45 



which he had brought with him; and when he 

 started to go home, off she went at the same pace. 

 Truly these little Swedish horses must be as 

 hardy as their native mountains. 



On leaving Sundswall in the morning, at day- 

 break, a heavy snow was falling, but it was not 

 cold (about 8° Celsius). The country now became 

 more rugged and wild, but yet nothing like Lap 

 scenery ; in fact, the whole country by the side of 

 the Bothnia is flat, and the forests small. Fur- 

 ther in from the coast the forests are deeper, and 

 the timber heavier ; but it is not until one travels 

 many miles inland, and reaches the great dividing 

 fell range between Sweden and Norway, that the 

 traveller sees anything like real Lap scenery. 

 Sundswall seemed to be a pretty little town, and 

 does a brisk summer trade in timber. The 

 country round is little adapted for agriculture, 

 and they have to bring nearly all their provisions 

 from Stockholm. Living is consequently dear, 

 and the price of provisions increases the further 

 we come north. A drove of Laps had wandered 

 as far down as Sundswall in the winter, and 

 camped for some time with their reindeer close to 

 the town. In the afternoon we passed through 

 Hernosand, a clean, well-built little town, but we 

 pushed on twelve miles further, and at nightfall 

 reached a little place called "Wedga," situate on 



