388 A SPEING AND SUMMER IN LAPLAND. 



mile. We had no difficulty in getting either boat 

 or bearers, and everybody was very civil to us. 

 At one place one of our bearers was a woman, 

 and she stumped away manfully under her burthen 

 for about two Swedish miles. It was rather unfor- 

 tunate for us that it was just the time at which 

 school was opening at Lulea ; and at every place 

 we stopped we were requested either to take a boy 

 down in our boat ("Oh! he don't weigh anything"), 

 or a trunk or portmanteau ("which would not 

 take any room"). I had already saddled myself 

 with the charge of one lad — the priest's son at 

 Quickiock ; and, if I had wished it, I could have 

 had the honour of bringing into Lulea three or four 

 more. I never was able to practise thoroughly the 

 Roman matron's lesson to her son, " My child, 

 learn to say nay !" and I am certain I can trace 

 half my troubles in life to the sole circumstance 

 of not bearing in mind old Johnson's motto, that " a 

 good-natured man is next to a fool." However, I 

 always try, if I can, to help a fellow creature, and 

 as this is a poor country, they are glad to catch at 

 any chance to save a penny. The weather was 

 delightful during our whole journey, and scarcely 

 an accident happened on the road worth recording. 

 Only once were we in a little danger. We came 

 to a small wood-lake about two English miles 

 across. The boats on the river were excellent, 



