79r 



LAPLAND. 



CHATTER CXXIL LAPLAND. 



Reindeer and tiledrre. 



Lnptinid. i ni cclmg. 



\. Boundaries and Extent. Lapland is bounded north by the Arctic Ocean, east by the 

 White Sea, south by Sweden, and west by Norway and the Atlantic. It extends from G6° 

 to 7]^ N. lat., and from 15° to 40'° E. long., and contains about 130,000 square miles. 



2. JWountains, Lakes^ and Rivers. I^apland is not intersected by very high mountains ; and 

 is crowned only on its western frontier by a mountainous chain, that forms the extremity of the 

 Scandinavian Alps. The river 7'ornea springs from the lake of the same name, and, after a 

 course of 300 miles, falls into the Gulf of Bothnia. The 7 ana and Mien fall into the Frozen 

 <Jcean. The lakes in Lapland are numerous ; the Great Lake., Tornca, Luha, and Enara, 

 are distinguished for their romantic scenery. 



3. Climate. In point of temperature, Lapland may be divided into two regions, the mland 

 and the maritime. In the former, the winter is very severe, and the summer very hot. In 

 the latter, the winter is comparatively mild, and the summer cold. During the summer sol- 

 stice, when the sun con- 



=^ ^ - - - -r^ tinues for weeks together 



below the horizon, there 

 is only a twilight of a few 

 hours, instead of a clear 

 daylight. These dreary 

 nights are, however, in 

 some degree, compensa- 

 ted by the aurora borea- 

 lis, which gleams here 

 with uncommon splen- 

 dor. 



4. Soil. The soil is 

 generally sterile. The 

 greater part of the coun- 

 try is covered with rocks, 

 peats, or moss, and grav- 

 elly plains. There are a 

 few tracts tolerably good 

 in the southern parts. 

 The trees are the fir, 

 birch, larch, and small beech, which form vast, but not very thick, forests. 



5. Vegetable Productions. Even these dreary regions, though strongly contrasted with 

 more favored climes, has its useful products. The spruce and Scotch firs cease to thrive 

 at about 7C'°, the aspen and the bird cherry reach somewhat furdier, and the birch and 

 mountain ash to yet higher latitudes. Beyond, the dwarf willow and birch, no longer trees, 

 but shrubs, of 5 or G feet liich, bravo the rigors of the frigid zone. The Iceland moss {Lichen 



1 



Aurora Borealis. 



