THE IlEIN-DEER. 
143 
was dragged in tliis manner for a consideralde dis- 
tance, reclining on my right aide, and ploughing up 
the snow, which formed a cloud around me, from 
the quick motion of the vehicle. To render my si- 
tuation more helpless, on losing my balance I had 
lost also the rein ; and though I saw it dancing m 
the snow within an inch of my hands, I was unable, 
from the position I lay in, to recover it. Notwith- 
standing the great increase of the weight, the deer 
relaxed but little of his speed, making greater exer- 
tions the more he felt the impediment. The depth 
of the snow, however, in parts, exhausted the animal, 
and he at length stopped for an instant, breathless, 
and turned round to gaze upon his unfortunate mas- 
ter. I began to fear I was now going to receive 
some punishment for my awkwardness; but after 
resting a moment, he again proceeded. In the mean 
time, 1 had been enabled to recover the rein, as we 
as to place myself once more in an upright posture, 
and we continued our way at increased speed. 
This accident, however, threw our traveller be- 
hind, and he did not overtake the party until a halt 
had been called to collect the stragglers, and we find 
them now upon the banks of the Aiby El v a stream 
which was still open in the centre, and which they 
were obliged to cross. This was managed as lol- 
The Laplanders, to whom these obstacles are 
trifles, prepared without hesitation to leap each deer 
with its driver and sledge over together. This seemed 
