4 
TRAVELS 
large drops, and with fuch violence, that we began to fear it would 
fill the boat. I had not feen fo copious a fhower fince I left Italy, 
nor did I think it ufual in this high latitude. The rain was fo 
round, and the drops fo large, that we loft fight of the furround¬ 
ing objects, infomuch that our view was confined to the diftancc 
of eight or ten feet all around us. This was the firft and only 
time we heard any thunder in our travels towards the North. 
Our tent hitherto had only been an encumbrance to us, but the 
period was approaching when we fhould find its ufe. In the pro- 
grefs of our navigation as far as Kollare, we encountered many ca¬ 
taracts, but we became fo accuftomed to them, that what at firft 
was a caufe of terror, became at length an objeCt of amufement. 
Once it happened that we got aground upon a rock in the middle 
of the river. Our Finlanders pufhed the boat on a large round 
ftone, fo that it hung on its furface, while we remained fufpended 
by our own equilibrium. Inftead of trembling at this fingular 
fituation, in which we could not continue a moment without im¬ 
minent danger of falling into the water, it excited in us an im¬ 
moderate fit of laughter; a circumflance which feemed greatly 
to furprife and divert our boatmen. 
The village of Kollare is inhabited by Finlandifh peafants, w'ho 
feem to be very much at-their eafe. The young woman we met 
at Kengis was come home, and had prepared for us beds, excel¬ 
lent milk, butter, and meat of the rein-deer in abundance. She 
was in the houfe with her mother and a girl of the neighbourhood; 
the male part of the family were gone a fifliing. This young per- 
fon 
