THROUGH LAPLAND. 
*3 
nity, cut off and infulated from all fociety for five months in the 
year, have neither priefl nor temple. They are feparated from 
Muonionifca by the many obflru&ions which we have defcribed 
in the former chapter, and from Kengis by a journey of three or 
four days, going and returning, the whole of the way of which is 
rendered difficult by catara&s of a moft painful and laborious 
afcent. Thefe people, accuflomed to live in the moft perfect foli- 
tude, having feldom an opportunity of feeing thofc who refide 
neareft to them, were aflonifhed when we made our appearance. 
The natives of Kollare diflike to encounter the cataracts, and con- 
fequently fubmit to the fatigue of attending the current of the 
river, only when they have fome fpecial reafon, which occurs but 
feldom. The colonifls fubfifl by the labour of their hands, and 
the fcanty produce of their fields. Their property in land extends 
fix miles around their dwelling; and lakes, rivers, fifhery, woods, 
and meadows are exclufively their own, within a circle whofe ra¬ 
dius is fix miles. Such extenfive property in land formed a link¬ 
ing contrail with the indigence of the pofTeffors. They had 
only four cows ; they fowed but one barrel of barley, which in 
good years produced them feven barrels, but fometimes did not 
return them even the feed. One year their harveft w r as fo very 
bad, that they mull have died of famine, but for a merchant of 
Tornea who paffed this way, and gave them a fupply. This hap¬ 
pened at the beginning of their colonial exiflence, when they had 
firfl come to fettle in this place. They were a couple of Fin- 
landifli families who had refided at Muonionifca ; but having no¬ 
thing 
