THROUGH LAPLAND. 
27 
thing in the world, except in fo far as they amufed the intellect, 
and ferved to banifh the liftleffnefs of human life. 
As we fell down the river we were prefented with fcenery alto¬ 
gether different from what we had feen in afcending it. One part 
of our plan ftill remained to be accomplifhed, I mean that of tra¬ 
veling the mountains in queft of the Laplanders and their rein¬ 
deer ; but we were fo extremely fatigued, that it was deemed 
more wife to return to Muonionifca. We had. made a tour of 
thirty-fix miles in the fpace of twenty hours, almoft without halt¬ 
ing. The heat of the weather w 7 as exceffive: Celfius’s thermo¬ 
meter at noon rofe in the fhade to 27 degrees; and the gnats tor¬ 
mented us incelfantly. Upon our arrival at Muonionifca, w r e 
refumed our ufual occupations ; and having enjoyed a little repofe, 
we began to prepare for our departure. 
Our abode at this place made fome addition to our collection 
of natural hiftory. We obtained, among other things, feveral fpe- 
cimens of the motacilla Juecica, with their eggs and neft. We got 
alfo a magnificent larus , which a Laplander killed on one of the 
neighbouring lakes. It turned out to be the larus glaucus of Lin¬ 
naeus. Befides this w T e collected a confiderable quantity of plants 
and infeCts. 
CHAPTER 
