66 
TRAVELS 
not without much trouble that our interpreter fueceeded in quiet¬ 
ing their fears. 
Among the Laplanders there was one whom they honoured 
with the title of fchool-mafter. This appellation gave me a high 
idea of Kautokeino; and I expe&ed to meet with another parfon, 
like the one of Muonionifca, who fhould come to tafte our brandy, 
and fpeak a little Latin, mixed with the Lapponic: but the mi- 
nifter of Kautokeino happened at this time to be abfent. He had 
gone, I underftood, into Norway, to tarry fome time with his re¬ 
lations. The miniflers, or miffionaries, do not ufually remain in 
Lapland during the fummer months. We took pofCeffion of the 
prieft’s houfe, or rather chamber, for it confifted only of one apart¬ 
ment. Being thus lodged, and fomewhat recovered from our fa¬ 
tigues, we were in a condition better qualified to become ac¬ 
quainted with the village of Kautokeino, where we recognifed 
ourfelves as fubjedt to the laws of Denmark. 
The firft thing we did was to pay our Lapland attendants. But 
before we gave them their difmiffion, we were determined to 
make an experiment of their talents in another fpecies of know¬ 
ledge than any in which we had yet tried them. We defired to 
hear them fing, being anxious to have a fpecimen of their fkill in 
mufic. I attempted feveral times, both by the power of money 
and of brandy, to make the paftoral Laplander utter his notes, 
that 1 might form to myfelf, if poffible, fome idea of their mufic : 
but the utmofl I could accomplifh was to extort from them fome 
hideous cries, during the continuance of which I was fometimes 
obliged 
