THROUGH LAPLAND. 
75 
Among the Laplanders of Kautokeino was one, as I have men¬ 
tioned, who bore the fpecious title of fchool-mailer. This appel¬ 
lation (truck me very much ; for I had conceived that I was in a 
place far removed from any fchool, or any inllitution for the pur- 
pofe of inflru<!?lion. The name of fchool-mafter was as great a 
fubjeil of pride to this Laplander, as a red or blue ribband may be 
to any one in the refined parts of Europe. He was, doubtlefs, as 
much gratified by the appellation of fchool-mailer, as any one in 
our flate of fociety may be by his rank of nobility, or other emi¬ 
nent diflindion. This fchool-mafter, both in his perfonal appear¬ 
ance and manners, was as complete a Laplander as his neighbours 
around him, except that from fome defective conformation of na¬ 
ture, there was fomething very fingular and ludicrous in his mode 
of walking, his feet being always turned out into what is called 
by dancing-mailers the firfl pofition. 
Having palled the frontiers of Lapland,* and continued fome 
time in Norway, he had learned the Danifh, or rather the Nor¬ 
wegian language : and his knowledge of this opened an employ¬ 
ment to him the molt fingular and droll in its nature of any that 
ever fell under my obfervation in any country. The pricfl, or 
minifler, being wholly unacquainted wdth the Lapponian tongue, 
cannot convey his fentiments to his audience, who know not any 
other. To remedy this inconvenience, the fchool-mafler takes his 
* Norwegian Lapland is named by the Danes and Norwegians Flnmark. I fliall 
Hill, however, call it Lapland, in order not to confound the inhabitants of this 
country with thofe of Finland; for both affume the appellation of Finlanders. 
L 2 flation 
