5 00 
TRAVELS 
ten ? We were informed that the North Cape was diftant from 
Alten thirteen Norwegian miles; that is, above a hundred miles 
Engliffi ; that it was impoffible to get there by land, and that 
the only way was to go by fea. The whole of this peninfula they 
deferibed as one continuation of mountains, interfered by lakes-, 
rivers, and impenetrable moralfes, which would intercept our pro- 
grefs at every flop. They allured us, that admitting the poffibir- 
lity of overcoming thofe obftacles, we co uld not poffibly reach the 
North Cape by that way in lefs time than a fortnight. A journey 
to the North Cape, they faid, had never been undertaken by any 
one in fummer, on account of its great length and the almoll in- 
fuperable difficulty of accompliffiing it: and as we were limited 
in refpedt of time, and had a great diftance to go back to Tor- 
nea, we might be too late in the feafon for doing fo. If we were 
overtaken by the bad weather, we ffiould not be able to return 
till winter had fairly fet in, fo that we might travel in Hedges. 
After weighing all circumftances, we determined to proceed to 
the North Cape by water; and we propofed, when we ffiould be 
about half way to make fome excurfions into the peninfula. 
The third day of our Hay at Alten, the merchant procured us 
four men, and an open boat with four oars. One of thefe men 
had doubled the Cape before, and confequently was acquainted 
with the courfe to be taken. The other three were very good 
feamen, and had been on thofe coafts on the bufinefs of fiffiing. 
One of them, who adted as pilot, fpoke the Norfe, or Norwegian 
language ; the other three that of Finland and Lapland, It pra- 
. , mifecl 
