io6 
TRAVELS 
conduced us to the (lore, which was a little wooden box, or fhed, 
raifed upon beams to a certain height from the ground, that the 
provifions it contained might not be damaged by the humidity 
of the fnow in winter. We were aftonifhed at the quantity of 
things this good and provident woman had in her magazine. 
There was great plenty of dried fifh, and dried rein-deer flefh, 
cheefe, and tongues of the rein-deer, oatmeal, rein-deer fkins, 
fur and woollen cloths, and other articles. Every thing befpoke 
riches and comfort; and, what W'as moft remarkable, our kind 
hoflefs gave us w hatever we wanted in the mold liberal manner, 
and without the leaft idea of receiving aught in return ; on the 
contrary, fhe perfifled in refufmg to accept any money when we 
offered it. I have feen very few places where the people live in 
fo eafy and happy a fimplicity as in the maritime diflridts of Lap- 
land. Their huts are dark and narrow, and they have neither 
bedfdeads, chairs, nor tables ; for they fleep and fit more com¬ 
fortably on the ground, and their houfes are as convenient as they 
need be for their occupations and different purfuits. Their local 
fituation has, at leafl in fummer, a cheerful and fmiling afpedt, 
being placed near the fea, and at the foot or on the fides of moun¬ 
tains, where the bountiful hand of nature has given them rich 
paftures that want no cultivation ; and what is moil valuable, the 
ground on which they tread, and the foil which yields them fuf- 
tenance, they call their own, and acknowledge no landlord over 
it. There is no mafter to trouble them, or to infpire them with 
any fear or apprehenfion : the only fevere influence they have ta 
dread, arifes now and then from the rapacity of merchants. 
