74 
LINNAEUS 
he was hospitably received by the Rector, Ola Gran, 
and his wife. They showed themselves solicitous for 
Linnaeus’s comfort, and tried to persuade him to stay 
with them until a greater number of Lapps should 
come to Lycksele, be interviewed by the traveller^and, 
by announcement from the pulpit, should themselves 
be informed of the nature and object of his journey. 
Without this, disaster might happen, as the Lapps 
were apt to shoot at anyone taking them by surprise; 
they had even put a gun to the priest’s wife’s chest, 
when she had on one occasion gone amongst them 
without warning. The following day, which was Whit 
Sunday, no Lapp came to church, because the pikes 
were spawning, these fish being their harvest. How¬ 
ever, many Lapps came a week later, otherwise they 
would have been fined fifteen shillings each, with 
enforced attendance at church on three Sundays. A 
further reason was given that the spring floods were 
imminent with consequent difficulties. 
Sunday service was attended in the church, which 
was built of wood, and was so “ wretched that when it 
rained the wet came in, and the benches being low, 
one had to sit in a cramped position.” After this, 
Linnaeus again started, Sorsele being his destination; 
and at first the journey was pursued without trouble. 
As happened repeatedly afterwards, our traveller 
recorded his dissatisfaction at the way in which the 
forests were treated. Damage ensued from neglect, 
so that instead of there being big forests of pine the 
trees were allowed to fall and rot, being prostrated 
by the storms, although some were certainly of good 
growth. He wondered why tar and pitch were not 
obtained from them, so that these forests might 
produce some return. 
The journey now became more difficult, and 
Linnaeus’s companion, a Swedish settler, had to go 
into the stream and drag the boat after him for miles 
together. It was therefore necessary to seek a Lapp 
who could help them. Several Lapp dwellings were 
