Its
i.
kindness, and I felt myself much indebted to him
for his valuable assistance, in making arrangements
for a little journey I had in contemplation, to pay
a visit to the nearest station of the Laplanders, and
in procuring a guide, who was well acquainted with
the neighbouring mountains, as well as ivith the
haunts of this singular race of beings ; and also for
his attention to my wishes with regard to seeing the
great mine near Roraas, and the different ivorks
connected with it, on my return.
Having made all the requisite preparations for
my departure, in search of the Laplanders, I
started from Roraas on the 1st of July, on horseback,
leaving my carriole behind, as the road at a
short distance farther on was no longer practicable
for a wheel carriage. I took with me a small bag,
Muth a tarpaulin over it, in ivhich were my provisions,
and a few other necessary articles. My
servant accompanied us on the expedition, and I
could not help thinking how much ive resembled
Don Quixotte and Sancho Panza in our equipment.
I had arranged to go direct to the Laplanders, and
not to stop at the mine, in order that I might
pursue my journey to the Oresund Soe, or lake,
Avithout interruption. A carriage-road continues
as far as the mine, and there ceases, so that beyond
it we had only to look for a bridle road, and
scarcely cA-en that. In some places Ave found it
rough riding enough; the horses frequently sunk
np to the belly in mud, and snow Avas lying in
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large masses in the crevices close to the road-side—
permanent as it would appear—for wherever it Avas
accumulated in spots where the rays of the sun
never reached it, it Avas there hard frozen into a
mass of ice.
The country noAV began to Avear a desolate and
inhospitable appearance; and the spot Avliere the
principal mine Avas worked looked dreary and
barren in the extreme, as we saw it at a distance;
but I had been much struck Avith the firm and
vigorous step, and the stature of the men, along the
whole line of country hetAveen Roraas and the
mines : most of them Avere above the middle size,
and many Avere above six feet in height, Avell-
limbed, and apparently strong in proportion.
A little further on, some picturesque mountain
scenery began to present itself to our view. Behind
us, to our right, rose the rugged peaks of Saalloa
fi-eld, almost entirely enveloped in snoAV, as Avas
also the Kampan fi-eld, a bold mountain, at the
hack of Avhich rises the Rue Hammer, Adhere the
copper ore Avas first discovered about I avo hundred
years ago, and Avliere, as it Avould appear from the
account of the Frenchman’s narrative, (mentioned
in the Introductoi-y Chapter,) one mine, at least, in
this neighbourhood Avas Avorked in the year 1 6 /0 ,
noAv 164 years ago ; and, as it Avould appear, mucii
in the same manner as noAV; only then the great
wheel employed to draAA' up the ore a a u s turned by
men, Avhich is now turned by avafter.
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