he made to dance in the air, by alarming his fears, added new
wings to his flight. When he had fled to a confiderable diftance
from us, he appeared from time to time as a dark ipot which continued
to diminilh in the air, and at laft totally vanilhed from
our light. Then it was that we recognized the prudence o f haring
in our party fome fpare horfes, and we were fully fenfible o f
the danger that mull attend a journey acrofs the gulf o f Bothnia
without fuch a precaution. T he peafant, who was the owner
o f the fugitive, taking one o f the fledges, went in fearch o f
him, trying to find him again by following the traces o f his flight.
As for ourfelves, we made the belt o f our way to the ifles of
Aland, keeping as nearly as we could in the middle o f the fame
plain, ftill being repeatedly overturned, and always in danger o f
lofing one or other o f our horfes; which would have occafioned
a very ferious embarrafiment. During the whole o f this journey
we did not meet with, on the iee,, lo much as one man, beaft,
bird, or any living creature. Thofe vaft iblitudes prefent a defert
abandoned as it were by nature. The dead lilence that reigns
is interrupted only by the whiffling of the winds againft the prominent
points o f ice, and fometimes hy the loud crackings o.cca-
lioned by their being irrefiftibly torn from this frozen expanfe U
pieces thus forcibly broken off are frequently blown to a confiderable
diftance. Through the rents produced by thefe ruptures,
you may lee below the watery abyis ; and it is fometimes necef-
lary to lay planks acrofs them, by way o f bridges, for the fledges
to pals over.
The
T h e only animals that inhabit thofe deferts, and find them an
agreeable abode, are fea-calves or feals. In the cavities o f the ice
they depoftt the fruits o f their love, and teach their young ones
betimes to brave all the rigours o f the rudeft feafon. Their mothers
lay them down, all naked as they are brought forth, on the
ic e ; and their fathers take care to have an open hole in the ice
near them, for a fpeedy communication with the water. Into
thefe they plunge with their young, the moment they fee a hunter
approach; or at other times they defcend into them fpontaneoufiy
in fearch o f fifties, for fuftenance to themfelves and their offspring.
The'manner in which the male feals make thofe holes in the ice
is aftonifliing : neither their teeth nor their paws have any ihare
in this operation; but it is performed foiely by their breath. They
are often hunted by the peafants'of the ifles. When the iflanders
difcover one o f thofe animals, they take poll:, with guns and ftaves,
at fome diftance from him, behind a mafs o f iee, and wait till
the feal comes up from the water for the purpofe o f taking in
his quantum o f air. It fometimes happens, when the froft is extremely
keen, that the hole is frozen up almoft immediately after
the foal makes his appearance in the atmofphere ; in which cafe
the peafants fall on him with their fflcks, before he has time
with his breath to make a new aperture. In luch extremities the
animal difplays an incredible degree o f courage. W ith his formidable
teeth he bites the club with which he is aflaulted, and
even attempts to attack the perfons who ftrike him; but the
utmoft efforts and reflftance o f thefe creatures are not much
B b 2 dreaded,