noife o f the water, the rapidity o f the current, which {hewed it-
fe lf at two openings, and by the apparent fragility o f the cruft of
ice which was to fupport us in the midft o f the ftream. W ith
exemplary difcretion we embraced the wife expedient (which
made our Finlandiih peafants laugh immoderately) o f creeping
upon our knees, paffing a hillock o f ice that obftrufted our way in
that humble pofture, and of Aiding on our feat to the oppofite fide,
where we joined our fledge, which waited our arrival. This ridiculous
fcene was highly entertaining,' and converted into mirth
the terror o f all our dangers.
Having croffed the river at this place, our guides informed us,
that we had no farther occafion for them, and that we might pur-
fue our journey without the fmalleft apprehenfion. T he y inftantly
left us without waiting for any fort o f recompence for their fer-
vices ; and when we called them back and offered them money,
they feemed aftoniihed that we ihould think o f rewarding them.
One o f them remained deaf to all our importunities, refufed our
money with firmnefs and dignity, and went away without it. Our
narrow minds, that are filled with notions o f what is called refinement,
are at a lofs to conceive how thofe people, who appear fo
poor and low in our eyes, merely becaufe they have not a coat cut
after the model o f our’s, ihould refufe money, and fubmit to o
much toil only for the pleafure o f being ufeful to others, and or
the. mfiftd fatisfadion o f doing good. . Such examples, but too
rare and too little known in the poliihed circles o f great towns, are
not fo in thofe places which are far removed from a metropolis,
H h 2 where