We experienced additional pleafure every time the fiihermen
returned from their labour. Joy feemcd to brighten up their
countenances; their approach was announced to us long before
we faw them, by the flocks of fea fwallows (Jierna hirundo, L in.)
which hovered in the air, feeming, by their cries, to welcome their
arrival on the Ihore. Thefe birds feed on the finali filhes, which
the fiihermen call out to them, or leave in the boats when they
clear out their nets. There appealed to be an agreement and un-
derftanding betwixt the men and thefe birds, which depend upon
the fifliery for fubfiffence and fupport during this feafon. They .
came duly at the fame hour in the morning, as if to inform the
fiihermen it was time to begin their, work ; and the latter needed
no other regulator. The birds fet off with the boats,' and ferved
the fiihers as guides in the p'rofecution of their calling, by hovering
over thofe parts of the lake where the filh were colleéted in the
largeft ihoals. The fight of thefe birds is particularly keen,, fo
th a t when the fiihermen heard their cries, and faw them plunging
into the water, they knew thofe were the moll proper places to
caff their nets in with a probability of fuccefs ; and herein they
wxre fure not to be deceived, but, on the contrary, never failed to
take thè moil filh where they were direéled by the birds. The
fiihermen had fuch an attachment to thefe fwallows, th a t they ex-
preffed much uneafinels whenever we feemed defirous to take
fome of them by way of fpecimens. The birds were become fo
tame and familiar, that, they would feize the fmall filh in the
nets, and even in the boats, in the prefence of the fiihermen ;
and
and they were fo nimble in their flight, that if a filh was thrown
up into (;he air, they would dart down upon it, and catch it in its
delcent before it reached the water. As the fiihermen appeared
to be apprehenfive that they would leave them if a gun was to be
fired'off, I made a trial of taking them by means of a hook and
line. Accordingly I contrived to bury a hook in the body of a
filh, and holding the other end of the firing, to throw the bait at
ibme diftance from m e : but this contrivance was attended with
no fucceis ; for fuch is their keennefs of fight, that they difcovered
the device, and though they feized the fiih, they would not gorge
it when they found it was made fall to a firing.
I t has been already mentioned that we remained three days on
this ifland; and we made this Hay in order to prepare and take
proper meafures for purfuing our journey. Every thing depended
on the chance o f meeting with wandering Laplanders, who m ight
aflift us to crols the mountains with their rein-deer, and Ihew us
the paffages through which we might continue our route. In
order to afcertain the probability of this, we fent forward one of
the fifliermen from off the ifland to engage any he might meet
with, and appoint a place where we might join them. Our envoy
had full power to treat, and make them fuch propolals as he ihould
judge would be accepted. He let off, and promiled to be back
in four and twenty hours. On the lecond day after his departure
we became unealy; but when the third day paffed without his
returning, the fiihermen, his comrades, grew alarmed, and were
a t alofs to account for this delay. Alone as he was, and .crofling
, Vol. II. G an