Lachesis Lapponica; Or, A Tour in Lapland, Volume 1Linné, Carl von
History
Lachesis Lapponica; Or, A Tour in Lapland, Volume 1
Linné, Carl von
Lapland -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Lapland
I observed the Red Whortle-berries (_Vaccinium Vitis Idæa_) were here of
a larger size than in the country lower down; but Juniper on the
contrary was very diminutive, and grew mostly in fens or watery places.
The Crake berries (_Empetrum nigrum_) were as large as the Black
Bilberry. Close to a waterfall in Juita Rotogviek or Rootforsen, in a
marsh on the right hand, I found Herb Paris (_Paris quadrifolia_),
_Aconitum lycoctonum_ and _Thalictrum_ (_flavum_). But what most
surprised and pleased me was the little round-leaved Yellow Violet, with
a branched stem, and narrow, smooth, not bearded, petals, described by
Morison, which had not before been observed in Sweden (_Viola biflora_).
Several kinds of Willows grew every where near the water, but had not
yet displayed their leaves.
I came to a hut, consisting of eighteen posts, covered with _walmal_, or
coarse cloth, ten feet long and eight broad. Also some winter huts, the
poles of which the Laplanders remove with them from place to place. Each
hut is formed with three poles, forked at the top. Under the shelter of
these huts or tents were suspended dried fish, cheese, clothes, pots and
various utensils. There were neither walls nor doors, consequently no
locks to protect them.
At length meeting with a very long shelvy contraction in the river, we
were obliged to quit our boat, and go by land in search of a Laplander
to serve as my guide further on, whom we expected to find at a place a
mile distant. But it appeared to me full a mile and half, over hills and
valleys, rivulets and stones. The hills were clad with Ling and with
_Empetrum_, which entangled our feet at every step; not to mention the
trees lying in all directions in our way, and over which we were obliged
to climb. The marshy spots were not less difficult to pass over. The
Bog-moss (_Sphagnum_) afforded but a treacherous support for our feet,
and the Dwarf Birch (_Betula nana_) entangled our legs.
I could not help remarking that all the fibres of the full-grown pine
trees seemed to be obliquely twisted, and in a contrary direction to
the diurnal motion of the sun. I leave this to the consideration of the
curious physiologist; whether it may arise from any thing in the soil or
air, or from any polar attraction[31].
[31] It may seem presumptuous to attempt the solution of a question
which Linnæus has thus left in the dark; but perhaps the almost
continual action of the prevailing strong winds, such as he
describes in many parts of his journal, may give a twist to the
fibres of these pines during their growth.
Some of these pines bore tufted or fasciculated branches near their
summits, like those before mentioned, _p. 7_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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