Such of the Laplanders as inhabit the forests go to the alps at midsummer and return about St. Laurence's day (August 10th); and the mountain Laplanders descend into the lower country between the first of November and Christmas, and go back again about Lady-day. All kinds of clothing made of skins are sewed with sinews of animals, as before described; but those of walmal cloth, with hempen thread purchased from the neighbouring countries. _July 28._ To-day I found the _Pseudo-helleborine_; (possibly _Cypripedium Calceolus_, not before mentioned in this journal.) All the little rills and rivulets hereabouts produced a _Potamogeton_, which I was doubtful whether to distinguish from the common kind, as it varies excessively in appearance, but the leaves are more grassy. (_P. gramineum_, as appears from the _Flora Lapponica_, yet nothing can be less like the "common kind," if by the latter be meant the _natans_, which, with the _perfoliatum_ and _gramineum_, compose the catalogue of species in _Fl. Lapp._) Hereabouts grew the _Juncus_ with three seeds (_capsules_) at the top of the stem, which also I observed to be sometimes reflexed. (_J. triglumis_; see _Fl. Lapp._ ed. 2. 90.) Several days ago the forests had been set on fire by lightning, and the flames raged at this time with great violence, owing to the drought of the season. In many different places, perhaps in nine or ten that came under my notice, the devastation extended several miles' distance. I traversed a space three quarters of a mile in extent which was entirely burnt, so that Flora, instead of appearing in her gay and verdant attire, was in deep sable, a spectacle more abhorrent to my feelings than to see her clad in the white livery of winter, for this, though it destroys the herbage, leaves the roots in safety, which the fire does not. The fire was nearly extinguished in most of the spots we visited, except in ant-hills, and dry trunks of trees. After we had travelled about half a quarter of a mile across one of these scenes of desolation, the wind began to blow with rather more force than it had done, upon which a sudden noise arose in the half-burnt forest, such as I can only compare to what may be imagined among a large army attacked by an enemy. We knew not whither to turn our steps. The smoke would not suffer us to remain where we were, nor durst we turn back. It seemed best to hasten forward, in hopes of speedily reaching the outskirts of the wood; but in this we were disappointed. We ran as fast as we could, in order to avoid being crushed by the falling trees, some of which threatened us every minute. Sometimes the fall of a huge trunk was so sudden, that we stood aghast, not knowing whither to turn to escape destruction, and throwing ourselves entirely on the protection of Providence. In one instance a large tree fell exactly between me and my guide, who walked not more than a fathom from me, but, thanks to God! we both escaped in safety.