On a sand-hill near the church at Tornea, grew, in great abundance, _Gramen spicâ triticeâ maritimum_, (_Triticum radice repente_, _foliis rigidis_; _Fl. Lapp. n._ 34, which, in the second edition of that work, p. 23, I have, by the persuasion of my intelligent friend Dr. Afzelius, referred to _Elymus arenarius_, and what Linnæus here says, confirms this determination.) Its blue leaves looked quite different from all others, and very handsome. I picked some seeds from the spikes, which were as large as grains of rye. Hence I was induced to consider whether this plant might not serve as a kind of corn, to be cultivated on such dry and blowing sands, provided the proper method of managing it could be discovered, which surely would not be a very difficult task. The advantage of this would be that, by such means, many sandy tracts, where nothing else will grow, might be turned to advantage; and the perennial roots, which no other corn has, would of course save the trouble of sowing it annually. Perhaps even these roots themselves might, in hard times, serve for food. The tall Finlander Daniel Cajanus, at Stockholm, born in this part of East Bothland, was the son of a clergyman. At his birth he was no bigger than the generality of children, and his health was very indifferent, particularly with regard to his chest, till the age of twelve or fifteen years. I was informed that the inhabitants of this neighbourhood often hear thunder in the alps during winter. In the alps of Tornea cold is brought by a south wind, and mild weather comes from the north, because of the sea. The Laplanders consult several natural objects by way of compass as they travel. 1. Large Pine-trees, which bear more copious branches on their southern side than towards the north. 2. Ant-hills, the south sides of which bear grass, the northern whortle-berries. 3. Aspen trees, whose bark is rough on the north side, smooth on the opposite part. 4. Old withered Pines are clothed, on the north side, with the black _Usnea_, or filamentous _Lichen_ (_L. jubatus_). By such marks as these they are able to find their way through pathless forests. Have we any guides so certain? When these people kill any wild reindeer with fire-arms in summer, they lodge the carcase in a cold cellar, and cut it up as they want it for provision. I observed a curious kind of lime-stone burnt at Kimi, Tornea, and other places round the neighbouring sea-coast. _August 14._ A very rainy day. A silver ore from Hjortot has been assayed by the Mineral Board, and found to contain forty _per cent._ lead, but only three or four of silver. _August 15._