The Coffin is usually made of the hollowed trunk of a tree, when they have not wherewithall to make a Coffin, as is common with them that dwell in the barren Mountains near _Norway_, they lay the corps of the deceased on a Carr or Sledge, which they call _Akia_, instead of a Coffin. The place of their Buriall in ancient times, before they turned Christians, was the first convenient place they met withall for that purpose, especially a Wood. As for them that dwell at a considerable distance from the Church at this day, they leave not off the custom of burying them any where where they first light, with the Sledge too, especially if there are only bare Rocks, and no Trees to be seen. Others on every side beset the Sledge with the corps too with stocks of Trees, both above and below, on each side, so as that it may not contract filthiness or moulder, nor the corps be torn in pieces, or devoured by wild Beasts. There are some besides that lay them in Caves, and stop up the mouths of them with stones. But what _Peucer_ writes that they dig a hole, and lay their dead bodies under their hearth, thereby to escape the hauntings of Ghosts, that is neither known nor heard of by the _Laplanders_: “Whereas saies he, they are strangely frightned and haunted with the Ghosts of their kindred after death, they provide against that by burying their bodies under their hearths: by this only remedy they guard and protect themselves against the hauntings and affrightments of Demons, this if they do, no ghosts afterwards appear; if they neglect to do it, they are perpetually interrupted and infested with the apparitions of their too officious kindred.” They are so far from burying the corps under the hearth that they rather remove them to as great a distance as they can, But it is a singular and memorable passage, that those especially who are less observant of Christian rites, do use to bury with their deceased, first an hatchet, and next a flint and steel, of which ceremony they give this account, that if they ever come to rise againe in that darkness they shall have great need of springing a light; to which the flint and steel may help them, as likewise there will be occasion for a ready way, wherein they may travell to Heaven, to which purpose their hatchet may stand them instead, them especially that are buried among thick Woods, that if any Trees obstruct their passage, they may cut them down. And this do they themselves at this day affirm, now they have heard of a last day, and a Resurrection of the dead. But I suppose it rather to be an ancient superstition remaining still in these Countries, nor used only by the _Laplanders_. I my self saw some few miles distant from _Upsal_, raked out of the Sepulcher of a famous person, the great Treasurer of this Kingdom, _M. Steno Bielke_, a steel and flint; which that it was a relique only of Paganism, not the place only, but Tomb over him did sufficiently testify. It is certain that it was the ancient persuasion