therefore, to baron Grundell, governor of Umoea, for a passport to the nearer parts of Lapland, which was immediately granted. This gentleman showed the greatest readiness to befriend me, and appeared to take much interest in the success of my undertaking. He gave such orders as might cause the public officers in Lapland to lay no obstacles in my way, but rather to assist me by every means in their power. He himself gave me much curious information, and showed me his own garden, that I might observe what plants would stand the winter here: concluding by expressing, in the most flattering terms, his approbation of my appointment.
May 25.
The following morning I set out on my way towards Lapmark. Leaving the highway, I came to one of the most unpleasant roads I ever travelled. It was covered with stones, betwixt which were thick en
tangled roots of trees, and among them were deep holes full of water. The whole ground was a marsh, which the frost was at this time just about quitting. Large pine-trees, that had been blown down in the course of the stormy winter, frequently crossed my path; and the more flexible birches, weighed down by the snow, interrupted my course on all sides. I frequently came to such steep heathy places that my horse could scarcely climb or descend them, and in the bottoms between them were marshy tracts, with rivulets destitute of bridges, so that my beast slipped down several times; and as I passed the streams, the water reached up to my saddle. I then regretted, what I had in the former part of my journey so much detested, travelling on the high-way on these stumbling horses, and would rather have descended the steepest hill in Angermannia than have chosen the present road, for at every step the horse took, I thought he would have fallen.
In the evening of
May 28,
however, I arrived at Genom, the last village in Westbothland, seven miles from the great road which leads westward from Umoea. Not having reposed since I left the place last mentioned, I slept here all night.
May 29.
The next morning I proceeded in a boat up the river of Umoea as far as Lycksele church, which is the first in Umoean Lapmark, and situated five miles distant from Grano. This was Whitsun-eve.