Book 2 The Land of Mockery Chapter 30

On arrival, he learned that a vessel bound for the North Cape had left on the previous day--there would not be another for a fortnight. Cursing his ill-luck, he resolved to reach the Altenfjord by land, and began to make arrangements accordingly. Those who knew the country well endeavored to dissuade him from this desperate project--the further north, the greater danger, they told him,--moreover, the weather was, even for Norway, exceptionally trying. Snow lay heavily over all the country he would have to traverse--the only means of conveyance was by carriole or pulkha--the latter a sort of sledge used by the Laplanders, made in the form of a boat, and generally drawn by reindeer. The capabilities of the carriole would be exhausted as soon as the snow-covered regions were reached--and to manage a pulkha successfully, required special skill of no ordinary kind. But the courageous little Britta made short work of all these difficulties--she could drive a pulkha,--she knew how to manage reindeer,--she entertained not the slightest doubt of being able to overcome all the obstacles on the way. At the same time, she frankly told Sir Philip that the journey would be a long one, perhaps occupying several days--that they would have to rest at different farms or stations on the road, and put up with hard fare--that the cold would be intense,--that often they would find it difficult to get relays of the required reindeer,--and that it might perhaps be wiser to wait for the next boat going to the North Cape.