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Updated: May 9, 2025
Near the shore of Lake Rukojarvi was a solitary farm, where I stopped. In the morning Joseff, the owner of the farm, said to me: "Paulus, before you go further on your journey you must learn to go on skees; otherwise you will not be able to travel, for the snow is very deep further north. I will teach you how to use skees, but in order to learn you must remain with us for some time."
The forward end turns slightly upward, as you see by the pictures, so as to pass over the snow easily. Joseff left me, and soon came back with a good many more skees; some were not more than six feet long; one pair was much longer than mine.
"The tendency of a beginner," he explained, "is to bend backward, thinking that by doing so he will be able not to go so fast; this invariably brings about the same result, and he falls." After a good laugh from both of us, Joseff said: "Paulus, try again; but this time I will teach you to go down hill in another way."
Nothing is warmer than reindeer skin, and it is convenient either when the wearer is driving in his Lapp sleigh, walking or travelling on skees, or when breasting violent windstorms. I finally bade good-bye to Joseff, and thanked him for having taught me to go on skees. And I continued my journey northward, with a guide to show me the way.
Straightening his skees and armed with his staff he leaned his body forward, and down he went, faster than boys coasting down a very steep hill at home. It was fine, and I wished I could learn quickly and go down hill as fast as he did. When he had ascended the hill again, Joseff said to me: "Now, Paulus, get ready."
I was unskeed just like a man who is unhorsed, and was seated on the snow looking at my skees, which were going forward down the steep hill and only stopped at its base, to the great amusement of Joseff, who evidently expected something of the kind.
I wanted to learn as fast as I could, and I thought I would take lessons every day. When he returned the perspiration was dripping from his face, though the cold was 39 degrees below zero. I spent several hours every day on the lake, learning and practising, and when Joseff had time he would come with me; and after three days I was able to manage the skees tolerably well.
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