General and miscellaneous observations on Lapland

cerbi's travels were based on the tradition of the educated classes to send young men abroad under the guidance of an older teacher to acquaint themselves with foreign countries and ways of life. This tradition began as early as in the 17th century. Acerbi worked as a teacher for Bernardo Bellotti on the journey to the North Cape. Acerbi himself regarded the journey as a natural scientific expedition. Also the way Acerbi was equipped for the journey tells of his strong inclination to natural sciences.

Acerbi also took a keen interest in music and poetry. He recorded compositions and poems he heard on his travels in his journals and made sketches for ethnographic drawings on local objects and things, ways of life and people.

Part of the journey Acerbi was accompanied by persons who were highly merited natural scientists. In Oulu Acerbi's party was joined by two men: apothecary Johan Julin as a specialist on botany and meteorology and doctor Deutsch as a specialist on entomology. Vicar Castrén from Kemi accompanied as far as Ylitornio. Acerbi praised Castrén for the plant he had discovered, the calypso. Castrén joined the party with the object of discovering new plants. From Köngäs on Acerbi himself was the only person who counted as a natural scientists.

drawing: Giuseppe Acerbi

Observations on nature | Music and poetry | Observations on ways of life
Route | Scientific interests | Pictures from travels | On Acerbi's footsteps
Travellers in Lapland