Chapter VI: Part 6

They have two lathes something broad, but flexible, made of firr, of which for the most part Boxes are made, these lathes they joyn together at the top, putting the one end into a mortice made in the other end, and so make a kind of a circle, then by that part where they are joyned together they hang them on the Rain-deer, one on the right-side, the other on the left, and so againe by withes ty them under the beasts belly, that they may be the more steady. Now these are placed so to support their dorsers made of the same wood, bended into an oval figure much like a drum, if both ends were round. These dorsers at the bottom they draw together with twiggs of birch, placed in the form of a grate, and the tops of them they tye with thongs, or cords, which they loose as often as any thing is to be put in, or taken out; and least any thing should fall out, they cover these dorsers all over with bark of birch, or some skins. These dorsers they hang by ropes or thongs to the tops of the forementioned lathes, which they call _Tobbii_; so that they may hang down on both sides the Rain-deer, the tops being outward, and the bottoms turned inward toward the belly of the beast. And thus they load their Rain-deers, not only with their goods and houshold stuff, but also with their Infants, which cannot walk themselves. For on one side of the Rain-deer they often hang their cradles, and children in them, of which I will speak hereafter. Now in these journeys they have a certain order which no one without cause ought to disturb; for in the first place marches the Master of the Family, having some Rain-deers after him, loaded after the foresaid manner, afterwards follows his wife in like manner; then the whole herd of Rain-deers, which his Children and Servants drive softly on. Last of all brings up the rear, he that carries the Drum. Now these pack-Rain-deers they do not use to drive yoked or joyned together, but in a long line one after another, that which follows being alwaies tied to the pannels of that which went before, and the _Laplander_ leading the foremost by a rope tied about his neck, and so they march on till they come to the place intended, where they set up their sheds again, and remain for some weeks, which are to them instead of houses. But now there is some difference in the sheds of the _Laplanders_ that live in the mountains, and are called _Fiællapper_, and those that live in the Woods, who are called _Graan Lapper_; for the one coming to the same place but once in a year, doth not build this shed of so durable stuff as the other: the former, when he departs, almost destroying his habitation, and the latter leaving it standing. The former build their sheds thus, first, at four corners they erect four posts, upon the tops of which they place three rafters, so that there shall be one on each side, and one behind, but none cross the formost posts; upon these rafters they afterwards place long poles, so that with their tops they may lean upon, and support one another, whereby the whole form seems to be like a quadrilaterall house, which ascending like a Pyramide, is narrower at top, and broader at bottom. These poles so placed they cover with course woollen cloth, which we before called _Waldmar_; but the richer sort over this woollen cloth place linnen also, by both which they may be the better defended from rain and storms. These are the sheds of the _Laplanders_ that dwell in the mountains, for the most part made of clothes, &c. which when they leave any place they take with them, and erect in another. But your _Graanlapper_, or _Wood-Laplanders_, make their sheds for the most part of board and posts, that at the top meet in a Cone, which they cover with the boughs of Firr and Pine-trees, or else with the bark of those trees, and sometimes with turff. That they covered them with the barks of trees, _Herberstenius_ witnesseth; _Andræas Buræus_ saies that those barks were of birch trees, to whom also assents _Olaus Petri_, who only adds, that they did a long time boil those barks to make them more flexible. _Olaus Magnus_, Lib. 4. Cap. 3. adds also skins, and these were the houses _Lomenius Comes_ saw, and describes in his Itinerary to be made of long poles and barks of trees. _Sam. Rheen_ describes the tents of the _Wood-Laplanders_ to be made of boards with six sides or walls, covered with boughs of Firr, or Pine-trees, sometimes with the barks, and sometimes only with turffs. _Wexionius_ increases the number of sides, and saies that they were octogons, somewhat broader towards the bottom, and five ells high, and especially those tents of the _Kimenses_. _Olaus Petri_ tells us the same of the _Pithenses_. Now these Tents they do not pull down or carry with them, but leave them in the same place, only when they come again they add new boughs, &c. where they were decayed, and to fit them for their use. Besides these two sorts of Tents, _Olaus Magnus_ reckons up another, for in this, Lib. 4. Cap. 2. he saies part of them place their Tents in trees that grow in a square figure, least in the fenny Countries they should be choaked with the great snows, or devoured by the wild beasts, which come together in great troops. What he means by trees that grow in a square figure I cannot tell, but I suppose he intends only that they did use to erect their Tents between 4 trees which grew so, that each of them might be the corner prop, of the four square shed, but this sort is to us quite unknow. _Tacitus_ saies the _Fenni_ used to dwell among a company of boughs, and perhaps that gave occasion to our Author to talk thus. He hath also got a 4^{th} sort which he could have no where else but from _Zieglerus_, for _Zieglerus_ had called them _Amaxobios_, from whence _Olaus Magnus_ saies they dwelt in Waines and Carts; and therefore _Olaus_ induced by this word of _Zieglerus_, thought the _Laplanders_ had bin such. But this is quite false, for Waggons and Carts were utterly unknown to the _Laplanders_, for whom it was impossible to use them, by reason of the slipperiness of the Ice, and depth of their snows. Neither was it indeed in that sense that _Zieglerus_ calls them _Amaxiobios_, but because they wandred up and down like the _Amaxobii_, who are a known Nation of the _Scythians_. There remains therefore only these two sorts of sheds, which I have mentioned, for the 5^{th}, which _Paulus Jovius_ reckons, was either upon sudden occasions, or used only by those that were under the dominion of the _Moscovites_: the words of this Author are, “These People lie in caves filled with dried leaves, or in trunks of trees made hollow either by fire or age.” But in both our forementioned sorts, things are so ordered that every Tent had two doors, one, a foredoor, and the other, a backward; the former bigger and more ordinarily used, the latter less, through which they use to bring in their provisions, and especially the prey they took in hunting, also Birds, Beasts, Fishes, which it was unlawfull for to bring in at the foredoor. These are the two doors with the use of both, especially the back-door, through which it was unlawfull for any woman to pass, because, as I said before, women were forbidden to go into the back part of the Tent, the reason of which I think to be partly this, because in that part they placed _Thor_ and sacrificed to him, and partly this, because it was esteemed an ill omen for a hunter to meet a woman. And hither may we refer what _Zieglerus_ saies of that door, that it was unlawfull for the Woman to go out of the door of the Tent that day her husband was gone a hunting, which cannot be understood of any door but the back-door, the use of which was not only that day but alwaies forbid women. The _Laplanders_ have no Chambers, but only certain spaces, which they determine and bound by loggs and posts laid along on the ground, of which we shall next speak. The whole space of ground within the Tent was so ordered, that in the middle there might be a hearth, surrounded with stones, in which there was a continual fire, except at midnight; behind the hearth, toward the back part of the tent, they place three loggs, with which they bound that space, of which we but now spoke. In the middle of this space is the little door, at which only men must enter, which they call _Posse_; right over against that is the common door, which they call _Ox_; but that space we told you was bounded with these three loggs, they call, _lops_; this place therefore is only proper to men, and it is unlawfull for any woman to pass those loggs, and go into it. _Sam. Rheen_ saies about the kettle hanging over the fire, they place the 3 blocks, upon which, with a hatchet, they divide their flesh, fish, or other things they intend to make ready. He saies here indeed the space is called _Posse_, but understands chiefly the space of the door, for that was properly called _Posse_; the other space being called _Lops_. The common door they used to make towards the South, and the other towards the North. The space on both sides, and the sides themselves they called _Loide_; here they made their bed chambers, the husband with his wife and children lying on one side, and the servants on the other. _Olaus Petri_ saies only the daughters lay on the side of the husband and wife, I believe, that their Parents might have them alwaies nigh them, and so take greater care to secure their honesty, whilst the sons in the mean time lay with the servants: but now the spaces that remain towards the doors they call _Kitta_, and are ordained for the use of the women, for in the space nigh the common door they are brought to bed. But that you may the better understand all this, I will here insert a description of the Area. A is the little door they call _posse_, B and C is called _lopps_, as is the place where the men lay up their hunting instruments. D and E are called _loide_, whereof one is the appartment of the Master of the Family and his wife, the other of the servants. F. G. is _kitta_, were the women are conversant. H. is the hearth, I. the door called _ox_; those three logs upon which they divide their flesh are the two that lay along towards I. and the 3^d crosswaies distinguishes from other parts the mens appartment, or _posse_.

The 3^d thing we are to note in these sheds, is that they strew their floors with branches of Birch trees, least by the rain they should be wetted, and they use no other kind of pavement; only upon the boughs, for cleanliness sake, they lay skins of Rain-deers, on which they sit and lie. And these are the dwelling houses of the _Laplanders_, besides which they have also Store-houses in which they keep their commodities, especially flesh, fish, and such other provisions; these they call _Nalla_, and make thus: they cut the upper part of a tree off, so that the body remain four or five ells from the ground high, upon this trunk they place two rafters in the figure of an X, or S^t _Andrews_ Cross, and upon these they build their repository, making a door to it, and covering it with boards. There is one thing peculiar to these Store-houses, which is, that the door is not in the side, but bottom of them, so that when the _Laplander_ is come down, the door falls too, like a trap-door, and all things are safe. To these they go up by ladders which they make of the trunks of trees, in which they cut great notches like stairs. Now the reason why they place them so high, is because of the Bears and other wild beasts, who oftentimes pull them down, and to the great dammage of the Master eat all his provision; they used also to cut off the bark of the tree, and anoint the stock, so that neither mice nor wild beasts could be able to climb up for slipperiness. And perhaps these are the houses _Olaus magnus_ meant, when he said, they placed their houses upon trees for fear of wild beasts. But that you may the better conceive these Store-houses also, I shall here give you the Figure of them.

CHAP. XVII.

_Of the Garments of the_ Laplanders.

Among the _Laplanders_ the men and women wear different kinds of Garments, which they alter according to the Weather, and place: for they wear one sort of clothes in the Winter, and another sort in the Summer, one kind at home, and another abroad. Let us first consider the Garments of the men: These in the Summer have trouses, or brougs, reaching down to their feet, close to their body, upon which they wear a gown, or rather a coat with sleeves, which comes down to the middle leg, which they tie fast with a girdle. And in this respect it was that _Zieglerus_ in his time wrote, that they used close Garments fitted to their body, least they should hinder their work. He calls them close because of their trouses, and fitted to their body because of their being girded. These they wear next their bare skin, without such linnen shirts as the _Europeans_ use, they having no flax in their Country. These Garments are of course home-spun woollen cloth called _Waldmar_, of a white or gray color, such as the wool is of before it is dyed. The wool they have from _Swedland_, and buy it of the Merchants called _Birkarli_, but the richer sort wear a finer cloth, and not of the same color, but sometimes green or blew, and sometimes red, only black they abominate. Tho sometimes in dirty works, and at home they wear the meanest clothes, yet abroad, and especially upon Festivals and Holydaies, they love to go very neat. Their girdles are made of leather, which the richer sort adorn with silver studs, and poorer with tin. These studs stick out like buttons in a semicircular figure. At this girdle they hang a knife and sheath, and a kind of square bag, tho something longer then broad, also a leathern purse, and then a case with needles and thred in it. Their knives they have from _Norway_, the sheath is of the skin of the Rain-deers, sewed together with tin wire, and in other parts with the same adornments, at the end of which they use to hang rings: the bag is also made of the skin of the Raindeers, with the hair on it, on the outside of which they also place another skin, equall to the bag, and make it fast by three knots, and this skin they cover again with red cloth or of some other color, adorned also with wire. In this bag they keep a stone to strike fire, not of flint, but christall, as I will shew hereafter. Also a steel, with some brimestone to light a fire where ever they come: as also Tobacco and other odd things. The leathern purse is also made of the same skin in an oval figure like a pear, in which they keep their mony, and other more choice things, and at this also they hang rings. Their needle case is of a peculiar sort, they have a single cloth with four sides, but the upper part is much narrower then the lower, so that it is like an oblong triangle cut off at the vertical angle, and to make it stronger they bind about the edges with leather, and so stick their needles into it, this they put into a bag of the same shape, adorned with red, or some other colored cloth, and wire, drawn together by a leathern string, by which they hang it to their girdle. Besides these, they have Alchymy chains, with a great company of rings of the same, these they hang about all their body, the bag they hang before, nigh their navel, all the rest they fling behind them. And these are the Garments and ornaments of the body: their head they cover with a cap, over which the richer sort wear a case of Fox, Beaver, or Badgers skin, they are very like our night-caps, it is made of red or other colored cloth, or of the Hares fur, first twisted into a thred, and then knit almost like our stockins; or lastly of the skin of the bird called _Loom_, with the feathers on it: sometimes they so order it, that keeping also the head and wings of the bird, they make not an unbecoming cover for the head. _Olaus Magnus_ in his 4. Book, Cap. 3. saies they make their caps of the skins of Geese, Ducks, Cocks, which, as well as other birds, are there in great abundance. But he doth not here mean common Cocks, but the _Urogalli_, or Heath-Cocks; however he gives us the picture in his 17 Book, Cap. 26. They have ordinary gloves, but shoes of a peculiar make, they are made of the skin of the Rain-deer with the hair on, out of one piece, only where they tread they sew both ends together, so that the haires of one part may lie forward, and the other backward, least if they lay all one way they should be too slippery: but neither is there any more leather on the bottom then on other parts, as it is in our shoes, only there is a hole at the top in which they put in their feet: the toe bends upwards, and ends as it were in a point. Upon the seame they place some narrow pieces of red, or other colored cloth: these shoes they wear on their bare feet, and bind them twice or thrice about the bottom with a thong, and least they should be too loose, they fill them up with a sort of long Hay, which they boil and keep for that purpose.

But now let us come to the garments they do not so ordinarily wear, but only on some occasions, which both for the men and women are made alike, and all of leather, to secure them from the gnats. But in the Winter time the men have breeches to defend them from the weather, and coats which they call _Mudd_. These _Mudd_ are not all alike, but some better, some worse; the best are of the skins of young wild Rain-deers, just when they have cast their first coat, in the place of which comes a black one, which is about the Feast of S^t _James_, and these are very soft and delicate. Their feet they defend with boots of the same skins, and their hands with gloves or mittens of the same, and their heads with a cap, which reaches down and covers part of their shoulders also, leaving only a space for them to see through. All these Garments they wear next their skin without any linnen underneath, and tie them round with a girdle, only their boots and gloves they stuff with hay, and sometimes in the Winter with wool. And this is that which _Johannes Tornæus_ saies of their cloathing, that their garment is made of the Rain-deer, the skin of the beast supplying them with coats, breeches, gloves, sandals, shoes, &c. the hair being alwaies on the outside, so that they seem to be all hairy. And hence we may understand _Zieglerus_, when he saies their Winter garments were made of the skins of Bears and Sea-Calves, which they tied in a knot at the top of their heads, leaving nothing to be seen but their eyes, so that they seemed to be in a sack, only that it was made according to the shape of their members; and hence, saies he, I beleive they came to be supposed all hairy like beasts, some reporting this out of ignorance, and some delighting to tell of strange wonders they saw abroad. And truly it is not without reason that he gathers the fable of hairy men to be raised from their hairy Garments, which sort of monsters whether there be in other Countries I cannot tell, but I find the _Cyclops_’s with one eye in their forehead by _Adamus Bremensis_ to be placed here upon the same account, because they had only a hole in their cap through which they looked, all the rest of their body seeming hairy, and therefore this hole they feigned to be an eye. But whereas he saies the skins were of Bears and Sea-Calves, he is a little mistaken, for these skins were not so common among the _Laplanders_, and are by them designed quite for another use. However these Garments they used after their fashion to adorn with pieces of red, or other colored cloth, and embroider them with wire, in flowers, stars, &c. as I will hereafter declare more at large.

But I come to the habit of the women, which also was of one sort in the Summer, and of another in the Winter. In the Summer they wear coats which cover their breasts, arms, and all their body, about the middle they are gathered, and so hang down, these they call _Volpi_. These gowns they also wear next their skin, for the use of smocks is no more known among women then the use of shirts among men: and they horribly imposed upon _Lomenius Comes_, that made him beleive otherwise. _Lomenius_ saies thus, they have smocks, not made of linnen, but of the entrails of beasts, which they first spin into thread, and afterwards wear them: but all this is quite false. The entrals indeed they do spin into thred, but of that they make neither cloth nor smocks, but use it to sew their skins; but women of the common sort wear course cloth, and the better sort finer, as it is with the men, which for the most part is English cloth, richly wrought. They have also a girdle, but different from that of the men, for it is much larger, and sometimes three fingers broad, and then also it is adorned not with studs, but plates of a fingers length, or more, which are engraved with divers shapes of Birds, Flowers, &c. and these they fasten upon a leathern fillet so nigh one another, that the girdle is almost covered with them. These plates are most commonly made of tin, from whence _Sam. Rheen_ calls them tin girdles, but those for the better sort are made of silver. Upon these girdles they hang many Alchymy chains, upon one of which they hang a knife and sheath, upon another a pouch or purse, upon another a needle case, and upon all a great company of Alchymy rings, according to the fashion of the men: These things they do not hang by their sides, as women among us use, but before them. The weight of the trinkets they carry about them, doth commonly weigh twenty pound, a pretty heavy burden, and such as a man would wonder they should be able to bear: but they are very much delighted with it, especially with the number of the rings, the gingling of which is very gratefull to their ear, and as they think no small commendation to their beauty. _Wexionius_ makes the chains and rings to be tin, which I beleive is hardly true, commonly I am sure they were made of Alchymy, and if they had bin of tin they had neither bin durable, nor would they have made a noise. They have also another ornament for their breast, which they call _Kracha_, it is made of red, or some other colored cloth. And first it goes about their neck, and then on both sides comes down upon their breast, and a little below their breast ends in a narrow point. This cloth, especially before, and sometimes about the neck, they adorn with studs, engraved with divers forms, as also with bracelets, which the richer have of silver and gold, the poorer of tin and Alchymy. After this manner, in short as he uses, _Johannes Tornæus_ describes them, the women do so deck themselves with gold and silver that their breasts shine like sheilds, but those that cannot reach silver, use copper and Alchymy. Now these studs they use to have not only about their neck, but upon their gowns where they draw them together, and lace them; and not only in single but double and triple rows. They cover their heads with a low kind of kercheif, plain at top, round, and of red color, some of the richer sort on extraordinary times add also a strip of linnen for ornament, as at their Fairs, Weddings, and Feasts. Upon their legs they wear stockins, which reach no lower then their ankles, but that only in the Summer. Their shoes are like the mens, and so also bound to their feet with thongs. The womens habit in the Winter is almost the same with the mens, for they have the _Muddas_ made of the skins of Rain-deers, and at that time wear breeches too, by reason of the deep Snows, storms, and badness of the waies: nay and cover their head with the same caps men do, which sort of caps they wear also sometimes in the Summer to defend them from the gnats: these caps they tie about their heads, and the lower part, which would otherwise fall about their shoulders, they make to stand out like the brims of our hats. And these are the garments as well of Virgins as married women, for both use the same attire, neither is there any sign in their habit whereby to distinguish them. Besides these garments wherewith they clothe themselves in the day, they have also other which they use a nights, such as are called night-cloathes, for they have no feather beds: and without all doubt _Olaus Magnus_ is mistaken who in his 4 Book saies they had. Their night garments were of 2 sorts, such as they lay upon, or such as they did cover themselves with, which also differ according to the Summer and Winter Seasons. Those they lie upon are Rain-deers skins, 2 or 3 of which they fling upon some birch leaves, which they use instead of matts, without beds, upon the ground, that they may lie softer, so that they lie upon the skins without sheets, of the use of which they are quite ignorant. They cover themselves in the Summer with blankets, which they call _raaner_ or _ryer_, and with these blankets they cover not only their whole body, but also their heads too, to avoid the gnats, with which they are extremly infested in the night time. But that they may breath with more freedom, and not be inconvenienced with the weight of these blankets, they sometimes hang them up over their head with ropes fastned to the top of their Hut. These are their Summer coverlets: but in the Winter they first throw about them the skins of Sheep or Rain-deer, and on them the blankets now mentioned. And there is one thing more worth our notice, that they lie under these both Winter and Summer stark naked, and make no use of linnen. And so much for the Garments of the _Laplanders_. I shall add the Figures of both Sexes habited after their manner. The woman hath a child in her arms, in a Laplandish Cradle.

CHAP. XVIII.

_Of the Diet of the_ Laplanders.

Having discoursed of their Garments, I proceed to speak of their Diet. Their food is not the same amongst them all, but different according to the places they inhabit. The Mountaineers live almost wholly on their Rain-deers, that furnish them with Milk, Cheese, and Flesh: tho sometimes they buy from the neighboring parts of _Norway_ Sheep, Goats, and Oxen, which they milk in the Summer, and kill in the Winter, because they have neither Pasture nor Stable room for them to keep them long. And for this reason they buy but very few of them, and feed almost altogether on their Rain-deer, which they have in great abundance. The flesh of these they feed on in the Winter, and that alwaies boiled, but in the Summer their diet is Milk, Cheese, and dried flesh. Their dainties most in esteem with them are the tongue and marrow of their Rain-deers, and with these they are want to entertain their Priests. One odd kind of dish these of the Mountains have, and that is the blood of their Rain-deers boiled in water to the consistence of a hasty pudding. The others that dwell in the Woods feed partly on Fish, and partly on Birds and Beasts, and that too both Summer and Winter, but more frequently on Fish. The flesh of Beares they prefer before all other, and with that they feast their dearest friends.

They have also some kind of Sawces of Black-berries, Straw-berries, and other peculiar ones of their own, as also wild _Angelica_, and the inner rine of the Pine-tree. The use of Bread and Salt is almost unknown to them, and when they have any of the later, they use it very sparingly. Instead of bread they eat dried fish, which by grinding they reduce to a kind of meal, and instead of Salt the inward rine of the Pine-tree, prepared after an odd kind of manner. They pull the bark off first, and then they take the inward rine, and divide it into thin skins like parchment, making it very clean; these they dry in the Sun, and then tearing it into small pieces they put it up in boxes made of the barks of trees: these they bury under ground, and cover them with sand. When they have bin dried about a day, they kindle a great fire over the hole where they put their boxes, and by that means the rines acquire a red color, and a very pleasant tast. On Fridaies they eat no flesh, but feed either on fish, or milk, having retained this custom from their Roman Catholic Priests. They boil all their fresh flesh, but not very much; that their broth may be the better and fuller of gravy: and sometimes they put also fish into the same kettle. Their milk they either boil with some quantity of water, it being of it self to thick, or else they let it stand in the cold, to freeze into a kind of Cheese, that it may be kept longer for use. Their fish they eat sometimes fresh as soon as they catch them; sometimes they dry them in the Sun, and being hardned by the wind and air, they may be kept severall years.

Their sweet meats, which serve them instead of Apples, Nuts, and the like, are preparations made of severall sorts of Berries. When their Straw-berries begin to be ripe, they gather them, and boil them in their own juice, without the addition of water, with a slow fire, till they are very soft: then they sprinkle them over with a little salt, and putting them into a vessell made of birch-bark, they bury it in the ground: and in the Autumn and Winter when they have occasion for them, they take them out as fresh as if they had bin newly gathered: and these stand them in good stead when no other Berries are to be had. Sometimes whilst they are fresh they put them to the flesh of Fish, and make an odd kind of dish, after this manner. Having boiled the Fish they first bone them, and then add Straw-berries to them, and beat them together in a wooden pestle to a mash, and so eat it with spoons. And this dish they make also with all other kinds of Berries. Another Kickshaw that pleaseth them very much, they make of _Angelica_. They take the staulks before it seed, and scraping of the outward skin, they put the rest upon coals, and so eat it broiled. They have also another way of preparing it, and that is to boil them in whay for a whole day till they look as red as blood. But this sort of meat is very bitter of it self, but by custom becomes plesant enough to them, especially since they are perswaded ’tis a great preservative of health. They likewise boil sorrell in milk; as also the rine of the Pine-tree, which, as was said before, being prepared, serves them instead of salt.

I come next to speak of their drink, which is ordinarily nothing but water; _Lomenius_ calls it _dissolved Ice_: but certainly he is mistaken, for having such plenty of Rivers and Lakes, for all the Ice they can hardly want water. And to prevent its freezing, they have alwaies some hanging over the fire in a kettle; out of which everyone with a spoon takes what he pleases, and so drinks it hot, especially in the Winter time. Besides common water, they often drink the broth I spoke of, made of flesh and fish, which they call _Læbma_, and also whay, if you will beleive _Olaus_. These are their usuall drinks; for Ale and Beer is utterly unknown to them. That which they drink for plesure, is spirit of Wine and Brandy, with a little of which you may win their very souls. This they buy from _Norway_ at their Fair times, and use it especially at their solemn Feasts and Weddings. I had almost forgot _Tobacco_, of which they are very great admirers, and traffic for it as one of their cheif commodities.

In the next place let us see the manner of their eating. Their dining room in the Winter time is that part of the Hut where the man and his wife and daughters use to be, and is on the right hand as you go in at the foregate: but in Summer without doors upon the green grass. Sometimes too they are want to sit about the kettle in the middle of the Hut. They use not much ceremony about their places, but every one takes it as he comes first. They seat themselves upon a skin spread on the ground cross-leg’d in a round ring; and the meat is set before them in the middle, upon a log or stump instead of a table; and severall have not that, but lay their meat upon the skin which they sit on. Having taken the flesh out of the kettle, the common sort put it upon a woollen table cloth called _Waldmar_, the richer on a linnen; as for trenchers and dishes they are quite unknown to them. But if any liquid thing be to be served up, they put it in a kind of trey made of birch. Sometimes without any other ceremony every one takes his share out of the kettle, and puts it upon his gloves, or his cap. Their drink they take up in a wooden Ladle, which serves instead of plate. And it is farther observable that they are abominable gluttons when they can get meat enough; and yet hardy too to endure the most pinching hunger when they are forc’t to it. When their meal is ended they first give God thanks, and then they mutually exhort one another to Faith and Charity, taking each other by the right hand, which is a symbol of their unity and brotherhood. _Samuel Rheen_ tells us they lift up their hands first, and then say Grace after this manner, _All thanks be given to God, who hath provided this meat for our sustenance_. This is their Grace in _Pithilapmark_. In _Tornelapmark_ their Grace is a little different; they say in their own Tongue, _Piaomaos Immel lægos kitomatz piergao odest adde misg mosea wicken ieggan taide ko mig læx iegnaston_, that is, _Good God praised be thou for this meat: make that which we have at this time eaten give strength to our bodies_. And so much for their Diet, and manner of eating.

CHAP. XIX.

_Of the Hunting of the_ Laplanders.

Having spoke of those things that relate to their Meat, Drink, Cloathing, and other necessities, the subject of our next discourse will be their employments, which are either rare and more solemn, or daily and more usual: these latter too are of two sorts, either common to both Sexes, or peculiar to one. Of those that are proper to men Hunting is the cheif, for in this Countrey that exercise is lawfull to none but men: _Olaus Magnus_ is of the contrary opinion, and saies Lib. 4. Cap. 12. that there is here such a multitude of Beasts, that the men alone, without the help of women, dare not go out to hunt; and therefore they are as active in this sport, if not more than men. I beleive he had not this from any good tradition, or his own knowledg, but rather followed the authority of some ancient Writers, as _Procopius_ Lib. 2. _Gothic._ or _Tacitus de mor. Ger._ for whatsoever they say concerning the _Fenni_ and _Scritfinni_, is so far from being true of the _Laplanders_, that they do not permit women so much as to touch their hunting weapons or beasts brought home, and debar them all passage at that door thro which they go to that sport, as will be shewed hereafter. They observe in hunting many things with great superstition, as not to go out upon ominous daies, such as S^t _Marks_ (whom they call _Cantepaive_) S^t _Clements_ and S. _Catherines_, because they believe on these daies some misfortune will happen to their weapons, and that they shall have no good success all the year after. They think they cannot prosper, unless they have first consulted their Gods by their Drum, which they use before their going out, and have therefore severall beasts pictured upon it. This is chiefly before the hunting a Bear. The third observation is that they will not go out at the usual door, but at one in the backside of the house called _Posse_, I suppose it is to avoid women, the meeting of whom is an ill omen to huntsmen, and therefore they are forbidden to come on that side of the house where this door is, as _Ol. Matthias_ assured me while I was writing this, who was very well acquainted with this Country. _Zieglerus_ saies the same, tho something obscurely, that a woman is not to go thro this door that day her husband is hunting: but it is not only that day, but at no time else. All these things are by way of preparation. The hunting it self is various according to the time of year, and severall sizes of beasts. In the Summer they hunt on foot with Dogs, which are very good in these parts, not only for their scent, but that they dare set upon any thing, being still tied up to make them more fierce. In the Winter they themselves run down the game, sliding over the snow in a kind of scates, which I shall describe more fully in another place. Little beasts they chase with bow and arrows, the greater with spears and guns; tho sometimes they use other arts. That sort of beast they call _Hermelines_, they take in traps as we do Mice, which are so contrived of wood that the touching of any part makes them fall; sometimes in pits and holes covered with snow, to hide the deceit, as also with Dogs that will gripe them to death. Squirrels they shoot with blunt darts, that they may not do an injury to their skins, which they very much esteem. After this manner also they take Ermines. Other beasts, as Foxes, Beavers, they kill with Javelins spiked with iron: but if they meet with a beast that hath a pretious skin, they are so expert at their weapons, as to direct the blow where it will do it least harm. Foxes are frequently tempted with baits upon the snow strowed upon twigs over deep pits, or caught in gins laid in their usuall haunts, or else poisoned with a sort of moss, which is peculiar for this use, but is seldome made use of where there are abundance of field Mice, which are the Foxes generall food. They fasten snares to boughs of trees to catch Hares in, and some of the above mentioned beasts: and if any one find any thing fast in these, he is obliged to give notice to the owner. I come now to the larger beasts, of which Wolves are most commonly caught in holes, but sometimes shot with bullets: these are their game frequently because they have the greatest plenty of them, and suffer the most dammages by them: and for their greater destruction, Sithes are often hiden under the snow to cut off their legs. After this manner too Leopards and Gulo’s are destroyed, which is now a daies almost left off, because the Countrey is so well furnished with guns, with which they also kill Elkes when they can find them. But with greatest care and diligence they hunt Rain-deers and Bears, the former with all kind of weapons. At their rutting time in Autumn, about S. _Matthews_ day, they entice them to their tame does, behind which the Huntsman lies to shoot them. And in the Spring, when the Snow is deep, the men themselves slide after them, and easily take them, or sometimes drive them into traps with Dogs: or lastly they set up hurdles on both sides of a way, and chase them in between them, so that at last they must necessarily fall into holes made for that purpose at the end of the work. The hunting of the Bear follows, which, because it is done with the most ceremonies and superstitions, will require the more care and accurateness in the relating of it.

First of all, their business is to find out where the Bear makes his den against Winter. He that finds it is said _hafwa ringet bioern_, i.e. to encompass the Bear. He usually after this goes to all his friends and acquaintance with much joy, to invite them to the hunting as to a solemn and magnificent feast, for, as is before said, this beasts flesh is a great delicacy. But they never meet before _March_ or _April_, till they can use their sliding shooes: at which time he chooses the best drummer among them, and by his beating consults whether the hunting will be prosperous or no, which done they all march into the field in battel array after him that invited them as Captain, who must use no other weapon then a club, on whose handle is hung an Alchymy ring. Next him goes the drummer, then he that is to give the first blow, and after all the rest as their office requires, one to boil the flesh, another to divide it, a third to gather sticks and provide other necessaries: so they strictly observe that one should not incroach upon anothers office. When in this order they are come to the den, they set upon the Bear valiantly, and kill him with spears and guns, and presently sing in token of victory thus, _Kittulis pourra, Kittulis ii skada tekamis soubbi iælla zaiiti_, that is, _they thank the Bear for coming_, _and doing them no harm in not breaking their weapons_, in the singing of which their Captain is the cheif Musician. After celebration of their victory, they drag the Bear out, beating him with staves, whence they have a Proverb, _slao bioern med riis_, that is, _the Bear is beat_, which signifies he is killed. Then putting him upon a sledge, they draw him with Rain-deers to the Hut where he is to be boiled, singing _Ii paha talki oggio, ii paha talka pharonis_, that is, _they beseech the Bear that he would not raise tempests against them, or any way hurt them that killed him_. This they say by way of jest, unless we will suppose them (as some of them really do) to imagine the killing of some kind of wild beast portends ill to the hunter. _Samuel Rheen_ speaks of a different song from this we have mentioned, much to this purpose, that they thank God for making beasts for their service, and giving them strength and courage to encounter and overcome so strong and cruel a creature, and therefore I beleive they may join them together and sing both. That Rain-deer that brings home the Bear is not to be used by Women for a year, and some say, by any body else. If there be materialls, near the place where the Bear is kill’d, they usually build up a hovel there to boil him in, or if not, carry him to a place that is more convenient, where all their Wives stay to expect them, and as soon as the men come nigh them they sing _Læibi ia tuoli susco_, that is they ask their wives to chew the bark of the Alder Tree and spit it in their faces. They use this rather then any other Tree, because when ’tis bruised between their teeth, it grows red, and will dy any thing, and the men being sprinkled with this, as if it were the Bears blood, seem to have gone through some notable exploit not without danger and trouble. Then their wives aiming with one eye through an Alchymy Ring spit upon them: _Samuel Rheens_ opinion differs only in this, that but one woman spits in the Captains face. This ceremony is not done in the Hut where the Bear is kill’d, but at the back door: for they build two Tents, one for the men where the Bear is to be drest, and the other for the women in which they make the feast: where as soon as the men come in, the Women sing _Kittulis pouro tookoris_, that is, they thank their husbands for the sport they had in killing the Bear: so they sit down men and women together to eat, but not of Bears flesh. Supper ended the men presently depart into the other house, and dressing the Bear provide another meal: and it is not lawful for any of those Hunters to ly with his wife in three daies after, and the Captain in five. The Bears skin is his that first discovers him. They boil the flesh blood and fat in brass Kettles, and what swims they skim off and put in wooden vessels; to which are fasten’d as many Alchymy plates as there are Bears killed. Whilst the meat is boiling they all sit down in order about the fire, the Captain first on the right hand, then the Drummer, and next he that struck the first blow; on the left hand first the Wood-cleaver, then the Water-bearer, and after the rest according to their place. This done the Captain divides it between the Women and Men. In the division the Women must have none of the posteriours, for they belong only to the men; neither is it lawful for a Woman to come and fetch their division, but ’tis sent them by two men, who say thus to them, _Olmai Potti Sueregislandi_, _Polandi_, _Engelandi_, _Frankichis_, _i. e._ that they came a great way off, from _Swedland_, _Poland_, _England_, or _France_; these men the women meet, and sing _Olmai Potti Sweregislandi_, _Polandi_, _Engelandi_, _Frankichis_, _Kalka Kaubsis laigit touti tiadnat_, _i. e._ you men that come from _Swedland_, _Poland_, _England_, or _France_; we will bind your legs with a red list, and so they do. But if we believe _Samuel Rheen_ the Drummer divides the mens part to every one an equal portion. When all the meat is eaten, they gather up the bones, and bury them together; then the Captain hangs up the skin upon a pole, for the women blindfolded to shoot at, they singing all the while _Batt Olmai Potti Sweregislandi_, _Polandi_, _Engelandi_, _Frankichis_, _i. e._ we will shoot at him that came from _Swedland_, &c. but she that hits it first gets the most credit, and they believe her husband will have the best fortune in killing of the next Bear. She is also obliged to work in cloth with wire as many crosses as there are Bears kill’d, and hang them upon every one of the hunters necks, which they must wear three whole daies. It is the opinon of the aforesaid Author, that all the women do the same, and the men wear them four daies: he saies also that the _Raindeer_ that brought home the Bear must have one cross. I cannot as yet find any other reason of this ceremony, but that they suppose these crosses to be preservatives aginst all the dammages they can receive from the Gods of the Woods for killing their Bear: for to this day they are of the opinion that some Gods have taken charge of some beasts, especially of the Bear, because he in this country is King over all the rest. After the time of abstinence is exspired, the close of all this solemnity, is the mens returning to their wives, which is thus; All after one another take hold of that rope, to which they hang their Kettle, and dance thrice round the fire, and so run out of the mens Tent into the womens, where they are met with this song, _Todna Balka Kaino oggio_, we will thro a shovel full of ashes upon your legs. _Samuel Rheen_ speaking of this custome, saies the men must not go to their wives till it be done, as if it were an expiation for their uncleanness in killing a Bear. Thus you see with how many Laws and superstitions they Hunt this Beast, some of which are common in hunting of others, as the not admitting women to the sport, and debarring them from touching the prey when it is taken, as also that the men return home through the back door. And here ’tis observable that they never carry in Beasts, Birds, or Fishes, but throw them in before them, without doubt out of superstition that they may seem to drop from Heaven and be sent by providence: tho most of them know not the original of such superstitious ceremonies, but only follow the example of their forefathers. In fine nothing is accounted here a greater credit or honor to a man then the killing of a Bear, and therefore they have public marks for it, every one lacing his cap with as many wires as he has kill’d Bears.

I come now to their fowling, which is proper also to men, and is alterable according to the time of year or largness of the fowl, for in the Summer they shoot altogether, but in the Winter catch in Snares and Springes, especially the _Lagopus_ call’d by the _Swedes_ _Sniæriper_. They make kind of hedges with abundance of holes in them, in which they set Springes, so that this Bird being most upon the ground, and running about, is easily caught in them: as for the taking of other Birds there is nothing worth a particular observation.

CHAP. XX.

_Of the_ Laplanders _Weapons, and other instruments of Hunting_.