230 



HARD WICKE' S SCIENCE- G O SSIF. 



inches in length, being two inches shorter than the 

 pike at the other end. In pursuit of the wolf with 

 such a weapon the hardy, active and enduring skid- 

 runner, gliding and bounding on his skidor, or snow- 

 shoes, often strains his energies to a degree which 

 injures health and shortens life. It is a great honour 

 among the Lapps to outrun and destroy a wolf; and 

 among the Lapp mountains, as among the seats of 

 learning, and the mouths of cannon, there are spirits 

 who [eagerly seek the bubble reputation, and are 

 sensitive to the spur of fame. All Lapps, and most, 

 if not all, the peasants of Lapland, man and woman, 

 can"run on skids — the narrow, flat snow-shoes, or' 

 skates, of rather thin but tough wood, from ten to 

 sixteen feet in length, with upturned points in front ; 

 but, though all are adroit at their use, it is not 

 every man, and perhaps no man except a Lapp, who 

 could put salt on the bushy tail of a wolf, or could 

 crack his backbone with the skidstaff, as impelled by 

 terror he flits at his utmost possible speed. 



Such chase can only be successfully accomplished 

 on the lower forested tracts, where the wolf's fleet 

 limbs are hampered by sinking into the deep, loose 



■ snow, usually lying there during winter ; or when the 

 crust, which sometimes forms over it, is too thin to 

 bear his weight without breaking. Then let him 

 beware of showing his grim visage, or his spoor, in 

 the neighbourhood of the herds he has stealthily 

 followed from the mountains. Soon as seen or 



• denoted, by the vigilant watchers and their dogs, 



: notice that the wolf is afoot is carried with all speed 

 to the tent, or tents, and the skidrunners are quickly 

 ready for the hunt. "The wolf," says H. A. 



"Widmark, in a communication to Professor von 



iDiiben's important work on Lapland and the Lapps, 

 "from his great capability of persistent exertion, 

 taxes to the utmost the pursuer's powers and pre- 

 tensions. He must be followed almost continuously 



•day and night, and so constantly disturbed, that 

 at last he becomes exhausted and outrun. Many 

 Lapps therefore take part in a wolf-hunt, although 

 only one or another is properly the hunter. In 

 Jokkmokk at present there are only two who can 

 hold out till the wolf is reached. The ability to 

 " ranne upp " a wolf is not given to many Lapps, 



.and they who have the luck to possess it, destroy 

 their health soon enough by these feats. Through- 

 out the whole day to have no rest, to cast off, for 

 lightness sake, while running one article of clothing 

 after the other, leaving them to be picked up by 

 less rapid pursuers, and to suffer, perhaps, dis- 

 appointment after all effort— such is the wolf-hunter's 

 experience. For it often happens, that when the 

 hunter has quite nearly approached the wolf, he is 



•obliged to relinquish the chase, because his game has 

 had the good fortune to attain at that moment, the 

 open treeless mountain-lands, where the snow is 

 firm, and towards which, when it is not too distant, 

 he always steers his course, thence keeping watch for 



another opportunity of approaching the herds. To 

 devote himself for several successive days, even 

 weeks sometimes, to this severe exertion, craves a 

 power of endurance on the part of the hunter, which 

 is rare indeed. His recompense consists in the 

 enjoyment experienced when, after so many arduous 

 toils, he at last thrusts his spear into the body of his 

 foe ; but also in that regard, that acknowledgment 

 of merit awarded him by all his kin." 



The work entitled Hos LappbSnder, by P. A. 

 Lindholm, also contains a graphic description of a 

 wolf-hunt in the south of Swedish Lapland, a 

 translation of which may interest the reader. In late 

 autumn perhaps, traces of the depredating wolf have 

 at intervals been observed in proximity to the herds ; 

 though in consequence of strict watch, loud outcries 

 of dogs and men, and vulpine knowledge of the 

 penetrative quality of the herdsman's spear, little or 

 no mischief has hitherto been done. But prevention 

 is better than cure — if cure there could be for a 

 slaughtered reindeer. "Soon," therefore, "as deep 

 snow falls, the quickest skidrunners in the district 

 accoutre themselves for a general hunt. The wolf 

 meantime suspects danger, and takes a start, not 

 seldom of fourteen miles. That helps him little ; 

 his spoor is seen in the snow, and soon his pursuers 

 are within hearing. Now it behoves him to flee for 

 his life and his skin ; and that he does at the best. 

 Over stocks and stones, through densest forest, and 

 the ruggedest tracts, usually traversible only at the 

 gentlest pace, the hunt flits now at an astonishing 

 speed. When the wolf has not recently fed, he 

 runs not only with rapidity, but also with great 

 persistence ; nevertheless here his efforts fall short of 

 the emergency. His jjursuers are no common men. 

 That train of thort-grown mortals, clad in kilted coats 

 and sugar-loaf caps rustles past like a gust of wind. 

 One verily grows dizzy at the sight of them, speeding 

 like the flight of an arrow, down steep hills ; bound- 

 ing from fathom-high escarpments, or rushing through 

 the closest thickets, where tree-branches permit no 

 cap to be kept on the head. In the course of this 

 onward rush the party becomes separated ;. all make 

 superhuman efforts, but one naturally wins and takes 

 the lead ; each of the rest striving to come as little 

 as possible in the rear of him, and especially to avoid 

 the dishonour of being last. Sometimes, but very 

 seldom, a Lapland peasant joins in the hunt ; but his 

 class rarely attain the proficiency in skidrunning 

 possessed by the Lapp. 



"His mortal enemy is soon in the power of the fore- 

 most hunter, with no mercy to expect ; so he turns 

 towards him with a grin, while a cloud of warm 

 vapour issues from his throat. The Lapp laughs at 

 his victim's spite, and gives him in return a violent 

 blow on the loins with his skidstaff, which seats him 

 on the snow. If the wolf was not alone in the chase, 

 he kills him at once and pursues his companions ; 

 but otherwise he sets himself before the wounded 



