On the Rein-Deer. 33 



from 300 to 500 ; with these a Laplander can do well, and live 

 in tolerable comfort. He can make in summer a sufficient quan- 

 tity of cheese for the year's consumption ; and, during the winter 

 season, can afford to kill deer enough, to supply him and his 

 family pretty constantly with venison. With 200 deer, a man, 

 if his family be but small, can manage to get on. If he have 

 but 100, his subsistence is very precarious, and he cannot rely 

 entirely upon them for support. Should he have but fifty, he is 

 no longer independent, or able to keep a separate establishment, 

 but generally joins his small herd with that of some richer Lap- 

 lander, being then considered more in the light of a igpenial, un- 

 dertaking the laborious office of attending upon and watching 

 the herd, bringing them home to be milked, and other similar 

 offices, in return for the subsistence afforded him. A Lapland- 

 er who is the master of a her^ of 1000 deer is considered a rich 

 man ; though instances are not rare of their possessing 1500 or 

 even 2000. 



The food of the Laplander during the period of his summer 

 wanderings is spare and frugal ; he no longer indulges himself 

 in his favourite food, rein-deer venison, which forms the luxury 

 of the winter season. In summer he is intent only upon in- 

 creasing his herd, and providing against his future wants. He 

 contents himself then generally with milk, and the remains of 

 the curd and whey after making his cheese. In the first he in- 

 dulges himself sparingly, on account of the very small quantity 

 each deer affords, as well as of the great importance it is to him 

 to secure a good quantity of cheese for his winter stock, and to 

 guard against any disaster that might suddenly befall his herd, 

 and reduce him to want. As his herd is milked during the sum- 

 mer season only, when this is drawing to a close, he generally 

 sets by some milk for the purpose of being frozen. This serves 

 not only for his own individual use during the winter, but is 

 prized so much for its exquisite delicacy in this state, that it 

 forms an article of trade ; and the merchants with whom be 

 deals, and who i-epair then to the interior, gladly purchase it at 

 any price. 



From the naturally churlish temper of the mountain Laplander, 

 and the value he justly sets upon his milk, it is extremely difficult 

 during summer to prevail upon him to part with even a very 

 APRIL JULY 1827. c 



