MAMMALIA— REINDEER 349 



the age of four or five. It is at this age that they begin to dress and 

 exercise them for labor. There are both wild and tame reindeer in Lap- 

 land ; the wild males are more robust and stronger than the tame. The 

 issues of this mixture are preferred for the harness. These reindeer are not 

 so gentle as the others ; for they not only sometimes refuse to obey those who 

 guide them, but they often turn furiously upon them, and attack them with 

 their feet, so that there is no other resource, than to cover themselves from 

 their rage by their sledge, until the fury of the beast is subsided. This 

 sledge is so light that they can easily manage it, and cover themselves with 

 it. The bottom of it is lined with the skins of young reindeers ; the hairy 

 side is turned against the snow, so that the sledge glides easily forward, and 

 recoils less on the mountains. The harness of the reindeer is only a thong 

 of the hide, with the hairs remaining on it attached to the head, whence it 

 descends towards the breast, passes under the belly, between the legs, and is 

 fastened to a hole which is in the fore part of the sledge. The Laplander has 

 only a single cord by which to guide the animal, and which he throws in- 

 differently upon the back of the beast, sometimes on one side, sometimes on 

 the other, according as he would direct him, to the right or left. They can 

 travel ten miles au hour ; and it is not uncommon for them to make jour- 

 neys of a hundred and fifty miles in nineteen hours. At their utmost speed, 

 and for a short time, they can accomplish near twenty miles in the hour ; 

 but the quicker the method of travelling is, the more it is inconvenient ; a 

 person must be well accustomed to it, and travel often, to be able to direct 

 the sledge and prevent it from turning over. They can draw three hundred 

 pounds, but the Laplanders usually limit the burthen to two hundred and 

 forty pounds. 



The reindeers are all very spirited, and very difficult to manage ; they 

 choose the liveliest and the swiftest to draw their sledges, and the more 

 heavy, to travel with their provision and baggage, at a slower pace. These 

 animals are troubled with an insect called the gadfly, during the summer 

 season, which burrowing under their skins the preceding summer, deposit 

 their eggs ; so that the skin of the reindeer is often so filled with small 

 holes, that an incurable disorder is brought on. So formidable are the 

 attacks of these insects, that in June, July, and August, the Laplander is 

 compelled to migrate with his deer from the forests to the mountains ; with- 

 out which precaution, he would 'run the risk of losing the major part of his 

 nerd. The reindeer are subject to elope, and voluntarily renew their natural 

 liberty; they must be closely attended, and narrowly watched ; they cannot 

 lead them to pasture, but in open places ; and in case the herd are nume- 

 rous, they have need of many persons to guard them, to recall them, and to 

 nm after them if they stray. They are all marked, that they may be known 

 again ; for it often happens that they stray in the woods, or mix among 

 another herd. In short, the Laplanders are continually occupied in the 

 care of their reindeer, which constitute all their wealth. 



