On the Bein-Deer of the Laplanders. 355 



a dog immediately pursues it, and the deserter is soon seen 

 running back to the herd at full pace, followed by the dog. 

 The animals now stand closely packed together within the 

 fence, and are so tame that a stranger even can touch them 

 without trouble or danger. In the centre of the enclosure 

 there is a small erection to which the animal is strongly bound 

 during the milking, in order that it may not become unruly, 

 and upset both the milk and the milker. The milking is per- 

 formed by men, women, and childi'en ; but the task of bring- 

 ing the animals to the milking place belongs exclusively to a 

 particular man, and is accomplished in the follo^\ing man- 

 ner : — 



This individual is accurately acquainted with every animal, 

 even in a herd of several hundred, and knows if it is a male 

 or female, and if it is milked or not. He goes with a noose 

 in bis hand, and throws it so dexterously over the horns of 

 the animal he wishes to secure, that he never fails in his aim, 

 even at a distance of fifteen or twenty yards, and when many 

 other individuals are standing between him and his object. 

 So soon as the noose is fastened round the horns, the animal 

 is dragged to the milking-place, and there securely tied ; ano- 

 ther animal is afterwards taken in the same way, and so till 

 all have been milked. The skUl of the Laplanders in the use 

 of this noose can only be compared to that of the savages of 

 Africa, or the buU-takers in Brazil. 



But little attention is paid to cleanliness in the milking, and 

 indeed generally in the economy of the Laplanders. During 

 the summer, loose hairs fall abimdantly into the milk, and 

 these are but partially removed by sieves. The milk not used 

 is poured into rein-deer stomachs and suspended in the tent. 

 The rein-deer understands how to keep back the milk ; and, 

 in order to prevent her doing so, the Laplander often strikes 

 her repeatedly with his fist, and thus much additional hair 

 drops into the milk. But httle milk is obtained ; it is, however, 

 as rich as cream, and the taste is by no means disagreeable, re- 

 sembling that of the ewe. An exceedingly palatable cheese 

 is prepared from it, which is used medicinally as a certain 

 cure of boils produced by firost. 



An important animal in the economy of the Laplanders k 



