478 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. 



containing at most eight feet in 

 diameter ; the fire or smoke of 

 the hearth in tlie middle prevents 

 the draft from the door; and hence 

 this back space is the place of the 

 master or mistress of the herd. 

 The children sit next them, and 

 the servants next to the door. 

 When a stranger demands entrance 

 lie is commanded by Lapland po- 

 liteness to keep himself on his legs 

 in the inside of the door, and some- 

 times even before a half-opened 

 door. The master of the house 

 then asks him the cause of his 

 arrival, and also the news of the 

 country ; and if he is pleased with 

 the account, he at last invites the 

 stranger to approach nearer. He 

 then becomes a member of the fa- 

 mily ; a place in the house is al- 

 lotted to him, and he is entertained 

 with rein-deer milk and flesh. The 

 Arab invites into his hut, and asks 

 no questions. 



It was well for us that we passed 

 this niglit under a roof. The storm 

 raged furiously, and the rain struck 

 like sand against the roof of the 

 gamme. It was not a little won- 

 derful that the feeble hut could 

 withstand such a hurricane. It is 

 built of stakes, which are united 

 together in the middle in the form 

 of a cone. Several other cross 

 stakes hold them together below. 

 Over this frame there is nothing 

 spread but a piece of coarse linen, 

 generally sail-cloth, in such a man- 

 ner, however, that a quadrangular 

 opening at the top remains un- 

 covered for the smoke to issue out 

 of. A great part of this covering 

 lies also loose on the ground, and 

 serves to protect their milk and 

 other household concerns against 

 wind and weather, and to cover 

 over their stores ; and then these 



articles, and the covering over 

 them, form altogether a sort of 

 mound, which prevents the en- 

 trance and draft of the external 

 air into the gamme from beneath. 

 Another large and loose piece of 

 sail-cloth is drawn round this out- 

 ward covering on the side from 

 whence the wind blows. This 

 side is therefore always protected 

 with a double covering. The in- 

 side seats consist of soft rein-deer 

 skins and white woollen covers. 

 The quality of this skin and cover 

 also determines here the rank 

 of the place and the person who 

 is to occupy it. This is certainly 

 a slight habitation ; and it is al- 

 most inconceivable how a large 

 and frequently numerous family 

 can find room in such a narrow 

 space for many months together. 

 But all the members of the fa- 

 mily are seldom assembled to- 

 gether at the same time ; the her.1 

 of rein-deer demands their pre- 

 sence and their attention even 

 during the night, and such stormy 

 and dreadful nights as the one we 

 passed here in Nuppibye. Men 

 and boys, wives and daughters, 

 take the post of watching by turns 

 twice or thrice a-day ; and each 

 goes out with several dogs, which 

 belong in property to that indi- 

 vidual whose commands alone 

 they will obey. The former 

 guards in the meanwhile their 

 return with their hungry dogs. 

 Hence it not unfrequently happens 

 that eight or twelve dogs march 

 over the • heads of the persons 

 sleeping ia the gamme in quest of 

 comfortable spots for themselves 

 to rest in. They certainly stand 

 in need of rest, for all the time 

 they are Olit with their master, 

 watching the flock, they are in 



