MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 



481 



liciously. When a stiar.ger then 

 enters the gamme, whom they v/lsh 

 to see, the frozen piece of milk is 

 immediately set to the fire ; the 

 guest receives a spoon, with which 

 he skims off tiie softened exterior 

 in proportion as it melts. When he 

 has enough, the rest is preserved in 

 the cold for other guests. Such 

 pieces are not unfrequently brought 

 by the Laplanders down to Alten, 

 and then disposed of to advantage; 

 for the inhabitants of Alten eagerly 

 purchase this milk. They use it 

 like cow-milk, and can mix a good 

 deal of water with it, without in- 

 juring its quality. In its pure state 

 it is even too fat for domestic pur- 

 poses. Notwithstanding, even in 

 the middle of summer, each rein- 

 deer yields but little milk, it would 

 be quite impossible, especially for 

 any length of time, to consume the 

 whole quantity at once. In Octo- 

 ber, the milk season generally 

 ceases, and re-commences about 

 the end of June or beginning of 

 July. The rein-deer calve about 

 the middle of May. The Lapland- 

 ers call a doe or female rein-deer a 

 vaija, when it has calved in the 

 third year. It is allowed to suckle 

 the fawn for six weeks, which is 

 then slaughtered, or allowed to 

 provide its own nourishment ; and 

 they can then have milk for three 

 or four months. A moderate vaija 

 about the end of July yields the 

 quarter of a Swedish kanne per 

 day. With a herd of a thousand 

 head the quantity procured from 

 all the vaijas, would be very consi- 

 derable, and perhaps sufficient to 



maintain a wl-ole family on milk 

 alone. But their prosperity neces- 

 sarily requires the possession of 

 considerable flocks, that they may 

 always be able to slaughter a deer 

 when the wants of the family re- 

 quire it, without thereby injuring 

 the flourishing condition of the 

 herd. A great part of the Swe- 

 dish Laplanders in Kenii Lapp- 

 mark, and especially in the Fbr- 

 sambling of Enare, live in quite a 

 different manner. They live there 

 for the most part by fishing, and 

 have but seldom a few rein-deer ; 

 on the other hand they general!}' 

 possess eight or ten sheep, but no 

 cows. In summer they scarcely 

 eat any thing but fish from the 

 fresh-water lakes, and drink with 

 great eagerness the water in which 

 the fish has been boiled. In winter 

 they must put up with dried fifh, 

 ( Sich, Salmo LavaretusJ, and with 

 soups f vailing J, of water, fir bark, 

 and rein-deer tailow. They peel 

 off, in summer, the innermost bark 

 of the firs, divide it in long strips, 

 and hang them in their dwellings 

 to dry for winter stores. When 

 used, these strips of bark are minc- 

 ed in small pieces along with the 

 rein-deer tallow, boiled together 

 for several hours with water, till in 

 consistency they form a thick broth, 

 and then eaten. A little ewe milk, 

 and a few mountain bramble-ber- 

 ries (Hiortron, Rubus Chamcevto- 

 rus), contribute very little to the 

 improvement of this wretched diet. 

 Well may they account the rein- 

 deer Laplander happy, and envy 

 his situation. 



Vol. LV. 



2 1 



