THE CARIBOU. 691 
The nature of the persecutions to which the Reindeer is continually subjected is well 
told by a correspondent to the /%e/d newspaper :—* The herd looked very miserable, as I 
thought ; there is nothing of the antlered monarch about the Reindeer, but a careworn, 
nervous expression, which I do not wonder at, considering how they are bullied. There 
are creatures which sting them all over, and creatures which lay their eggs in their ears 
and nostrils, and make themselves comfortable under their skin ; and wolves, and gluttons, 
and dogs, and Laps—in short, | know of no animal so persecuted (barring a rat, and he has 
his revenge, and lives on the fat of the land), and nothing in return except snow, and moss 
which tastes like dry sponge.” 
The Laplanders place their chief happiness in the possession of many Reindeer, which 
are to them the only representatives of wealth. Those who possess a herd of a thousand 
or more are reckoned among the wealthy of their country ; those who only own a few 
hundreds are considered as persons of respectability ; while those who only possess forty 
or fifty are content to act as servants to their richer countrymen, and to merge their little 
herd in that of their employers. In the waste, dry parts of Lapland, grows a kind of white 
lichen, which forms the principal food of the Reindeer during winter, and is therefore 
highly prized by the natives. Although this lichen may be deeply covered with snow, 
the Reindeer is taught by instinct to scrape away the superincumbent snow with its head, 
hoofs, and snout, and to lay bare the welcome food that lies beneath. Sometimes the 
surface of the snow is frozen so firmly that the animal can make no impression; and 
under these circumstances it is in very poor case, many of the unfortunate creatures dying 
of starvation, and the others being much reduced in condition. 
The Reindeer is extensively employ ed as a beast of draught and carriage, being taught 
to draw sledges and to carry men or packages upon its back. Each Reindeer can draw a 
weight of two hundred and fifty or even three hundred pounds, its pace being between 
nine and ten miles per hour. There is, however, a humane law which prohibits a weight 
of more than one hundred and ninety pounds upon a sledge, or one hundred and thirty 
upon the back. It is a very enduring animal, as it is able to keep up this rate of progress 
for twelve or more hours together. 
The eyes of the Reindeer are very quick, and his hearing also acute; but his sense 
of smell is more wonderfully developed than either of the other senses. 
The Carrsou, or American variety of the Reindeer, is a large animal, measuring three 
feet six inches in height at the shoulder when adult. ‘Although it is specifically identical 
with the European Reindeer, it has never yet been brought under the sway of man, and 
trained to carry his goods or draw his sledges. Should it be employed for these purposes, 
it would be a most valuable servant, for it is a very strong as well as an enduring animal, 
leading its pursuers a chase of four or five days, and often eventually making good its 
escape. A small herd of these animals was chased continually for a week; and after 
tiring out their original hunters, lost two of their number by the bullets of some fresh 
hunters who took up the chase. Whenever practicable, the Caribou makes for the frozen 
surface of the lakes, and is then sure to escape, although the manner of doing so is 
ludicrously clumsy. Rushing recklessly forward, the C ‘aribou will be sudde nly startled 
by some object in its front ; and on attempting to check its onward career, falls on the ice 
in a sitting posture, and in that attitude slides for a considerable distance before it can 
stop itself. Recovering its feet, it then makes off in another direction, and gets over the 
eround with such celerity that the hunters always yield the chase whenever the animal 
gets upon the ice. 
During the greater part of the year, the flesh of the Caribou is dry and tasteless, and 
when eaten seems to have no effect in satiating hunger. There is, however, a layer of fat, 
sometimes two or three inches in thickness, that lies under the skin of the back and croup 
in the male, and is technically termed the depouillé. This fatty deposit is so highly 
esteemed that it outweighs in value the remainder of the carcase, including skin and 
horns. The marrow is also remarkably excellent, and is generally eaten raw. When 
pounded together with the depouillé and the dried flesh it makes the best pemmican, a 
substance which is invaluable to the hunter. Even the horns are eaten raw while they 
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