NATURAL HISTORY. 109 



many circumstances there is reason to suppose, that 

 they cannot live but in their own country, and in their 

 own manner. In travelling over the ice and snow, they 

 use skates made of fir, which are about two feet long, 

 and about half afoot broad, which are raised and point- 

 ed before, and fastened to the foot by straps of leather. 

 With these they make such dispatch, that they easily 

 overtake the swiftest animals. They also use a pole, 

 pointed with iron at one end, and rounded at the other. 

 This pole serves to push them along, to direct their 

 course, to keep them from falling, to stop the impetuosity 

 of their career, and to kill what game they overtake. 

 With their skates they descend the steepest mountains, 

 and scale the most craggy precipices ; nor are the wo- 

 men less skilful in such exercises than the men. They 

 are all accustomed to the bow and arrow ; and it is as- 

 serted, that the Muscovite Laplanders lance a javelin 

 with so much dexterity, that at the distance of thirty 

 paces, they are sure to hit a mark no larger than a 

 silver crown, and with such force, that it will transfix 

 a human body. As huntsmen, their favourite pursuit 

 is that of the ermine, the fox, the lynx, taid the martin ; 

 and of these animals, they barter the skins for their fa- 

 vourite articles of luxury, brandy and tobacco. 



In winter, the Laplanders clothe themselves with 

 the skin of the rein-deer, and in summer with the 

 skins of birds. To the use of linen they are perfect 

 strangers. The women of Nova-Zembla have their 

 nose and their ears pierced, in order to have them or- 

 namented with pendants of blue stone ; and also, as 

 an additional lustre to their charms, they form blue- 

 streaks upon their forehead and chin. Those of Green- 

 land dress themselves with the skin of the dog-fislu 

 They also paint the visage with blue and yellow cq- 



