100 THE POLAR WORLD. 



are the dwellings of those amonir the La])lan(lers who are called wealthy, and 

 who sometimes possess very considerable projterty. 



Near tlie tent is tlie dairy or store-house of the establishment. It consists of 

 nothing; more than a slielf or jilatform, raised between two trees, so as to be 

 out of the leach oi' tlie do^fs or wolves. The means of ascent to this treasury 

 of curds, cheese, and dried reindeer flesh, is simply a tree stripped of its 

 branches, but presenting at every foot or so knobs, which serve the same pui'- 

 pose as staves on a ladder, the tree being obliquely reared against the platfoi-m. 



Another cliaracteristic feature of a Lapp encampment is found in the indos- 

 ures in whicli tlie reindeer are penned during the night or for the ])urpose of 

 milking. These are circus-like o])en places, each of a diameter of about one 

 hundred and fifty feet, and are formed by stumps of trees and poles set upright 

 on tlie ground, and linked together by horizontal poles. Against the latter are 

 reared birch poles and branches of trees, varying from six to ten feet in height, 

 Avithout the slightest attempt at neatness, the whole being as rude as well can 

 be — a sufficient security against the wolves being all that its builders desire. 

 The milking of a herd of i-eindeer presents a most animated scene. When 

 they have been driven within the inclosure, and all outlets are secured, a Lapp, 

 selecting a long thong or cord, takes a turn of both ends round his left hand, 

 and then gathers what sailors call the bight in loose folds, held in his right. lie 

 now singles out a reindeer, and throws the bight with unerring aim over the 

 antlers of the victim. Sometimes the latter makes no resistance, but in general 

 the moment it feels the touch of the thong it breaks away from the sj)ot, and 

 IS only secured by the most strenuous exertions. Every minute may be seen 

 an unusually powerful deer furiously dragging a La])p round and round the in- 

 closure, and sometimes it fairly overcomes the restraint of the thong, and leaves 

 its antagonist prostrate on the sod. This part of the scene is highly exciting, 

 and it is impossible not to admire the trained skill evinced by all the Lapps, 

 wcimen as well as men. The resistance of the deer being overcome, the Lapp 

 takes a dexterous hitch of the thong round his muzzle and head, and then fastens 

 him to the trunk of a pi-ostrate tree, many of which have been brought within 

 the level inclosure for that especial purpose. Men and women are indiscrimi- 

 nately engaged both in singling out milch reins and in milking them. Every 

 one is fully occui>ied, for even tho little children are practising the throwing of 

 the lasso, in which they evince great dexterity, although their strength is insuf- | 

 ficient to hold the smallest doe. 



AVhen the jjasture in the neighborhood is fully exhausted, which generally 

 takes place in about a fortnight, the encampment is broken np, to be erectetl 

 again on some other spot. In less than half an hour the tent is taken to pieces, 

 and jiacked with all the household furniture upon the backs of reindeer, Avho by i 

 long training acquire the capacity of serving as beasts of burden. On the P 

 journey they are bound together, five and five, with thongs of leather, and led 

 by the women over the mountains, while the father of the family precedes the 

 march to .select a proper place for the new encampment, and his sons or serv- 

 ants follow with the remainder of the herd. 



Towards the end of spring the Lapps descend from the mountains to the 



