THE LAPLAND ALPS. 311 



noise proceeds from its feet. This excited 

 my curiosity ; and inquiring what was sup- 

 posed to be the cause, the only answer I 

 could get from any one was, that "our Lord 

 had made it so." I inquired further in 

 what manner our Lord had formed the rein- 

 deer so as to produce such an effect ; but 

 to this the respondent answered nothing*. 

 When I laid hold of the animal's foot, 

 pulled it, twisted and stretched it, or push- 

 ed it backward and forward in every pos- 

 sible way, no crackling was produced. 

 At length I discovered the cause in the 

 hoofs themselves, which are hollowed at 

 their inner side. When the animal stands 

 on its feet, the hoofs are, of course, widely 

 expanded, and their points most remote 

 from each other ; but every time the foot 

 is lifted from the ground, they strike toge- 

 ther, and cause the noise above mentioned. 

 This I was afterwards able to imitate at 

 pleasure, by moving the foot with my hand. 

 - When the reindeer are driven to the 



* *'Sed ad hoc Sorberius nihil." 



