314 THE LAPLAND ALPS. 



fingers. I could not help wondering ho\^^ 

 the Laplanders knew such of the herd as 

 they had already milked, from the rest, 

 as they turned each loose as soon as they 

 liad done with it. I was answered that 

 every one of them had an appropriate name, 

 which the owners knew perfectly. This 

 seemed to me truly astonishing, as the form 

 and colour are so much alike in all, and 

 the latter varies in each individual every 

 month. The size also varies according to 

 the age of the animal. To be able to 

 distinguish one from another among such 

 multitudes, for they are like ants on an 

 anthill, was beyond my comprehension. 



July 10. 



I witnessed with pleasure the supreme 

 tranquillity enjoyed by the inhabitants of 

 this sequestered country. After they have 

 milked their reindeer, and the women have 

 made their cheese, boiled their whey to 

 the requisite consistence, and taken their 

 simple repast, they lie down to enjoy that 



