12 TKAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



during the same space of time. But now, snow- 

 clouds began to gather on the western horizon, and 

 as we accidentally came upon a patch of ground 

 where reindeer-moss (the only food of these animals 

 in winter) abounded, the wapooses thought it best to 

 rest and feed a little before the threatening storm 

 commenced. The deer were then cast loose and 

 allowed to follow their inclinations. One would 

 think it rather a risky proceeding to set half-tamed 

 animals at liberty in the midst of such a large tract 

 of ground as that we now were on; but it is very 

 seldom that any attempt to escape ; for their instinct 

 would seem to tell them, that without man to assist 

 and protect them, they would speedily fall a prey to 

 the numerous wolves which infest Finmarken. "When 

 the time came to resume our journey, I felt curious 

 to see how our Lapps would recapture the deer, 

 which had now strayed to a considerable distance. 

 The three wapooses walked in a most nonchalant 

 manner slowly forward at an angle to where the deer 

 were quietly browsing, and then gradually working 

 their way round so as to get behind them, they 

 gently take hold of any rein trailing on the ground, 

 and having caught one, the capture of the rest is 

 easily accomplished. Each wapoos had under his or 

 her charge five deer ; and except on these five animals 

 they did not bestow a thought, leaving the others to 

 each capture his own individual five as best he could. 

 Even the old icapoos, Nilas by name, did not offer to 



