3106 Quadrupeds . 



They kept up a continual loud and hoarse bleating, somewhat resem- 

 bling the noise of sheep. Our guide, who understood them tho- 

 roughly, had brought some salt for them ; and it was curious to see 

 him advancing towards them in a sidelong manner, with his hand full 

 of salt extended, and chaunting, now in a low, monotonous, plaintive 

 voice, now in a high, excited key, " Sal ; sal ; sal ; salton ; salton ; 

 salton ; " with a peculiar drawling emphasis on the penultimate of the 

 latter words. However, neither his coaxing entreaties, nor his vehe- 

 ment reproaches, seemed of any avail ; none of the deer ventured to 

 taste the salt from his hand, though they all greedily devoured it when 

 placed upon the ground. We did not fall in with the rest of the herd 

 or the Laps ; they had moved their position since they had last been 

 seen on this fjeld. 



It is strange that these reindeer, being necessarily unattended, and 

 wandering so far from their owners as they do, should invariably re- 

 turn ; for the small herd of bucks, and the larger one of does, which 

 we saw, must have been at least twenty miles apart. 



The does produce very little milk, hardly a pint a-day ; and it is 

 astonishing the number of deer requisite to support a family ; 200 

 or 300 head being the usual number. Sometimes 500, or even 

 1,000 constitute one herd; but then we must remember that this is 

 the sole wealth and the only means of subsistence of these primitive 

 and contented people. The skins and sinews and horns of the deer 

 constitute their clothing, their camp-furniture, and domestic utensils ; 

 while the flesh and milk supply the Laps with food. The meat of 

 the reindeer is coarse and hard, very dark-coloured and very tough. 

 This may partly be owing to the infamous mode of cooking adopted 

 in Norway, and partly to the want of change of diet; for as we had 

 reindeer venison clay after day, for breakfast and dinner, and seldom 

 anything like bread or potatoes, or other vegetable, to vary it, I may 

 say we ate it usque ad nauseam, although at first we considered it a 

 great treat, and were charmed with such good fare. 



Alfred Charles Smith. 



Old Park, Devizes, 

 April 14, 1851 



(To lie continued). 



