THE REIN-DEER. 



all in his power towards the comfort and fupport of his friend and benefactor. 

 The male coiafents with readinefs to be fattened to his mailer's fledge, and 

 transports him with incredible fwiftnefs through otherwife impaffable fnows ; 

 while the female as readily offers her milk for the fupport of his family at 

 home. Thus the Rein-Deer may be truly faid to conflitute the riches of the 

 Laplander, and from this tingle animal, the inhabitants of thefe defolate regions 

 derive not only the neceifaries, but even the comforts of life, and find in it an 

 ample compenfation for the want of the Horfe, the Cow/and the Sheep. This 

 will evidently appear, if we compare the benefits and comforts which the 

 Laplander derives from the Rein-Deer, with thofe which our domeftia 

 animals afford us, and the comparifon will demonstrate, that he alone, in 

 value, furpaffes feveral of them. He is ufed in drawing fledges, and 

 tranfports them over frozen fnows, where a Horfe could not ftir a Angle ftep 

 without falling ; and this important fervice he performs with fuch amazing, 

 perfeverance and velocity, that he will travel thirty leagues in a day with 

 great eafe, and will run with as much certainty upon the ice as on the motfy 

 ground. His ufual pace is a trot, which he will continue daring the whole 

 day without appearing fatigued. The milk of the female is more nouriihing 

 than that of the Cow, and the flefh of both fexes is excellent food. The hair 

 of the Rein-Deer makes an excellent fur, and his hide furnifhes leather, which 

 is itrong, fupple, and durable; in fhort, the milk, hide, hair, horns, hoofs, 

 finews, flefh, and bones are all ferviceable. With the milk cheefe is made ; 

 the hide ferves for clothing ; the hair for fur ; the horns and hoofs are boiled 

 into glue ; the finews are fplit into thread, which is very ftrong ; with the 

 tendons bow firings are made ; the flefh is nouriihing food ; and the bones 

 are manufactured into fpoons. 



The horns of the Rein-Deer bear fome refemblance to thofe of the 

 American Elk; but the animal is much fmaller, being not quite, fo large as 

 the Stag, although it is ftronger built than that animal, and its legs are 

 proportionably fhorter and thicker ; its hoofs are broader than thofe of the 

 Stag, and are moveable in the cleft, fo that, as the foot prefles on the ground, 

 the hoofs naturally fpread, and prevent the animal from finking too deep in 



