160 



THE POLAR WORLD. 



are the dwellings of those among the Laplanders who are called wealthy, and 

 who sometimes possess very considerable property. 



l^ear the tent is the dairy or store-house of the establishment. It consists of 

 nothing more than a shelf or platform, raised between two trees, so as to be 

 out of the reach of the dogs or wolves. The means of ascent to this treasury 

 of curds, cheese, and dried reindeer flesh, is simply a tree stripped of its 

 branches, but presenting at every foot or so knobs, which serve the same pur- 

 pose as staves on a ladder, the tree being obliquely reared against the platform. 



Another characteristic feature of a Lapp encampment is found in the inclos- 

 ures in which the reindeer are penned during the night or for the purpose of 

 milking. These are circus-like open places, each of a diameter of about one 

 hundred and fifty feet, and are formed by stumps of trees and poles set upright 

 on the ground, and linked together by horizontal poles. Against the latter are 

 reared birch poles and branches of trees, varying from six to ten feet in height, 

 without the slightest attempt at neatness, the whole being as rude as well can 

 be — a sufficient security against the wolves being all that its builders desire. 

 The milking of a herd of reindeer presents a most animated scene. When 

 they have been driven within the inclosure, and all outlets are secured, a Lapp, 

 selecting a long thong or cord, takes a turn of both ends round his left hand, 

 and then gathers what sailors call the bight in loose folds, held in his right. He 

 now singles out a reindeer, and throws the bight with unerring aim over the 

 antlers of the victim. Sometimes the latter makes no resistance, but in general 

 the moment it feels the touch of the thong it breaks away from the spot, and 

 is only secured by the most strenuous exertions. Every minute may be seen 

 an unusually powerful deer furiously dragging a Lapp round and round the in- 

 closure, and sometimes it fairly overcomes the restraint of the thong, and leaves 

 its antagonist prostrate on the sod. This part of the scene is highly exciting, 

 and it is impossible not to admire the trained skill evinced by all the Lapps, 

 women as well as men. The resistance of the deer being overcome, the Lapp 

 takes a dexterous hitch of the thong round his muzzle and head, and then fastens 

 him to the trunk of a prostrate tree, many of which have been brought within 

 the level inclosure for that especial purpose. Men and women are indiscrimi- 

 nately engaged both in singling out milch reins and in milking them. Every 

 one is fully occupied, for even the little children are practising the throwing of 

 the lasso, in which they evince great dexterity, although their strength is insuf- 

 ficient to hold the smallest doe. 



When the pasture in the neighborhood is fully exhausted, which generally 

 takes place in about a fortnight, the encampment is broken up, to be erected 

 again on some other spot. In less than half an hour the tent is taken to pieces, 

 and packed with all the household furniture upon the backs of reindeer, who by 

 long training acquire the capacity of serving as beasts of burden. On the 

 journey they are bound together, five and five, with thongs of leather, and led 

 by the women over the mountains, while the father of the family precedes the 

 march to select a proper place for the new epeampment, and his sons or serv- 

 ants follow with the remainder of the herd. 



Towards the end of spring the Lapps descend from the mountains to the 



