DEE 
Thus the paftoral life, which is no lohgef known 
In populous and well-cultivated countries, is ftill 
continued near the pole. Neither the coldneis of the 
winter, the length of the nights, the wildnefs of the 
forefts, nor the rambling difpofition of the herd, 
interrupt the regular tenor of the Laplander's 
guiltlefs life. By night as well as day he at- 
tends his favourite cattle, and is but little afFefted 
even in a feafon whofe inclemency would prove de- 
ftruftive to the enervated fons of warmer climates. 
He neither manures his ground, nor brings in his 
harvefirs ; nor is he the hireling of another's luxury, 
for all his labours tend to obviate the necelTities of 
his own fituationj and thefe he undergoes with 
chearfulnefs, as he is certain of reaping all the fruits 
of his induftry. If, then, it was our bufinefs to 
compare tlie Laplander with the peafant of more 
fouthern climes, we (hould have little reafon to pity 
his fituation: the climate which he inhabits is ra- 
ther terrible to us than to him; and, in other re- 
fpefls, he is blefled with liberty unbounded, and 
plenty adequate to the utmoft of his defires. His 
Rein-Deer, in which all his cares centre, fupply 
him with all that fimple nature requires, and even 
afford him every convenience which his fituation 
admits of. 
The Rein-Deer of this country are of two kinds, 
namely, the wild and the tame. The wild are 
larger, ftronger, and more mifchievous, than the 
tame : their breed, however, is preferred to that of 
tlie latter ; and the female of the tame kind is often 
fent into the woods, from wlience fhe returns home 
impregnated by a male of tlie wild kind. Thefe 
are the beft adapted for drawing of fledges, to 
which they are early accuftomed by the Lapland- 
ers, who yoke them to thofe carriages by means of 
ftraps encircling their necks, and depending be- 
tween their legs, Thefe fledges, which are ex- 
ceedingly light, have their bottoms {hod with the 
Ikins of young Deer, the hair being turned to Aide 
on the frozen fnow. Thofe perfons who fit in 
thefe vehicles guide the animals by the help of 
cords faftened round their horns, encouraging them 
to proceed by their voices, and fpurring them on 
with goads. Some of the wild breed frequently 
prove refraftory, and turn upon their drivers ; who 
on fuch occafions have no other refource but to 
cover themfelves with their fledges, and to fuffer 
the animals to vent their fury on them. 
But no creatures can be more aflive, patient, 
and alert, than the tame Rein-Deer; for, when 
urged, they will trot nine or ten Swedifli miles, or 
between fifty and fixty, at one ftretch. However, 
in fuch cafes, the poor obfequious animals fatigue 
therrifelves to death; and, if not prevented by an 
early difpatch, will die in a day or two afterwards. 
In general, they are capable of travelling about 
thirty miles without either halting or fuftaining any 
damage from their efforts. This mode of journey- 
ing, which is the only one in Lapland, can only 
be praftifed in winter, when the fnow is glazed 
over with ice; and, though it is a fpeedy method 
of conveyance, and indeed the only alternative in 
that country, it is not effeded without danger, in- 
convenience, and trouble. 
To render thefe ufeful animals more obedient 
and beneficial, they are generally caftrated ; which 
operation the Laplanders perform with their teeth. 
Such as have undergone caftration, are more eafily 
fattened than others, as well as more capable of 
drawing their fledges. One male is ufually left 
entire for every fix females i and thefe continue in 
DEE 
rut from the feaft of St. Matthew to near Michael- 
mas. At this period their horns being perfedtly 
burniflied, their contefts with each other are very 
fierce and obftinate. The females do not begin 
to generate before they arrive at the age of two 
years; after which they continue breeding regularly 
every year till they become fuperannuated. They 
go with young about eight months, and generally 
bring forth two at a time. The aff'edlion of the 
dam for her young is very remarkable ; for, when 
they happen to be feparated from her, Ihe will re- 
turn from pafture, continue calling round the cot- 
tage for them, and never defill till they are laid, 
either dead or alive, at her feet. The fawns are 
at firft of a light brown colour; but, as they grow 
up, they become darker; and at lad the old ones 
are of a brown almoft approaching to blacknefs. 
The young follow their dams two or three years ; 
and do not arrive at their full growth till four, when 
they are broke, and trained to drawing the fledges ; 
in which employment they continue ferviceable 
for four or five years longer. The longeft period 
of their exiftence feem.s to be limited to fifteen or 
fixteen years; and, when they have attained their 
proper age, the Laplanders generally kill them for 
the fake of their flefli and hides: this they per- 
form by thrufting their knives through the hind- 
parts of their necks into their fpinal marrow, on 
which the animals inft:antly fall; and the arteries 
which lead to their hearts being cut, the blood dif- 
charges itfelf into the cavities of their breads. 
Scarcely any part of the Rein-Deer can be 
deemed uielcfs. As foon as it begins to wax old, 
and Ibme time before the general feafon of love, it 
is killed, and the flefli dried in the air; it is alfo 
fometimes hardened by means of fiTioke, and laid 
up for travelling provifion when the natives mi- 
grate from one part of the country to another. 
During the winter, thefe animals conftitute the only 
food of the Laplanders ; and every four individuals 
in a family are allowed one Rein-Deer for their 
fubfiftence. In fpring, the natives fpare their herds 
as much as pofl^ible, and draw the principal part of 
their nourifl:iment from the fea. In autumn, they 
live wiiolly on fowls, which they either kill with 
crofs-bows, or catch in gins: nor is this a fcanty 
fupply ; for, at that feafon, fea-fowls arrive in fuch 
abundance, that the ponds and fprings are entirely 
covered with them. Thefe birds, which are not 
very timid, and generally become an eafy prey, 
are chiefly allured to fuch places by thofe fwarms 
of gnats which, as already obferved, overfpread 
the whole country during the fummer feafon; and 
now recompenfe their injurious treatment of t-he 
Rein-Deer by inviting fuch vafl: numbers of thefe 
fowls as abundantly liipply the natives with foo^ 
for at leafl: one-fourth part of the ytar. 
The milk of the Rein-Deer, when frefh, is 
warmed in a cauldron, and thickened widr runnetj 
and then the curd is preffed into cheefes, which 
are fmall, and well-tafted: thefe cheefes never 
breed mites, as in other countries; and probably 
they are unknown in Lapland. After this pro- 
cefs, the whey which remains is warmed up agaioj 
and becomes of a confiftence as if thickened with 
the whites of eggs. On this fimple food the Lap- 
landers feed for a confiderable part of the fummer. 
They feldom make any butter, their milk affording 
a very fmall quantity of cream; but what is turned 
to this purpofe fl:rongly refembles fuet both in tafte 
and confiftence. Milk is never kept in Laplan(i 
till it become* four; nor does ic conftitute any part 
