LAPLANDERS. 
He guards himself against the cold in the fellowing manner : he 
wears breeches made of rein-deer ckins with the hair on, and shoes 
made of the same materials, the hairy part turned outwards. He 
puts into the shoes slender-eared broad-leaved cypress grass, that is 
cut in summer and dried. This he first combs, and rubs in his hands, 
and then places it in such a manner, that it not only covers 
his feet quite round, but his legs also ; and being thus guarded, 
he is quite secured egainst the intense cold. With this grass he stuffs 
his gloves likewise, to preserve the hands. As this grass keeps out 
the cold in winter, so in summer it hinders the feet from sweating, 
and at the same time prevents them from being annoyed by striking 
against stones, &c.- for their shoes are very thin, being made not of 
tanned leather, but of raw hide. The women’s apparel differs very 
little from that of the men ; only their girdles are more ornamented 
with rings, chains, needle-cases, and toys that sometimes weigh 20lb. 
In winter, both men and women lie in their furs ; iu summer they 
cover themselves entirely with coarse blarikets, to defend themselves 
from the gnats. 
Marriage and Funeral Ceremonies, 
The manner in which the young Laplander chooses a wife is 
equally remarkable and ludicrous. When he has pitched upon a 
female, he employs some friends as mediators with the father ; and 
these being prcvided with some bottles of brandy, the suitor accom- 
panies them to the house of his future father-in-law, who invites the 
mediators to enter ; but the lover is left without, till the liquor is 
drankj’and the proposal discussed ; then he is called in, and enter- 
tained with such fare as the hut affords ; yet without seeing his mis- 
tress, who retires, or goes out. Having obtained leave of her parents 
to make his addresses in person, he puts on his best apparel, and is 
adndtted to the lady, w'hom he salutes with a kiss : then he presents her 
with the tongue of a rein-deer, a piece of beaver’s flesh, or some other 
provision. She declines the offer, which is made in presence of 
her sisters and relations ; but makes a signal to her lover to follow 
her into the fields, where she accepts the presents. When the lovers 
are agreed, the youth is permitted to visit his intended as often as 
he shall think proper ; but every time he comes lie must purchase 
this pleasure with a fresh bottle of brandy ; a perquisite so agreeable 
to the father, that he often postpones the celebration of the nuptials 
for two or three years. At length the ceremony is performed at 
church by the priest of the parish. Even after this event the husband 
is obliged to serve his father-in-law a whole year, at the expiration 
of vs’hicb time he retires to his own habitation with his wife and her 
patrimony of rein-deer, and receives presents from all his friends and 
relations. From this period he sequesters his wife from the com- 
pany of all strangers, especially of the male sex, and watches over 
her conduct with the most jealous vigilance. Many Lapland women 
are barren, and none of them are very fruitful. 
A woman, immediately after delivery, swallows a draught of whale 
fat ; the child is washed with snow or cold water, and wrapped up 
in a hare-skin. The mother is seldom above five days in confine- 
