REIN DEER, 
187 
also sometimes hardened with smoke, and laid up 
for travelling provision, when the natives migrate 
from one part of the country to another. During 
the winter, the rein deer are slaughtered as sheep 
with us ; and every four persons in the family are 
allowed one rein deer for their week’s subsistence. 
In spring they spare the herd as much as they can, 
and live upon fresh fish. In summer, the milk 
and curd of the rein deer makes their chief provi- 
sion ; and, in autumn, they live wholly upon 
fowls, which they kill with a cross bow, or catch 
in springes. Nor is this so scanty an allowance ; 
since, at that time, the sea-fowls come in such 
abundance, that their ponds and springs are covered 
over. These are not so shy as with us, but yield 
themselves an easy prey. They are chiefly allured to 
those places by the swarms of gnats which infest 
the country during summer, and now repay the 
former inconveniences, by inviting such numbers of 
birds as supply the natives with food a fourth part 
of the year, in great abundance. 
The milk, when newly taken, is warmed in a 
caldron, and thickened with rennet ; and then the 
curd is pressed into cheeses, which are little and 
well tasted. These are never found to breed mites 
as the cheese of other countries ; probably because 
the mite dv is not to be found in Lapland. The 
whey which remains is warmed up again, and 
becomes of a consistence as if thickened with the 
white of eggs. Upon this the Laplanders feed 
during the summer ; it is pleasant and well tasted, 
but not very nourishing. As to butter, they very 
seldom make any, because the milk affords but a 
very small quantity, and this, both in taste and con- 
sistence, is more nearly resembling to suet. They 
never keep their milk till it turns sour ; and do 
not dress it into the variety of dishes which the 
jaorc southern countries are known to do. The 
