TRAVELS 
in fledges drawn by rein-deer. What hay they poffefs ferves as 
provender for their cows ; and the corn they obtain is converted 
into flour for their own ufe, which, through long habit, is be¬ 
come fo neceffary an article of their fubfiftence, that they are 
miferable if they have it not all the year round. From fifliing and 
the chafe they derive as much refource as they poffibly can. A 
people enured to a roving and hazardous kind of life, prefer to 
the laborious purfuits of agriculture, the chances of fifliing and 
the chafe. It would not be difficult for the few families of Kauto- 
keino to raife grain fufficient for their wants : but they chufe 
rather to hill, and hunt wild rein-deer, than to undergo the weari- 
fome toils of hufbandry. They exchange for grain what fiffi they 
can fipare, or barter for it the fkins of bears or other animals 
which they may happen to kill. It is, however, by no means to 
be wondered at, that this ffiould be fo, when we confider that fiffi 
are fo abundant in the rivers as to make the catching of them not 
a bufmefs of doubtful fpeculation, but of the utmoft certainty ; 
and alfo, that if any one kill a bear, he gains more by the fkin 
than he would by the cultivation of half an acre of land, over 
and above the luxury of feaffing upon the flefh of this animal, 
which is efteemed very delicious. 
The method of hunting the bear is the fame here as in Finland, 
but that of hunting the rein-deer is attended with exceffive fatigue, 
and to be performed only by a Laplander. The wild rein-deer, 
which fcorn to live in a herd, but remain in a folitary ftate among 
the woods and mountains, pofiefs a nicety and acutenefs of pre¬ 
caution 
