CONCERNING LAPLAND. 
1 97 
tened by ropes to a flake have been fpared, whilfl others that were 
at liberty have been carried off: this mull be owing to a fear con¬ 
ceived by the wolf at the fight of the animal’s tether, or to fome 
fimilar caufe ; for the like has not happened, when the deer has 
broken loofe and betaken himfelf to flight. 
The more readily to know his own deer, each Laplander puts a 
particular mark upon thofe belonging to him, which generally con- 
fifts of an incifion in the animal’s ear. In order to keep their herd 
together and prevent their flraying, the rein-deer are twice driven 
out to feed, under proper attendance, and as many times brought 
up to the tents every day ; and this method is conflantly followed 
during the depth of winter, when the days are fhortefl, and the 
nights fixteen hours long. 
They who are but little acquainted with the folar fyflem will 
be at no lols to account for the reafon, why the fun in that cli¬ 
mate remains for feven weeks together beneath the horizon, and 
loft in the lower hemifphere, leaving inflead of a clear day-light, 
a twilight only of a few hours. It is not, however, fo dark, but 
that when the fky is free from clouds a man may fee to write, or 
do any common bufmefs in the fhortefl days, from ten in the fore¬ 
noon to one o’clock in the afternoon, without the help of a can¬ 
dle : and as during the winter folflice the fun withdraws his light 
for fuch a length of time, it may be readily conceived, that the 
leffer luminaries, in thofe days that are fhortefl, mull fliine very 
bright, and that the moon gives her light by day as well as night. 
After the fpace of feven weeks is elapfed, the fun again makes his 
appearance. 
