CONCERNING LAPLAND. 
1 99 
pofe, are found of the greateft ufe ; and fo well are they broken-in, 
that they obey the High tell fignal: this feems to be communicated 
with as much celerity by the dogs to the rein-deer, w r hich, though 
ever fo widely difperfed, foon colled; themfelves in a body. In the 
winter, when the herd is returned to the tent, and laid down to 
reft, the Laplander, or his wife, goes out and counts the number, 
in order to afcertain if any be miffing, and become the prey of the 
w r olf. The Laplanders feldom fail in difcovering w’hen the herd 
has fuftained a lofs of the kind, although it would appear no eafy 
tafk when the number is very confiderable, which is now and then 
the cafe; for fome Laplanders are faid to poffefs from one to two 
thoufand head of rein-deer. 
It has been Rated, that it is a rule with the mountain Laplan¬ 
der to drive his herd of rein-deer, by turns, twice to pafture, and 
twice home to his tent in the courfe of a day. In the fummer, 
however, the gelt rein-deer, and the hinds, or females, are fuffered 
to range the w r oods without a herdfman. In this feafon, likewife, 
the hinds are for a certain time allowed to ffickle their fawns ; 
after which they are driven into an incloffire made with branches 
of trees, at fome fmall diftance from the tents, where the women, 
whofe peculiar office it is, befmear the dugs of the hinds with 
dung, in order that when they are fet at liberty again, the fawns 
may not fuck : after a proper time, the hinds are driven into the 
fame inclofure, when their dugs are found diftended, and are 
drained of their milk, being firft cleanfed from the foil. But thefe 
animals do not readily fuffer themfelves to be milked, nor until a 
2 rope 
