Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1852-12-09

Lapland and its Inhabitants.
We translate and condense for The
Tribune the following interesting particu-
lass, drawn from recent North Russian
journals, of a country and people but lit
tie known:
The number of the Russian Lapps does
not exceed 1000 those of Swedish Lap
land were estimated in l644 at 1000, and
those of Northern Norway 5000 ag-
gregate of only IL 900 souls. Besides
the Lapp population, there are to be found
on the shore of the white Sea several vii
lagos of Russians, stretching along from
Kerett to the Bay of Kandalasch (or Can
dalax). Between the village of Kandal-
schka and Kola, on the coast at the mouth
of the Touloma, distance of 213 wersts.
141 miles, there are seven post stations,
the mails being carried from one to anoth-
er by reindeer, four of which animals are
kept at each station. This mode of trans
port, however, is only employed in win
ter; in summer everything being transpor-
ted first few miles by land to Lake I'm
andra, then the whole length of that fine
body of water, some go miles, thence across
to the River Touloma, and down that
stream to Kola The navigation of the
Lake, by the way, is not always free from
danger.
! The language of the Lapps is similar to
that Of the Firms, from which race they
are originally an offshoot. The Lapps
in general are of middle statue. They
have large heads, short necks, small brown
red eyes, owing to the constant smoke in
their huts, high cheek bones, thin boards
and large hands. Those of Norway are
distinguished from the Russian Lapps, by
the blackness, luxurience and gloss of
their hair the more northern portion of
the race are somewhat larger, more mus
cular and of lighter complexion, than
the rest. Those of Sweden and Norway
are to some extent more cultivated, enter
prising and industrious than those of Rus
sia, and make light of the greatest priva-
tons and hardships. The richest of the
latter have not more than 800 reindeer,
while the former possess from 1000 to
5000. In Sweden and Norway, whoey-
cr owns from 400 to 800 passes for man
a
small family with proper prudence canliye
without suffering from want but less than
this number plunges family into all the
troubles of poverty. Whoever has not
more than so, adds his herd to that of
some rich man, and becomes his servant
almost his slave, and is bound in the prop
er season to follow him to the hunting or
fishing grounds.
Fish, game, and the flesh of the rein
deer are the usual food of the Lapps.-
Bread they never eat, though of the rye
meal, which they procure in kola or Of
, the fisherman in barter for the products
of their reindeer herds, they make a sort
!. Of fat or pan cakes mingling the meal
with the pounded bark of trees. For this
purpose the meal is first soaked in cold
water, and the cakes baked upon hotiron.
They are eaten with butter or Goldfish
oil, which is esteemed great luxury. The
mingling of the bark with the meal is not
done merely for the sake of economy, the
/ Lapps considering it an excellent and an
ti-scorbutic. They are very fond of salt,
and eat nothing uncooked. Their cook
cry is all done in untinned copper yes
sells, perhaps because in all Lapland there
are no pewterers more probably, howey-
; it is a long-descended custom, since in all
Northern Asia the use of copper was for
merly universal, and the art of overlay-
!, ing that metal could hardly be known by
the rude inhabitants. Nevertheless cases
of poisoning from the copper never occur,
being rendered impossible by the perfect
| cleanliness of the copper vessels, which af
7 ter every meal are secured with sand till
: they shine like mirrors. Besides, after
) the food is sufficiently cooked it is imme-
diately poured into wooden vessels of home
manufacture.
The Norwegian and Swedish Lapps
; make cheese of the reindeer milk, and
: carefully save for use all the whey, &C.
They milk their animals summer and win
t ter, and freeze the milk which is set apart
, for cheese The women consider this as
great luxury. 1t is remarkable for its
) pleasant odor, and has ready sale in
= Norway at rather high price. The Rus
| sian Lapps have no idea of making cheese
, from their reindeer milk, although the
, manufacture, beyound doubt, would be
: of great advantage to them. This milk
is distinguished for its excellent flavor; in
color and consistency it is like thick cream
l from the milk of cows, and is remarkably
, nourishing.