The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1859-02-09
Lapland Reindeer Travel.

land, thus speaks of reindeer travel;
"A more bleak and dismal region than
the greater part Of Lapland could not be
imagined, except when the MONDAY sky
| OF winter covers it with mantle of GRIM
son gold. Here. however, God has made
the home of one animal, without which
human life would be impossible What
the camel is to the Arab the reindeer is
to the Lap. He was created especially
for service in the snow as the camel was
for journeys over the sand. lie is not
much bigger than large Newfoundland
dog, and a strong man could easily lift
him. His muscular strength is not great
yet he has a vast deal of endurance. His
hoof is divided into two compartments,
like that of the camel, so that it spreads
out and covers large surface when he
puts it down, the parts coming together
as he lifts it up again. This popularity
combined with his llghtness of body, pre-
vents him from sinking into the snow.
From this animal the Lap obtains his
clothes, tent, thread, needles, meat, milk,
butter, cheese, the handles of his knives,
in fact every thing he uses, except his
musket and little coffee.
But Of all perverse, obstinate. stupid
animals, the reindeer stands al the head
Although he has been 60 long domestica-
ted, he has not increased in sagacity. The
common deer and the gazelles may become
familiar with the presence of man, but
they never show the least degree of affec-
tion for him and the same is true of rein
deer. All he knows is to jump and run
when he is harnessed. and turn round and
stand still whenever he chooses to do so.
His speed has been greatly exaggerated.
There are a few reindeer in Lapland that
will travel fifteen miles an hour, but there
are great many that will go one hun.
dred and twenty miles in twenty. four
hours.
To drive a reindeer in the little canoe
like sledges is like undertaking to drive
sturgeon in rough sea. 1t is no easy
matter to retain ones balance. IF YOU
are new hand, your first sensation is a
perfect blank, for you find yourself head
downward in snow drift. Laughter
and applause, After q series of such
experiments you at last succeed in keeping
yeur balance, even when asleep, and guild
ing the animal, but you cannot prevent
him from jumping round, and staring at
you with most provoking coolness, as much
as to say, "What are you going to do
about it ?" There is nothing to do but
turn him round, start him again, and take
your chance of Jumping into the sledge as
he runs. The animal shows no recogni-
tion of his master, except that he will al
low him to approach him more easily than
he will anybody else. This is the extent
of his affection.
The sagacity with which the deer pick
out the hidden path under the snew was
astonishing. On those exposed plains
every wind fills up the furrows, and the
traveller is drifting on a painless sea,
The leading deer, driven by careful Lap
picks out the concealed trail as easily as
a pioneer follows the track or, if he lose
it now and then. crosses backward and fer
ward till he strikes it again. Behind him
glides the little caravan in single file. 81.
lent and strange as a procession of phan-
toms There is nothing to be heard but
the breathing of the deer, and the slight
crunching sound of the sledge upon the
snow; as you sit in the uncertain twilight
a strange and subtle enchantment seems
to come over you, and you almost doubt
your own identity. "Am l." you ask.
"the man who once lectured before litera.
ry societies. to large and intelligent audi
ences2 daughter and applause Do
inhabit the same earth where steamboats,
exist and oysters are opened, (renewed
laughter, and where women's rights con-
ventions are held p