Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-05-07
Lapland Reindeer Travel.
Bayard Taylor, in his lecture on Lapland,
thus speaks of reindeer travel

Bayard Taylor, In MS lecture on Lapland,
thus speaks of reindeer travel
"a more bleak and dismal region than the
greater part of Lapland could not be imagin-
ed, except when the monday sky of water
covers it with mantle of crimson and 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 cre-
ated especially for service in the snow as the
camel was for journeys over the sandy desert
He is notmuch bigger than large Newfound-
land dog, and a strong man could easily lift
him. His muscular strength is not great, yet
he has vast deal of endurance. His hoof is
divided into two compartments, like that of
the camel, so that it spreads out and covers
a large surface when he puts it down, the
parts coming together as he lifts it up again.
This peculiarity, combined with his ightness
of body, prevents 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 knifes, in fact, ev-
erything he uses, except his musket and a
little coffee.
But of all perverse, obstinate, stupid ami
mails, the reindeer stands at the head. Al
though he has been so long dOmesticated, he
has not increased in sagacity. The common
deer and the gazelle may become familiar with
the presence Of man, but they never show the
least degree of affection for him and the
same is true of reindeer. 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 exagge-
rated There are few reindeer in Lapland
that will travel fifteen miles an hour, but
there are great many that will 60 one hund-
red and twenty miles in about twenty-four
hours.
10 drive reindeer in the little canoe-like
sledges is like undertaking to drive stur-
g on 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 a snow
drift. daughter and applause.) After Sc
ries of such experiments you at last succeed
in keeping your balance even when asleep,
and guiding the animal, but you cannot pre-,
vent him from jumping round, and starting
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 to turn him
round, start him again, and take your chance
VI hitV ehO oASNA9S oo AAO lHC
animal shows no recognition of his master, ,ex-
cept that he will allow him to approach him
more easily than he will anybody else. This
the extent of his affection.
The sagacity with which the deer picked
out the hidden path under the snow was as
tonishing On those exposed plains every
wind fills up the burrows, and the traveller
is drifting painless sea. The leading deer,
driven by careful Lap, picks out the con-
cealed trail as easily a pioneer follows the
track; or, if he lose it now ard then, crosses
backward and forward till he strikes it again.
Behind him glides the little caravan in single
file; silent and strange as profession of
phantoms. 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 strange
and subtle enchantment seems to come over
you, and syou almost doubt your own identi-
ty. Gam l." you ask, 'the man who once
lectured before literary sciences, to large and
intelligent audiences? daughter and ap-
plause.) Do inhabit the same earth where
steamboats, exist and oysters are opened
perpetual laughter,) and where women's
rights conventions are held"