Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-08-28

II.
TO 1t Is pipe-clcsnsr. which is made of a
birds bill, and is pllablc ds whalcboDc.
The case in which the pipe cleaner is kept is
formed from the shank-bonc of wild swan.
The drinking-cups, plattcrs and dishes are
made of the wood of the birch the spoons
md forks are made of the horn and bones of
thS reindeer. Very pretty bracelets, fancy
baskets and other ornamental articles are
made of the roots Of the birch. Some of the
Lapps do not roam about like thcif fellows,
but have fixed places of residence on the sea-
coast or by the side of a ford, where they can
earn an uncertain livelihood by fishing The
Norwcgians of Finmarkcn hold them in great
detestation, and have as little intercourse as
possible with them. If I.app enter Morse
man dwelling, he apes great humility, de
clines to sit upon chair, but squats on the
ground, and pretcnds that he is unworthy of
sitting down on an equality with such re-
spectacle people. There is a good deal of
low cunning in this kind of behavior for
there is about as much real sympathy be
tween Lapp and a Norwegian as there is
between North American Indian and
Yankee. 1t may be mentioned also, that
there is considerable resemblance between
this despiscd race and the Gypsics, with t1.is
difference, that the lapps are honest in their
dealings, while the other wanderers spoken
of are just the reverse.
HOW THrY DRINK AND TAKE CARE OF chill
One disagrceablc characteristic of this sin
gular race is their partiality for ardent spir-
its, and in this respect the women are us bad
as the men. The man gets drunk and lies
down in the snow in the wet and the
woman, out of sympathy no doubt, does the
same, and lies down by his side. When they
wake up they stare stupidity at each other.
and then 60 their ways to their habtation,
the tent or hovel described before. 1t may
be stated, in addition, that the women are
also invetcratc smokers but they are good
mothers, and arc extremely attentive To their
children. 1t would be impossible to picture
pretticr sight than pigmy Lapp infant
rcposing in its tiny portable cradle, which is /
lined with warm fur, and is hung up by II
string to Il hook or branch of Il tree IL keep I
it out Of harms way.
So addicted are the Lapps to wandering /
and Incorporate habits that it is almost i'm
possible to cure them, let phianthropists do |
what they will Some years ago an attempt
was made by some kind-heartcd people t.
bring up a youth of this strange race a. Il
clergyman, who was To be sent a mission
ary to his own people The boy was trained /
and educated with this intention he WAS
even ordained and began To- preach. but he
such inyeteratc drunkard that his
patrons were obliged to abandon him in de
spair and he returned to his tribe us a
watcher of tame reindeer on the mountains.
This people not without religious feel
ings. They observe the Sabbath, attend the
Norwegian churches when they can, and are
regularly taught by schoolInastcrs who are
appointed for the purpose Their religious
sentiments are sometimes carried to excess.
and they frequently create disturbance in
church by groaning deeply. and by ehutiiing
their feet when the officiating clergyman l.
dslked bv them.
THE CrULE>r.
Some Lapps are rich. and possess from one
to two thousand tame reindeer. One man in
particular is said to have had as many ten
thousand of these useful animals. This opu-
lent individual differs in respect from his
brother Lapps, but leads the same life of toll.
dresses in the same style. and bears no out
ward sign of wealth or Importance. When
he dimes he stands, with his wife, children,
and servants, round the large iron pot CON
tanning the reindeer yenison and soup the
only Difference paid to him is, that it is con
sidered he has n right to help himself before
the others, who wait eagerly his signal to
begin the repast. This man has many
forty dogs 10 guard his reindeer
DIET.
The food of this simple people is nearly
ALWAYS the same. Tea Is unknown some
times, but not often, they drink little cof-
fee, and consider it a great luxury occa-
sionally they get t'ad brod, or barley cakes.
They drink n great deal of hinkcl, horrible
spirit, which is very strong. and almost
takes away the breath OF those who taste it
for the first time. 1t is distilled from corn
or potatoes, and is favored with caraway
seeds They appear, however, to thrive well
on their peculiar diet and are singularly
free from disease. They live To good old
age, and the patriarchs of the race are noted
for their extreme uglincss. In choosing the
parts of the reindeer they give the preference
to the saddle, which has plenty of fat they
sell the other portions of the animal to their
Norwegian neighbors.
The deer is slaughtered in peculiar man
ncr sharp knife is thrust into the back /
part of the head which divides the spinal /
marrow from the brain. The animal dies in
simultaneously, and the knife is thrust imme-
diately into the heart when the blood is to |
he found in the stomach. The Lapps are
extremely supersttious, and all outward |
signs observed as portending good or evil |
fortunes. The stars, the clouds, the moon, |
the flight or appearance of birds IN certain |
numbers, are regarded as omens. Although /
suspicious of strangers, they are hospitahlc /
enough to passing travellers, and are easily |
satisfied. A small present of tobacco or bran !
dy is checrfully accepted as recompcnse for
any act of civiIity to tourists