Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-05-17
THE GAZETTE.
,, SATURDAY EVENING, MAY Il.


RIlSDEER.-I maay bleak Northern re-
ciors these animals are the sole support or the
1}t6uleN' When liberated from harness they &C
directly in pursuit Of food-a peculiar species
of,btritious moss; which their instinct enables
them 10 find, deeply covered with snow. Some
times As smauy' as one hundred start OF foraglng
there being nor,hiUg provided tor them by
their, exacting master. Like camels under
SIMILAR circumstances, when unladen, they stroll
of miles in different directions W ben they
;TS' Wanted again, their seaIskln-cad drivers
get behind them in several directions and by
hSlooing, throwing snowballs, and making con-
stlcrratle tproar, the deer are gradually driven
into a smaller circle. The herd is then enclr-
cied by small cord, the men drawing nearer
ulniiI i strikes against their long legs. They
neither try toleap over nor break it, but huddle
as close as possible. Finally, the two ends
raees, held by one person, while the others en-
ternnder the line and select the animals they
want, selling them by their horns, bringing
tli3rnl outside and tying them to something
sioug enough to hold them till harnessed to
the sledge. The remainder again scatter IN
pursuit Of moss Strong, tall, and fleet though
the reindeer are, able, with sweep OF their
antlers, 10 NOW down a score of sturdy North
men, they COVER at the voice Of man. Their
masters are rude, harsh, and unkird toward
them. Under no circumstances of oppression
orhardslrip do they evince the slightest resent.
ment. they afe SO timid that the sound OF
their drivers voice sets them running at such
speed that. they will die before halllng II the
drivers continue to urge them.
-S)t.r old freud, who has taken us under her
enlarge, was an important parsonage 10 the
milking Enclosure, her duly consisting IN las
sung tie deer and tying them up ready tor
mixing. The process Of catching the animal
,sxu,y pretty The wary old woman prepares
the rope 10 her black and shriveled hands,
casts glance round the herd before singing
out her victim then, with dexterous throw,
which seldom misses its aim, she filings the
moose round the selected animals horns, and,
''ha,l!ing in the slack, has the reindeer a
most secure prisoner. She then knots the rope
about the animals nose, aud ties II firmly to a
tree;, alter which she directs her attention to
another member of the herd.
Wien the animal is secured one OF the other
Lamps, either unan or WOMAN, carrying dirty
little wooden BOWL having long handle, ap,
proaches the captive, and commences the OPP
Grafton Of milking, which, accompanied by
many resouuding Slaps on the deers udder, is
a process of sufficient nastiness to provoke a
sentiment much resembling disgust.
Each animal yields abut half IA pint Of milk
"a rich, upctuous liquid, thick and creamy.
We tasted the produce of this herd with what
amount of relish will not say, since we had
seen the warm fluid trickling over the grimy
hands of the Lapps, from which it certainly re-
o:ived a nodpun Of dirt | slipped for the
sake Of being able to say that | knew the flavor
OF reindeer milk; but was sincerely glad to
forget the taste by cram ming my mouth full OF
berries Of a less nauscCus character than the
tactical compound -LoA3on Society.