The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1873-10-10
A QUEER PEOPLE.
The Lilliputs Of Lapland.


The Lapps are dwarfsh race. On
an average, the men do not exceed FIVE
feet in height, many not reaching four,
and the women are considerably less
Most of them are, however, very robust,
the circumference of their chest nearly
equalling their height. Their complex
ion is more or less tawny and copper-col-
ored, their hair dark, straight and lank,
its dangling masses adding much to the
wildness of their aspect. They have
very little beard, and as its want is con-
sidered beauty, the young men care
fully eradicate the scanty supply given
them by nature.
Their dark, piercing eyes are generally
deep sunk in their heads, widely separa-.
ted from each other, and like those of the
Tartars or Chinese, obliquely slit to-
wards the temples. The cheekbones are
high, the mouth pinched close, but wide,
the nose fiat. The eyes are generally
sore, either in consequence of the biting
smoke of their huts or of the refraction
from the snow; so that Lapp seldom
attains a high age. without becoming
blind Their countenances generally
present repulsive combination of stoli-
dity, low cunning and obstinacy. Hogg-
ner, who dwelt several months among
them, and saw during this time at least
eight hundred Lapps, found not twenty
who were not decidedly ugly; and DIR.
Clarke says that many of them, when
more advanced in years, might, if ex-
hibited in snenagerie of wild beasts,
be considered as the long-lost link be-
tween man and ape.
Their legs are extremely thick and
clumsy, but their hands are as small and
finely shaped as those of any aristocrat.
The reason for this is tlrat from genera
tion to generation they never perform la
Dor, and the-~ery trifing work which
they do is necessarily ofthe lightest kind.
Their limbs are singularly flexible, east
ly falling into any posture, like all the
Oriental nations and thier hands are con-
stantly occupied in the beginning of con-
versation with filling short tobacco
pipe, the head being turned over one
shoulder to the person addressed. Such
are the traits by which the whole tribe
is distinguished from the other inhabi-
tants of Europe, and in which they differ
from the other natives of the land in
which they live.
The summer garb of the men consists
of the "poesl," sort of tunic, generally
made of a very coarse, light colored
woollen cloth, reaching to the knees, and
fastened round the waist with belt or
girdle Their wooden caps are shaped
precisely like nightcap, or Turkish
fez, with a red tassel and red worsted
band round the rim, for they are fond of
lively hues strongly contrasted. Their
boots or shoes, are made of the raw skin
of the reindeer, with the hair outwards,
and have peaked shape. Though these
shoes are very thin, and the Bapp wears
no stockings, yet he is never annoyed by
the cold or by striking against stones, as
be stuffs them with the broad leaves of
the Carer eesicarid, or cyerTis grass, which |
he cuts in summer and dries. This he /
first combs and rubs in his hands, and |
then places it in such n manner that it
covers not only his feet, but his legs al
so, and being thus guarded, he is quite
secured against the intense cold. With |
this grass, which is admirable non
conductor of heat, he likewise stuffs his |
gloves, in oder to preserve his hands.
But as it wards off the cold in winter, so
in summer it keeps the feet cool, and is
used at all seasons. The
apparel differs very little from
that of the other sex, Hbut their girdles /
are more ornamented with rings and |
chains. In winter both sexes are SO |
packed up in skins as to look more like |
bears than human beings, and when |
squatting according to the fashion of |
their country, exhibit a mound of furs,
with the head resting upon the top of it.