The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-12-14
THE NORTH OF EUROPE.
The scandinavian. aud their Pseuil.
ArItlss..rhS Laps.


The sesndanlvian. aud their Pseuil-
arItlss..rhS Laps.
ii the north Of Europe, says Du
Ohaillu, bei0tc tho American Ge6.
graphical Society, there Is large tract
Of country very thinly inhabited by
swedes, Eorwegians, Finlanders and
Laps. Its coast is indented by numer.
ous fiords Of great beauty, the seq
being OF great depth, and wicding lis
way inland, often in the midst Of stu.
perdous scenery. These fords were
dug out Of the solid rock by glaciers on
their way toward the sea. The geolo.
gical features Of that country impress
the mind with the great and constant
changes that have taken place or are
taking place. The rocks aro granite,
gneiss and mica schist. As one studies
the coast line the eyes rest continually
on series Of terraces one over the other,
perfect in shape, almost oil situated at
the entrances OF valleys. These ter
races show distinctly by their rounded
pebbles the rising OF the land above
the water, this slow and almost imper.
ceptible rising still taking place in our
time, This country was onco under tho
influence Of q much milder climate,
as genial as that OF England now. We
must conclude from inferences that the
Toy period Ia making again It's appear
anco, and that that impenetrable belt
Of Ice which seems to bar the way to
the North Pole, and which our distin'
guished member, DR.. Hayes, has partly
explored, was once on open sea. lnthe
interior Of the country inhabited by
LAPS, one meets everywhere positive
proofs Of the rising Of tho land. Shells
aro found several hundred feet above
the level OF the lakes mountains have
been polished as smooth as glass by
tho action OF The ice; boulders OF oil
sizes have been 5oattered over the land
by the glaciers. Advancing glaciers
arc demoIishing TO this day and bresk-
ing the granite hills which oppose
tLeir march, while their retiring ones
leave behind them boulders, sand,
gravel, etc.
There are sea Laps, forest and river
Laps, and nomadie Laps. o.night !
am only TO speak Of the nomalic Laps;
The whole population Of Lapland
amounts to about thirty thousand, the
nomadic LaplanderB numbering about
twenty-five Thousand, and possessing
about FIVE hundred thousand reindeer.
Their herds vary from flity 70 fiyethou.
sand. There have been Laplanderf
possessing even ten thousand reindeer
a man possessing fron i've hundred q
q thousand reindeer ia considered rich
Those who possess only fifty TO one
hundred are poor. Tho reindeer j
everything to the Laplander. With iti
skin he makes clothing, shoes. gloves
with It's sinews his thread. He feeds
on It's flesh, and tho animal is his beasl
OF burden. The value of reindeer
varies according to the country. Driy
ing reindeer broken to the harness are
not very plentiful, and cost from ten
dollars to fifteen dollars each COM
mon one from four dollars TO six dollars.
The most intelligent Laps are the
Swedish and Noraegian, compulsory
education having reached that distant
region. They ali know how to read.
Every one Is or must be confirmed,
this ceremony being part Of the Lu'
theran creed; hence all must be- able
10 read the Bible and know theii
catechism. Churches are scattered here
and there in the desolate regions and
the church.goiug Laps come into them
on Sunday from every side.
NJ. Du Chaillu described o genuine,
old, arctic sleigh.ride, and his amusing
trials and mishaps in learning how tc
manage the ticklish, cofiln.like CON
yeyance. His first lesson took six hours
and during that period he managed tc
oVerturn the machine On hundred
times, more or less, but without stop
ping his steed OF attempting so futile .
task, he held grimly on 10 the single
rein, and thumped and bumped along
over the snow until lucky kick sen
him back into the box. There was
rule OF driving, that the throwing o
the rein TO rest on the left flank was
signal for q slow gait, while touching
tho right flank meant full speed. Fo
himself he had never been able To- dis
cover the difference, the swift.footet
messenger going at his best rate from
the moment Of harvesting. Th,
scratching OF the reindeer for the whit
moss, through FIVE foot crust Of snow
was shown with practical illustrations
while the interest Of the ladies cul
minated in o most heathenishly.ciy
ilized chignon, o noudescript affair Q
open woodwork, possessing the meri
OF perfect ventilation, II not Of beauty
The struggles Of the speaker 10 Ct thi
to his own bald patewere received witt
hearty laughter. NJ. Du Chaillu, b.
special request, concluded by donninl
the suit worn by him in his Northern
travels, his "swell" clothes az h