The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-01-28
Something About the Laps.


Lapland is in many respects an Interest,"
ing country, and through its short sum-
mer OF two months, during which there is
no night, it offers many attractions to
| tourists. At this time the air is enlivened
by the songs of birds, and the fields are
covered with flowers and rich vegetation.
There is no darkness, and the GOODNESS of
the evenings of the temperate zones is
never felt. In some localities, especially
in confined valleys, the heat becomes ep-
pressive, and the air svarms with raosqui-
toes; but as a rule the summer climate of
I Lapland is as genial and pleasant as that
of England. The winter is terrible in its
severity. Brandy ana mercury frequently
freeze in the open air. All the lakes and
rivers are covered with thick ice. and the
whole face of nature is buried under deep
| snow. During rhe winter solstice the sun
continues seven consecutive weeks below
the horizon, when only partial twilight
prevails, relieved by the superior bright
ness of the moon and the magnificence OF
the aurora b0realis. When thaw comes
on the atmosphere is filled with vapors,
but during the prevalence of the north
wind the air is clear and the sky serene.
There are shore Lapps, forest and river
Lapps, and the nomadic or wandering
Lapps who live in the highland regions.
The highland Lapp Deepen is for subsistence
almost entirely upon the reindeer.
The herds vary much in size, and the
Lapp is rich or poor according TO the
number he owns of these animals. y
herd of thousand reindeer makes man
wealthy; some Lapps possess two and
even three thousand. With three hun
bred a family may live in tolerable COM
fort, but with one hundred subsistence be-
comes precarious, and fifty reduces Lapp
to condition Of absolute poverty. He is
obliged to join his herd to that of some
richer proprietor, whom he serves in the
capacity of q servant, tending and milking
the herd. Sometimes, when thus reduced,
he migrates to the sea- coast, where he sup
ports himself chiefly by fishing. If sue
cessful in his efforts he returns to the high
land regions, purchases herd of reindeer,
and resumes his pastoral wandering hab-
its. 1t more generally happens, however,
that, once having become coast Lapp, he
remains so to the last, being naturally too
improvident to think of the future.
Should Lapp possess herd at all nu-
merous, he rarely knows the exact num-
Der, owing to prevalent superstition that
counting the flock will be attended with
evil. During the day they are allowed to
wander over the hills, attended by shep-
herd and several trained dogs, the latter
being necessary not only to guard them
against wolves, but 10 keep them together
aud assist in bringing them home at the
proper hour for milking. This is gene
rally the women's work.
Various reasons induce the highland
Lapps to repair to the coast during sum-
mer. First, that their herds of reindeer
may escape the sWarmS of gad-tlies that
then infest the upper regions, and render
life burden to man and beast; and second
ly that they may dispose of the commodi-
ties they have collected during the winter.
These consist of the skins and horns of
the deer they have killed for the support of
their families, and the skins of other ami
mails, such as the bear, fox, and marten,
and the feathers of the ptarmigan. These
articles are sold or exchanged in barter for
others necessary to their comfort in win
ter, such as coarse cloth, meal, gunpow-
der, brandy, and tobacco. The annual
migration commences in June, by which
time the snow is generally off the ground,
and consequently the sledges are not avail
able. The stock of necessities for the
journey is packed in paniers of wicker
work, slung over the back of the deer, and
by slow and easy stages of seven or eight
coast. The distance travelled is in some
instances upward of three hundred miles.
The highland Lapps live in tents, which
differ in no respect in summer and winter,
and are of very simple construction. They
are formed by six beams of wood slanting
together at the top. covered with thick
coarse cloth, a flap of which, left loose be-
tween the beams, serves as a door. The
height of the tent is generally about six
feet, and the circumference of the inside
rarely exceeds eighteen feet. The floor is
strewn with reindeer skins, the fur side
uppermost, which serve the double pur-
pose of Garrett and bed. A stout frame is
made in the middle of the tent for the fire,
and there is hole at the top for the smoke
to find its way out, ut its speedy egress
is by no means considered necessary to
comfort. In these limited habitations the
Lapps, seated on their heels in the manner
of Eastern nations, or squatted like tOads
about the fire, spend in all the beatitude
of idleness the moments which they can
spare from their pastoral avocations.
The Lapps cannot be called handsome
race. Their characteristic features are
small elongated eyes, high cheek-bones,
wide mouth, and a pointed chin. with
little or no beard. Their bodies are gen.
DOii hAuoNhidl, pOScSco-
ing greater strength than their stature,
which rarely exceeds five feet, would seem
to indicate, and as a rule they are active
and capable of enduring almost any
amount of fatigue. Their hands snd feet
are remarkably small, and their voice we k
and thin. In their moral qualities the
Lapps exhibit some marked peculiarities.
Their parental and filial affections are
weak. Theft is almost unknown among
them, snd locks, bolts, and other safe
guards to property are regarded as super
fiuOus. Their principal vice is drunken
ness, which is not only common, but may
be said to constitute feature of their char
acter. Their favorite beverage is brandy,
md a large stock is always laid in for win
ter. The most intelligent Lapps are the
Swedish and Norwegian. They all know
how to read, education in the common
branches being compulsory among them.
Here and there through the desOlate re-
gion are scattered churches, to which the
Lapps resort on Sundays from every side.
-DH GtaiLLu p .. p @