The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-08-24


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; H. Lapland the sun never goc.
Dwn during the months of May
June and July: but in the winter
? Tor two months he never rises at all
His place, however, is someSllal
supplied By the wonderful Northern
Lights which flash and flicker in
the cold gray skies. They look like
iiEes of thousand different shapes
land colors. Now like crowns, and
now like domes; now like flashing
nets, and Eow like banners-those
welcome guests make Lapland
night beautiful.
| As long as the unwearied sun
goes around and around the sky in
summer, the Laplanders live In
tents made OF poles and skins; but
when Jack Frost approaches with a
scowl on his GROW, the house of
thick sods becomes very snug
home. The La, lander creeps in on
all fours, along sort of tunnel. A
hole in the roof lets in a little day.
light, or rather moonlight, and lets
out what smoke there is from the
sooty lamp. The lamp is made of
stone, and filled viii seal oil and it
answers many ends. 1t cooks food.
dries wet clothes, keeps the house
warm and affords light.
Trees are plentiful of certain
sorts, and the soil Of the forest is
carpeted with reindeer moss, a sort
of litchen which grows on stones
trees and earth. This moss will,
flourish where hardly any other sort
of grass will, and it affords glutton
or starch, which is very wholesome
and nourishing. The reindeer will
root under the snow for the moss as
a pig does in the field. And if the
animal browses on the moss which
sticks to the trees, without digging
beneath the snow, the Laplander
takes it for granted that the ground
there produces none.
The reindeer, when he casts his
coat, is brownish-yeilow. In the
dog days he becomes white. His
hair is short and thick. The horns
arc large and beautiful. but fall to-
ward the end of november and are
turned into spoons OF glue. This
wonderful creature has been known
to 60 at the rate of nineteen miles
an hour when yoked to a light sledge.
After their most severe journeys
these deer require no more moss
than can be held in both hands.
Were it not for the admirable an
imal who could live in Lapland9 ?
It is mans all in all there. 1T
feeds and clothes its master" says
Goldsmith. "With its skin the lap
lander covers his tents and makes
his bed of its milk he makes cheese,
and uses the whey for his drink.
Every part of this valuable animal
| is converted to some use or other.
The sinucs make bow strings, springs
for catching birds, and threads for
sewing, the horns make glue, the
tongue great delicasy, is sold and
the money comes back in luxuries.
Yoked to g sledge, the reindeer car
ries his master, who guides it easily
by means of a cord fastened around
its horns, and it is encouraged to
proceed by the drivers voice. The
sledge is covered by a bears skin,
and at the back are two leathern
girths, into which the traveller thrusts
his arms to keep himself steady.
He has also q pole to support the
sledge, in case it is in danger of be-
ing overturned"
The Laplander hunts the erlnine
and the squirrel, the hare, the otter
and sable. Besides, he has fish in
abundance in his waters-Salmon,
pike, tench, perch and smelts. The
birds which always live with him
are heathcocks, woodcocks, and
hawks. Other birds only stop a
while. such as swans and wild
geese.
Nobody dies of cold in Lapland, "
says French writer, except some
person, perhaps, who is bewildered
in the woods, or who, being fatigued
with hunger and long journeys, has
not strength left to return to his
home.
The people have some curious
customs. When they have eaten
bear, and wiped their mouths and
fingers, they solemnlv bury all the
bones; for they think the bear viii
rise again. They bury with the
bones some spoons and a knife, for
the bear will want to eat his bread
and mild in another life. If a hun
gry dog carries off a bone he is kill
ed, and one of his own bones is put
in the grave.
The master of the house always
does the cooking. Women are not
allowed to make messes for the men.
The Laplanders make little toys for
sale, also boxes and baskets, snuff
boxes, spoons of horn, shoes, CATERS
and gloves. The women make pew
ter wire and adorn with it reindeer
harness. Ropes are made of tree
roots, boughs of fir, and birch, glued
together with glue made of fish
skins. This glue is so strong that
pieces of wood joined by itnever sep
arate.
Wicked for Ciergymen.