Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-01-23
Low THE LAPPs LIVE.

I'd forest Lapps; the latter two are
\. true representatives of the race.
I Norway they are classed as sea
.ons. river Lapps and mountain
snns: the first two settled. the last,
sndcring or nomadic. Their habits
most conservative, and a hardly
avc altered since the far distant time
Ebon they first tanned the reindeer.
Ia;ndccr form the chief wealth of the
aims. and Thomson,s lines may still
. takcn as an accurate description of
h nscs to which their skins and horns
re- put, although one would think
Moons more likely than cups to be
sr1ed out of the latter; butthen where
.o,,,1 a great deal of poetry be if the
(o", could not draw on his poetic
,eosc at pleasure; perhaps. however,
Ftomsou alluded to the milk
fr,o reindeer form their riches: these their
heir 'r rohcs. their beds, and all their homely
MY TeH their wholesome food and cheerful
cups.
rbe mountain Lapps have learned to
r;nk coffee and wear stout Norwegian
[io,h hut they get as much store by the
fe;ndcer as EYER. A poor family will
lave fifty and upward in a flock, the
m;dd,e classy three hundred to seven
bnndred. and the richest one thousand
br more. The reindeer is as much be-
owed by the Lapp as his pig by the
r.bman, and the reindeer often sleep
II his hut in much the same fashion.
Fine Lapp will whisper to his reindeer
yhen Harvesting him to his sleigh, and
yjll tell him where he is to go, and de-
rlares he understands him. The rein
]eer is much like a stag, only smaller;
HI the people. animals, and trees in
bapland are very diminutive, the men
k,re mostly under tivcfcet high, and the
kwomcn under four feet nine inches, so
oreat are the rigors of the climate in
fhiS as in all countries under the arctic
k%,ircle. and the cows, sheep, and goats
k,re all small in proportion. In sum-
kner the reindeer feed upon grass, and
krivc excellent milk: in the winter they
feed upon moss, which they scratch up
k1nder great depths Of snow with mar
|ycllous instinct. When winter draws
hear, great numbers are killed, and the
kfcsh is dried and smoked to provide
Rood when the ground is covered with
Snow. and but few birds, like ptarmi-,
can. partridges. and caper-cailzie, are
|mct With. The flesh is very nutritious,
land after a course of grass feeding it
is surprising how soon the reindeer
Eecomefat and plump. The skin makes
their dresses and boots, the sinews their
Unread and tishing-lines, and the horns
their spoons and domestic utensils.
The utensils are not all of horn: the
)LappS have always some kettles of cop
Rper and iron. and sometimes also bowls
bt wood and tin. or even of silver
among the rich ones.
The wandering Lapps usually live in
fnde huts, formed of trees or poles in
he shape of a cone, with an opening
n the center to allow the smoke to
escape, and a few mats are spread on
he floor. Each side of the fireplace is
divided into three chambers, separated
~ mats or skins, the innermost for
husband. and wife, the next for the
fhildrcn, and the outer for servants;
when they arc too poor for servants,
hey often find room for some reindeer.
he winter dwellings are much more
SUBSTANTIAL, and are rooted with beams,
'n which are hung the dried cakes and
felndeer flesh. while, outside. the huts
fNe covered with bushes and earth; the
floor Is very low and small. and can.
(oA!y be entered by creeping on the
aahdS and knees. Sometimes these
winter huts are made large enough to
loIo adozen families, separated by cur
rams OF skins. The windows are made
IFoM 'ie inteStines of seals, prepared
ana seWcd together. The Furniture is
very primitive; such as it is, it is made
y 'le men. who also do the cooking
'II1 make the boats. sleighs, skiddcr or
fAnW->hocS, and the bows and arrows.
Inc Lapp as he appears in his own
country is very different from many Of
|''e pictures so familiar to us. His
Usual dress consists of dirty old rein
'eeF Pclts and a filthy peaked blue cap.
fn winter all the dress is made of rein
a''I-SNlns, except the cap, which is
f'"aue OF blue cloth, and shaped like a
E"2af-!oat. The dress of men and wo-
F'lcl Is much alike; they wear their
fIa'f long and straight, falling down
sae SIDES OF the head and the back, and
("s'u is boards and whiskers are never
sGl, mere is some difficulty in distin-
E"'sh'ng the sexes: you can tell them
y ''eif boots: the men wear long, the
"''l"n short ones. The costume is in
I' boomer style, and consists of a
.'otl KIN coat, with the hair outside.
f">1cAeo round the waist with a belt
WV ,n' Iockle. and a pair of tight-titting
|r yt'''lcs OF tanned reindeer Gather.
[nL, 0fecches are fastened round the
["Hn'r' and the boots arc also of tanned
h. t1iueer leather, peaked and turned up
vi III. II. ,oes, and are drawn over the legs
h. vac hfeechcs and fastened at the top
4 lohg piece OF list, which keeps out
Fnroo ,f'oS Il makes them nearly water
bar wen IN the depth Of winter the Lapps
Fxe.r .neIr neoks always bare. They
tho no linen or stockings, and stuff
sof, 'pols' which are very roomy, with
nay made from cyprcss-grass.
orna S'oVes are like mittens, and often
"'',yh'ed with great taste. In sum
wor, 'le same leather breeches are
pu, the coat is made of coarse