Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-05-17

4
70 bis sleigh, and viii tell him where
he is 20 go. and declares se uu-
derstAnds him
The reindeer Is mach Ike 8 stag,
only smaller; all the people animals.
and trees in Lapiand are very dinin-
utive, the men are mostly under five
| feet high, aud the women under four
| feet nine inches, so great are the rig
ors of the climate IN this as in all
countries under the arctic circle. and
the cows, sheep, and goats are ali
small in proportion. In summer the
reindeer feed upon grass, and give ex-
cellent milk in winter they feed upon
moss, which they scratch up under
great depths OF snow with marvellous
Instinct When winter draws near
great numbers are killed, and the
| flesh is dried and smoked to provide
food when the ground iseovered with
snow, and but few birds, like ptarmi-
gan, partridges, and capereaiizie, are
met with. The flesh il very nutri-
tious, and after a course of gTassfeed-
ing it is surprising how soon the rein
deer becomes fat and plump. The
skin makes their dresses and boots,
the sinews their thread and fishing
lines, and the horns their spoons and
domestic utensils. The utensils are
not all of horn; the Laps have al
ways some kettles ofcopper and iron.
and sometimes also bowls of wood
and tin, or even of silver among the
rich ones.
The wandering Lapps usually live
in rude huts, formed of trees or poles
ia the shape of cone, with an open
ing in the center to allow the smoke
to escape, and few mats are spread
on the floor. Each side of the fire.
place is divided into three ehsmbers,
separated by mats or skins, the inner
most for husband and wife, the next
for the children and the outer for
servants. When they are too poor
for servants they often find room for
some reindeer. The winter dwell
ings are much more substantial and
are rooted with beams, on which are
hung the dried cakes and reindeer
flesh, while outside the huts are Gov
cred with bushes and earth. The
door is very low and small, aud can
only be entered by creeping ON the
hands and knees. Sometimes these
winter huts are made large enough to
hold dezen families, separated by
curtains OF skins. The windows are
made from the intestiBes of seal, pre-
pared and sewed together. The fur
niture is very primitive, Such as il
is, IL Is made by the men, who also do
the cooking and make the boats,
sieighs, snow-shoes, aud the bows
and arrows.
The Lapp as he appears in his own
country Is very different from many
of the pictures so familiar Ia me.
His usual dress consists of dirty old
reindeer pelts and filthy peaked
blue cap. In winter all the dress is
made of memberships, except the
cap, which Is made of blue cloth, and
shaped like a.sugar loaf. The dress
of men and women is much alike.
They wear their hair long and straight
falling down the sides of the head and
the back, and. as boards aud whiskers
are never seen, there is some Difficult.
~ in distinguishing sexes. You can
tell them by their bouts--the men
wear long, the woman short ones.
The costume is in the bloomel' style,
and consists of a short skin coat, with
the hair outside, fastened round the
waist with a belt and buckle. and
pair of tightfitting breeches of tan
ned reindeer leather. The breeches
are fastened round the ankle, ind the
boots are also of tanned reindeer
leather, peaked, and turned mp at the |
toes. and are drawn over the legs Of |
the breaches and fastened at the top
by long piece of list, which keeps |
out the snow aud makes them nearly |
water. proof.
Even in the depth of winter the
Eapps have their necks always bare.
They wear no linen or stockings. and |
stuff the boots, which are roomy, |
with soft hay made from cypress |
grass, Their gloves are like nittens,
and often ornamented with great |
taste. In summer the same leather
bgeeches are worn, bat the coat is
made Of coarse blne cloth. The /
women carry . tobacco pouch. pipe,
scissors, and spoon to drink spirits /
from. hanging from the waist, which |
the richer Lapps decorate with braid. /
Ia winter the Lapps use sn0w-shoes
and they always carry spear with
four-edged spike. about a foot in
length. mounted on al aspen shaft six |
feet long Their equipment for he |
winter Is completed with al old skin /
knapsack for provisions, q rough |
case knife In the belt, and = little iron /
pipe for their delectatlon In smoking,
and sometimes a gun like a pea-rifie. /
The sleighs are like small boats cut Ia
hall. and only hold one peisos, and |
are 30 cranky that the driver Is oblig. |
ed 10 use . short pole to keep tue /
sleigh steady, Sc that between driving
the reindeer which are fasteeed 10 the
sleigh. aud keeping his balance with
the short pole. he has enough 10 do.
The Russian Isappe are chiefly lisa.
eFs They are quiet. hospitshle, hon.
est. and iBnoifsnsiye. and decidedly /
favorable specimens Of a ss1ntcivilix-
ed race still retaining their pairi.
NFcbal traditions The father Is su-
pFeme In the family, ard can appor.
gion his property ii death, and Siisin-
herit any Of his children. should he
see it, III son wishes hs leave the
house and SCI up for himself. he can
take nothing with him hstt his gun
2nd his wlfeS aawry. Drunkenness Is
fhsssy uFNas fMfsine