Daily Yellowstone journal., 1885-07-01

PgcuLIARIrieS OF A seMLcIvlLIzeo
PEOPLE OF THE NORTH.
ssa, River and Mountain Lapps-yirtues
Fl the Mueh-Beioved Reindeer
II app ut Bome-Dress
and Equipment
[Harpers weekly.l

lHarpers Weekly
In Sweden and Finland the apps are
usually divided into fisher, mountain, and
forest lapps; the latter two are the true
Representatives OF the race In Norway
thay are classed as sea Laps. river Lapps,
and mountain Lapps; the tlrst two settled.
the last wandering or nomadic Their
habits are most conservative, aud can
hardly have altered since the far.distant
time when they first tanned the reindeer
The mountain Laps have learned TO drink
coffee and wear stout Norwegian cloth,
but they set as much store by the reindeer
as ever A poor family will have thirty
aud upward in flock, the middle classes
800 TO 700, and the richest ] 900 or more,
The reindeer i as much beoved by the
Lspp a. is his pig by the lrishman, and
the reind er often sleeps in his hut In
much the same fashion The Lapp will
whisper to his reindeer when Harvesting
him to his sleigh, and will tell him where
lie is to 90, aud declares he understands
him.
The reindeer is much like stag. only
smaller; all the people, animals, and trees
in Lapland are very diminutive, the men
are mostly under I'VE feet high, and the
women under four feet nine inches, so
great are the rigors of the climate in this
as in all C Juntries under the arctic circle.
and the cows. sheep. and goats are ali
small in proportion In summer the rein.
deer feed upon grass and give excellent
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 is GOV
cred with snow, and but few birds.
like ptarmigan. partridges, and caper
cailZie are met with. The flesh is very
nutritious. and after a course OF grass.
feeding il 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 Lapps
have always some kettles If copper 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 in the
shape Of cone, with an opening 10 the
center TO allow the smoke 10 escape. and
few mats are spread on the i.oor Each
side of the fireplace is divided into three
chambers, separated by mats OF skins, the
innermost for husband and wife. the next
for the children and the outei for serv.
ants When they are too poor for serv.
ants they often find room for some rem.
deer. The winter dwellings are much
more substantial and are rooted with
beams, on which are hung the dried
cakes and reindeer flesh. while outside
the huts are covered with bushes and
earth The door Is very low and small,
and can only be entered by creeping on
the hands and knees Sometimes these
winter huts are made large enough TO
hold dozen families, separated by cur.
tains Of skins The windows ars made
from the intestines of seals. prepared
and sewed together. The furniture is
very primitive. such as 1t is, il is made
by the men, who also do the cooking and
make the boats. sleighs, snow shoes, and
the bows and arrows
The Lapp as be appears in his own
country is very different from many Of
the pictures SO familiar TO us Ills usual
dress consists of dirty old reindeer pelts
and filthy peaked blue zap. In the
winter all the dress is made OF reindeer.
skins, 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, Us boards and
whiskers are never seen, there is some
difficulty in distinguishing the sexes, You
can tell them by their boots-lbe men
wear long. the women short ones. The
costume Is in the bloomer style, aud con.
sists Of short skin coat. with the hair
outside, fastened round the waist with a
belt and buckle, and pair Of tight-fitting
breeches Of tanned reindeer leather The
brooches are fastened round the ankle,
and the boots are also of tanned reindeer
leather, peaked. and turned up at the toes,
and are drawn over the legs Of the
breeches and fastened at the top by long
piece OF list which keeps Out the snow
and makes them nearly water proof.
Even in the depth OF winter the Lapps
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
mittens and often ornamented with great
taste. In summer the same leather
breeches are worn, but the coat Is made
of coarse blue cloth The women carry q
tobacco. pouch, pipe, scissors, and a spoon
10 drink spirits from, hanging from the
waist, which tn" richer Lapps decorate
with braid
In winter the Laps use snow.shoes
and they always carry a spear with four,
edged s ike about a foot in length
mounted on an aspen shaft six feet long.
Their equipment for the winter Is com.
pleted with an old skin knapsack for pro.
visions, a rough case.knife 10 the belt, and
q little iron pipe for their delectation in
smoking, and sometimes gun like pea.
rifle The sleighs are like small
boats cut in half, and only
hold one person. and are SO
cranky that the driver Is obliged to use q
short pole 10 keep the sleigh steady, SO
that between driving the reindeer which
are fastened to the sleigh, and keeping bis
balance with the short pole, he has
enough TO do .T|
The Kussian Lapps are chiefly fishera
They are quiet. hospilable. honest. and
inoiiensiye, aud decidedly favorable
specimens Of a semi-ciyilized race still ne.
tanning their patriarcbal traditions The
father Is supreme In the family, and can
apportion his property at death, and dis
inherit any Of his children should be sec
1T II sn wishes TO leave the house
and set up for himself. he can take moth
Ing with him but his gun and his wlfe's
dowry. Drunkenness Is their great
failing
The Noon Broke Away.
a.. III