The Forrest City times., 1891-05-01

newed interest in this very peculiar people. The project for their removal is perfectly feasible, and the country to which 1t is proposed to take them is so like their own that the conditions of life there would not differ greatly from those of their present hanitation. The east coast of Greenland has for many ages been unapproachshle on account of the ice, for in the tenth century colonies from Iceland were located on the east coast and were completely cut off from all contact with civilization by an Ice veil which came down from the polar seas and has never since been removed The entire east coast Is therefore believed to he un inhabitable, but the climatic cond tions on the west coast are materially different and extensive settlements have already been formed by the Danes along the east ern shores of Davis straits and Pafiin's lny. The west of Greenland while 1t has many glaciers which project vast masses of ice far into the sea, has never theless many small valleys. where, during the short summer, vegetation Is album dant. Noses grow among the rocks and even almost on .he ice, and the wild reindeer on the approach of winter leave the coast and go into the interior Wher- ever reindeer can live Lapps can live with them. and it Is argued that the eli matic conditions are not so different in Greenland from those in Lapland as to render the change of climate at all violent
 The climate of Lapland however, is milder than that of West Greenland. The country inhabited by the Lapps com prises the northwestern corner of the Russian empire and the extreme nothern tip of the Scandinavian peninsula, Lap land contains about t3o, 900 square miles; Is therefore, district about twice the size of Missouri but has population not exceeding 15o, 900. The sea coast i: broken up by the fiords of the orway coast ana many of these, owIng to the h. fluence of tho Gulf stream. are never frozen. The climate Of the coast is, there fore, much milder than that of the in. terior, indeed, the extensive mountain ranges in the heart of Iapland are for the most part covered with perpetual snow. The short summmer is prolific of vegeta. tion, and the grasses and mosses which furnish the reindeer with a scanty suhsist- ence are covered up by the snow, are discovered by the subtle sense of smell possessed by these animals, and raked out by the broad hoofs which seems specially adapted to this service
 The people who inhahit this, the mos, northern land on the Eastern Hemisphere, are divided into three classes, the noun tain, the sea, and the river Lapps The first named are also the least civilized, in point of fact arc wandering nomads having no wealth except their herds oi reindeer, no habitations save tents made from the skins of these useful animals and no fixed place of abode. but from year to year follow their nerds wherever pasturage Is most abundant. The river Lapps have advanced stage further in the road tc civilization, have fixed habitations, though these are but huts Of earth, and pos es. considerable skill in several manu ufat--,ires. They make their own boats. manufacture their own clothing, knives, weapons, and fish hooks. The wandering mountain Iapps, also known as the 'sthree duty LappsH from the fact that they pay taxes to the Governments of Norway, Sweden. and Russia, arc often extremely degraded When they are ri Il they practice poly. gamy, but plurality of wives Is denied tc the poor, from the fact that the price sf a wife is never less than twenty reindeer and often as much as 501. The river lappS uo not huy ana seil tnciF women, but entertain respect for them akin te that felt in countries whose people have far greater opportunities for education and refinement The sea lapps have pro. gressed far beyond their mountain broth ren; their houses are of wood or stone they have rowing and sail boats with which they traverse the open sea. They have no inconsiderahle amount of com merce; being skillfnl fishers, they catch and salt large quantities of the fish which throng the waters of the Norway coast and are thus able to purchase for them selves the luxuries of more civilized lands.
 The Lapps are a curious race. Nothing Is known of their origin or whence they came. They seem to be Mongohans, but are as superior to the Esquimaux as the blonde Swedes and Norwegians are to themselves. They are of stunted stature, seldom exceeding five feet in height while four and hal feet Is perhaps . good average, but of thick set bodies. exceed