Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-04-09
Description of the Curious Habits of
This Far Away and Singular
People.
The Mountain, Sea and River Lamps,
and Some of the Peculiarities
of Each.
The Mystery Concerning Their Origin
and Their Rank i'm the Line of
Civilization.


posed to take them is so like their own
that the conditions of life there would not
differ greatly from those of their present
habitation. The east coast of Greenland
has for many ages been unapproachable 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
be uninhabitabie, but the climatic con-
dltlons on the west coast are materially
different, and extensive settlements have
already been formed by the Danes along
the eastern shores of Davis straits and
Baffin' S bay. The west of Greenland.
while it has many glaciers which project
vast masses OF ice far into the sea, mas
nevertheless many small valleys. where
during the short summer, vegetation is
abundant. Moses grow among the rocks
and even almost on the 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 climatic
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 comprises
the northwestern corner of the Russian
empire and the extreme northern tip of the
Scandinavian peninsula. L 'pland con-
tains about 40, coo square miles; is there
fore district about twice the size of Mis-
souri,, but has population not exceeding
10000. The sea coast is broken up by
the floods of the Norway coast, and many
OF them, owing to the influence of the Gulf
stream are never frozen. The climate OF
the coast is, therefore, much milder than
that Of the interior; indeed, the extensive
mountains Ill the heart of Lapland are for
the most part covered with perpetual snow.
The short summer is prolific of vegetation,
and the grasses and MOSES which furnish
the reindeer with scanty subsistence and
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 inhabit this, the most
northern land on the eastern hemisphere
are divided into three classes, the noun.
tain, the sea, and the river Capps The
first named are also the least civilized, in
point of fact are wandering nomads.
having no wealth except their herds Of
-eindeer, 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 heads wherever pasturage
is most abundant. The river Lapps have
f,,rtbor - 10
civilization, have fixed habitations,
though these are but huts of earth, and
possess considerable skill in several
manufactures. They make their own
boats, manufacture their own clothing,
knives, weapons, and fish hooks. The
wandering mountain Laprs, also known as
the three duty Lapps" from the fact that
they pay taxes to the governments of Nor
tremely degraded. When they are rich
they practice polygamy, but plurality of
wives is denied to the poor, from the fact
twenty reindeer, and often as much as 500
The river Lapps do not buy and sell their
women, but entertain respect for them
akin to that felt in countries whose people
have far greater opportunities for educa
tion and refinement. The sea Lapps have
progressed for beyond their mountain
brethren; their houses are of wood Or
stone: they have rowing and sail boats
with which they traverse the open sea-
They have no uncomfortable amount Of
commerce; being skillful fishers, they catch
and salt large quantities of fish which
and are thus able to purchase for them
coi,roc bo l1,y,,rioc o. oIuiti1aI lopI,
The Lapps are curious race. Nothing
is known of their origin or whence they
came. They seem to be Mongolians, but
are as superior to the E,quimaux as the
blonde Swedes and Norwegians are to
themselves. They are of stunted stature,
seldom exceeding five feet in height. while
four and half feet is perhaps good av
erage, but of thick set bodies, exceedingly
strong and active. With dark hair and
complexion, black eyes, prominent cheek
bones, hollow cheeks, and reccding chin,
they present strong points of emblancc
to the Chinese. but their eyes are not OBJ
lique and other color is much lighter,
while their language bears not the slight
ct emblance TO that of any known
Asiatic tribe.
Tt is probable that they were among The
earliest immigrants to Europe from the
Asiatic home of the human race, and that,
pressed by subsequent tides of immigra-
ton. they were gradually crowded into
their far-away corner of the continent. and
there remained relic of almost prehistor-
ic times.
However this may be, it is certain that
in intelligence they far exceed most ma
tiOns of so-called savages. Most are. at
least nominaliy. christians. Partly by
persuasion, partly by force, they were a
couple Of hundred years ago induced to
give up thair heathenism and embrace a
protestant christianity. In Hatta there is
the most northern Lutheran church In the
world 1t is an unpretending building.
standing almost on an emlnence, and IN
service is rarely held more than once a
month. for the clergyman reside: many
miles away. and is obIig ed to ride bis cir
cult over an almost roadless country un-
der circumstances Of difficulty which |
would hinder the clergy of lire civilized |
countries to go at all.
The scenery of the Lapp country is ex-
tremely varied. Mountain ranges ap- !
proach near the sea and attain height of I
from 5000 to 1000 feet. As in this part
of the world the line Of perpetual snow is |
little above 5000 feet many of the
mountains are covered with their white |
drappry from year to year, and the curious
spectacle is pre-ented of green valleys |
watered by streams which flow down from
never ceasing SHOWS.
Lapland has several towns of consider
able trade. Bossekop on the coast of Nor |
way. does a large business in clothing. for
the sea and river Laps already appreciate
the advantage of the cloth manufacturers
tho oontinant ruinila brad ic nIrn In, |