The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-04-16

miles: is, therefore DISTRICT about twice
the size of Missouri, but has popIlla-
tion not to exceed 100000 The sea
coast is broken up by the fiords of the
Norway coast, and many of these, owing
to the influence of the Gulf Stream, are
never frozen. The climate of the coast
is, therefor, much milder than that of
the interior; indeed, the extensive noun
tain ranges in the heart of Lapand are,
for the most part covered with perpet-
tual SHOWS. The short summer is pro-
life with vegetation, and til grasses
and MOSES which, furnish the reindeer a
Scanty subsistence are covered up by
the snow, aud are discovered by the
subtle sense Of smell possessed by these
animals. and raked out by their broad
hoOfs which seem especially adapted to
this service. .s
The people VINO inhabit this, the most
northern land on the eastern hemi-
sphere are divided into three classes the
mountain, the sea and the river Lapps.
The first named are also the least civ
ilized, in point of fact are wandering
nomadS, having no wealth but their
herds OF reindeer, no habitat;On save
tents made from the skins of these. use
full animals, and no fixed place of abode,
wherever pasturage is most abundant.
The river Lapps have advanced stage
further in the road TO civilization, have
fixed habitatons, though these are but
huts of earth, and possess considerable
skill in several manufactures. -, They.
make their owns boats, manu- fac ture
their own clothing; knives, weapons and
fish hooks The wandering mountain
LappS, also known as the "threG duty
LappS," from the fact that they pay
taxes to the Governments of Norway,
sweden and~RnSsia~ are Often extreme
~ degraded. When they are rich,
they practice polygamy, but
plurality or wives is denied to the poor,
from the fact that the price OF wife is
neverS lesssthan twehtys reindeer, and Of
ten .asmueh as FIVE hundred.f The river
Lapps do not buy and sell their woman,
but entertain a respect for them akin to
that felt in countries whose people have
far greater opportunities for education
and refinement. The sea Lapps have
progressed far 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 incOnSiderable amount of
commerce; being skillful fishers, they
CdGCu anu Salt large QIduJIUleS Vi TIE ISL
which thrOng the waters of the Norway
coast, and are thus able to purchase for
themselves the luxuries of more civilized
lands.
The Lapps are curiousr ace. Moth
ing is known of their origin,- or whence
they came. They seem to be Mon
golians, but are as superior to the Esqui-
maux as the blonde Swedes and Nor
wegians are to themselves. They are of
stunted stature. seldom exceeding five
feet in height, while four and oue-half
feet is perhaps a good average, but of
thick-set bodies, exceedingly strong and
active. With dark hair and complex
ions, black eyes, prominent cheek bones,
hollow cheeks and receding chins, they
present strong points of resemblance to
: the Chinese but their eyes are not
pblidue and their color ismuch lighter
while their language bears not the
slightest resemblance to that OF any
known Asiatic tribe. 1t is probable that
they were among.thef earliest emigrants
1 z = 81 ! :