The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1899-09-01
MILKING REINDEER.
When the Herd Is Inclosed the Cows
Are LassOed and Tied
to Trees.


"The People of the Reindeer is the
title under which Jonas Stadling de-
scribes a visit to a Lapland camp. A
picturesque account is given of the
milking of the reindeer: 84
Placing ourselves on both sides of
the entrance to the inclosure, at some
distance, we stopped to wait for the
herd. Looking in the direction from
which the barking was heard, we OBJ
served on the summit of the nearest
mountain ridge, against the horizon,
something like moving thicket, car
ried, as it were, by a swift current
down the mountain side. Soon we dis
ltinguished the graceful forms of hun
dreds OF reindeer, as they, with elastic
motions, leaping and bounding, came
tearing down toward the camp, the
| dogs stretching like ropes along the
ground on each side of the herd to keep
it together. We crouched behind
stones and bushes so as not to brighten
the half-wild animals. With a good
deal of running, gesturing and shout
| ing, the herd was finally brought into
the inclosure, only a few of the widest
animals escaping over the fell, past
some of the little children. Rushing
| into the Enclosure in an unbroken
| stream of more than thousand ami
mails, the herd did not cease running
the reindeer is always on the move, ex-
cept- at its regular resting times-but
continued in a circle against the sun.
| The reindeer in these circular motions
always runs against the sun; if it runs
with it, it is a sign of disease of the
brain. In the midst of the reindeer,
leaping, bounding, and butting in a
friendly way, while giving out their
peculiar grunting sound, the rictur-
esque figures of our Lapponian friends
We're seen, surrounded by thicket Of
horns. Our hostess, having hung her
baby to birch in the middle of the in
closure, stood, like number Of other
women, mostly girls, with a wooden
scoop in her hand, ready to milk the
first of the female reindeer caught;
while at the outskirts of the Enclosure
stood a number of children with large
pals to receive the milk from the
scoops, the smaller children either run
ming about playing outside the camp,
or giving salt and angelica to some of
the tamest animals. The most i'm
portant actors on the scene, however,
were the men moving about slowly in
the midst of the herd, holding the
lasso behind their back in the right
hand, and looking sharply at the run
ming animals. As quick as lightning
lasso whizzed through the air, the
frightened animals recoiling and then
increasing their speed. When the
lasso hit the mark, the cow was hauled
in, and tied to a birch while the milk
ing was done. So they kept on for
nearly two hours. The quantity of milk
| Welded by each animal is very small,
| at the most about a teacupful. but it is
of very high nutritive quality. The
milking, which is by no means regular,
is done, if possible, once day. In win
ter time there is of course no milking.
To prevent the calves from sucking
their mothers. pieces of bone are tied
into their mouths, or the udders are
hesmeared with tar. Some of the
Lapps consider it sinful to, milk the
reindeer and thus deprive the calves
of their food. "-Century.