The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-12-08
The MOUNTAIN LAPPS.
SIMPLEST OF PEOPLES ON THE
EARTH.
Formal Religion and Controlling SUI
perstitiOu of the Lepp.

That quaint genius, whose inheri-
lance is that streak of mountains be-
tween Norway and Sweden, is worthy
of more consideration than is usually
shown him at the hands Of his civilized
kin. The mountain Lapp divides his
year into two seasons; the season when
he hears preaching and the mosquito
season. From another standpoint, the
division is the season in which he
scratches himself and the season when
he doesn't. The coast Lapp" has but
one season to his year; the fishing
season.
There is need to differentiate between
the two varieties of Lapps, in discus
sion of the species. The orbit OF the
coast Lapp" is small and fixed. His
home is in his hut and his hut is by the
ford, where fishing is good. The oth-
er branch of the family is an incorr1gl-
BILE nomad. Therein is the point of diff
ferentiation. 1t is worth the nomad
that l have to deal. The mountain
Lapp is a somber creature, doclie IN
way, one who seldom talks or thinks.
He is absolutely without poetry or
song, a giant of stupidity, who, like the
mule, attends strictly to his own busi-
ness. His business is to follow his nj
tie herd of reindeer, watch en- nero
'em, milk 'em, and when they die, SKIN
them and eat them.
If his reindeer should die all at once
It, 1nT ~
deer supplies his table, not only with
! food but also with the very knives
spoons and soup dishes, all of Whlcn
are whitfield from the antlers. The REIN
deer's skip provides the covering for
| his hut, the blouse, trousers and even
| the skirt on his back. 1t provides his
shoes and the switch with which he dis
ciplines his young Lapp. 1t provides
meat for his dog and milk for his ba-
| bies. One thing only does the reindeer
| fail to supply and that is eggs. The
faithful animal draws the line at lay
! ing eggs. The Lapp goes ''birdsnest-
! ing for his eggs. These eggs are
| fresh, to the Lapp, up to the date OF
| Matching. If he can catch the egg any
time before that, his palate is abun-
| dainty satisfied.
The mountain Lapp is nomad from
necessity. The reindeer lives on lich-
ems; lichens grow under the snow and
the animal has to go up in the noun
tains for snow during the summer
Again, the deadly Norwegian mosquito
a huge ferocious bird, has peculiar
liking for live reindeer meat This Il
another reason for the vernal migra
ton. The Lapp is obliged to follow OF
starve. Nothing but starvation staring
him full in the face will induce the
Lapp to move. Besides being a mon
arch of stupidity, he is the lazies
creature alive.
There is but one exception to thi
rule of the Lapp. That is In going t.
preaching. While the man accommo
dates his flock in the spring by goin
with them to the mountain tops TO
snow, he has his own way in the fail
He drives them down into the valley
near the little Lutheran church, S
that he can be near the preaching. I'll
is not particular to be very near-any
where within twenty miles will do
|
twenty miles to church, because tn
reindeer drags him there on a sled.
The preacher is always a Norwegian
ILapps never preach. The pastor of
ILapp congregation is generally an edu
Gated man who knows his business
The fact that he lives in log hous'
Instead of a skin tent, and keeps tW
pigs, in itself commands great respec
The preacher does not especially car
for the pigs, he merely keeps them o
hand as a sort of evidence of his d
vine calling. The pastor Of the LapI
= is further distinguished by having an
actually eating bread.
But the pigs, bread and log house al
: not the only things indispensable to TT
pastor among the Lapps. He mus
have a powerful voice. For the Lap
Judges the mans capacity as preach
: err solely from his vocal powers. Viii
, the mountain church will seldom seq
, Imore than twenty people, you can hes
l the preacher a mile away on stl
lday. He bellows out his sermon, usir
, Ievery inch of lung power that he ca
! lpOssibly command. While he storm
, and raves about the pulpit, the me
q folks of the congregation look on wit
o awe and amazement, while the Wome
I go to sleep and snore. This tendent
? on the part of the women, involves e.
ira care and labor on the part of tt
sexton. This official always station
> himself by the door, armed with lof
6 pole and keeps diligent watch. Whf
: any of the women breaks the rules
snoring, she gets a poke in the ri
> and wakes up with loud snort, Whit
- makes everybody look her way.
The Lapps never understand and do
:, mot care what the preacher says; all
a wants is the exhibition of voice cultu
and is willing to pay for it, to the e
tent of a skin or two per season. III
preacher generally gets outside asst
III rrN1 r. xvi