Lachesis Lapponica; Or, A Tour in Lapland, Volume 2Linné, Carl von
History
Lachesis Lapponica; Or, A Tour in Lapland, Volume 2
Linné, Carl von
Lapland -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Lapland
The Laplanders use a curious kind of box or basket, which they call
_kisa_, for keeping or carrying various articles. It is of an oval form,
with the bottom and sides made of fir, like a box, being about a foot
and half long, a foot broad, and six inches deep, with a transverse
opening in the bottom to admit a part of the saddle of the reindeer. The
contents are confined by a lacing of cords, that goes from side to side
across the top, which is otherwise open. Two such boxes, each weighing
about two pounds, are placed like panniers upon the reindeer; for that
animal cannot carry above four or five pounds weight, and the castrated
males only are used as beasts of burthen at all. A leather thong crosses
the saddle, connected with another longer one, which goes round the
chest of the animal at one part, and round its thighs, like the
breechings of a horse, at the other. A pack-saddle, made either of
reindeer skin, or of walmal cloth, with a bow of spruce fir, goes across
the back, and is connected with the leather thongs just mentioned, being
further secured by a girth under the belly. Against the sides of this
pack-saddle the above-described boxes or baskets are hung and fastened,
the transverse chink in the bottom of each being fitted to the saddle.
I observed that the Laplanders, both men and women, after borrowing a
lighted pipe, and passing it from one to another, retain a mouthful of
smoke as long as possible, that they may enjoy as much of the flavour as
they can. Old men chew tobacco.
The tendons in the legs of the reindeer serve to make thread or cord. In
each hind leg are two tendons, one before the other; in each fore leg
one behind and two or three before it. These the Laplanders lay hold of
with their mouths, split and moisten them, rubbing them from time to
time with reindeer marrow, preserved in bladders for that use, in order
to render them as supple as possible. Each string is made sharp at both
ends, and drawn through holes of various sizes in an instrument made on
purpose (of wood or metal) to render it as fine and smooth as they can.
Two such threads are then twisted together by means of the hand upon
the thigh or knee. They are generally held with the left hand, and
twisted with the right upon the left knee, proceeding downwards, the
thread being moistened from time to time with saliva.
In this part of the country the _Empetrum_ (Crow- or Crake-berry) serves
for firing. Otherwise the most common fuel is the dwarf Birch (_Betula
nana_), and the Willow with lanceolate white hairy leaves (_Salix
lapponum_), so very abundant on the Lapland alps. The dwarf birch bears
very small leaves in these elevated regions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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