The History of Lapland: Wherein Are Shewed the Original, Manners, Habits, Marriages, Conjurations, &c. of That PeopleScheffer, Johannes
History
The History of Lapland: Wherein Are Shewed the Original, Manners, Habits, Marriages, Conjurations, &c. of That People
Scheffer, Johannes
Lapland -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; Sami (European people)
But besides these, there are others, such as are the _Sables_ which
_Olaus Magnus_ calls _Zabelli_, their skins _Johnston_ in his History
of Animals commends. _Olaus_ saith that their skins were made use of
by the _Lapland_ Women, especially by the Brides to adorn themselves
with them; and that there is but small plenty of them in these parts.
Some make this beast like a weezel, others especially _Scaliger_ like
the Martin, and indeed he seems to be in the right both to the bulk
and shape of it. Their color the nearer it comes to black is the more
esteemed. There are found several all white, such as we have often
seen the _Muscovian_ Embassadors bring over to the King for a most
singular present. By which _Adamus Bremensis_ in his _Scandinavia_
seems to have understood white Martins. There are also Ermins which
are found only among the _Laplanders_. _Jovius_ first wrote of them
that they were good exchange for any sort of Merchandize. These Ermins
are nothing but white weezels having the end of their tails black,
_Johnston_ takes notice thereof out of _Albertus Magnus_, he calleth
the beast _Erminius_, which is the same thing with _Armelinus_ and
_Hermelinus_, differing neither in bigness nor nature from the weezel,
the color argues nothing, for he has that only in Winter, but in Summer
is of a bright yellow. It is as greedy of Mice as the Weezels are,
whence the _Sweeds_ call it _Lekat_. I am unwilling to call it with
_Scaliger_ a _Swedland_ Mouce. Among these I had rather reckon a little
sort of beast which they call _Lemmus_, which _Olaus Magnus_ saith
the Ermins feed on, _Samuel Rheen_ speaks of a sort of Mice found in
Lapland which they call Mountain Mice or _Lemblar_, which _Wormius_
describes with short tails and staring hair, and not unlike a Mouce.
I will speak little of their color, which _Olaus_ saies is various,
_Samuel Rheen_ affirms it red, who observes too that they come of a
sudden, and cover the ground with their multitude. _Olaus_ observes
that this is alwaies in stormy weather, and thinks that it rains these
creatures, but is all together in a doubt, whether they are brought
thither by the Winds, or bred in the clouds. _Wormius_ thinks plainly
that they are bred in the clouds: but the learned _Isaac Vossius_ in
his notes to _Pomponius Mela_ corrects him, and saies the reason why
these animals are supposed to fall from the Clouds is because they use
not to appear, but immediatly after rain they creep out of their holes,
either for that they are fill’d with water, or because this creature
thrives much in rain, which opinion seems most probable to me. These
creatures are very bold, never making their escape when Passengers come
by, but keep on their way, and make a noise like the barking of a dog:
they fear neither club nor sword, but if any one strike at them, they
turn again and bite. It is observable in them that they never go near
or do any mischeif in any hut, sometimes they set upon one another,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account