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)
They have two lathes something broad, but flexible, made of firr, of
which for the most part Boxes are made, these lathes they joyn together
at the top, putting the one end into a mortice made in the other end,
and so make a kind of a circle, then by that part where they are joyned
together they hang them on the Rain-deer, one on the right-side, the
other on the left, and so againe by withes ty them under the beasts
belly, that they may be the more steady. Now these are placed so
to support their dorsers made of the same wood, bended into an oval
figure much like a drum, if both ends were round. These dorsers at the
bottom they draw together with twiggs of birch, placed in the form of
a grate, and the tops of them they tye with thongs, or cords, which
they loose as often as any thing is to be put in, or taken out; and
least any thing should fall out, they cover these dorsers all over
with bark of birch, or some skins. These dorsers they hang by ropes
or thongs to the tops of the forementioned lathes, which they call
_Tobbii_; so that they may hang down on both sides the Rain-deer, the
tops being outward, and the bottoms turned inward toward the belly of
the beast. And thus they load their Rain-deers, not only with their
goods and houshold stuff, but also with their Infants, which cannot
walk themselves. For on one side of the Rain-deer they often hang their
cradles, and children in them, of which I will speak hereafter. Now in
these journeys they have a certain order which no one without cause
ought to disturb; for in the first place marches the Master of the
Family, having some Rain-deers after him, loaded after the foresaid
manner, afterwards follows his wife in like manner; then the whole
herd of Rain-deers, which his Children and Servants drive softly on.
Last of all brings up the rear, he that carries the Drum. Now these
pack-Rain-deers they do not use to drive yoked or joyned together, but
in a long line one after another, that which follows being alwaies
tied to the pannels of that which went before, and the _Laplander_
leading the foremost by a rope tied about his neck, and so they march
on till they come to the place intended, where they set up their sheds
again, and remain for some weeks, which are to them instead of houses.
But now there is some difference in the sheds of the _Laplanders_
that live in the mountains, and are called _Fiællapper_, and those
that live in the Woods, who are called _Graan Lapper_; for the one
coming to the same place but once in a year, doth not build this
shed of so durable stuff as the other: the former, when he departs,
almost destroying his habitation, and the latter leaving it standing.
The former build their sheds thus, first, at four corners they erect
four posts, upon the tops of which they place three rafters, so that
there shall be one on each side, and one behind, but none cross the
formost posts; upon these rafters they afterwards place long poles,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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