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78 TRAVELS
in fledges drawn by rein-deer. What hay they poflefs ferves as
provender for their cows; and the corn they obtain is converted
into flour for their own ufe, which, through long habit, is be-
come fo neceflary an article of their fubfiftence, that they are
miferable if they have it not all the year round. From fifhing and
the chafe they derive as much refource as they poffibly can. A
people enured to a roving and hazardous kind of life, prefer to
the laborious purfuits of agriculture, the chances of fifhing and
the chafe. It would not be difficult for the tew families of Kauto-
keino to raife grain fufficient for their wants: but they chufe
rather to fifth, and hunt wild rein-deer, than to undergo the weari-
fome toils of hufbandry. They exchange for grain what fifh they
can fpare, or barter for it the {kins of bears or other animals
which they may happen to kill. It is, however, by no means to
be wondered at, that this fhould be fo, when we confider that fifth
are {o abundant in the rivers as to make the catching of them not
a bufinefs of doubtful fpeculation, but of the utmoft certainty ;
and alfo, that if any one kill a bear, he gains more by the fkin
than he would by the cultivation of half an acre of land, over
and above the luxury of feafting upon the flefh of this animal,
which 1s efteemed very delicious.
The method of hunting the bear is the fame here as in Finland,
but that of hunting the rein-deer is attended with exceffive fatigue,
and to be performed only by a Laplander. The wild rein-deer,
which fcorn to live in a herd, but remain in a folitary ftate among
the woods and mountains, poffefs a nicety and acutenefs of pre-
caution
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