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CONCERNING LAPLAND. 139
There exifts an account of Swedith Lapland, which in no re-
fpe&t differs from that of Leems; but the reader is particularly
cautioned by the miffionary againft another publication by an
anonymous author, in the German language, entitled, Nordifche
Reyfe, &c. which came out about the middle of the laft century.
‘This German writer makes the Laplanders a nation of magicians,
and has filled his book with monftrous abfurdities, and told the
moft egregious falfehoods concerning them. He afferts, that the
Laplander calls his rein-deer to him by blowing a horn; and that
when he is about to fet off on a journey he whifpers the animal
in the ear, as if he was informing him of the way he was to go.
Now the miflionary abfolutely denies that either horn or trumpet
is known amongft the Laplanders, who make no ufe of any mu-
fical inftrument whatever. As to the whifpering in the animal’s
ears, the folly of fuch a ftatement is a fufficient impeachment of
its veracity. The fame perfon fays, he bought a favourable wind
with money and tobacco of certain inhabitants of Norland, who
gave him a piece of linen rag tied in three knots, which he was
to faften to the main fail; and he adds, that upon loofening the
firft and fecond knots he had a favourable wind, but that the third
caufed a violent tempeft. Our miffionary totally denies the pro-
bability of the affirmation, though it may be admitted that the
Lapland magicians formerly pretended to fuch power over the
winds ; for the fame affertion has alfo been made by other writers.
Our readers, who are admirers of Hudibras, will recollect, that
Butler has an allufion to this fuperftition, which undoubtedly he
Tt 2 had
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