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REGNARD’s JOURNEY TO LAPLAND, 163
which prevented us from taking any away with us, as we thought it better to wait till
our return, when we could procure it from the iron-mine. After having inveltigated
all the machines and pumps employed for raifing the water, we contemplated at our
Jeifure all the mountains covered with fnow that furrounded us. Itis upon thefe rocks,
that the Laplanders live during winter; and this country has been in their poffeflion,
fince the divifion of Lapland, which took place in the reign of Gultavus Adolphus, father
of Queen Chriftina. Thefe lands and mountains belong to them exclufively ;- and to mark
their property, they have their names written upon fome {tones, or cut out in fome parts
of the mountain, which they have had in their poffeflion, or which they have inhabited.
Such are the rocks of Lupawara, Kerquerol, Kilavara, Lung, Dondere, or rock of hun-
der, which have furnifhed names to the families of Laplanders which dwell upon them,
and which are only diftinguifhed in this country by the furnames that thefe rocks furnifh
them with. Thefe mountains are fometimes feven or eight leagues inlength; and although
they remain always upon the fame rock, they do not hefitate often to fhift their places,
when neceffity leads them to do fo, and when their rein-deer have coniumed all the
mofs which was near their habitations. Although fome Laplanders have, during the
winter, certain fixed places of refidence, there are many more who conftantly wander,
and whofe habitations cannot be difcovered ; they are fometimes in the woods, fome-
times on the lakes, juft as they have need of hunting or fifhing, and they are never
to be feen, except when they attend the fairs in winter, for the purpofe of bartering
fkins for fome other article which they ftand in need of, and for carrying the tribute
which they pay to the King of Sweden, but from which they might eafily exempt
themfelves, if they did not with to attend thefe fairs. But the need which they have of
iron, fteel, cordage, and knives, and other articles of this nature, oblige them to attend
thefe fairs, at which they receive the commodities they are in want of. The tribute
which they pay is alfo extremely fmall. ‘The richeft among them, when they have a
thoufand or twelve hundred rein-deer, which is the cafe with fome, pay generally only
two or three crowns at the moft.
After being amply informed on all thefe topics, we began to return to our hut, and
faw on the road thofe forges where the copper is firft founded. Here the groflelt
alloy is feparated, and when it has been long enough in the foundery to have all its
impurities thrown out, before taking out the copper at the bottom, they lift up feveral
fheets, which they call ra/éttes, in which there is only one half of copper, and which are
afterwards placed in the furnace, to remove the quantity of drofs which {till remains.
This is the firft fhape which is given to it here ; but at Konges, it is pafled three times
through the fire, that it may be thoroughly purified, and rendered fit to take that form
under the hammer, which is withed to be given to it.
On Thurfday a prieft of the Laplanders arrived with four of that people, for the
purpofe of attending next day, one of the days of religious exercife eftablifhed
throughout all Sweden, to thank God for the victories gained by them on that day.
Thefe were the firft Laplanders we had feen, and ‘the fight of them gave us much
fatisfation. ‘They came to barter fifh for tobacco. We regarded them attentively
from head to foot: they are made quite differently from other men. The talleft of them
is not more than three cubitshigh; and I know not any figure more truly laughable.
They have large heads, broad and flat faces, level nofes, fmall eyes, large mouths, and
thick beards defcending to their ftomach. All their limbs are proportioned to their
littlenefs of body; their legs are thin, their arms long, and the whole of this little
machine feemsto move on fprings. Their winter drefs confifts of the fin of a rein.
deer, made like a fack defcending to the knees, and tied round the thighs, with a fafh
¥ 2 of
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