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ACCOUNT OF DANISH LAPLAND BY LEEMS. 393
Having now finifhed the defcription of the habitations of the Laplanders, I think I
fhould add fomething of the little hovels of the Norwegian and Lapland peafants. ‘Che
hovel of a Lapland peafant has wooden walls, and them low and without cieling. The
beams on which the poles, fuftaining the turf or thatch, are lodged, are not laid acrofs,
but lengthways and within. ‘There is no gutter, as there is in other huts; nor have
they light from windows, but through chinks, which when the occafion requires they
fhut up with a little fhutter. Within is an oven, not very unlike thofe of bakers, over
which is piled a large heap of ftones. In this oven a great heap of wood every day is
lighted, and keeps burning until the oven and the ftones laid on it glow with a very in-
tenfe degree of heat,
Whilft the oven is heating, the outlets and chinks, as many as are, are thrown open,
that the fmoke may have a free egrefs, to be clofed again when the fire is out ; by which
means the heat, which is the greateft poffible, is within, and kept up by the heat of the
glowing oven and ftones, it continues until frefh fuel is brought and lighted up in the
oven. When the chinks and outlets are all clofed up it is dark within, and for this
reafon they light unctuous pieces of the fir-tree in the place of a candle, and difpel the
darknefs {fo far as to need no other light to complete their ufual work. The floor of
the hovel of a Norwegian peafant, an inhabitant of Finmark, is paved with hewn ftone.
The inner fides of the walls are made of timber fet upright, not unlike a piece of floor-
work ; but without are covered firft with the bark of the birch-tree, then with turf, one
lodged upon another, fo that the bark of the beech-tree fhould be between the turf and
flooring. There is no diftin&tion of floors throughout the houfe. The roof rifes in a
point outfide, as with the other peafants, covered with the bark of the birch-tree, and
with turf.
Olaus Magnus, a celebrated writer, is of opinion, that the boifterous winds and deep
f{nows, which are condenfed in Finmark, are the reafon that the inhabitants of this traét
build for themfelves fubterraneous habitations ; but in my opinion, the conftruction and
ufe of thefe dwellings is to be afcribed to the fcarcity of wood, efpecially in infular fitua-
tions, where the foil is bare and barren. But as to thefe habitations of wood tumbling
down by the attack of winds, provided they are raifed on a firm and folid foundation,
is an idle fear. For almoft all perfons in official fituations, appointed by the King for
adminiftering the public affairs in this country, as alfo merchants refident here for pur-
pofes of bufinefs, it is certain live in wooden houfes, and them feldom confifting of two
{tories ; to fay nothing that thefe fubterraneous caves are the beft adapted for preferv-
. ing heat.
Cuap. VI.—Of the Beds and Bed-chambers of the Laplanders.
THE bed on which the maritime Laplander repofes in his hut, as the mountaineer
when he goes to reft in his cot, is covered and furnifhed with the fkin of the rein-deer
laid on the bare branches: of trees, which is the flooring equally of the hut and cot.
The cloaths which they wear by day ferve for a bol{ter; a coverlet, made of the unfhorn
yet drefled fkin of a fheep, with the hairy part infide, is their blanket. On this blanket
is afterwards laid a rough woollen cover. ‘The woollen blanket under which the moun-
taineer lies in winter is in the fhape of a fack, into which he thrufts his feet. The huf-
band, wife, children, and fervants, every one, even if the cold is extreme, go naked to
bed. The beds have no other feparation than a {mall pole negligently placed from each
other. Inthe infide of the hut (fee what is faid on the various dimenfions of the floor
VOL.) 1. ae of
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