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134- Of the Laplanders wild Beafts.
Wolves, Gluttons, Beavers, Otters , Martins, Squirrels ; but theSe Stags
are but few and little , Such as they call Damacervi, or Platicerotes, which
Since they have nothing peculiar from thoSe in other Nations, let it SuSTice
that they are named. To theSe I may add wild Rain-deers, but becaufe
they differ from the tame ones only in bulkbeing bigger, and in color
fomewhat blacker, 1 will likewife pafs them over. Sam. Rheen after the
Stags mentions Wolves, of Which there is a great number, diftinguiSht
from thofe in other Countries only by their color, fomething,whiter,
whence they are often called white Wolves: their hair is thicker, longer
and rougher. Thefe most of all mo’.est the Rain-deers, which are armed
against them with their horns.
I find in fome Papers of Bur<tm that the Wolves did never aSTault the
Rain-deer if it was bound to a stake: the reafon maybe Becaufe he fears
fome trap when h£ fees the rope that binds the Raindeer: for the Wolf
is a very fufpicious creature, and thinks every thing he fees to be a fnare
to catch him. Befides he may fufpefl that men lie hidden to kill him, whereas
the Rain-deers are only bound for the better conveniency of milking them.
Neverthelefs, the Wolves venture not only.cn Beafls,but on Men and
Women, efpecially thofe that are big with child. Travellers are forced to
go armed , particularly Women near their time , for the Wolves take their
fcent and watch more greedily for them, therefore no Woman is
permitted to travell without a guide aSTifting her. The next are the Gluttonr,
which are frequent here, they have a roundhead, strong and fharp teeth,
like a Wolfs , a plump body , and feet Shorter than the Otters: their skin
is of a very dark color , fome of them refemble Sables, only they have
Softer and finer haire ; this Beast lives not altogether on Land, but many
times in the Water, like the Otter, tho much bigger and stronger: Some
compare it to the Otter , but it is far greedier than he, for thence it
gets its name. For Olaut tells us that it is called by the Swedes , Jerf, by
the Germans, Wildfras: but this German name doth not denote the Beast
to eat much, but to devour what it finds in the Woods, for wild Signifies
any thing in the Woods5 wherefore either Scaligtr did not undeistand
the word, or elfe the Printer did not follow his copy: which appears more
plainely,from that the Gulo doth not only infest wild Beafts, but tame (as
hath bin often known in Stpedland) and Water creatures too, being it felf
accustomed to the Waters.
There are abundance of Beavers in Lapland, becaufe the Nation abounds
with plenty ofFilh, whence they have ft ere of food: Olaus thinks that the
plenty of them proceeds from the quittnefs of the Waters , which are never
troubled with Ships, as the Rhine and Daneiv are. I add nothing of thefe
becaufe they are not distinguish’d from the vulgar fort, neither aie the Octers.
Next to thefe Sam. Rheen fpeaks of the Foxes , as being numerous, and
of feverall forts over all Lapland. He reckons up, befides the common ones,
thofe that are black, brown, aSh-colored, white; and thefe that are marked
with a crofs. The black are moft valued becaufe they are rare: in Mofcoty
Men of honor and preferment have their Caps made of their skins, which
are fold, as HerberSkniut obServes, for 10, fometimes 15 pieces of gold,
Thofe that are marked with a crofs, Jobnfivn calls Crucigcr*, and
describes them thus : they have from their mouth , over their head and back
to
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