(St. Faith, Oct. 6?) Perkit.
(Middle of Oct.) Talvi.
The annexed figure represents a Laplander's staff. It is tipped with a blade of iron, as thick as the thumb. With this weapon he attacks the bear and wolf in the time of deep snow. On the lower part of the shaft is a sort of hoop, six inches in diameter, made of root of fir, and fastened with thongs of reindeer skin, one of which passes through a hole in the staff. At the bottom it is mounted with iron. The use of this hoop is to prevent the staff from sinking into the snow, when used as a walking-stick. The shaft itself, made of birch wood, is about four feet long, and an inch and half thick.
This sketch is taken from one of their snow shoes, made of wood. Its length is six feet, from h to i; breadth, from k to g, five inches. The hind part, i, is rather more obtuse than the other end, h, which last is elevated about two or three inches. From h it gradually widens to f. The part from c to d, where the foot stands, is about eight inches; its breadth three. The under part of the shoe is convex, and furrowed lengthwise; the upper flattish, raised about ten lines, and the edge all round is sharp. At b is a band, made of fir root twisted, serving to tie the shoe fast round the ancle. The general thickness of the shoe throughout is from three to four lines.
Some people wear a pair of the same size; others have the left shoe smaller than the right. Each is often lined or covered, about the central part, with a piece of hairy reindeer skin, to prevent the foot slipping about upon the shoe, and give a firmer step in walking over the snow. This is most practised in Kimi-Lapmark, where the wild reindeer are most abundant.