[CHAP. XXIII.]
Of the Emploiments common to both Sexes.
The other buisinesses, which we have not treated of yet, whether they be at home or in journies, belong to both Sexes, and that they may be the better undertaken, men and women wear breeches, and as Joh. Tornæus takes notice, equally undergo all pains and work excepting hunting: by which words exceptâ venatione he doth not deny but men and women have peculiar emploiments. In their travels the master of a family goes first, with his baggage and Rain-deers after him, and next him his wife with hers; in Summer they both walk on foot, in Winter both are drawn in sledges, which I have described in the next page: in these they like children are tied and bound fast with fillets and cords, especially when in hast, having only their hands and head at liberty, and their back leaning against the end. The Rain-deer is not harnessed like an Horse, but hath a strong cloth about his neck, to which is fastened a rope that goes between his fore and hind feet, to the hole in the prou of the sledge. He therefore that drew Olaus Magnus pictures was much deceived, when he made Rain-deers joined to the sledge with traces on both sides, and such a collar about their necks, as is used in other Countries upon their thillers; and in another place two yoaked together drawing a cart with wheels, which is a thing unknown to the Laplanders, and men riding upon them as on a Horse, whereas they never do so, but walk on foot, and carry their goods only on them in dorsers. He that is drawn rules the beast, not with a bridle, but an halter made of Sea-dogs skin tied about his head or horns, fastned to a stick which he holds in one hand, with which he removes the thong to either side, according as he would go or turn: with the other he guides the sledge, for it being round at bottom is still wavering, so that he which rides, must still with the motion of his body, and hand, take care it overturns not, as you may see in the picture. When they thus travel in the Winter, the Rain-deer are bravely adorned with needle work of tin-thred upon diverse colour’d cloth, about their necks and back, and a bell, with which they are mightily pleased. They travell in these at what rate they will; but if upon a remove, alwaies slow, because of the weight of their goods, in which journies the man and his wife go first, and all the family come after. Ziegler saies in 24 houres they can go 150 miles: Herbersternius saies in a day 20 German miles: but ’tis not to be believed that it is performed with one Rain-deer in the day of 12 hours, except the waies be good and slippery, but they ordinarily go 12 14 or 16 German miles in ten hours, which number doubled will make out Zeigler’s opinion: and that not with one Rain-deer which is impossible to out so long, but that it must dy or be left to rest the next day. In this way of travelling the Women are as expert as the men, and Olaus Magnus saies more. As the men and women travel together, so they help one another in fishing, and at baiting time to feed their cattle, which is evident in the Rain-deer, for the women take as much care of them as the men, and equally take the trouble to milk them: and in fishing ’tis manifest; for women in the absence of men, are very intent for some weeks at catching fish, which they gut and dry up for Winter. Their way of catching them is with Nets, and other instruments, as every where else. I know not what Paulus Jovius meant, when he said they have a foolish way of fishing, except he refers to their hooks which are nor of Iron but Wood: they make them of Juniper bent round: these they fasten to sticks, and throw them into the Rivers, and very easily take many large fishes. If they fish with a Cane or Whale-bone, the fisher never knows when the fish bites, but pulls up at a venture. Their way of fishing alters with the season, in the Summer usually with drag nets, between two boats, or else with spears like Tridents, but that they have more teeth. With these they strike pikes, especially when they ly sunning themselves near the top of the Water: they do the same by Night burning dry wood at the prow, by which light the Fish are enticed thither. In the Winter time they thrust nets under the ice to a banck side, and then by a great noise above drive the Fish to them; all these things the Women often do alone, which is the less to be wondered at, because every where in this Country there is a great multitude of Fish. Besides all these, they carry and cleave wood, and make hedges, with such like works, which are so inconsiderable as not to be worthy to enlarge our discourse.
[CHAP. XXIV.]
Of their Divertisements.
Having spoken of their ordinary emploiments, it will not be amiss here to annex something of their Divertisements: where first we may note, that the people of this Country are generally dispos’d to idleness, not willing to take any great paines, unless when meer necessity constrains them to provide against want. This they seem to derive principally from their Ancestors the Finlanders, as is elsewhere said. To which as well their cold constitution by reason of the sharpness of the Air in this Country (that it self is sufficient to dispose men to laziness,) as the length of their Nights, and indulgence to much sleep, may contribute not a little. In fine, that I may omit their many other infirmities, whereby they are incapacitated to undergo any considerable hardship, they are lovers of sloth and wholly given up to it. But further, to consider how they bestow their vacant time from business, ’tis the general and most recieved accompt, that making and receiving visits, and familiar conversation become the greatest part of their recreations. For whereas their manner of life so nearly resembles solitariness, that each family seems confined to its own hut, they can take no greater satisfaction in any thing then such mutual entercourse. And here it may be observed, that in their discourses at these meetings of friends and acquaintance, usually the most ordinary affairs and daily occurrences have the chiefest place: as particularly their welfare, emploiments, and the like. But besides ’tis their humor to make remarks upon the transactions of all forreiners, whose names or customes commerce has at any time brought to their knowledg. And furthermore they can take no greater pride, then either in traducing the management of their affairs, or imposing drollish Nick-names upon them. Tho indeed those of the richer sort are used to entertain their visitants with greater merriment and magnificence. Besides these visits they use some sports wherewith they recreate themselves, especially in Winter (when for some space of time they live as scateringly as in Summer, but are more familiar,) or at their public assemblies in the places of Judicature and Fairs. Again some sports are looked upon as only peculiar to men, others the female Sex also have their part in. Of the first sort this is one. They make a line in the Snow, in place of a goal: behind it at some paces distance they set up a mark, from whence each person taking a run to the goal, and there taking his rise, throws his body as far as possibly he can, and he that at one leap compasses the greatest space of ground, is reckon’d the Conqueror. In this first sport they both leap and run. Another they have where the trial of skill consists in leaping only, and that too not in length but height; there stand two men upright, at no great distance the one front the other, and hold in their hands sometimes a rope, sometimes a pole, now higher, now lower, as is agreed upon by the combatants, usually at the common height of a man: then each Person attemts to leap over from a station assign’d, and he that performs most dextrously, gains the applause to himself. A third sort of sport among them is with bow and arrows. At a convenient place they set up a mark of a very small bigness, and shoot at it with arrows from any distance prescrib’d. He that hits either soonest or oftnest, bears away the bell from the rest. These sports hitherto mentioned are almost instituted by them meerly for the consideration of credit and renown: yet sometimes they play for prizes such as they agree upon among themselves, and instantly they lay them down in the place where they keep their games. Their prizes are seldom mony, usually skins, especially of Squirrels, sometimes one, sometimes more as they see convenient and agree upon it. But in those sports wherein as well the women as men are plaiers, they commonly play with a leather ball stuffed with hay, about the bigness of ones fist; whatever company of men and women is there present, is sorted into two sides, one whereof seizes on this ground, the other on another opposite to it, and at some distance off. Then every Person of one side in his turn, beats the ball with a club thorough the Air, those of the contrary side catching it at the fall; and if any one chance to catch it in his hands, before it touch ground, then the order of the play is inverted, and this side strikes out the ball, the other is fain to catch. Thus play the men and women, the boies and girles together, nor do the men shew themselves more expert at it then the women. They besides have another play at ball: in the hard frozen snow they draw two lines at some distance from one another, then all the multitude both of men and women parting into two sides, one applies it self to the defence of this, the other of that line; then they meet in the middle space between their two goals, and fling down the ball, then each partie with bandies and clubs strives to strike the ball cross the opposite parties line, each party still maintaining the defence of its own line; but if one side chance to strike the ball with their bandies over the others line (for it is foul play to fling it with their hands) and so take their goal, that is accounted the conquering side. The sports as yet mentioned are such as belong to the younger sort, as well as to those of more mature age: the next is peculiar to these last and only to men. Their custom is to separate themselves into two companies, and attacque one another by wrestling: first each company stands like a file of Soldiers all along in order to confront the adverse company: then each man catches his adversary by the girdle, wherewith all Laplanders are alwaies girt, as is elswhere shown, (their girdle goes six times round their body, and so is fast and fittest for their purpose,) so each man having caught hold, endeavors to fling the other down, which they are not allowed to attempt by craft or deceit, as by any lock or the like; Any one that is found delinquent in this kind, is branded for a fowl plaier, and excluded the lists. These are the sports that are almost peculiar to the Laplanders: besides them they use some, which they borrow from other places, such is playing at Cards, a sport sufficiently known thorough all Europe, for even the Laplanders take no little satisfaction in it: they procure their Cards of the Merchants that trade thither. They use likewise to play at dice, which they themselves make of wood after the common fashion, with this only difference, that whereas dice commonly have some number of spots inscribed on every side, they have a figure made only on one side like an X. he wins in this sport, that casting two Dies, on the top of either can show the X. their stakes are usually Squirrils skins, or some small trifles, and in the failance of these leaden bullets, which they use in their hunting to charge their Guns withal: and it happens sometimes that a fellow having lost all his bullets, in hope of repairing his damage by winning again, not only at present will be sensible of the harm, but being disappointed of his Hunting puts to stake and looses his future acquisitions and hope of livelihood. These are the usual waies, whereby the people of Lapland spend their leisure times and divert themselves.