| Longit. | Latit. | |
|---|---|---|
| Uma | 38, 0. | 65, 11. |
| Pitha | 40, 0. | 66, 14. |
| Lula | 40, 30. | 66, 30. |
| Tœrna | 42, 27. | 67, 0. |
| Kimi | 42, 20. | 67, 1. |
| Lappijærf | 42, 33. | 70, 9. |
| Antoware | 44, 4. | 70, 26. |
| Tenokijle | 46, 0. | 70, 50. |
| Porsanger | 44, 2. | 71, 42. |
| Porsanger | 43, 35. | 71, 35. |
| Lingen | 37, 30. | 70, 30. |
| Trænees | 32, 30. | 70, 25. |
| Euvenes | 33, 35. | 70, 0. |
| Titisare | 37, 55. | 69, 40. |
| Piala | 41, 40. | 60, 15. |
| Siguar | 38, 35. | 68, 59. |
| Tingwar | 38, 0. | 69, 40. |
| Rounula | 39, 30. | 69, 47. |
| Koutokrine | 42, 0. | 69, 17. |
| Waranger | 45, 0. | 71, 35. |
| Lanzord | 45, 35. | 71, 26. |
| Hwalsund | 42, 40. | 71, 12. |
| Skrisæ | 38, 50. | 71, 18. |
| Trumsæ | 35, 52. | 70, 55. |
| Andaces | 32, 0. | 70, 30. |
| Serghen | 32, 20. | 69, 3. |
| Wardhus | 52, 0. | 71, 55. |
| Norkaap. | 45, 30. | 72, 30. |
I proceed next to the disposition and nature of the Country, having first given you a Map of it.
[CHAP. III.]
Of the temperature of the Air, and soil of Lapland.
We have seen how Lapland is situate; let us next proceed to other particularities of it. That ’tis very near the Pole appears from its latitude, insomuch that for some months in the Summer the Sun here never sets, and on the contrary in the Winter it never rises; which Herbersten says is but forty days, and tho three hours in the night the body of it is something darkned, so that his raies appear not, yet there is so much light, that they continue their work all the while. Indeed the same account is not to be taken of the whole Country, since part of it lies nearer, and part further distant from the Pole; and of these too some parts are more East, and some more to the West, from whence ’tis that with some of them the Sun is scarce above the Horizon for so many daies as he pretends. And altho in the Summer it never sets and goes below the Earth, yet neither does it rise much above it, but as it were kisses and gently glides along the Horizon for the most part; as likewise in the Winter when lowest it is not much beneath it: which is the reason that tho they have one continued night for some months, yet every day the Sun comes so near, that it makes a kind of twilight. Joh. Magnus saies that in the absence of the Sun there are two twilights, one in the morning, the other in the evening, in which those poor remainders of day provide that the night should not be utterly destructive. And by how much the Sun is farther absent, the light of the Moon is clearer. Hence Petr. Claud. saies that when the Moon shines they go a fishing, and dispatch all other necessaries that are to be done without doors; and when it does not, if the air be clear, even the light of the Stars so much abates the darkness, that the horrour of the night is much lessened, and there is light enough for the dispatch of severall businesses, which is farther assisted by the whiteness of the Snow. The Air of Lapland is cold, but fresh and clear, and consequently very wholesome, being much purified by the winds which are here very frequent and violent. It has bin attested to me by eye-witnesses, that there rises a certain wind out of the Sea, which beginning to blow raises presently such thick and dark clouds even in the midst of Summer, that they utterly hinder the sight, and in the Winter drives the snow with such force and quantity, that if any person be surprised abroad, he hath no other remedy but to throw himself on the ground with some garment over him, suffering himself to be quite buried in snow till the storm is past, which don, he rises up, and betakes himself to the next Cottage he can meet, all paths and roads being hid in the snow. But the strongest and most irresistible winds are upon the Mountains, where they throw down all things they meet with, and carry them away by their violence into far distant places, where they are never seen or heard of afterwards. Their only help against these is to convey themselves into dens and caves. Here is rain as in other places, sometimes more, and sometimes less, but in the midst of Summer, this as likewise the neighbouring Countries have very seldom any at all. Snow they have more often, and so much that in the Winter it covers all the Country, of which they make this advantage, that they can travel the more securely in the night; for the light of the Moon reflected from the snow, enlightens all the fields, that they can discern and avoid any pits, precipices and wild Beasts, that would otherwise annoy them: so convenient are the wayes for any journy, that two rein deer will draw a greater load over the trodden snow, then a Cart and ten Horses can in the fields at other times. These snows in some places, as on the tops of their highest hills, remain perpetually, and are never melted by the strongest heat of the Sun. In the upper part of Lapland there are Mountains rising to such a vast hight, that the snow continues upon them Summer and Winter, and is never dissolved, but in other places the Land is every year over-flown with floods of melted snow. They have also very great frosts and mists, and good store of them, which sometimes so thicken the air, that the sight is quite obstructed, and Passengers cann’t distinguish one man from another to salute or avoid him, tho he be come close up to them. It is so extreme cold here in the Winter, that ’tis not to be endured but by those who have bin bred up in it. The swiftest Rivers are sometimes frozen so hard, that the ice is more than three or four cubits thick; and their greatest Lakes and deepest Seas bear any burdens whatever. Nor is the Summer, which to some may seem incredible, more moderately hot. For tho the Sun be very low, and his raies oblique, yet lying upon them so long together, their force is strangely increast; the only allay being from the vapors rising out of the neighbouring Sea, and from the snows, which as well in Summer as Winter continue undissolv’d in hollow places between the hills. As for Spring and Autumn they know neither, there being so very little space between the extremity of cold in the Winter, and heat in Summer, that by Strangers ’tis look’t upon as a miracle to see every thing springing fresh and green, when but a week before all things were overwhelm’d with frost and snow. Ol. Petr. Nieuren. has observed it as a memorable thing, and which he would not have believ’d from any one had he not seen it himself, that in the year 1616, June 24, going to the Church of Thor, he saw the trees budding, and the grass coming up green out of the ground, and within a fortnight after he saw the Plants full blown, and the leaves of the trees at their perfection, as if they had known how short the Summer was to be, and therefore made such hast to enjoy it. Their soil is generally neither very fertile nor barren, but between both, full of flints, stones and rocks, every where appearing high, by whose unevenness and roughness the rest of the ground about is useless. The ground is generally very soft and flabby, by reason of the many Lakes and Rivers overflowing, yet would it be fit either for tillage or pasture if any would be at the pains and charge of draining it. Ol. Petrus saies of the Southern part, lying under the same climate and influence of the Heavens with Bothnia, that ’tis as apt to bear any grain as the Western Bothnia it self, but this is not without a concurrence and aptitude likewise of the soil: and he himself confesses in Chap. 12th, that the Land is stony, sandy, uneven, overrun in some places with briars and thornes, and in others nothing but hills, moores, fennes and standing waters, which are not the qualities that usually commend Land for agriculture. Then as to his urging its verdant and rich pastures, it doth not follow that all Land which yields much grass should be equally capable of bearing good corn. Yet doth the Land afford plenty of grass, and that so good that their Cattel are fatned much cheaper and sooner with it than any other thing, as also divers hearbs, but particularly ’tis happy in all kind of pot-hearbs. There are many large Woods and Forests, especially towards Norway, but not very thick; likewise steep rocks and high mountaines called Doffrini; upon whose naked tops, by reason of the violence of the winds to which they are exposed, never yet grew tree. Below these hills lie most pleasant Vallies, in which are clear fountaines and rivulets innumerable, which emtying themselves into the rivers, at length are carried into the Bothnic Sea. Their water is clear, sweet and wholesome, only their Forests abound with stinking and standing Pools. This Country Winter and Summer hath an incredible number of all kinds of wild beasts, especially the lesser sorts, which suffice not only for their own use, but to drive a great trade with their neighbours. They have Birds also of all sorts very many, but Fish in such abundance that a great part of the Natives are entirely fed by them. But of all these we shall speak in their proper places, I will add no more here but this, that the Description of old Finland or Scritofinnia by the Ancients is the same which hath bin given here of Lapland; to confirm what I said before that these Countries differ only in name, and not in nature and situation. We come now to its Division.
[CHAP. IV.]
Of the Division of Lapland.
Those who have writ of Lapland, mention different divisions of it. Saxo in his 5th Book, and elswhere, speaks of two Laplands, and after him Johannes Magnus tells us, that both the Laplands are joined together Southward. I suppose in that division they had respect to their situation, and meant the Eastern and the Western Lapland: for so Damianus Goes, who seems to borrow from Joh. Magnus, expresses it. Lapland, saith he, is divided into the Eastern and the Western, separated from each other by the Bothnic Sea. From whence we may gather that that part of the Country which lies on one side of the Bothnia, was called the Eastern Lapland, and that which lies on the other, the Western.
Besides this division of Lapland, there is another taken from the places most frequented by the Inhabitants. For one part thereof, lying along the Coasts of the Ocean, is from thence called Siœfindmarken, that is the maritime Lapland; the other lying higher on the Continent, Fiœldmarken, that is, inland Lapland: tho by some they are called simply Findmarken and Lappmarken. This last division Pet. Claud. gives us in his 27th Chapter. All the Sea Coasts, saith he, Northward and Eastward as far as Findmarkia reaches, are possest by the Siæfinni, or maritime Finlanders, but the mountainous and champaign Country, by the Lapfinni, from thence named Lapmarkia or Wildfindlandia, that is wild or savage Findland. Where he calls one part of the Country Lapmarckia, the other Findmarckia, the one lying along the shore, and bordering on the Sea, the other mountainous, woody, and savage, upon the Terra firma. And this too may be worth our notice, that Wildfinland with him is that which others call Lappmarkia: I suppose, because the Natives live by hunting, as those of the other do by fishing. For he presently adds, There are many thousands in that place that feed on nothing but the flesh of wild Beasts. And indeed some there are with whom those only pass for the true Laplanders: as Samuel Rheen, who in his 2d Chapter of his forementioned Book, tells us, that besides the Scrickfinni (so he calls them that with Pet. Claud. are Siœfinnes) there are other true Laplanders, that live on nothing but rain deer. And so from the Natives feeding on wild Beasts, Lapland properly so called, is also stiled Wildfindland, in opposition to Findmarkia, whose Inhabitants live both on Fish and Cattel. And yet there may be given another reason for the imposition of this name, from the many woods of that Country. Olaus Magnus in more places then one calls the natives, men that dwell in woods, or Savages: as in the title of his 3d Chapt. of his 4th Book, which is, Concerning the fierceness of the Savages, or those that dwell in woods, in which Chapter he describes the Laplanders. And in the following Chapter he says, that the wild Laplanders are clothed with rich skins of several Beasts. The Baron Herberstenius also in his History of Moscovy, calls them Savage Laplanders, who tho they dwell, says he, on the Sea Coast in little Cottages, and lead a brutish kind of life, are yet more civilized then the Savages of Lapland: whence ’tis plain, that by the Findlanders living near the Sea, he means those that others call Siœfinnes, and by the Savage Laplanders those that possess the inland Country, who he thinks were so called from their wildness and barbarity. And by and by he adds, that by converse with Strangers, who come thither to trade, they begin to lay aside their Savage nature, and become a little more civilized. Afterwards he calls them Diki Loppi, which name the Moscovites give them at this time, as hath been shewed elswhere.
There is also a 3d Division of Lapland, that respects the several Princes to whom the Country is in subjection. And this Andr. Buræus intends, when he tells us, The greatest part of Lapland, viz. the Southern and inland Country, belongs all to the Kingdom of Sweden: The maritime tract, that lies on the Ocean, and is called Findmark (whose Inhabitants the Siœfinni, or maritime Findlanders, are so named from their living by fishing) to Norway: The rest of them that dwell from the Castle of Warhuus to the mouth of the white Sea, are subject to the Russians, which part the Swedes call Trennes, the Natives Pyhinienni, and the Russians Tarchana voloch. Of their subjection to these severall Princes, we shall speak when we come to treat of their Government; and also of those parts that belong to Norway or Denmark, and Russia. At present we shall only mention the division of that part which is under the Swedes, and is named by Buræus, the Southern and inland Lapland, and by Petr. Claud. Lappmarkia properly so called. This is divided into six lesser parts called marker, or lands, tho Buræus chuses to render them Territories or Provinces. Each of these have their distinct names, and are called Aongermandlandslapmark, Umalappmark, Pithalappmark, Lulalapmark, Tornalapmark, Kiemilapmark. So Samuel Rheen in his first Chapter, That part of Lapland which belongs to Sweden is divided into the Kiemensian, Tornensian, Lulensian, Pithensian, Umensian, and Angermanlandensian Lapmark. Buræus mentions but five of these Provinces, viz. Umalappmark, Pithalappmark, Lulalapmark, Tornelapmark, and Kimilapmark, comprehending Angermandlandslapmark under Umalapmark, not that they are one and the same Province, but because they are both governed by one Lieutenant. Each of these Provinces take their name from Rivers that run thro the midst of them, as Wexionius in his description of Swedland assures us. As for their situation, Angermanlandslapmark borders upon Andermannia and Jemtia, to this joins Umalapmark, next to that is Pithalapmark, and then Lulelapmark, all of them lying Westward, reaching on one side to that ridg of Hills that divides Swedland from Norway, and on the other side to the Western Bothnia. Northward of them lies Tornelapmark, and extends it self from the fartheh corner of the Bay of Bothnia all along the North Sea, called by Seamen Cape Noort. Next to this lies Kimilapmark, winding from the North toward the East, and bounded on one side by the Eastern Bothnia, on another side by that part of Lapland that belongs to Russia, and on a third side by Cajania and Carelia.
Moreover these Provinces we are speaking of, are subdivided into lesser parts, called by the Swedes Byar, as Samuel Rheen tells us, and are equivalent to our Shires, and the Pagi of the Ancients. So in Cæsar we meet with Pagus Tigurinus, and Pagi Suevorum, which were not Villages or Country Towns, but large parts of a Country, such as the Greeks called νόμοι, used in ancient times in the division of Ægypt. Hence the Glossary renders the ancient Toparchiæ, Pagus, τοπαρχία, χώρα, νόμος. There are several of these Pagi or Shires in each Province, except Angermanlandslapmark, which makes but one Pagus, vulgarly called Aosahla. Umalapmark hath four, Uma, Lais or Raanby, Granby, and Vapsteen. Pithalapmark seven, Graotreskby, Arfwejerfsby, Lochteby, Arrieplogsby, Wisierfby, Norrvesterby, Westerby. Lulalapmark five, Jochmoch, Sochjoch, Torpinjaur, Zerkislocht, and Rautomjaur. Tornelapmark eight, Tingawaara, Siggewaara, Sondewara, Ronolaby, Pellejerf, Kiedkajerf, Mansialka, Saodankyla, Kithilaby. So that all the Territories or Provinces are divided into 33 Byars. In each of these there are several Clans or Families, which the Swedes call rakar, each of which have a certain allotment of ground assign’d them for the maintenance of themselves and their Cattel; not in the nature of a Country Farm with us, but of a very great length and bredth, so as to include Rivers, Lakes, Woods, and the like, which all belong to one Clan or family. In every Biar there are as many allotments as there are families that can live of themselves, and are not forced by poverty to serve others. In the Byar called Aosahla there are about 30 of these Clans, or families, in others more or less according as they are in bigness, which all have their several names, tho ’tis not worth while to repeat them. And thus much shall suffice of the third division of Lapland, not lately made (except that under Charles IX some Clans had certain allotments assign’d them) but derived from very ancient time; as appears from hence that neither the Laplanders have known, nor the Swedes given them any other, since the Country hath bin under their subjection. Nor are the words modern, or taken from any thing that may give any cause to suspect them of novelty: which I the rather observe, that from hence the native simplicity, agreable to the antiquity of the Nation, may appear.