The next is their Fish, of which they have incredible store; Zeiglerus saies their draughts are so great, that they are forced to transport some of them into other Countries. Jovius speaks too of great plenty they reap from the Seas, because he is describing those Laplanders which live near Muscovy: whereas the rest can have plenty enough out of the rivers. The best sort they have is Salmon, for which Olaus Magnus saith there is not better fishing in any part of Europe, then in the Bothnic towards Lapland; whose mountains send down vast rivers of fresh water, against which the Salmons come in such shoales, and with such vigor, that the Fishermen find them at the head of the river on the top of the mountains. Samuel Rheen too prefers these fish before all the rest, and saith that they swim up all rivers that they are able, and come down again about St Matthews tide. And that is much worse when it returns, then when it went up, which seems to be, because tis wearied and spent in strugling against the stream, and engendring; which it alwaies does in those parts of the river which are most remote from the Sea: when he comes up the river they call him Salm, at his return lax.
The 2d sort of fish are Pikes, Olaus Magnus speaking of this saith, that in Lapland there are marshes of fresh water, 400 Italian miles in length, and 100 in bredth, in which there is such abundance of Pike and other fish, that they do not only supply 4 Kingdomes, but are dried and transported farther into Germany to be sold: these fish alwaies use fresh water, and are every where known having long heads, the lower jaw hanging out, many sharp teeth, which the Germans call Hecht. They are found sometimes to exceed men in length. Olaus affirms, that if they have fresh water and food enough, they will attain to 8 foot in length.
The 3d sort are those which the Swedes call Syck, not much differing from the Carp; only they have longer mouths, and not so broad, they are commonly not so big as carps, but in Lapland they are found extraordinary, sometimes weighing 10 or 12 pounds.
The 4th sort is Abbor which is with us a perch: this is very plentiful too, and frequently of an incredible bigness. There is to this day in a Chappel at Luhlah, kept one of their heads dried, which is from the top to the under jaw 2 spans thick. There are found water-weezels red and white, chiefly in the pools near the Sea. Samuel Rheen speaks of 2 sorts which the Swedes call Ræding, and Ærlax; whether they are any where else found I know not. Rheen thus describes the first sort. Ræding, has its name from the red color on the lower part of its belly. The latter is very like a Salmon but not so big. Some take them for Salmons not come to their full growth, but this is an error, for these fishes are taken in pools, which are on every side parted from the Sea, and are known never to have any Salmons. I had rather refer them to the trout, or Trutta, because it scarce differs in shape, only the Trouts flesh is redder and softer. Besides these there are many other fish in Lapland, but not regarded, because they serve not for food, for which reason I pass them over: only Olaus Petrus gives us this doubtful account of their names, Salario, Cobitis, Barbatula, Rubellio, Borbocha ocutala, Prasinus, Cyprinus, Cobitis aculeata. This Country breeds not many reptiles, no serpents: but this is meant of the upper Regions towards the Norway Mountains, for in the low woody places they are found tho not many. There are but few insects; as for fleas they are quite unknown; but they receive much injury from gnats, which infest man and beast, especially the Rain-deers, which upon that account are driven away to the top of the highest Mountains. The men arm themselves against them by keeping a continual smoak in the house. If they sleep, they put a blanket over their body and head: when they go abroad they put on a garment made of hides, and on their heads cloth caps. I have bin told by the Natives, that many to defend themselves from this insect, dawb their faces all over, except their eies, with resine and pitch.
Besides these, there are great wasps which trouble the Rain-deers, and sting them so deep, that sometimes they leave marks behind them even when the beast is flayed: those little holes which they make with their stings the vulgar call Kaorme. The only remedy for the Raindeer against these, is smoak, which if not present they dip themselves in water: and let this suffice for their Animals.
[CHAP. XXXI.]
Of the Laplanders Trees and Plants.
I descend from their Animals to their Trees and Plants, with which they are well stored, tho Jovius observes that they have no fruit Trees, as Apple, Pear, &c. neither have they any wild Trees which will not bear the cold, as Oak, Beach, which Ol. Pet. takes notice of, but adds that they have plenty of Pine and Fir, Juniper and Birch, Service tree, and Willow, Alder and Dog-tree, the Asp and Ollar: but these Trees do not grow every where, for the Mountains called the Fells, between Norway and Lapland, bear no Trees at all: Pet. Claud. thinks the reason of that to be the continual storm of wind that is on them, but perhaps a truer reason may be the extremity of cold. The ground that lies near the Mountains is thick set with Woods, with this distinction that the parts next them bears nothing but Birch tree, remarkable for their thickness and height, and pleasant prospect, Nature having contrived them so regularly that they seem afar off to be some pleasant Garden. The soil more distant from those Hills, besides Birch-trees, hath Fir and Pitch, which seems like some new kind of wood, composed of these three sorts.