The history of Lapland wherein are shewed the original, manners, habits, marriages, conjurations, &c. of that people / written by John Scheffer ...

CHAP. V. Of the Laplanders in reference to the inclinations, temper and habit, of their minds and bodies.

IT is almost peculiar to this People to be all of them of low stature, which is attested by the general suffrage of those Writers who have described this Country. Hence the learned Isaac Vossius observes, that Pygmies are said to inhabit here; and adds that they are a deformed People: but in truth their feature and proportion is good enough, and that they are not distorted suffi∣ciently appears from their great agility of body, and fitness for active emploi∣ment. Nor need we dispute of this, since in Sweden, we see them every day among us, and can observe no defect in any kind, or deformity, by Lomenius unjustly ascribed to them. Ol. Mag. and Tornaeus esteem their young women in∣differently handsome, and of a clear skin, which I have often seen my self; for they take great care to preserve their natural beauty, which the men ne∣glect to do: and therefore if they are less amiable then the other Sex, it is to be imputed to their choice, not nature. To which we may add the length of their frosts, and the bitterness of the Air, against which they neither arm themselves sufficiently with clothes, nor know how to do so: besides the smoak which continually fills their cottages empairs very much their natural comple∣xion, which is the reason why most of the men also are so swarthy. And as they are generally short, they are also very lean, and 'tis rare to see a fat man amongst them, for the cold that prevents their growing tall, dries up like∣wise their moisture, and makes them apt to be slender. They are also very light in respect of their bulk and stature, which comes from their not eating any Salt, if we will believe Ol. Petr. And thus much may be said in general of the frame and condition of their bodies. As for their particular parts they have thick heads, prominent foreheads, hollow and blear eyes, short flat noses, and wide mouths. Their hair is thin, short and flaggy, their beard stragling, and scarce covers their chins. The hair of both Sexes is generally black and hard, very seldom yellow, their breasts broad, slender wasts, spindle shanks, and swift of foot. They are very strong in their limbs, so that in a bow which a Norwegian can scarce half bend, they will draw an arrow up to the head. Their strength is accompanied with such activity withall, that with their bows and quivers at their backs they will throw themselves thro a hoop of but a cubit in diameter. But this seems to be spoken only of some Tumblers, for the People are generally ignorant of such sports; their usual exercises being running races, climbing inaccessible rocks and high trees. Tho they are thus nimble and strong, yet they never go upright, but stooping, which habit they get by frequent sitting in their cottages on the ground.

We come now to the habits of their mind, in which 'tis first observable that they are much given to superstition, which is no wonder while they live in Woods among wild Beasts, and maintain little correspondence one with an∣other: but of their superstition we shall treat elswhere. Furthermore they are

beyond all imagination fearfull and mean spirited, being frighted at the very sight of a strange man, or ship; above all things dreading War: the reason of all this being the cold to which they are condemn'd, and the meanness of their diet, which cannot supply good blood and spirits; wherefore they are useless in war, and the Swedes who raise men in all the other Provinces, find none in this, as it appears from the ancient Records and Catalogues of all the Souldiers that ever were listed by former Kings. So that 'tis ficti∣tious, and rather an abuse than history, which some have reported, that Gust. Adolphus had several Companies of Laplanders in his Armies; but they were forc't to find out some excuse for those many defeats, which to the wonder of the World that most victorious Prince gave his powerfull and numerous Enemies; and pretend that those Victories were obtained by the help of the Laplanders and Magic. Wherefore I conclude as I said before, that this opinion is absurd and contradictory, not only to the nature of the People, but to public testimonies and writings. To which we may add that they cannot well live out of their own Country, but fall into diseases and die, being no more able to endure a milder air, or feed upon salt, bread, and boiled meats, than we could upon their raw flesh and fish dried by the Sun: for it has bin often found by experience that they are hardly temted by any reward to come even into these parts, or if they do they die suddenly afterwards, much less would they be induced to march into any more remote Countries. Olaus Magnus gives us an instance of six Rain-deers sent to Frederick Duke of Hol∣satia by Steno Sture junior Prince of Swedland, with two Laplanders, a man and woman to be their keepers, and that both they and the beasts wanting their accustom'd manner of living, died all together in a short time. Ziegler indeed on the other side saies they are a valiant People, and that they were a long time free, resisting the Arms both of Norway and Swedland; and Sca∣liger after him saies that against their enemies they were couragious: and Petr. Claud. reports they had a King of their own called Motle, and that Haraldus Pulcricomus, tho he had conquered the Countries round about, could not subdue them; but all this doth not evince their courage: for what∣soever is said of this Prince Motle is nothing at all to the purpose, being all taken out of the history of Snorro, which speaking of Motle, and something of his skill in Magick, has not a word of his or his Peoples courage. And 'tis manifest that Ziegler could have no ground for what he said, unless from such histories as that of Snorro, which therefore only seem'd true be∣cause there were none extant more likely; for in his time the Laplanders were subject to the Swedes: unless we had rather believe that he took the Laplanders and the Biarmians to be the same, ascribing to the one People, what was said of the other. There is indeed mention in Saxo, of severall Wars of the Biar∣mians, but those not managed by courage, but Magick and Enchantments: so that it no way follows, that because they continued for many Ages a free People, that therefore they were valiant. But whatever becomes of the Biar∣mians, 'tis sure enough that the Laplanders are far from being stout or war∣like, who must first fight against their nature, before they can resist an enemy. Besides their innate cowardise, they are strangely prone to suspicion and jealousy, being conscious of their own weakness, and so exposed to all at∣temts upon them: a consequent whereof is that they are also revengefull; en∣deavouring to prevent those mischeifs which upon the slightest occasions seem to threaten them, by the death and ruine of the Persons that caused their

suspicion, helping themselves herein, by conjuration and magick. Of this Pet. Claud. gives us a memorable instance, in one, that having attemted to mischeif his enemy, who was secured by countercharms, after long attendance sur∣priz'd him asleep under a great stone, which by a spell he made break to pieces, and kill him. The women, especially when grown old, cannot brook any suddain provocation, but upon the least indignity offered fly out into passion, and are hurried to the most wild transports that madness can di∣ctate. The Laplanders besides are very notorious cheats, and industrious to over-reach each other in bargaining: tho heretofore they had the reputation of plain dealing and honesty. So that 'tis probable that they took up their present practice, having bin first cheated by those Strangers with whom they dealt, and now think it best to be before hand with one another. It is far∣ther observable that they take great plesure, if they happen to outwit any one; imagining that tho they are hopeless to overcome by manhood and cou∣rage, they have a nobler triumph over the minds of those whom they cir∣cumvent. They are also noted to be of a censorious and detracting humor, so as to make it a chief ingredient of their familiar converse, to reproch and despise others: and this they do especially to Strangers, of what Country soever. So fond admirers are all men of themselves, that even the Laplanders will not exchange their interests with the Inhabitants of the most happy Climate, and however barbarous they are, doubt not to prefer themselves in point of wisdom, to those that are most ingenuously educated in Arts and Letters. They are likewise exceedingly covetous, it being a part of their cowardize to dread poverty; yet are they very lazy withall: and hereupon Olaus Peters observes, that tho their Country in several parts of it be ca∣pable of emprovement by husbandry, yet 'tis suffer'd to lye wast: nay so un∣willing are they to take pains, that till they are compelled by necessity, they hardly perswade themselves to hunt or fish. From this their covetousness and sloth arises an ill consequent, their undutifulness to their Parents when grown old; not only to contemn and neglect, but even hate and abhor them; thinking it either long before they possess what they have, or thinking it grievous to provide for those from whom they can hope for no advantage.

Their last good quality is their immoderate lust, which Herberstein takes to be the more strange, considering their diet, that they have neither bread nor salt, nor any other incentive of gluttony: but their promiscuous and con∣tinual lying together in the same Hut, without any difference of age, sex, or condition, seems to occasion this effect. Tornaeus indeed saies of his Coun∣try-men, the Lappi Tornenses, who possibly are reclaimed by more civill edu∣cation, that they are very chast, insomuch that among them scarce one ba∣stard is Christned in a whole year, which is the less to be wonder'd at, the women being naturally barren.

Having given this account of the Laplanders ill qualities, it will now be justice to recount their vertues, as first their veneration and due esteem of Marriage, which they more seldom violate, then many who pretend to be much better Christians. They also abhor theft; so that the Merchants only cover their goods so as to secure them against the weather, when they have occasion to leave them, and at their return are sure to find them safe, and un∣toucht; which is the more commendable, for that in Lapland there are no Towns, or store-houses, and no man could be sure of any thing, if the People were inclined to thievery. They are likewise (those I mean of the

better sort) charitable to the poor, not only by receiving those that are de∣stitute into their Huts; but supplying them with stock whereon to live. In proof of this Tornaeus and Sam. Rheen, say that 'tis usual with them to lend gratis, for a considerable time, ten or twenty Rain-deers. Farther they are civil and hospitable to Strangers, whom they with much kindness invite to their Huts, and there treat with the best provisions they have. And of this there are severall instances, when any have happened to be cast upon their Coast by shipwrack, or else in the snow, or on the mountains have lost their way. Moreover they are thus far cleanly as often to wash their hands and face; tho notwithstanding Tornaeus tells us, they are nasty and scabby, and use not to comb their heads. Lastly they are sufficiently ingenious, making for themselves all sorts of tools and implements for their fishing and hunting; and also for severall manufactures, some of which they do very artificially, as shall be shewn hereafter in its proper place.