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

CHAP. XIX. Of the Hunting of the Laplanders.

HAVING spoke of those things that relate to their Meat, Drink, Cloathing, and other necessities, the subject of our next discourse will be their employments, which are either rare and more solemn, or daily and more usual: these latter too are of two sorts, either common to both Sexes, or peculiar to one. Of those that are proper to men Hunting is the cheif, for in this Countrey that exercise is lawfull to none but men: Olaus Magnus is of the contrary opinion, and saies Lib. 4. Cap. 12. that there is here such a multitude of Beasts, that the men alone, without the help of women, dare not go out to hunt; and therefore they are as active in this sport, if not more than men. I beleive he had not this from any good tradition, or his own knowledg, but rather followed the authority of some ancient Writers, as Procopius Lib. 2. Gothic. or Tacitus de mor. Ger. for whatsoever they say concerning the Fenni and Scritfinni, is so far from being true of the Laplanders, that they do not permit women so much as to touch their hunting weapons or beasts brought home, and debar them all passage at that door thro which they go to that sport, as will be shewed hereafter. They observe in hunting many things with great superstition, as not to go out upon ominous daies, such as S^t Marks (whom they call Can∣tepaive) S^t Clements and S. Catharines, because they believe on these daies some misfortune will happen to their weapons, and that they shall have no good success all the year after. They think they cannot prosper, unless they have first consulted their Gods by their Drum, which they use before their going out, and have therefore severall beasts pictured upon it. This is chiefly before the hunting a Bear. The third observation is that they will not go out at the usual door, but at one in the backside of the house called Posse, I suppose it is to avoid women, the meeting of whom is an ill omen to huntsmen, and therefore they are forbidden to come on that side of the house where this door is, as Ol. Matthias assured me while I was writing this, who was very well acquainted with this Country. Zieglerus saies the same, tho something obscurely, that a woman is not to go thro this door that day her husband is hunting: but it is not only that day, but at no time else. All these things are by way of preparation. The hunting it self is va∣rious according to the time of year, and severall sizes of beasts. In the Summer they hunt on foot with Dogs, which are very good in these parts, not only for their scent, but that they dare set upon any thing, being still tied up to make them more fierce. In the Winter they themselves run down the game, sliding over the snow in a kind of scates, which I shall describe more fully in another place. Little beasts they chase with bow and arrows, the greater with spears and guns; tho sometimes they use other arts. That sort of beast they call Hermelines, they take in traps as we do Mice, which are so contrived of wood that the touching of any part makes them fall;

sometimes in pits and holes covered with snow, to hide the deceit, as also with Dogs that will gripe them to death. Squirrels they shoot with blunt darts, that they may not do an injury to their skins, which they very much esteem. After this manner also they take Ermines. Other beasts, as Foxes, Beavers, they kill with Javelins spiked with iron: but if they meet with a beast that hath a pretious skin, they are so expert at their weapons, as to direct the blow where it will do it least harm. Foxes are frequently tempted with baits upon the snow strowed upon twigs over deep pits, or caught in gins laid in their usuall haunts, or else poisoned with a sort of moss, which is peculiar for this use, but is seldome made use of where there are abundance of field Mice, which are the Foxes generall food. They fasten snares to boughs of trees to catch Hares in, and some of the above mentioned beasts: and if any one find any thing fast in these, he is obliged to give notice to the owner. I come now to the larger beasts, of which Wolves are most commonly caught in holes, but sometimes shot with bullets: these are their game frequently because they have the greatest plenty of them, and suffer the most dammages by them: and for their greater destruction, Sithes are often hiden under the snow to cut off their legs. After this manner too Leopards and Gulo's are destroyed, which is now a daies almost left off, because the Countrey is so well furnished with guns, with which they also kill Elkes when they can find them. But with greatest care and diligence they hunt Rain-deers and Bears, the former with all kind of weapons. At their rutting time in Autumn, about S. Matthews day, they entice them to their tame does, behind which the Huntsman lies to shoot them. And in the Spring, when the Snow is deep, the men them∣selves slide after them, and easily take them, or sometimes drive them into traps with Dogs: or lastly they set up hurdles on both sides of a way, and chase them in between them, so that at last they must necessarily fall into holes made for that purpose at the end of the work. The hunting of the Bear follows, which, because it is done with the most ceremonies and superstitions, will require the more care and accurateness in the re∣lating of it.

First of all, their business is to find out where the Bear makes his den against Winter. He that finds it is said hafwa ringet bioern, i. e. to encompass the Bear. He usually after this goes to all his friends and ac∣quaintance with much joy, to invite them to the hunting as to a solemn and magnificent feast, for, as is before said, this beasts flesh is a great delicacy. But they never meet before March or April, till they can use their sliding shooes: at which time he chooses the best drummer among them, and by his beating consults whether the hunting will be prosperous or no, which done they all march into the field in battel array after him that invited them as Captain, who must use no other weapon then a club, on whose handle is hung an Alchymy ring. Next him goes the drum∣mer, then he that is to give the first blow, and after all the rest as their office requires, one to boil the flesh, another to divide it, a third to gather sticks and provide other necessaries: so they strictly observe that one should not incroach upon anothers office. When in this order they are come to the den, they set upon the Bear valiantly, and kill him with spears and guns, and presently sing in token of victory thus, Kittulis pourra,

Kittulis ii skada tekamis soubbi iaella zaiiti, that is, they think the Bear for coming, and doing them no harm in not breaking their weapons, in the singing of which their Captain is the cheif Musician. After celebration of their victory, they drag the Bear out, beating him with staves, whence they have a Proverb, slao bioern med riis, that is, the Bear is beat, which signifies he is killed. Then putting him upon a sledge, they draw him with Rain-deers to the Hut where he is to be boiled, singing Ii paha tolking gio, ii paha talka pharonis, that is, they beseech the Bear that he would not raise tempests against them, or any way hurt them that killed him. This they say by way of jest, unless we will suppose them (as some of them really do) to imagine the killing of some kind of wild beast portends ill to the hunter. Samuel Rheen speaks of a different song from this we have mentioned, much to this pur∣pose, that they thank God for making beasts for their service, and giving them strength and courage to encounter and overcome so strong and cruel a creature, and therefore I beleive they may join them together and sing both. That Rain-deer that brings home the Bear is not to be used by Women for a year, and some say, by any body else. If there be materialls, near the place where the Bear is kill'd, they usually build up a hovel there to boil him in, or if not, carry him to a place that is more convenient, where all their Wives stay to expect them, and as soon as the men come nigh them they sing Laeibi ia tuoli susco, that is they ask their wives to chew the bark of the Alder Tree and spit it in their faces. They use this rather then any other Tree, because when 'tis bruised between their teeth, it grows red, and will dy any thing, and the men being sprinkled with this, as if it were the Bears blood, seem to have gone through some notable exploit not without danger and trouble. Then their wives aiming with one eye through an Alchymy Ring spit upon them: Samuel Rheens opinion differs only in this, that but one woman spits in the Captains face. This ce∣remony is not done in the Hut where the Bear is kill'd, but at the back door: for they build two Tents, one for the men where the Bear is to be drest, and the other for the women in which they make the feast: where as soon as the men come in, the Women sing Kittulis pouro tookoris, that is, they thank their husbands for the sport they had in killing the Bear: so they sit down men and women together to eat, but not of Bears flesh. Supper end∣ed the men presently depart into the other house, and dressing the Bear provide another meal: and it is not lawful for any of those Hunters to ly with his wife in three daies after, and the Captain in five. The Bears skin is his that first discovers him. They boil the flesh blood and fat in brass Kettles, and what swims they skim off and put in wooden vessels; to which are fasten'd as many Alchymy plates as there are Bears killed. Whilst the meat is boiling they all sit down in order about the fire, the Captain first on the right hand, then the Drummer, and next he that struck the first blow; on the left hand first the Wood-cleaver, then the Water-bearer, and after the rest according to their place. This done the Captain divides it between the Women and Men. In the division the Women must have none of the posteriours, for they belong only to the men; neither is it lawful for a Wo∣man to come and fetch their division, but 'tis sent them by two men, who say thus to them, Olmai Potti Sueregislandi, Polandi, Engelandi, Frankichis, i. e. that they came a great way off, from Swedland, Poland, England, or

France; these men the women meet, and sing Olmai Potti Sweregislandi, Po∣landi, Engelandi, Frankichis, Kalka Kauhsis laigit touti tiadnat, i. e. you men that come from Swedland, Poland, England, or France; we will bind your legs with a red list, and so they do. But if we believe Samuel Rheen the Drummer divides the mens part to every one an equal portion. When all the meat is eaton, they gather up the bones, and bury them to∣gether; then the Captain hangs up the skin upon a pole, for the women blindfolded to shoot at, they singing all the while Batt Olmai Potti Swere∣gislandi, Polandi, Engelandi, Frankichis, i. e. we will shoot at him that came from Swedland, &c. but she that hits it first gets the most credit, and they believe her husband will have the best fortune in killing of the next Bear. She is also obliged to work in cloth with wire as many crosses as there are Bears kill'd, and hang them upon every one of the hunters necks, which they must wear three whole daies. It is the opinon of the aforesaid Author, that all the women do the same, and the men wear them four daies: he saies also that the Raindeer that brought home the Bear must have one cross. I cannot as yet find any other reason of this ceremony, but that they suppose these crosses to be preservatives against all the dammages they can receive from the Gods of the Woods for killing their Bear: for to this day they are of the opinion that some Gods have taken charge of some beasts, espe∣cially of the Bear, because he in this country is King over all the rest. Af∣ter the time of abstinence is exspired, the close of all this solemnity, is the mens returning to their wives, which is thus; All after one another take hold of that rope, to which they hang their Kettle, and dance thrice round the fire, and so run out of the mens Tent into the womens, where they are met with this song, Todna Balka Kaino oggio, we will thro a shovel full of ashes upon your legs. Samuel Rheen speaking of this custome, saies the men must not go to their wives till it be done, as if it were an expiation for their unclean∣ness in killing a Bear. Thus you see with how many Laws and superstitions they Hunt this Beast, some of which are common in hunting of others, as the not admitting women to the sport, and debarring them from touching the prey when it is taken, as also that the men return home through the back door. And here 'tis observable that they never carry in Beasts, Birds, or Fishes, but throw them in before them, without doubt out of superstition that they may seem to drop from Heaven and be sent by providence: tho most of them know not the original of such superstitious ceremonies, but on∣ly follow the example of their forefathers. In fine nothing is accounted here a greater credit or honor to a man then the killing of a Bear, and there∣fore they have public marks for it, every one lacing his cap with as many wires as he has kill'd Bears.

I come now to their fowling, which is proper also to men, and is alterable according to the time of year or largness of the fowl, for in the Summer they shoot altogether, but in the Winter catch in Snares and Springes, espe∣cially the Lagopus call'd by the Swedes Sniaeriper. They make kind of hedges with abundance of holes in them, in which they set Springes, so that this Bird being most upon the ground, and running about, is easily caught in them: as for the taking of other Birds there is nothing worth a particular observation.