The History Of Lapland - free ebook by Johannes Scheffer

THE HISTORY OF LAPLAND

WHEREIN Are shewed the Original, Manners, Habits, Marriages, Conjurations, &amp;c. of that People. WRITTEN By JOHN SCHEFFER , Professor of Law and Rhetoric at Upsal in Sweden. At the THEATER in OXFORD . M. DC. LXXIV....

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THE PREFACE.

The Reader may please to take notice, that the diligent and learned Author of this History, (to the writing of which he was commanded, and therein assisted by the Chancellor of Sweden) hath in the whole work taken care to justify what he relates, from the faith of authentic records, the testimony of Historians, and the Discourses of Laplanders themselves, with whom he had ready opportunities of converse. And this he hath don so precisely, that having in the contexture of his work, given a full a

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CHAP. I. Of the Name of Lapland.

This Country doth not every where pass by the same name. By some ’tis called Lappia , as Johann. Magnus in the Preface of his history, and Saxo Grammat. in his 5 th book; by others Lapponia , as Olaus Magnus in the explication of his Map of Scandinavia , and Ziegler in his description of the Northern Countries, and before these Ericus Versaliensis , and after them Andr. Buræus . The Swedes usually call the Country Lapmarkia , in whose language Mark signifies Land; the Danes and Norwegians , Lapl

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CHAP. II. Of the Situation of Lapland.

The true and exact situation of this Country the Antients seem not to have sufficiently discovered. Saxo makes it bordering upon Jamtia , extending its self as far, or rather lying as it were between Helsingia and Finland , when in these words he says the Provinces of the Helsingi, Iarnberi, Iemti, with both the Lappia’s, as likewise Finnia and Estia paid annual tribute to one Domarus . Ericus Upsaliensis seems to make it a part of Finland , mistaking it for a certain part of that Kingdome so ca

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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 accoun

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CHAP. IV. Of the Division of Lapland.

Those who have writ of Lapland , mention different divisions of it. Saxo in his 5 th 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 ot

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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 sufficiently appears from their great agility of body, and fitness for active emploiment. Nor need we dispute of this, since

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CHAP. VI. Of the Originall of the Laplanders.

We have intimated our conjecture concerning the originall of the Laps , and more then that it will be hard to produce, there being no sober history which gives testimony in this affair. Negatively we may pass sentence, and conclude they were not Swedes , no People differing more both in constitution of body and mind, in language and habit, or whatever else is taken for a character of likeness, or having the same originall. Neither can any one think that they were ever Russians or Moscovites ; se

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CHAP. VII. Of the Religion of the Laplanders.

Having seen the rise and Original of the Laplanders , we come now to speak more distinctly of them, but first of their Religion; not only what is now, but also what was before Christianity came to be receiv’d there. For there were Laplanders , or at least some Inhabitants of Lapland before the Christian Religion was introduced: such as the Finni , Lappofinni , Scridfinni , or Biarmi , as is above said; but it was very long before the Laplanders properly so called embraced the Christian Religion.

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CHAP. VIII. Of the second, or Christian Religion of the Laplanders.

Lapland among other Nations, after a long night of Paganism, was enlightned with the Christian Religion: of which I shall now speak. In the first place we must enquire how and when they first began to hear’d of Christs name: but this will be very difficult, because all Writers are silent herein. Plantin indeed affirms from their report, that they first hear of the Christian Religion in the last age; from whence he concludes that they came out of Finland before the Finlanders were converted. But

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CHAP. IX. Of some remains of Paganism in Lapland at this time.

By the present State of Religion in Lapland , it cannot be doubted but all possible means were used by their pious Kings and Priests, for the extirpating of superstition and its evil consequences: nevertheless there remain some reliques thereof to employ their farther care and endeavour, many gross errours prevailing among them, which renders the reality of their conversion suspicious, as if they were still in love with the erroneous opinions of their Ancestors, especially some of the Norwegian

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CHAP. X. Of the heathenish Gods of the Laplanders, and their manner of worship at this day.

We have shewed in the foregoing Chapter that there were three principal Gods worshipped by the Laplanders ; the first is Thor , signifying thunder, in the Swedish Dialect called Thordoen , by the Laplanders themselves Tiermes , that is any thing that makes a noise, agreeing very well with the notion the Romans had of Jupiter the thunderer, and the God Taramis , which I have treated of in the History of Upsal . This Tiermes or thunder they think by a special virtue in the Sky to be alive; intimat

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CHAP. XI. Of the magicall Ceremonies of the Laplanders.

It hath bin a received opinion among all that did but know the name of the Laplanders , that they are People addicted to Magic, wherefore I thought fit to discourse next of this, as being one of the greatest of their impieties that yet continues among them. And that this opinion may seem to be grounded upon some autority, they are described both by ancient and modern Writers, to have arrived to so great skill in enchantments, that among several strange effects of their art, they could stop ships

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CHAP. XII. Of the Government of the Laplanders.

We come now to their secular affairs, which are either public or private: we will treat first of the public, to which belong the form and constitution of their Government. This in former times, before they were named Laplanders , was in this manner; they were subject to no neighbouring Country, but were governed among themselves yet so as to be subject to a King, they chose out of their own Nation. Most of them, or at least those which bordered on Norway , and dwelt near the Sea, were under this

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CHAP. XIII. Of the Judicatures and Tributes of the Laplanders.

After the manner of their Government, and the discipline they live under, we descend to those affairs that are managed by it; which belong either to the Courts of Judicature, or to the Tribute. I can scarce find any mention of the former. Their own Kings, when they were a free Nation, exercised this autority, and kept the jurisdiction in their own hands; but when the Birkarli ruled them, it depended altogether on their plesure. Zeigler makes no mention of any Judges among them, but saies that if

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CHAP. XIV. Of the Laplanders Fairs, and Customs in Trading.

That we may not yet leave the Public concerns of the Laplanders , of which we have treated, let us proceed in the next place to consider their Fairs and common Markets, in which what Customs they anciently used is not so well known. Paulus Jovius saies that among the Laplanders he that had any thing to sell, after he had exposed his Wares, went his way and left them, and that the Chapman coming, and taking what was for his turn, left in the place the full value thereof in white furrs or skins. T

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CHAP. XV. Of the Language of the Laplanders.

In the former Chapter we told you that the Language of the Laplanders was such as did very much differ from that of their neighbours, our next business shall be, as well as we can, to discover what it is. Now whatsoever is received, used, commonly, and publikly spoken in any Country, is certainly a Language, but of this of the Laplanders , Zieglerus in general observes only that it was peculiar to themselves, and not understood by their neighbours. Damianus speaks more plain, and accuses them of

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CHAP. XVI. Of the Houses of the Laplanders.

Hitherto we have treated of the Laplander as he hath relation to the Common-wealth, we shall in the next place speak of him as a private person. And this we shall do first, considering the things they have need of. Secondly, their imployments. And thirdly their leasure and pastimes. All necessary accommodations are either such as are to defend us from ill inconveniences, or to give us necessaries. Of the first sort, are Houses and Cloathes, of the 2 d , Meat and Drink. We shall begin with their

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CHAP. XVII. Of the Garments of the Laplanders.

Among the Laplanders the men and women wear different kinds of Garments, which they alter according to the Weather, and place: for they wear one sort of clothes in the Winter, and another sort in the Summer, one kind at home, and another abroad. Let us first consider the Garments of the men: These in the Summer have trouses, or brougs, reaching down to their feet, close to their body, upon which they wear a gown, or rather a coat with sleeves, which comes down to the middle leg, which they tie f

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CHAP. XVIII. Of the Diet of the Laplanders.

Having discoursed of their Garments, I proceed to speak of their Diet. Their food is not the same amongst them all, but different according to the places they inhabit. The Mountaineers live almost wholly on their Rain-deers, that furnish them with Milk, Cheese, and Flesh: tho sometimes they buy from the neighboring parts of Norway Sheep, Goats, and Oxen, which they milk in the Summer, and kill in the Winter, because they have neither Pasture nor Stable room for them to keep them long. And for th

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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 ther

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CHAP. XX. Of the Laplanders Weapons, and other instruments of Hunting.

By the former Discourse it plainly appears that in hunting they use severall Instruments and Weapons, in our next therefore it will be requisite to give some account of them. The first and most frequent is a bow three ells long, two fingers broad, and an inch thick, being made of Birch and Pine (which by reason of the resine in it is very flexible) and covered over with Birch bark, to preserve both from the weather. What Lomenius saies of its being made of Rain-deers bones, must needs be false,

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CHAP. XXI. Of the Laplanders Handycraft-trades.

Besides hunting, which is the cheifest, they have many other emploiments relating to their lives and fortunes, of which Cookery is the first: for what ever food they get by fishing, fowling, or hunting, the men dress and not the women. They therefore are quite ignorant of this Art, (which the men are not very expert at) and never use it but upon necessity, and in the absence of men. The second is the boat-makers, which they make of Pine or Deale boards, not fasten’d with nails but sew’d together

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CHAP. XXII. Of the Womens Emploiments.

Having run thro the mens emploiments, the womens are next to be considered. Two trades are most peculiar to them, as doing the work of Taylors and Shoomakers, for they make and mend all the Clothes, Shoes, Boots and Gloves; and they have a third the making all those things that join the Rain-deer to the sledg, as collars, traces, &amp;c. in order to which they learn subservient arts, as making thred, which is commonly of Rain-deers nerves, because they have no flax: of this sort I have some

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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 her

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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 Cou

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CHAP. XXV. Of their Contracts and Marriages.

We have hitherto taken a survey of their ordinary imploiments, and such as are almost every day in use, as well those peculiar to each Sex, as common to both; likewise of their Divertisements and sports, wherewith they use to intermingle those emploiments: It remains that we treat of those businesses, which do not every day occur, but are singular and solemn, and undertaken upon special occasions. And first of what appertain to their Marriages; Concerning them ’tis most memorable, that whenever

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CHAP. XXVI. Of their Child-bearing, and the Education of their Children.

Next to Marriage it will be expedient to treat of their Child-bearing, and their Children. Where we may note first, that they wish for nothing more, and that they take no greater plesure in any thing then fruitfull Matrimony. And hence it is, I suppose, they are so prone to lust, as is elsewhere shown: but altho they desire this so ardently, yet they are very seldome fruitfull in Children, for they can scarce beget more then eight, which number is the greatest, and usually they beget but one, tw

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CHAP. XXVII. Of their Diseases, Death and Burial.

Tho the Laplanders lead a miserable and hardy kind of life, yet they enjoy their health perfectly well. They have not so much as heard of most diseases, and are not all infected with those, that elswhere use to depopulate whole Countries. There are no acute and burning feavers among them, no plague. And if any infection be brought among them, it instantly loses its force. Some years since an infection was brought into Lapland in hemp, but none were hurt by it, besides the women that in spinning

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CHAP. XXVIII. Of their Cattel.

After our discourse of the inhabitants of Lapland , their Nature and manners, something is to be said of other things there remarkable. First of their Cattel, of which they have some common to other Nations, some proper only to themselves. They have no Horses, nor Asses, Oxen, nor Bulls, Sheep nor Goats. The inhabitants do not regard Horses, for the little use they have of them; Oxen, Sheep, Goats, they procure from their Neighbors, for the provision of meat, wool, and hides, and they keep them

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CHAP. XXIX. Of the wild Beasts of the Laplanders.

Of all the Beasts in Lapland the Bear is chief: him saies Sam. Rheen , they stile King Of the Woods, and gives this reason, because in strength and fierceness he exceeds all the rest. They are very numerous, some fiercer than others, especially those which are mark’t with a white wreath about their necks, many of which are found in the North. These annoy the Inhabitants Cattel, and overturn their Stores; which they fix on the top of a Tree, to preserve their flesh and fish, and all that concerns

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CHAP. XXX. Of their Birds and Fish.

I come now to the Birds, of which here is great store. Samuel Rheen mentions these, Swans, Geese, Ducks, Lapwings, Snipes, all sorts of water Birds, and wild fowl, as Heathcocks, Stock-doves, Partridges, Woodcocks; he makes a distinction between water fowle and those that are bred in Woods, and proves that they abound with each sort, because the country has so many pools, ponds, and woods. Of these birds, some are in other countries, some only in these Northern parts. Swans, Geese and Ducks, are

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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, &amp;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 Norw

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CHAP. XXXII. Of their Mettals.

That mettals grow in Lapland and the outermost parts of Scandinavia , is only a conjecture of the Antients, and there is no certainty of it, therefore none of them make any mention of them. Olaus M. flatly denies that to his age there were any Iron, Copper, or Silver mines found, therefore they were forced to fasten their boats with osiers, without any nails because they had no Iron, but in the 35. year of this age, in Queen Christina’s reign, a silver mine was discovered by the Inhabitants of P

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CHAP. XXXIII. Of their Stones, Jewels, and Pearls.

I come now to their stones, which are very large and many, of an ash colour but rough hard and intractable, not to be reduced by any instrument to shape for use. Besides these there are others often found on the shores which represent the shape of an animal. These the inhabitants esteem much and adore them for Gods, under the name of Stoorjuncare . In Torne-Lapmark , near the mine Junesuando , on the banks of Torno , there are found yellow plain stones of a circular figure like mony, about the b

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CHAP. XXXIV. Of their Rivers.

Lapland if any Country is well watered with springs and rivers: the most noted are those from whence the particular marches and regions have their names, as Umeao , Pitheao , Luhleao , Torneao , and Kimeao , these spring from the Norway mountains, and are encreased by several less rivers, unburdening themselves at last into the Bothnick Sea. Vindela fills Umeao and Skiellefle Pitheao , Luhleao swallows a less river of the same name, and Kimeao is encreased by Avilaiocki , which it self is no sma

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CHAP. XXXV. Of their Mountains.

Their land which I treat of last, is not in the same condition all over, for that which is near Bothnia is wholsomer and more fertile for all sort of pot-herbs, as those can witness who have made gardens in both soils. They found that some places would bear coleworts, raperoots, parsnips, radishes and the like. In other places by reason of the abundance of rocks and rivers, the ground is too moist and stony, and sandy in many places, which being scattered by the wind covers the ground like snow,

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