_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 called, on the
one side adjoining to _Swedland_, on the other to _Russia_, giving it
a place between _Carelia_ and _Nylandia_. _Ol. Mag._ in his Table,
and so his brother _Johan. Magnus_ in the Preface of his History,
place it higher then the western _Bothnia_, making neighbours to it
_Scrikfinnia_ furthest towards the North, and _Biarmia_ towards the
East; though some[3] think there is no such place as _Scrikfinnia_, as
it is certain there is none in those parts at this day called by that
name. But yet we must not slightly pass over the unanimous opinion of
so many learned men, especially _Saxo_, not a little knowing in the
Northern affairs, who have all not barely named it, but have described
the humours of the Inhabitants, their manners, habits and fashion of
their governments, with other matters belonging to them. Instead of
the _Scrickfinni_ or _Scricfinni_ of _Johan._ and _Ol. Magn._ I would
rather read it _Scritofinni_; and as for _Skidfinni_ as _Adr. Buræ_
would have it, all the Antients, what ever else they differ in, will
agree in this, that there must be an _R_ in the word. _Jornandez_
calls them _Scretfennæ_, _Paul. Warnefrid._ and _Diacon._ _Scritobini_
changing _f_ in _b_ (of which and some other things of the like nature
I will treat in due time and place) _Adam Bremensis_ _Scritefiani_: and
the Greeks agree in this writing, so that we ought not to doubt of the
Latines. _Procopius_ will have them sometimes Σκριθιφίκους, other
times Σκριθιφίνους. Besides ’tis manifest since the _Scritefinni_ are
the same with the _Finni_, whose Etymology in their own language is
from leaping,[4] by an art they have, by which with crooked pieces of
wood under their feet like a bow they hunt wild beasts; they could not
therefore take their name from _Skidh_, signifying the wooden shoes
themselves, but from their leaping, _i. e._ swift running with them,
which doubtless antiently was meant by _Skriida_, and which the Author
cited by _Warnius_ in the 46 page of his Lexicon confirms, where he
relates the form of an oath made by _Hafur_, that he would preserve the
peace _Quamdiu Finnur skriidar_, _i. e._ as long as the _Finlanders_
continued their manner of leaping. As for the Etymology that is there
given, that it signifies their wandring up and down, ’tis altogether
false, for _Skridsko_ at this day denotes those wooden shoes which
they run upon the ice with; neither doth _Skirida_ signify any thing
else among the Antients but to glide along the ground, for they do not
take up one foot after the other, as in common running, but carrying
themselves steady upon the frozen snow, they move forward stooping a
little, as shall be shewn hereafter. And perhaps this is the onely
cause that they are called _Himantopodes_,[5] People creeping upon
their knees; which agrees exactly with these _Scritofinni_: for they
hearing that _Skriida_ was to creep along, what could they fancy the
_Scritofinni_ to be, but People not going like other men, but crawling
forward like creeping animalls, but of this I shall speak more at
large when I come to the _Laplanders_ gliding upon the ice. That
which I would chiefly evince here, is, that there are such a people
rightly called _Scritofinni_, and the Country which they inhabit is
_Scritofinnia_ or _Scritfinnia_, and that there is no reason we should
think there was no such place, since there are those who are called
_Scritfinni_, _i. e._ _Finlanders_, who run upon the ice with wooden
shoes, whose Country from thence may well be called _Scritofinnia_.
And the same may be urged for _Biarmia_ against those that will not
allow there is any such place. For first the antient Writers making
frequent mention of it, as that Author of the History thereof, calls
it often _Biarmaland_ in the old _Gothick_ or _Islandick_ language,
who also calls the King of it _Hereker_ in Ch. 7. and his two Sons,
the one _Rœrik_ the other _Siggeir_. _Saxo_ likewise in his 9^{th}
book, speaks of a certain King of this place, who reigned in the time
of _Regner_ King of the _Danes_, making it border upon _Finland_,
when he says the King of _Biarmia_ fled for refuge to _Matullus_,
who then reigned in _Finland_. But now granting there were antiently
such names as _Biarmia_ and _Scritfinnia_, it remains doubtfull still
whether they were distinct Countries or no. All Authors except _Johan._
and _Ol. Magn._ seem to make them the same, _Procop._ _Jornand._ _Paul.
Warnfrid._ and _Adam Bremensis_ speak of _Scritfinnia_, but none of
_Biarmia_, and the Northern writers do just contrary. _Saxo_ indeed
mentions them both, but not at the same time: once in his Preface he
names _Scritfinnia_, leaving out _Biarmia_, in other places he names
_Biarmia_ omitting the other; from whence I am almost of opinion
that ’tis the same Country called by native Writers _Biarmia_, by
forreign _Scritfinnia_. We may add further that as _Adam Bremensis_
makes _Scritfinnia_ next to _Helsingia_, the Author of the History
of _Heraud_ and _Bosa_ sets _Biarmia_ in the same place, speaking of
some Woods in it, and Rivers that emty themselves into the _Sinus
Bothnicus_ or bay of _Ganduia_ next to _Helsingia_. And moreover as the
_Scritfinni_ are a People of _Finland_, which not onely their name,
but an old Chorographick Table commended by _Grotius_ doth intimate,
distinguishing the _Fenni_ into the _Scritfenni_ and _Redefenni_, so
’tis probable of the _Biarmians_ as well for their neighbourhood to
_Helsingia_, of which before, as for their worshipping a God by the
name of _Jomala_, which is a _Finland_ word, denoting God amongst
them to this day. Moreover the _Biarmians_ have many other things
like the _Finlanders_, as the Art of darting, of Magic, _&c._ So that
_Biarmia_ may be a Colony of _Finland_, whose People were called by
Strangers, from their _skirring_ along, or gliding upon the snow,
_Scritofinni_. But now supposing all this true, and that the _Biarmia_
of the Ancients, and _Scritfinnia_ were the same, ’tis a question
still whether _Lapland_ be distinct from them or not. _Joh._ and _Ol.
Magnus_ in their Geographic Tables and descriptions, make them distinct
Countries. But that cannot be; for if _Scritfinnia_ and _Biarmia_ reach
one way to _Helsingia_ and _Jamtia_, on the other to _Finland_; if
they lye so near these Provinces, and extend to the Bay of _Bothnia_
(both which have bin demonstrated before) I do not see where _Lapland_
can have any place at all. And the same Authors are also mistaken in
putting it South of _Biarmia_ and _Scritfinnia_, whereas the Antients
placed these beyond it. For that they mean’t only by _Biarmia_ that
which the Swedes now call _Trennes_, appears to be false from what has
bin said before: for where are any Rivers in _Trennes_ that run into
the Bay of _Bothnia_? and how is it bordering upon _Finland_? Wherefore
contrary to _Joh._ and _Ol. Magnus_, I think rather that _Lapland_
is the same that was first by the Inhabitants called _Biarmia_, by
Strangers _Scritfinnia_, then changing the name for some of the reasons
here produced, it came to be _Lappia_ or _Lapponia_; which beginning
from _Jamtia_ and _Angermannia_, goes all about each _Bothnia_, and at
length ends in the extremities of _Carelia_ and _Finland_, so as to
comprehend all the whole tract from the North even to the main Ocean,
the white Sea, and the Lake _Ladek_, which are the very bounds of old
_Biarmia_ and _Scritfinnia_. But that it went as far as the Ocean,
the Antients seem not to have so well understood; nor indeed _Johan._
and _Ol. Magnus_, who in those parts, have made _Scritfinnia_ and
_Biarmia_ different Countries from _Lapland_. So also _Damianus Goes_,
who, whatever he knew of _Lapland_, had it from them, says it extends
it self to unknown Regions, because he knew not who lived further
towards the North Sea. But the Antients have placed there, besides the
_Scritfinni_, the _Cynocephali_, _Busii_, _Troglodytes_, _Pygmies_,
_Cyclops’s_,: and some others, passing by the _Himantopodes_, of whom
we have spoken before: tho in this age none doubts but the _Laplanders_
inhabit it all, and those who have sailed along those Coasts have
met with none others but _Laplanders_. In fine _Charles_ the 9^{th}
King of _Swedland_ in the year 1600, being desirous to know the truth
of that Country, sent two famous Mathematicians, _M. Aron. Forsius_
a Swedish Professour, and _Hieronymus Birkholten_ a German, with
instruments, and all necessaries to make what discoveries they could
of _Lapland_; who at their return, did certify, and make it out, that
beyond the Elevation of the Pole 73 degrees there was no Continent
towards the North but the great frozen Sea, and that the farthest point
was _Norcum_ or _Norcap_, not far from the Castle of _Wardhouse_. But
of this distant _Lapland_ those that are curious may enquire at their
leisure, we purpose to treat here only of that which is subject to the
Government of the _Swedes_; and this is a vast Country, thought by
_Paulinus_ in his history of the North, of equall extent almost with
all _Swedland_ properly so called. _Andr. Buræus_ says it contains in
length above 100 German miles, and in breadth 90. All this Country
comes now under the name of _Lapland_, in which all agree that ever
described it; and if we would take an account of the Climate of it
by this vast compass of Earth, we must begin from the 64^{th} degree
of latitude, and so to the 71; but in longitude it must extend at
least to the 27^{th} Meridian, or more. Moreover if we will compute
the longitude from journies that have bin made thither, all hitherto
have unanimously put the beginning of it about the 38^{th} degree, and
the end in the 65^{th}. And this may suffice partly for an account of
the situation of _Lapland_ in general; and partly of that which is
subject to the _Swedes_. _Dam. à Goes_, a Knight of Portugall, sets
its bounds thus in his description of Spain: _Lapland is divided into
the Eastern and Western part, the Bothnick Sea coming between. The
extremity of it is Tornia. Eastward it reaches to the white Lake,
towards the North comprehending diverse Provinces, and extends it self
beyond all knowledge. On the West towards Island it joins to part of
Norway, and on the other side of Norway ’tis bounded with Swedland,
Finland, and both the Bothnia’s._ But _Ol. Petr. Nieuren_ confutes this
of the _Bothnic_ Sea lying between; for so part of _Lapland_ would lie
in _Finland_ or _Ostrobothnia_, part in _Westrobothnia_, which every
one knows is false: and the very vulgar can tell so much, that the
_Bothnic_ Sea comes not any where within 18 or 20 miles of _Lapland_:
tho this ought not to pass beyond _Damianus_’s time, since _Nieurenius_
himself confesses in another place, that the _Laplanders_ had their
seat about the _Bothnic_ Sea, but that afterwards they were driven out,
of which I shall speak hereafter. I will only add here a Table of the
latitudes and longitudes of the chiefest Places, as they were taken by
_M. Aronis Forsius_ and _Hieronymus Birckholten_ Ann. 1600.
_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.