_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 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 _Tornæus_ esteem their young women
indifferently 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 neglect 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 complexion, 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 likewise 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 fitting 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 another: 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 fictitious, 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 _Holsatia_ 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 _Scaliger_ 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 whatsoever 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 because 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 _Biarmians_, 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
_Biarmians_, ’tis sure enough that the _Laplanders_ are far from being
stout or warlike, 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 attemts upon them: a consequent whereof
is that they are also revengefull; endeavouring 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 surpriz’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 dictate. 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 farther observable that they take great plesure, if they happen to
outwit any one; imagining that tho they are hopeless to overcome by
manhood and courage, they have a nobler triumph over the minds of those
whom they circumvent. 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
capable of emprovement by husbandry, yet ’tis suffer’d to lye wast:
nay so unwilling 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 continual lying together in the same Hut, without any
difference of age, sex, or condition, seems to occasion this effect.
_Tornæus_ indeed saies of his Country-men, the _Lappi Tornenses_, who
possibly are reclaimed by more civill education, that they are very
chast, insomuch that among them scarce one bastard 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 untoucht; 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
destitute into their Huts; but supplying them with stock whereon to
live. In proof of this _Tornæus_ 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 _Tornæus_ 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.