_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 houses, or places of aboad. The _Laplanders_ have
not any houses like other Northern People, it having bin their custom
to wander up and down, and so, sometimes in one place and sometimes
in another, to set up small sheds for their present use: so that they
had no certain habitations, but having eaten and consumed the fish and
beasts in one place, they march to another, carrying their sheds or
tents with them.
But this liberty of wandring up and down the Country, was in a special
Edict forbid them by _Charles_ the ninth, in the year 1602, and a
certain place of habitation assigned to every family. The words of the
Edict are to this purpose: “We do in the first place command that in
every _Lapmark_ an account be taken of all Fenns, Rivers, Lakes, _&c._
and who they are that have hitherto had the benefit and use of them,
with the names of all such: and then that the number of the families
be compared with that of the Rivers, _&c._ and so equally divided that
one family shall not possess more Rivers and Fenns then are for its
use. Lastly every _Lapmark_ being thus divided, it shall be committed
to honest and good men, who, without either favor or prejudice, shall
assign to every family its just portion: and thenceforth it shall
not be lawfull for any _Laplander_, at his plesure to wander up and
down all marches, as hath formerly bin used.” From the time of this
Edict the _Laplanders_ had their certain bounds and limits assigned
them sufficient for the sustaining of their families. Neither was it
afterward lawfull for any one to invade the propriety of another, or to
wander where he pleased.
Notwithstanding, that custom of removing their sheds from one place
to another was quite abolished, but is yet used among them, tho now
they move not out of the bounds assigned them. So that they have no
certain mansion, but as the Season of the year offers it self, either
for fishing or hunting, so do they order their habitations accordingly
on the side of some River, Wood, or Mountain, and having spent there
some daies or weeks, remove their tents again to a more seasonable
place. To this agrees also our modern writer _Sam. Rheen_. This
wandring is chiefly caused by their manner of getting their living,
for the _Laplanders_ having all their livelihood from Rain-deers,
Fish, and wild beasts, they are forced to live where they may have
sufficient pastures for their Rain-deers, and plenty of other beasts,
and fishes for themselves; and yet to take care that they destroy not
the breed. But this cannot be done if they should live alwaies in
one place, and therefore it is that _Buræus_ saies, they order their
habitations according to the seasons of fishing, hunting, _&c._ Now
this conveniency cannot be in all places at all times alike, for fish
do abound most when about the time of their spawning they are gathered
together, which some fish do at one time, and some at another, and one
sort in one Lake, and another sort in another Lake; so that they that
are of this trade cannot alwaies live in one place. In like manner it
is also with their Rain-deers: and therefore _Sam. Rheen_ saies they
take their journeys either to provide pasture for their Rain-deers,
or to fish: for at that time, when fishes generate either in this or
that Lake or River, then the _Laplander_, with his house and family,
takes his journy. But this journeying is not so as that they should
forsake and never return again to their former places; but they do, as
it were, go in a circle: so that in the space of a year, the pasture
being again grown that was before consumed, they return into the same
seats again. This is the custom of the _Laplanders_ that live in the
Mountains: but they that live in the Woods, do not only once a year,
but oftner return into the same places. For they leave and return to
their habitations severall times in a year, _viz._ as often as occasion
is offerred either of fishing, fowling, hunting, _&c._ Now they do
so order their journeys, that the Fishermen at those times when the
fishes do spawn, do alwaies live on the side of some River. They that
take care of, and trade with Rain-deers, do in the Winter live in the
Woods, but in the Summer ascend towards the mountains of _Norway_: for
in the Winter they cannot abide on those Mountains, where there are so
frequent storms, great Snows, and no Wood. At that season therefore
they descend into the nighest woods, where by reason of the depth
of the Snow they can easily keep their Rain-deers together: so that
from Christmas untill the Feast of the Annunciation they remain for
the most part in one place, at which time the Snow beginning to melt,
they march nigher and nigher again towards the Mountains, where they
remain till S. _Ericus_’s day: about which time because the female
Rain-deer use to bring forth, therefore they remain in the same place
untill the feast of _S. John_, or Midsummer-day. Afterwards, when,
as well in the Mountains as Vallies, the grass and pasture do most
florish, they proceed farther and farther, some on the tops of the
highest Mountains, where the Rain-deers are less infested with flies
and gnats, in which Mountains they wander up and down till the feast of
S. _Bartholomew_, when by little and little they betake themselves to
the Woods again, and then _Christmas_ coming they do again as we told
you in the beginning. And these are the circuits of the _Laplanders_,
and reasons why they cannot stay in one place, together with the times
of their severall removes. But now these journeys sometimes are for
many miles, and of a far longer space of time, so that sometimes they
march for 20 miles and farther. Now because some of them live in the
Mountains, some among the Trees, especially Pine-trees, nigh the Rivers
and Lakes; therefore are they accordingly called by different names.
Some are called _fiæll Lapper_, because they live in the Mountains nigh
_Norway_, which are called _fiæll_. Others are termed _Graan Lapper_,
because they live among the Pine trees, which are called by the
_Swedes_ and _Norwegians_, _Graan_. For their journeys in the Summer
they make different preparations from what they do in the Winter; in
the Winter they use sledges (of which I will speak hereafter) but in
the Summer they go on foot, the Rain-deers carrying their goods on
pannels and pack-saddles, and sometimes their Infants also. So that in
the Winter they put their houshold-stuff in one sledge, and their tents
in another, and so march from place to place, but in the Summer they
use pannels which they make after this manner:
[Illustration]
They have two lathes something broad, but flexible, made of firr, of
which for the most part Boxes are made, these lathes they joyn together
at the top, putting the one end into a mortice made in the other end,
and so make a kind of a circle, then by that part where they are joyned
together they hang them on the Rain-deer, one on the right-side, the
other on the left, and so againe by withes ty them under the beasts
belly, that they may be the more steady. Now these are placed so
to support their dorsers made of the same wood, bended into an oval
figure much like a drum, if both ends were round. These dorsers at the
bottom they draw together with twiggs of birch, placed in the form of
a grate, and the tops of them they tye with thongs, or cords, which
they loose as often as any thing is to be put in, or taken out; and
least any thing should fall out, they cover these dorsers all over
with bark of birch, or some skins. These dorsers they hang by ropes
or thongs to the tops of the forementioned lathes, which they call
_Tobbii_; so that they may hang down on both sides the Rain-deer, the
tops being outward, and the bottoms turned inward toward the belly of
the beast. And thus they load their Rain-deers, not only with their
goods and houshold stuff, but also with their Infants, which cannot
walk themselves. For on one side of the Rain-deer they often hang their
cradles, and children in them, of which I will speak hereafter. Now in
these journeys they have a certain order which no one without cause
ought to disturb; for in the first place marches the Master of the
Family, having some Rain-deers after him, loaded after the foresaid
manner, afterwards follows his wife in like manner; then the whole
herd of Rain-deers, which his Children and Servants drive softly on.
Last of all brings up the rear, he that carries the Drum. Now these
pack-Rain-deers they do not use to drive yoked or joyned together, but
in a long line one after another, that which follows being alwaies
tied to the pannels of that which went before, and the _Laplander_
leading the foremost by a rope tied about his neck, and so they march
on till they come to the place intended, where they set up their sheds
again, and remain for some weeks, which are to them instead of houses.
But now there is some difference in the sheds of the _Laplanders_
that live in the mountains, and are called _Fiællapper_, and those
that live in the Woods, who are called _Graan Lapper_; for the one
coming to the same place but once in a year, doth not build this
shed of so durable stuff as the other: the former, when he departs,
almost destroying his habitation, and the latter leaving it standing.
The former build their sheds thus, first, at four corners they erect
four posts, upon the tops of which they place three rafters, so that
there shall be one on each side, and one behind, but none cross the
formost posts; upon these rafters they afterwards place long poles,
so that with their tops they may lean upon, and support one another,
whereby the whole form seems to be like a quadrilaterall house, which
ascending like a Pyramide, is narrower at top, and broader at bottom.
These poles so placed they cover with course woollen cloth, which we
before called _Waldmar_; but the richer sort over this woollen cloth
place linnen also, by both which they may be the better defended from
rain and storms. These are the sheds of the _Laplanders_ that dwell
in the mountains, for the most part made of clothes, &c. which when
they leave any place they take with them, and erect in another. But
your _Graanlapper_, or _Wood-Laplanders_, make their sheds for the
most part of board and posts, that at the top meet in a Cone, which
they cover with the boughs of Firr and Pine-trees, or else with the
bark of those trees, and sometimes with turff. That they covered them
with the barks of trees, _Herberstenius_ witnesseth; _Andræas Buræus_
saies that those barks were of birch trees, to whom also assents
_Olaus Petri_, who only adds, that they did a long time boil those
barks to make them more flexible. _Olaus Magnus_, Lib. 4. Cap. 3.
adds also skins, and these were the houses _Lomenius Comes_ saw, and
describes in his Itinerary to be made of long poles and barks of trees.
_Sam. Rheen_ describes the tents of the _Wood-Laplanders_ to be made
of boards with six sides or walls, covered with boughs of Firr, or
Pine-trees, sometimes with the barks, and sometimes only with turffs.
_Wexionius_ increases the number of sides, and saies that they were
octogons, somewhat broader towards the bottom, and five ells high, and
especially those tents of the _Kimenses_. _Olaus Petri_ tells us the
same of the _Pithenses_. Now these Tents they do not pull down or carry
with them, but leave them in the same place, only when they come again
they add new boughs, &c. where they were decayed, and to fit them for
their use. Besides these two sorts of Tents, _Olaus Magnus_ reckons
up another, for in this, Lib. 4. Cap. 2. he saies part of them place
their Tents in trees that grow in a square figure, least in the fenny
Countries they should be choaked with the great snows, or devoured by
the wild beasts, which come together in great troops. What he means
by trees that grow in a square figure I cannot tell, but I suppose he
intends only that they did use to erect their Tents between 4 trees
which grew so, that each of them might be the corner prop, of the four
square shed, but this sort is to us quite unknow. _Tacitus_ saies the
_Fenni_ used to dwell among a company of boughs, and perhaps that
gave occasion to our Author to talk thus. He hath also got a 4^{th}
sort which he could have no where else but from _Zieglerus_, for
_Zieglerus_ had called them _Amaxobios_, from whence _Olaus Magnus_
saies they dwelt in Waines and Carts; and therefore _Olaus_ induced
by this word of _Zieglerus_, thought the _Laplanders_ had bin such.
But this is quite false, for Waggons and Carts were utterly unknown to
the _Laplanders_, for whom it was impossible to use them, by reason
of the slipperiness of the Ice, and depth of their snows. Neither was
it indeed in that sense that _Zieglerus_ calls them _Amaxiobios_, but
because they wandred up and down like the _Amaxobii_, who are a known
Nation of the _Scythians_. There remains therefore only these two
sorts of sheds, which I have mentioned, for the 5^{th}, which _Paulus
Jovius_ reckons, was either upon sudden occasions, or used only by
those that were under the dominion of the _Moscovites_: the words of
this Author are, “These People lie in caves filled with dried leaves,
or in trunks of trees made hollow either by fire or age.” But in both
our forementioned sorts, things are so ordered that every Tent had
two doors, one, a foredoor, and the other, a backward; the former
bigger and more ordinarily used, the latter less, through which they
use to bring in their provisions, and especially the prey they took
in hunting, also Birds, Beasts, Fishes, which it was unlawfull for to
bring in at the foredoor. These are the two doors with the use of both,
especially the back-door, through which it was unlawfull for any woman
to pass, because, as I said before, women were forbidden to go into the
back part of the Tent, the reason of which I think to be partly this,
because in that part they placed _Thor_ and sacrificed to him, and
partly this, because it was esteemed an ill omen for a hunter to meet
a woman. And hither may we refer what _Zieglerus_ saies of that door,
that it was unlawfull for the Woman to go out of the door of the Tent
that day her husband was gone a hunting, which cannot be understood
of any door but the back-door, the use of which was not only that day
but alwaies forbid women. The _Laplanders_ have no Chambers, but only
certain spaces, which they determine and bound by loggs and posts laid
along on the ground, of which we shall next speak. The whole space of
ground within the Tent was so ordered, that in the middle there might
be a hearth, surrounded with stones, in which there was a continual
fire, except at midnight; behind the hearth, toward the back part of
the tent, they place three loggs, with which they bound that space,
of which we but now spoke. In the middle of this space is the little
door, at which only men must enter, which they call _Posse_; right over
against that is the common door, which they call _Ox_; but that space
we told you was bounded with these three loggs, they call, _lops_; this
place therefore is only proper to men, and it is unlawfull for any
woman to pass those loggs, and go into it. _Sam. Rheen_ saies about the
kettle hanging over the fire, they place the 3 blocks, upon which, with
a hatchet, they divide their flesh, fish, or other things they intend
to make ready. He saies here indeed the space is called _Posse_, but
understands chiefly the space of the door, for that was properly called
_Posse_; the other space being called _Lops_. The common door they used
to make towards the South, and the other towards the North. The space
on both sides, and the sides themselves they called _Loide_; here they
made their bed chambers, the husband with his wife and children lying
on one side, and the servants on the other. _Olaus Petri_ saies only
the daughters lay on the side of the husband and wife, I believe, that
their Parents might have them alwaies nigh them, and so take greater
care to secure their honesty, whilst the sons in the mean time lay
with the servants: but now the spaces that remain towards the doors
they call _Kitta_, and are ordained for the use of the women, for in
the space nigh the common door they are brought to bed. But that you
may the better understand all this, I will here insert a description
of the Area. A is the little door they call _posse_, B and C is
called _lopps_, as is the place where the men lay up their hunting
instruments. D and E are called _loide_, whereof one is the appartment
of the Master of the Family and his wife, the other of the servants.
F. G. is _kitta_, were the women are conversant. H. is the hearth, I.
the door called _ox_; those three logs upon which they divide their
flesh are the two that lay along towards I. and the 3^d crosswaies
distinguishes from other parts the mens appartment, or _posse_.
[Illustration]
The 3^d thing we are to note in these sheds, is that they strew their
floors with branches of Birch trees, least by the rain they should be
wetted, and they use no other kind of pavement; only upon the boughs,
for cleanliness sake, they lay skins of Rain-deers, on which they
sit and lie. And these are the dwelling houses of the _Laplanders_,
besides which they have also Store-houses in which they keep their
commodities, especially flesh, fish, and such other provisions; these
they call _Nalla_, and make thus: they cut the upper part of a tree
off, so that the body remain four or five ells from the ground high,
upon this trunk they place two rafters in the figure of an X, or S^t
_Andrews_ Cross, and upon these they build their repository, making a
door to it, and covering it with boards. There is one thing peculiar
to these Store-houses, which is, that the door is not in the side, but
bottom of them, so that when the _Laplander_ is come down, the door
falls too, like a trap-door, and all things are safe. To these they go
up by ladders which they make of the trunks of trees, in which they cut
great notches like stairs. Now the reason why they place them so high,
is because of the Bears and other wild beasts, who oftentimes pull them
down, and to the great dammage of the Master eat all his provision;
they used also to cut off the bark of the tree, and anoint the stock,
so that neither mice nor wild beasts could be able to climb up for
slipperiness. And perhaps these are the houses _Olaus magnus_ meant,
when he said, they placed their houses upon trees for fear of wild
beasts. But that you may the better conceive these Store-houses also, I
shall here give you the Figure of them.
[Illustration]