_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 _Cantepaive_) S^t _Clements_ and
S. _Catherines_, 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 various 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 themselves 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
relating 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 acquaintance 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 drummer, 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 iælla zaiiti_, that
is, _they thank 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 talki oggio, 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 purpose, 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 _Læibi 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 ceremony 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 ended
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 Woman 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_, _Polandi_, _Engelandi_, _Frankichis_,
_Kalka Kaubsis 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 eaten, they gather up the bones, and bury them
together; 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
Sweregislandi_, _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 aginst 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, especially of the Bear, because he in this country is King
over all the rest. After 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
uncleanness 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 only 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 therefore 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, especially the _Lagopus_ call’d by the _Swedes_ _Sniæriper_.
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.