_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 Country (that it self is sufficient to dispose men
to laziness,) as the length of their Nights, and indulgence to much
sleep, may contribute not a little. In fine, that I may omit their
many other infirmities, whereby they are incapacitated to undergo any
considerable hardship, they are lovers of sloth and wholly given up
to it. But further, to consider how they bestow their vacant time
from business, ’tis the general and most recieved accompt, that making
and receiving visits, and familiar conversation become the greatest
part of their recreations. For whereas their manner of life so nearly
resembles solitariness, that each family seems confined to its own hut,
they can take no greater satisfaction in any thing then such mutual
entercourse. And here it may be observed, that in their discourses at
these meetings of friends and acquaintance, usually the most ordinary
affairs and daily occurrences have the chiefest place: as particularly
their welfare, emploiments, and the like. But besides ’tis their humor
to make remarks upon the transactions of all forreiners, whose names
or customes commerce has at any time brought to their knowledg. And
furthermore they can take no greater pride, then either in traducing
the management of their affairs, or imposing drollish Nick-names upon
them. Tho indeed those of the richer sort are used to entertain their
visitants with greater merriment and magnificence. Besides these visits
they use some sports wherewith they recreate themselves, especially
in Winter (when for some space of time they live as scateringly as in
Summer, but are more familiar,) or at their public assemblies in the
places of Judicature and Fairs. Again some sports are looked upon as
only peculiar to men, others the female Sex also have their part in.
Of the first sort this is one. They make a line in the Snow, in place
of a goal: behind it at some paces distance they set up a mark, from
whence each person taking a run to the goal, and there taking his rise,
throws his body as far as possibly he can, and he that at one leap
compasses the greatest space of ground, is reckon’d the Conqueror. In
this first sport they both leap and run. Another they have where the
trial of skill consists in leaping only, and that too not in length but
height; there stand two men upright, at no great distance the one front
the other, and hold in their hands sometimes a rope, sometimes a pole,
now higher, now lower, as is agreed upon by the combatants, usually
at the common height of a man: then each Person attemts to leap over
from a station assign’d, and he that performs most dextrously, gains
the applause to himself. A third sort of sport among them is with bow
and arrows. At a convenient place they set up a mark of a very small
bigness, and shoot at it with arrows from any distance prescrib’d. He
that hits either soonest or oftnest, bears away the bell from the rest.
These sports hitherto mentioned are almost instituted by them meerly
for the consideration of credit and renown: yet sometimes they play for
prizes such as they agree upon among themselves, and instantly they lay
them down in the place where they keep their games. Their prizes are
seldom mony, usually skins, especially of Squirrels, sometimes one,
sometimes more as they see convenient and agree upon it. But in those
sports wherein as well the women as men are plaiers, they commonly
play with a leather ball stuffed with hay, about the bigness of ones
fist; whatever company of men and women is there present, is sorted
into two sides, one whereof seizes on this ground, the other on another
opposite to it, and at some distance off. Then every Person of one side
in his turn, beats the ball with a club thorough the Air, those of the
contrary side catching it at the fall; and if any one chance to catch
it in his hands, before it touch ground, then the order of the play
is inverted, and this side strikes out the ball, the other is fain to
catch. Thus play the men and women, the boies and girles together,
nor do the men shew themselves more expert at it then the women. They
besides have another play at ball: in the hard frozen snow they draw
two lines at some distance from one another, then all the multitude
both of men and women parting into two sides, one applies it self to
the defence of this, the other of that line; then they meet in the
middle space between their two goals, and fling down the ball, then
each partie with bandies and clubs strives to strike the ball cross the
opposite parties line, each party still maintaining the defence of its
own line; but if one side chance to strike the ball with their bandies
over the others line (for it is foul play to fling it with their hands)
and so take their goal, that is accounted the conquering side. The
sports as yet mentioned are such as belong to the younger sort, as well
as to those of more mature age: the next is peculiar to these last and
only to men. Their custom is to separate themselves into two companies,
and attacque one another by wrestling: first each company stands like
a file of Soldiers all along in order to confront the adverse company:
then each man catches his adversary by the girdle, wherewith all
_Laplanders_ are alwaies girt, as is elswhere shown, (their girdle
goes six times round their body, and so is fast and fittest for their
purpose,) so each man having caught hold, endeavors to fling the other
down, which they are not allowed to attempt by craft or deceit, as by
any lock or the like; Any one that is found delinquent in this kind,
is branded for a fowl plaier, and excluded the lists. These are the
sports that are almost peculiar to the _Laplanders_: besides them
they use some, which they borrow from other places, such is playing
at Cards, a sport sufficiently known thorough all _Europe_, for even
the _Laplanders_ take no little satisfaction in it: they procure their
Cards of the Merchants that trade thither. They use likewise to play
at dice, which they themselves make of wood after the common fashion,
with this only difference, that whereas dice commonly have some number
of spots inscribed on every side, they have a figure made only on one
side like an X. he wins in this sport, that casting two Dies, on the
top of either can show the X. their stakes are usually Squirrils skins,
or some small trifles, and in the failance of these leaden bullets,
which they use in their hunting to charge their Guns withal: and it
happens sometimes that a fellow having lost all his bullets, in hope
of repairing his damage by winning again, not only at present will
be sensible of the harm, but being disappointed of his Hunting puts
to stake and looses his future acquisitions and hope of livelihood.
These are the usual waies, whereby the people of _Lapland_ spend their
leisure times and divert themselves.