HARNESSING REINDEER.--THE FIRST LESSONS IN DRIVING.--CONSTANTLY UPSET
AT FIRST.--GOING DOWN HILL WITH REINDEER.--THROWN OUT AT THE
BOTTOM.--QUEER NOISE MADE BY REINDEER HOOFS.
On our return we tied our reindeer securely and went to a small house
where the harness was kept. There I saw along the walls many collars,
leather straps, and traces, but no bits. I thought this was singular,
and I wondered how the reindeer could be driven, but I said nothing. But
when harnesses for the reindeer were brought out I found that harnessing
a reindeer was very unlike harnessing a horse, and far more simple. A
collar was put on, and at the lower part of the collar a strong plaited
leather trace was fastened. This passed between the reindeer's legs and
was made fast to the forward part of the sleigh. No bits are used. The
rein (there was only one) was also of plaited leather and fastened at
the base of the horns.
During this process the reindeer seemed very restless and several times
were on the point of running away.
"The harnessing, as you see," said Jon to me, "though simple, has to be
done with great care, for no matter how well trained a reindeer is, as
soon as he is harnessed he wants to go; besides, he is easily scared
when in harness." So while things were being made ready for the start
the reindeer were tightly held.
"I will now show you how to take your place in the sleigh," said Jon.
Then he sat upright at the bottom, with his legs stretched before him
and his back resting against the end of the sleigh. Then he got out and
said, "Now you get in." I found the position a very uncomfortable one;
but this is the only way one can sit in these little sleighs. And it
took me some time to get accustomed to it without getting tired, though
afterwards I could sit for hours without getting out.
Jon handed me the rein and twisted it round my wrist, and said with a
rather roguish smile: "Now, if you upset, the reindeer cannot run away
without you! After a while he will stop when he knows you are tipped
over. You will roll over several times in the snow before he stops."
"All right," I replied, "there is plenty of snow, no harm can come to
me. My head is safe."
"Be careful, Paulus," he added; "see that your rein never touches the
snow, for if it should get under the sleigh your arm might become
entangled and your wrist or shoulder be dislocated. If you upset, let
the rein go. If you want the reindeer to stop, throw the rein to the
left. If you want him to go fast, keep it on the right. Keep your rein
always loose, almost touching the snow. Have a sharp lookout about
this.
"I myself will ride with my legs outside, my toes touching the snow to
guide my sleigh; but you are a beginner, and you cannot do so. Never
ride with your legs out, for it is dangerous for a man who is not
accustomed to it to ride that way. Sometimes accidents happen even among
the most expert, and some Lapps get seriously injured. Here is a stick
to guide your sleigh, and to prevent your reindeer from going too fast
push the stick deep into the snow. It will not be as good as feet, but
it is much better than nothing.
"I will take the lead, you will follow, and two Lapps will come behind
to watch over you. Do not mind if you upset often; do not be
discouraged; a beginner has to upset many times before he knows how to
drive a reindeer and keep in his sleigh."
In the mean time our reindeers had become very restive and they were
held with difficulty. Suddenly Jon gave the order to start.
We started at a furious speed, and my sleigh rocked to and fro. It was
awful. I swayed first one way, then another. I knew that I could not
keep my equilibrium long without being thrown out, and I was right. Each
reindeer wanted to go faster than the others; they kept on at a terrible
gait. I was shot out of the sleigh, heels over head, and rolled over and
over in the snow. Finally the animal stopped.
[Illustration: "I was shot out of the sleigh."]
The Lapps behind me came to the rescue. After brushing the snow from my
face I got in again, and my reindeer started off at a fearful speed, and
in less than thirty seconds I was once more shot out of my sleigh.
This time the rein slipped from my wrist, as I had not secured it well
enough, and the animal sped away, leaving me on my back, blinded by the
snow. The Lapps went on their skees after my reindeer, which in the mean
time had stopped, and brought it back to me.
Then they said to me with a laugh: "Often reindeer start that way when
they feel frisky. To-day is the right sort of weather for them. The
mercury marks 40 degrees below zero. The starting is the most difficult
part."
I thought so! I got into my sleigh, and the animal started at a furious
speed, and once more I was shot out of the sleigh. I got up half
stunned, covered with snow. Fortunately I had twisted the rein so well
round my wrist this time that the reindeer could not run away without
me, and he stopped after I had been dragged a few seconds.
I was not disheartened--so I kept on driving and being thrown out. It
happened so often that I began to tire of counting the number of times I
upset. It must have been nearly one hundred times that day. It had been
a very hard day's work for me.
The second day I took more lessons, and began to learn how to balance
myself. It is a knack, and I began to improve and had fewer upsettings.
The third day I did better. I gradually learned pretty well how to
balance myself on level ground, and did not upset any more.
After a few days I knew how to drive reindeer on level ground, and I
could guide my sleigh with a stick as well as a sailor steers his boat
with the rudder.
When I had reached this stage of expertness Jon said to me: "Paulus, now
you can drive in a level country, but soon you will come where there are
many steep hills, and mountains. So you must learn how to drive down
steep hills. This is often very exciting. The weather is beautiful, and
this afternoon I want you to take your first lesson going down hill. I
have sent men for a fresh set of reindeer; they will soon be back."
In the course of the afternoon the reindeer came out harnessed, and as
we were ready to start, "I will lead," said Jon, "you will follow, and
another Lapp will come third. It is far more difficult to go down hill
than to drive on a level surface. You must put your stick deep into the
snow to slacken the speed and guide your sleigh. Don't be frightened at
the speed, which is very great, and be careful not to be thrown out when
you reach the bottom of the hill; this is the most difficult part of
driving, for the reindeer turn sharply so as not to have the sleigh
strike their legs." At this remark I thought of my going down hill on
skees. That was hard enough, and I wondered what would happen to me with
the sleigh.
The surface of the country was slightly undulating, and our reindeer
followed each other in good order and at a short distance from one
another.
Suddenly Jon slackened the pace of his reindeer so that I should
overtake him. Then, when within hearing distance, he called out: "We
will soon go down a steep hill," and he started again.
He had hardly said these words when he was out of sight. I reached the
crest of the hill, then down went my reindeer at a terrible pace,
railway speed in fact, and as the animal reached the bottom of the hill
he made a sudden sharp curve. For a few seconds my body swayed from one
side to the other, and before I knew it I was flung headlong out of the
sleigh.
This took place in a great deal less time than I can tell it in. I had
been thrown out with great force against the snow, face forward, and as
the snow was granulated it hurt.
I had learned to be quick. I was in my sleigh in the twinkling of an eye
and followed the track made by Jon, and we rode quietly on the plain.
Soon Jon stopped and a moment after I joined him.
"Paulus," said he, when I had caught up with him, "we must try another
descent." We ascended the bank in a zigzag way (I following his track)
until we reached the summit. It was hard work. This hill was very long
and steep. When ready Jon shouted: "Paulus, look out; we are going to
have another descent." The pace of my reindeer was tremendous as he went
down. The animal seemed to know that if he did not go fast enough the
sleigh would strike against his legs as he descended the hill. Down we
went; we simply seemed to fly, and as the reindeer got to the bottom he
made the same sharp turn again, the sleigh whirled round with a great
jerk, and I was thrown out head over heels as before.
During the descent, as my animal ran his hind feet threw particles of
granulated snow in my face--they were like small stones striking it with
great force. It hurt awfully. After this I was obliged to put on my mask
for protection that day.
Ever since I had begun driving reindeer I had heard a noise, a sharp
sound, as if sticks of wood were striking against each other, when the
animals were trotting at full speed. It occurred to me to ask what was
the cause of this curious noise. My Lapp replied, "Every time the hoof
of the reindeer touches the snow it spreads wide apart, broadening in
this way and keeping the animal from sinking too deep in the snow; and
when the foot is lifted, the two sides of the hoof are brought together
again, striking against each other and making the noise you hear."
I continued to improve every day in going down hill, and succeeded at
last in keeping in by throwing my body in the opposite direction when
the reindeer made his sharp turn. This difficulty conquered, I bade Jon
a hearty good-bye, thanking him for his patience in teaching me, and
continued my journey.
[Illustration: "At noon I saw the sun's lower rim touching the
horizon."]
From Rukojarvi I had followed the highroad, passed the post stations of
Korpilombolo with its church, Sattajarvi, and came to the hamlet of
Pajala, in latitude 67 deg. 10'. The hamlet is situated near the junction of
the Torne river with the Muonio, and had a church.