letters from high latitudes-第26章

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amily；　alleging　that　as　successive　stocks　bubbled　up　from　the　central　birthplace　of　mankind　in　Asia；　the　earlier　and　inferior　races　were　gradually　driven　outwards　in　concentric　circles；　like　the　rings　produced　by　the　throwing　of　a　stone　into　a　pond；　and　that　consequently；　those　who　dwell　in　the　uttermost　ends　of　the　earth　are；　ipso　facto；　first　cousins。

This　relationship　with　the　Polynesian　Niggers；　the　native　genealogists　would　probably　scout　with　indignation；　being　perfectly　persuaded　of　the　extreme　gentility　of　their　descent。　　Their　only　knowledge　of　the　patriarch　Noah　is　as　a　personage　who　derives　his　principal　claim　to　notoriety　from　having　been　the　first　Lapp。　Their　acquaintance　with　any　sacred　historynay；　with　Christianity　at　allis　very　limited。　It　was　not　until　after　the　thirteenth　century　that　an　attempt　was　made　to　convert　them；　and　although　Charles　the　Fourth　and　Gustavus　ordered　portions　of　Scripture　to　be　translated　in　Lappish；　to　this　very　day　a　great　proportion　of　the　race　are　pagans；　and　even　the　most　illuminated　amongst　them　remain　slaves　to　the　grossest　superstition。　　When　a　couple　is　to　be　married；　if　a　priest　happens　to　be　in　the　way；　they　will　send　for　him　perhaps　out　of　complaisance；　but　otherwise；　the　young　lady's　papa　merely　strikes　a　flint　and　steel　together；　and　the　ceremony　is　not　less　irrevocably　completed。　When　they　die；　a　hatchet　and　a　flint　and　steel　are　invariably　buried　with　the　defunct；　in　case　he　should　find　himself　chilly　on　his　long　journeyan　unnecessary　precaution；　many　of　the　orthodox　would　consider；　on　the　part　of　such　lax　religionists。　When　they　go　boar…huntingthe　most　important　business　in　their　livesit　is　a　sorcerer；　with　no　other　defence　than　his　incantations；　who　marches　at　the　head　of　the　procession。　In　the　internal　arrangements　of　their　tents；　it　is　not　a　room　to　themselves；　but　a　door　to　themselves；　that　they　assign　to　their　womankind；　for　woe　betide　the　hunter　if　a　woman　has　crossed　the　threshold　over　which　he　sallies　to　the　chase；　and　for　three　days　after　the　slaughter　of　his　prey　he　must　live　apart　from　the　female　portion　of　his　family　in　order　to　appease　the　evil　deity　whose　familiar　he　is　supposed　to　have　destroyed。　It　would　be　endless　to　recount　the　innumerable　occasions　upon　which　the　ancient　rites　of　Jumala　are　still　interpolated　among　the　Christian　observances　they　profess　to　have　adopted。

Their　manner　of　life　I　had　scarcely　any　opportunities　of　observing。　Our　Consul　kindly　undertook　to　take　us　to　one　of　their　encampments；　but　they　flit　so　often　from　place　to　place；　it　is　very　difficult　to　light　upon　them。　Here　and　there；　as　we　cruised　about　among　the　fiords；　blue　wreaths　of　smoke　rising　from　some　little　green　nook　among　the　rocks　would　betray　their　temporary　place　of　abode；　but　I　never　got　a　near　view　of　a　regular　settlement。

In　the　summer…time　they　live　in　canvas　tents：　during　winter；　when　the　snow　is　on　the　ground；　the　forest　Lapps　build　huts　in　the　branches　of　trees；　and　so　roost　like　birds。　　The　principal　tent　is　of　an　hexagonal　form；　with　a　fire　in　the　centre；　whose　smoke　rises　through　a　hole　in　the　roof。　　The　gentlemen　and　ladies　occupy　different　sides　of　the　same　apartment；　but　a　long　pole　laid　along　the　ground　midway　between　them　symbolizes　an　ideal　partition；　which　I　dare　say　is　in　the　end　as　effectual　a　defence　as　lath　and　plaster　prove　in　more　civilized　countries。　At　all　events；　the　ladies　have　a　doorway　quite　to　themselves；　which；　doubtless；　they　consider　a　far　greater　privilege　than　the　seclusion　of　a　separate　boudoir。　Hunting　and　fishing　are　the　principal　employments　of　the　Lapp　tribes；　and　to　slay　a　bear　is　the　most　honourable　exploit　a　Lapp　hero　can　achieve。　The　flesh　of　the　slaughtered　beast　becomes　the　propertynot　of　the　man　who　killed　him；　but　of　him　who　discovered　his　trail；　and　the　skin　is　hung　up　on　a　pole；　for　the　wives　of　all　who　took　part　in　the　expedition　to　shoot　at　with　their　eyes　bandaged。　Fortunate　is　she　whose　arrow　pierces　the　trophy；not　only　does　it　become　her　prize；　but；　in　the　eyes　of　the　whole　settlement；　her　husband　is　looked　upon　thence　forth　as　the　most　fortunate　of　men。　As　long　as　the　chase　is　going　on；　the　women　are　not　allowed　to　stir　abroad；　but　as　soon　as　the　party　have　safely　brought　home　their　booty；　the　whole　female　population　issue　from　the　tents；　and　having　deliberately　chewed　some　bark　of　a　species　of　alder；　they　spit　the　red　juice　into　their　husband's　faces；　typifying　thereby　the　bear's　blood　which　has　been　shed　in　the　honourable　encounter。

Although　the　forests；　the　rivers；　and　the　sea　supply　them　in　a　great　measure　with　their　food；　it　is　upon　the　reindeer　that　the　Laplander　is　dependent　for　every　other　comfort　in　life。　The　reindeer　is　his　estate；　his　horse；　his　cow；　his　companion；　and　friend。　He　has　twenty…two　different　names　for　him。　His　coat；　trousers；　and　shoes　are　made　of　reindeer's　skin；　stitched　with　thread　manufactured　from　the　nerves　and　sinews　of　the　reindeer。　Reindeer　milk　is　the　most　important　item　in　his　diet。　Out　of　reindeer　horns　are　made　almost　all　the　utensils　used　in　his　domestic　economy；　and　it　is　the　reindeer　that　carries　his　baggage；　and　drags　his　sledge。　But　the　beauty　of　this　animal　is　by　no　means　on　a　par　with　his　various　moral　and　physical　endowments。　His　antlers；　indeed；　are　magnificent；　branching　back　to　the　length　of　three　or　four　feet；　but　his　body　is　poor；　and　his　limbs　thick　and　ungainly；　neither　is　his　pace　quite　so　rapid　as　is　generally　supposed。　The　Laplanders　count　distances　by　the　number　of　horizons　they　have　traversed；　and　if　a　reindeer　changes　the　horizon　three　times　during　the　twenty…four　hours；　it　is　thought　a　good　day's　work。　Moreover；　so　just　an　appreciation　has　the　creature　of　what　is　due　to　his　own　great　merit；　that　if　his　owner　seeks　to　tax　him　beyond　his　strength；　he　not　only　becomes　restive；　but　sometimes　actually　turns　upon　the　inconsiderate　Jehu　who　has　over…driven　him。　When；　therefore；　a　Lapp　is　in　a　great　hurry；　instead　of　taking　to　his　sledge；　he　puts　on　a　pair　of　skates　exactly　twice　as　long　as　his　own　body；　and　so　flies　on　the　wings　of　the　wind。

Every　Laplander；　however　poor；　has　his　dozen　or　two　dozen　deer；　and　the　flocks　of　a　Lapp　Croesus　amount　sometimes　to　two　thousand　head。　As　soon　as　a　young　lady　is　bornafter　having　been　duly　rolled　in　the　snowshe　is　dowered　by　her　father　with　a　certain　number　of　deer；　which　are　immediately　branded　with　her　initials；　and　thenceforth　kept　apart　as　her　especial　property。　In　proportion　as　they　increase　and　multiply　does　her　chance　improve　of　making　a　good　match。　Lapp　courtships　are　conducted　pretty　much　in　the　same　fashion　as　in　other　parts　of　the　world。　The　aspirant；　as　soon　as　he　discovers　that　he　has　lost　his　heart；　goes　off　in　search　of　a　friend　and　a　bottle　of　brandy。　The　friend　enters　the　tent；　and　opens　simultaneouslythe　brandyand　his　business；　while　the　lover　remains　outside；　engaged　in　hewing　wood；　or　some　other　menial　employment。　If；　after　the　brandy　and　the　proposal　have　been　duly　discussed；　the　eloquence　of　his　friend　prevails；　he　is　himself　called　into　the　conclave；　and　the　young　people　are　allowed　to　rub　noses。　The　bride　then　accepts　from　her　suitor　a　present　of　a　reindeer's　tongue；　and　the　espousals　are　considered　concluded。　The　marriage　does　not　take　place　for　two　or　three　years　afterwards；　and　during　the　interval　the　intended　is　obliged　to　labour　in　the　service　of　his　father…in…law；　as　diligently　as　Jacob　served　Laban　for　the　sake　of　his　long…loved　Rachel。

I　cannot　better　conclude　this　summary　of　what　I　have　been　able　to　learn　about　the　honest　Lapps；　than　by　sending　you　the　tourist's　stock　specimen　of　a　Lapp　love…ditty。　The　author　is　supposed　to　be　hastening　in　his　sledge　towards　the　home　of　his　adored　one：

〃Hasten；　Kulnasatz！　my　little　reindeer！　long　is　the　way；　and　boundless　are　the　marshes。　Swift　are　we；　and　light　of　foot；　and　soon　we　shall　have　come　to　whither　we　are　speeding。　There　shall　I　behold　my　fair　one　pacing。　Kulnasatz；　my　reindeer；　look　forth！　look　around！　Dost　thou　not　see　her　somewhereBATHING？〃

As　soon　as　we　had　thoroughly　looked　over　the　Lapp　lady　and　her　companions；　a　process　to　which　they　submitted　with　the　greatest　complacency；　we　proceeded　to　inspect　the　other　lions　of　the　town；　the　church；　the　lazar…house；　principally　occupied　by　Lapps；the　stock　fish　establishment；　and　the　hotel。　But　a　very　few　hours　were　sufficient　to　exhaust　the　pleasures　of　Hammerfest；　so　having　bought　an　extra　suit　of　jerseys　for　my　people；　and　laid　in　a　supply　of　other　necessaries；　likely　to　be　useful　in　our　cruise　to　Spitzbergen；　we　exchanged　dinners　with　the　Consul；　a　transaction　by　which；　I　fear；　he　got　the　worst　of　the　bargain；　and　then　got　under　way　for　this　place；Alten。

The　very　day　we　left　Hammerfest　our　hopes　of　being　able　to　get　to　Spitzbergen　at　allreceived　a　tremendous　shock。　We　had　just　sat　down　to　dinner；　and　I　was　helping　the　Consul　to　fish；　when　in　comes　Wilson；　his　face；　as　usual；　upside　down；　and　hisses　something　into　the　Doctor's　ear。　Ever　since　the　famous　dialogue　which　had　taken　place　between　them　on　the　subject　of　sea…sickness；　Wilson　had　got　to　look　upon　Fitz　as　in　some　sort　his　legitimate　prey；　and　whenever　the　burden　of　his　own　misgivings　became　greater　than　he　could　bear；　it　was　to　the　Doctor　that　he　unbosomed　himself。　On　this　occasion；　I　guessed；　by　the　look　of　gloomy　triumph　in　his　eyes；　that　some　great　calamity　had　occurred；　and　it　turned　out　that　the　following　was　the　agreeable　announcement　he　had　been　in　such　haste　to　make：　〃Do　you　know；　Sir？〃This　was　always　the　preface　to　tidings　unusually　doleful。　　〃Nowhat？〃　said　the　Doctor；　breathless。　〃Oh　nothing；　Sir；　only　two　sloops　have　just　arrived；　Sir；　from　Spitzbergen；　Sirwhere　they　couldn't　get；　Sir；such　a　precious　lot　of　icetwo　hundred　miles　from　the　land…and；　oh；　Sirthey've　come　back　with　all　their　bows　stove　in！〃　Now；　immediately　on　arriving　at　Hammerfest；　my　first　care　had　been　to　inquire　how　the　ice　was　lying　this　year　to　the　northward；　and　I　had　certainly　been　told　that　the　season　was　a　very　bad　one；　and　that　most　of　the　sloops　that　go　every　summer　to　kill　sea…horses　（i。e。；　walrus）　at　Spitzbergen；　being　unable　to　reach　the　land。；　had　returned　empty…handed；　but　as　three　weeks　of　better　weather　had　intervened　since　their　discomfiture；　I　had　quite　reassured　myself　with　the　hope；　that　in　the　meantime　the　advance　of　the　season　might　have　opened　for　us　a　passage　to　the　island。

This　news　of　Wilson's　quite　threw　me　on　my　back　again。　The　only　consolation　was；　that　probably　it　was　not　true；　so　immediately　after　dinner　we　boarded　the　honest　Sea…horseman　who　was　reported　to　have　brought　the　dismal　intelligence。　　He　turned　out　to　be　a　very　cheery　intelligent　fellow　of　about　five…and…thirty；　six　feet　high；　with　a　dashing　〃devil…may…care〃　manner　that　completely　imposed　upon　me。　Charts　were　got　out；　and　the　whole　state　of　the　case　laid　before　me　in　the　clearest　manner。　Nothing　could　be　more　unpromising。　The　sloop　had　quitted　the　ice　but　eight…and…forty　hours　before　making　the　Norway　coast；　she　had　not　been　able　even　to　reach　Bear　Island。　Two　hundred　miles　of　ice　lay　off　the　southern　and　western　coast　of　Spitzbergen（the　eastern　side　is　always　blocked　up　with　ice）and　then　bent　round　in　a　continuous　semicircle　towards　Jan　Mayen。　That　they　had　not　fai