a fmall fpace left open, before its mouth to breathe through and
receive the nipple, which, whenever Ihe has occafion to put into
the child’s mouth, fhe is under the neceffity of flopping the
fledge, as fhe is obliged to kneel towards the fide of it, whilfl fhe
applies the infant to her breaft. The reft of the family follow
the fledges on foot, having in charge to drive the rein-deer the
way they go.
It muft appear wonderful that the Laplanders are able to travel
in the winter by night as well as day, when the earth prefents one
entire furface or fheet of fnow, and not a fingle veftige is difco-
verable of human induftry and labour to direft their way, the
fnow flying about in all direflions at the fame time, and almoft
blinding them : yet it is certain, that they are at no difficulty to
find the fpot to which they are bound, and very rarely meet with
any accident. They fix bells to the harnefs of the rein-deer, as
before-mentioned, in order that they may be kept together by
hearing, when they cannot fee one another, after the light o f their
fhort day fails them. To guide them in their route, they make
obfervation of the quarter from whence the wind blows, and by
night are direfled by the liars; and, as the miffionary obferves,
Providence and thefe never fail them, fo that he does not remember
more than one fatal accident happening during the ten years
that, as has been already mentioned, he lived amongft them.
The Laplander has always his flint, fleel, and matches ready by
him, which he conftantly carries in a pouch in his bofom, occa-
fionally to light his pipe of tobacco, or a fire, as neceffity requires;
for
for it often happens, th a t when he is upon a journey, he is obliged
to flop by the way, either from its length, or from being prevented
going on by the weather. In fuch a cafe he has his travelling
tent, which he erefts as fpeedily as poffible, and, lighting a fire,
repofes himlelf until he thinks proper to purfue the remainder of
his journey. Whilfl he is thus lodged in his tent, the rein-deer
is made fall to fome tree.