T h e y poflefs a degree o f ag ility w h ic h is really wo n d e rfu l, an d
th e ir bodies are fup p le a n d p lia n t bey o n d co n cep tio n . I t is fu r-
priiin g w h a t a n um b e r o f th em are able to flow th em felv e s w ith in
a fpace w h ic h w e ih o u ld n o t im ag in e w o u ld h o ld h a lf o r one th ird
o f th a t q u a n tity . T h e y will fit in th e clofcft c o n ta d w ith e ach
o th e r, th e ir bodies fup p o rted by th e ir heels, o r th e ir en tire w e ig h t
b e a rin g u p o n th e toes. T h e A m e ric an Indians, or favages as th e y
are te rm ed , u fe th e fam e p o ftu re, a n d th e ingen io u s h ifto ric a l
p a in te r, w h o has rep re fen ted th e tre a ty o f th e g re a t P e n n w ith th e
In d ian s a t th e fe ttlem e n t o f th a t flo u riih in g colony w h ic h n ow
bears his n am e , has n o t om itte d to emb e lliili his p ic tu re w ith th e
figure o f a n In d ian in th is ex trao rd in a ry a ttitu d e .
T h e L ap lan d e rs defcend th e fte'ep fides o f a m o u n ta in , w h e n
covered w ith fn ow a n d ice, w ith in cred ib le velocity. T h e y m ak e
ufe o f a p a rticu la r k in d o f fn ow Ihoe, differing g re a tly from th a t
w h ic h bears th e fame n am e in th e n o rth e rn p a rts o f A m e r ic a : i t
is a piece o f wood o f fome le n g th , cu rv ed before, an d tu rn in g u p w
a rd s b eh in d , to th e m id d le o f w h ic h th e fo o t is fa fte n e d ;. a n d
whe rea s th e fn ow ih o e is c alcu la ted for fe cu rity to p re v en t a m a n
from fm k ip g in to th e fn ow , th is wooden ih o e o r ik a te , called in
th e D a n iih to n g u e Jkie, anfwers th e p u rpofe b o th o f fe cu rity an d
ex p ed itio n . Ac co rd in g ly th e L a p la n d e r Hides a lo n g w ith fu ch
fwiftnefs, th a t th e a ir w h fifties in his ears, an d his h a ir becomes
e r e d w ith th e m o tio n ; an d y e t fo dexterous is h e in th e m an a g e m
e n t o f h is body, th a t be his imp u lfe ever fo v io len t, he c an tak e
u p his cap, i f h e chances to le t it fall, o r any th in g elfe th a t h a p pens
pens to lie in his way, w ith o u t flo p p in g his co u rie . T h e c h ild ren ,
as foon as th ey are able to w a lk , c lim b u p th e fides o f th e m o u n ta
in s, an d exerciie th em felves in th e ufe o f th e fe ikates;
W h e n th e y trav e l w ith th e ir re in -d e e r, th e c elerity o f th e ir
pace c an o n ly be conceived w h e n feen : th e y drive w ith equal
ex p ed itio n u p th e to p o f m o u n ta in s a n d d ow n th em , m iom u c h ,
th a t th e v ib ra tio n o f th e reins u p o n th e backs o f th e re in -d e e r is
fcarcely p e rcep tib le to th e eye. T h e L ap lan d e rs o n th e co aft are
exceedingly fk ilfu l in th e m a n a g em e n t o f th e ir b o a ts. O u r good
miffionary fuppofes th is ex trao rd in a ry ag ility o f th e L ap lan d e rs to
p roceed in a g re a t m ea fu re from th e tra in -o il, w h ic h from th e ir
b ir th co n ftitu te s a p rin c ip a l p a rt o f th e ir food. B u t th e f a it is,-
t h a t from th e ir in fan cy th e y are p r a d ife d in feats- o f a d iv ity an d
b o d ily e x e rtio n : th e y lea rn to afcend th e m o u n ta in s, to c arry heavy
loads o f tim b e r, to 'h u n t th e w ild , a n d to follow th e tam e re in d
eer for confiderable diftances. In th is m an n e r they alfo be com e
in u re d to fufFering every degree o f h e a t a n d co ld w ith p a tien c e .
I t is chiefly b y th e exercife o f h u n tin g th a t th e y are ren d ered
fw ift o f foot, an d th e ir ag ility is favoured by th e fmallnefs o f th e ir
fta tu re . T h e y are c o n te n t w ith little , an d have m in d s in capable
o f b e in g a ffe d e d by th o fe paffions, w h ic h prey u p o n an d d eftroy
th e bodies o f a g re a t p a r t o f m an k in d . T h e y fleep equally o n
b o th fides,* an d do n o t a ccu ftom th em fev e s to re tire to re ft b e -
* In utramvls dorniiunt aurcin, nec plwnis indortnire molltbus tnagni eejlhnant, are
the words of the Biihop of Drontheim, from whom this particular is borrowed.
It is to be obferved, that in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, it is
ulual to fleep on one feather-bed, and to have another over it initead of blankets