Reindeer.
in great quantity: their, ma|e is befevixt the horfe and flag,
and they are hence called by fome Equicervos. They,.are. ve.ry
long-legged, infonbuoh: thatamau may ftand upright Wider
their belly : they are of an afli-colour and on their, head they
have horns like the deer, but not fo. long - and round ; but flat and
broad, with fmall pomts ;abo.ut the edge.V;i It is a harmlels innocent
creature,- and keeps near the houfes in winter.: «The meat
taftes jaretty much like venilbn,« and the. hide fellsidbr sajcgood
price; it is counted the fineft and ftrongeft leather: for .foldiers
habits, in the place of buff; but the price is lefs ltnce horfe..and
oxen hides are drefled the lame way for buff-leather* The: hoof
- of this fiieatutfet its cloven,1%^ tcowai; and* there are: oftefii rings
made of it, which are faid to. be good-ifor - the cramp jo andffor
epileptics diferders. This is on, the. principle of<.Curatio- per
contrarium; for this bean: is often: troubled with that dilbrder,
and cures itfelf, they lay, b j ‘ ftretching his right hind-foot to his
ear *, and Icratching himfelf with it. ' Their principal food is elm
and alp-leaves, as long as they can be had. | That Monfi. Marfci-
niere, in his voyage on Nordfc.cap. ,xjv. and leveral other placqsj
confounds the Elk-deer with the Rein-deer furpriz.cs me,’ for the
difference is very great and evident.
Reenldyr, Rein-deer, 'or, - according to the old manner ,;pf
writing, Hrein Dyr, is a Ipeeies qf flag, that; properly belongs
to thefe northern countries';; and, :..as Jfar as, I know, are not
found any where el|a|' they will not thrive or .generate any where
elfe. Tho’ the. naturalizing; them has been often: attempted,
and they hate been tranlported abroad to the'great and1* rich
for their curiolity, and to propagate their kind in other parts.
This will always be a vain attempt, for no. nourilhment can be
found any where elfe that will keep them alive; lo that.they have
all perilhed.’ Perhaps alfe the want of their : native air, fuch jas
they find in the high hills and mountains., here, has been
deftru<9ivp„ to them. See Happelel Relat.. Curiofi Tom. IV.
P. U p. 595, Sc feq.- The lhape or make of the Rein-deer
refembles the hart, and their horns f are covered.' with a furr,
| and
•.Daft. Mich* Bernh. Valentin!,
to be a fable, and cautions (upon the lanjeoccalion) all preachers, that they do not
•borrow of Frantzio, in his Hilton Animalum, andother credulous authors .ill-founded
fimilies; Fprfnch .mifunderftandings weaken the word of God, where it is intended
to be confirmed or eftablilhed.
■ f Errat omifino Thevetus, qui in Cofmographia fua, apud Norvegos, Ejnmarkos
& Mofcqvifas, unicornem facit rangiferura: errant limiliter Otaas Magnus,: Gsfnerus,
& Jonftonius, qui tricornem depingunt. Olig. Jacob. Muf. Reg. Se6c. 1. p. 7.
When the Rein-deer fheds his horns, and getsnew»:ones in.the ffcead, they appear at
firft to be coveted with a fort of licin 5 and, till they come to a finger’s," length, are
B ,
and the branches' ; are turned forwards, gs \yell: as' backwards. ; Iri
this ^ioqefe,Mats, well; as other placed tlaey\run wiki about thé
country, and are Ihot^and; Ibid like other game ; tueir flelh is
vfer^dj^licatp, foqaetbing ;drier than« the hart and their hide,
T^hliçh is fine, and fbft, fe(yery npuiçfijfeughtifQï b,y the curriers,
and leatheF-dreirefs, ■ Tlfeysrun at. Hsrangerlke Snee-
field in flocksv9^dhç',‘ two?> or thtee hupdfild;, together ; lo that
with one fhot you may kill thrqe or four. If they are foot in
the middle of the flock thë'dead-will t hen-b& trod to pieces, and
lpe-to£ nd benefit fo-for-which; reafon |thqy-,> generally'watch the
ftragglejrs, 'and - > thefe" \ that, run-kte thetl^desq : The Rein! deers'
generally take their courfe. againft the wind .;, lb that when there
isjf-a weft wind;; the Hardankerlke farmer is fure. enough i@£
having;-good Iport with them; they.come then from Æhe.éaft
fide:! of the*(fduntry. When he has killed a number,' what, he
cannot fell, frelh, he felts : for. winter provifion;;;tHcrèhy. laving his
cattle I fe / as theyexpfefe it, their Slaughter-Creatures; which
are oxen and cojys^In Finfnark, particular in that long country«
called Kolen?,^which bordersiu-ppn, Sweden, .the .Reinrdeer abound
mofi; - wildiiflut alfb tame ; ;.• .ahdi. they are the Finlappern'es*
Tor Finlap binders j greateft, and almoft only richesy
^r; they.-live upon’ their meat,««milk and cheelb ; they, make
eloathingj.itenïs! 'and; bed-coverings .of their lkins ; ;;of tiie tendons
thèÿ!;.ip.ake ‘their.fpwing-thread. Many a man Ifes from fix
or. réijght .. hundred ; toi a! thouland of «thefe creatures, : wbiich nevefc
qome under coyer- ;, they-, follow1 the, Finlap, wherever .he ftrolls,
andj when .they are put to a fledge, trarilport his goods from
one , d welfingtpto another. They provide ..for themfclv^, and
live; ; chiefly ; upon, the leaves and buds, of trees,« on. the birch
eatkins, and upon mois*, which in winter they fcrape for,.under
the friOjW.,; and at laft get it., They are a neat, clean, brilk,r
entertaining, creature, and fupport themfelves. on very little
nourilhment. Dogs brought up for the purpolb are their leaders,
protedfors, and.even are as matters to correâ them. The wolf
is their greateft enemy, yet they will defend, themfelves, in
feme meaiure, with their horns, as long as they keép together.
fo foft, that they. Mà yÜ t.-w ith, a knife like .^ faùfagej and; afe delicate eatipg, even
rat(a|?nFhis we havb from die hùntfmens account ; , ^ho,., whenithey âre far out m the’
ÿoÿritty, »apd are; pinched fof raod^ eat thefe ; which; fatisfe’both,their hupger and thiçffc;
Wihçn, the Horns grow bigger, there breeds.within' thejikin â kind of worm, which
eats away the root. The Rein-deer' has over his eye-lids- a .fepd of fkin, through
which, he peeps, when, ot^erwife, in the har^ fliowers o f fnowi.;^p, would, be obliged to,
|hut ;hi^ eyes;eptlrely :■ ai very great prqdj^ of jhe Creator’Sj^fliç^pçe ahq bwevmeftce^
in providing for each creaturé’s-v)ants, àcccordinÿ tô its deran’d mannei; of fit^ng-’ ,
? "Particularly a white dry mofs, called thence Rein-deer mofs. "
In