I was regarded with some degree of
suspicion, for they evidently considered I must have some secret
ulterior object in visiting them. The Lapponic language is as liquid as
the purest Italian, but it always struck me as being pervaded with a
plaintive, melancholy, wailing tone. Anxious to conciliate my Lappish
friends, I addressed a few words of Norwegian to one after another, but
a shake of the head and a dull, glowering stare was the only answer I
got. At length, finding one who appeared a principal man of the
commonwealth, who spoke Norwegian very well, I made him understand that
a desire to see a herd of reins had alone drawn me to the spot. He
exchanged a few amicable "_Ja, Ja's_" with me, but was too intent on the
great business of the day to say much.

Throwing my wet stockings and shoes aside, I walked about bare-legged
among the throng, bent on seeing all that was to be seen. The first
thing to be done was to secure the restive reins. Selecting a long thong
or cord, a Lap took a turn of both ends round his left hand, and then
gathered what sailors call the _bight_ in loose folds held in his right.
He now singled out a rein, and threw the bight with unerring aim over
the antlers of the victim. Sometimes the latter made no resistance, but
generally no sooner did it feel the touch of the thong than it broke
away from the spot, and was only secured by the most strenuous exertions
of its capturer. Every minute might be seen an unusually powerful rein
furiously dragging a Lap round and round the inclosure, and occasionally
it would fairly overcome the restraint of the thong, and whirl its
antagonist prostrate on the sod. This part of the scene was highly
exciting, and one could not but admire the great muscular strength and
the trained skill evinced by all the Laps, women as well as men. The
resistance of a rein being overcome, the Lap would take a dexterous
hitch of the thong round his muzzle and head, and then fasten him to a
trunk of a prostrate tree, many of which had been brought within the
level inclosure for that especial purpose. Even when thus confined, some
of the reins plunged in the most violent manner. Men and women were
indiscriminately engaged, both in singling out milk-reins and in milking
them. The wooden bowl, previously described, was held in the operator's
left hand, and he then slapped the udder of the rein several times with
the palm of the right hand; after which, moistening the tips of his
fin