Part 1

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Transcriber's Note

Italic text is indicated by _underscores_, and superscript by caret signs, e.g. 5^{th}.

The Table of Contents is located at the end of the text.

THE HISTORY OF LAPLAND

WHEREIN

Are shewed the Original, Manners, Habits, Marriages, Conjurations, &c. of that People.

WRITTEN

_By_ JOHN SCHEFFER, _Professor of Law and Rhetoric at_ Upsal _in_ Sweden.

At the THEATER in _OXFORD_.

M. DC. LXXIV.

Imprimatur

_R. A. BATHURST_, Vice-Canc.

July 8. 1674.

THE

PREFACE.

_The Reader may please to take notice, that the diligent and learned Author of this History, (to the writing of which he was commanded, and therein assisted by the Chancellor of_ Sweden) _hath in the whole work taken care to justify what he relates, from the faith of authentic records, the testimony of Historians, and the Discourses of_ Laplanders _themselves, with whom he had ready opportunities of converse. And this he hath don so precisely, that having in the contexture of his work, given a full account of what he thought observable in the writings, or narratives to which he refers, he afterwards constantly puts down at length the very words of his Authors, a great part of which are in the Swedish Tongue. Now in this Edition we have spared our selves the labor of such repetition; which we hope will not be regretted by the Reader, who we suppose would not have bin much edified by them. As to the subject here discours’d of, twill not be needfull to give a character of it. Military Action, and those public murders in which other Histories triumph, have no share here. Hunger, cold and solitude are enemies that engage all the fortitude of this People: and where so much passive valor is necessary, we may dispense with the want of Active. Amidst the barbarity and darkness which reign in_ Lapland, _there appear strictures of light, which will entertain the eie of the most knowing observer; as the Stars are no less remarkable then is the Sun it self. However the Reader will not fail to meet here with what may gratify his curiosity. Warmer Climates having all the comforts and necessaries of life plentifully bestowed upon them, are but a more distant home; where we have little else talk’d of, then what we daily see among oar selves: but here it is indeed, where, rather then in_ America, _we have a new World discovered: and those extravagant falsehoods, which have commonly past in the narratives of these Northern Countries, are not so inexcusable for their being lies, as that they were told without temtation; the real truth being equally entertaining, and incredible_.

THE HISTORY

OF

LAPLAND

CHAP. I.

_Of the Name of_ Lapland.

This Country doth not every where pass by the same name. By some ’tis called _Lappia_, as _Johann. Magnus_ in the Preface of his history, and _Saxo Grammat._ in his 5^{th} book; by others _Lapponia_, as _Olaus Magnus_ in the explication of his Map of _Scandinavia_, and _Ziegler_ in his description of the Northern Countries, and before these _Ericus Versaliensis_, and after them _Andr. Buræus_. The _Swedes_ usually call the Country _Lapmarkia_, in whose language _Mark_ signifies Land; the _Danes_ and _Norwegians_, _Laplandia_, and also _Findmarkia_, as appears from _Petr. Claudus_ description of _Norway_: for no one can gather any thing else but an account of this Country, from his whole 38^{th} Chapt. which himself too seems to intimate, when he promises more about _Findmarkia_ in his description of _Lapland_. Of i’ts being call’d _Findmark_, I shall speak in another place; Now we will see why ’tis call’d _Lapponia_ and _Lappia_, the Etymology of which words is not yet agreed upon by the Learned. _Ziegler_ thinks they were named so by the _Germans_, from the dulness and stupidity of the people, which the word _Lappi_ signifies amongst them; but this seems improbable, since this Country is but of late known to the _Germans_, and none of their antient Writers make any mention of _Lappia_. Moreover, the _Finlanders_, _Swedes_ and _Russians_, who differ much in their language from one another, as well as from the _Germans_, call it all by the same name; and the _Germans_, who are so remote from _Lapland_, could not transmit this name to these more Northern Countries, especially when they had little or no commerce with them. Neither are the people so very dull and stupid; as _Ziegler_ himself afterwards acknowledges, when he confesses they are good at the needle, and make delicate embroidered clothes. Neither can I assent to _Wexionius_’s opinion, that the _Swedes_ gave them this name from their wearing of _Skins_; for _Lapper_ and _Skinlapper_ do not signify skins, but the same as the Greeks ῥάκοι (in English _Rags_) from whence _Ol. Petr. Nieuren_, who writ of _Lapland_ in _Gustavus Adolphus_’s time, derives their name from their coming into _Swedland_ every year with rags _lapt_ about them, which is the signification of _Lapp_ in that language. But they do not deserve that name, meerly for this reason, any more than the _Finlanders_ and others, for they are generally cloth’d in good woollen garments, as we shall shew hereafter. _Grotius_ thinks they are call’d _Lapps_ from running or _leaping_, but _Lœpa_, which in the Swedish language signifies to run, is writ with a single _P_, and the name of this Country with a double one; and these People naturally are no great runners, tho by an art they have of sliding over the frozen snow, they are very swift in their motions. Some think that the Inhabitants do not denominate the Country, but the Country the Inhabitants, as in the name of _Norwegians_ and others, which seems to be strengthned by this, because _Ol. Magnus_ calls them _Lappomanni_, after the manner of _Nordmanni_, _Westmanni_, and _Sudermanni_, in which words _Manni_ signifying _Men_, they were call’d _Lappomanni_, _i. e._ Men of _Lappia_.[1] Others fancy that the name of the Country is deriv’d from _Lappu_, which in the _Finnonick_ language is _furthermost_, because it lies in the farthest part of _Scandinavia_. There is yet another opinion which may seem no less plausible then any of the former, which agrees as well with the signification of the word _Lapp_ among the _Laplanders_ themselves, as the credit given to what has been matter of fact, _viz._ that ’twas call’d _Lappia_, not from its situation, or other such like accident, but from the _Lappi_ that inhabited it. So that I take _Lappi_ to signify no other than _banish’t_ persons, which is the genuine signification of _Lapp_ in the _Lapland_ language; for the _Laplanders_ were originally _Finlanders_, and from leaving their Country may be presum’d to have took their name; and that not of their own choosing, but the _Finlanders_[2] imposition, with whom to _Lapp_ signifies to run away: whence the compellation seeming something scandalous, no person of quality to this day will endure to be call’d by it, tho from the _Finlanders_ others Nations, as the _Germans_, _Swedes_ and _Moscovites_, have learnt to call them so. But they of _Lappia Umensis_ stile themselves _Sabmienladti_, and those of _Lappia Tornensis_, _Sameednan_, from the word _Sabmi_ or _Same_; the signification of which, and whence they had it, we shall see hereafter.

At what time this Country and it’s inhabitants were first distinguish’t by these names _Lappia_ and _Lappi_, ’tis hard to prove: ’tis certain ’twas but of late, for the words are not found in any antient writer, neither in _Tacitus_, who mentions their neighbours and forefathers the _Finlanders_, nor in _Ptolomy_, _Solinus_, _Anton. Augustus_, _Rutilius_, or others, neither in Authors nearer home (not to name _Jornandes_, _Paul Warnefrid_, &c.) nor in those who have writ the actions of _Heraud_ and _Bosa_, or _Gætricus_ and _Rolfus_, or King _Olafus_ in the _Islandick_, _Norwegian_ or _Gothick_ language: we find nothing of them in _Adam Bremensis_, whose diligence in writing of the Northern Countries, his _Scandinavia_ sufficiently testifies; or in _Sturlisonius_, who writ very accuratly of these parts in his own language. Therefore I cannot be so easily persuaded with _Grotius_ to believe _Cluverius_, who says they were mention’d in the _Peutingerian_ Tables, the Author of which is thought to have liv’d at least before _Theodosius_’s time, _i. e._ 600 years before _Adam Bremensis_: how then could he, that was none of the best Geographers, if we may beleive _Welserus_, and very far distant from these parts, give us any account of them, since _Adam Bremensis_, who was so near a neighbour, and had commerce with those that lived there, could give us none? Besides, in that Table the _Sarmatians_ are called _Lupiones_, with whom the _Lappi_ were nothing concerned, neither doth any antient Author say they were seated so far Northward: wherefore the _Lupiones_ there described are any People rather then the _Laplanders_, for at that time, when the Author writ, they were not so much as known to any of their neighbours, the _Gothick_ _Norwegian_ or _Danish_ writers. The first that mentions _Lapland_ is _Saxo Gramat._ Hist. Dan. l. 5. who lived and wrote about _Ann._ 1190, and therefore was after _Adam Bremensis_ (who lived about 1077) near 130 years, in which interval this name must needs come first in use. For _Saxo_ making mention of such a Country a great while before, in the time of _Frotho_ the third contemporary to _Alricus_ King of Swedland (who they say lived before Christ) doth not prove that ’twas called so then, but that that Country might afterwards have had this appellation; and I am fully perswaded, that _Adam Bremensis_ would not have omitted this name if he had had any knowledge of it. Afterward _Er. Upsaliensis_ speaks of it about 1470 _i. e._ almost 300 years after _Saxo_, and 200 before this present time. After them _Jac. Ziegler_ made a large and learned description of it, by which it came to be known all over _Europe_. For however we may meet with the name _Lappia_ in _Saxo_, none but the _Swedes_ and _Finlanders_, before _Zieglers_ time, knew any thing of it. And so much for the names of _Lapland_.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] _Johann. Tornæus._

[2] _Ol. Petr. Nieuren._ _Plantin. jun. Præf._ MS. _Lexic. Lappon._

CHAP. II.

_Of the Situation of_ Lapland.

The true and exact situation of this Country the Antients seem not to have sufficiently discovered. _Saxo_ makes it bordering upon _Jamtia_, extending its self as far, or rather lying as it were between _Helsingia_ and _Finland_, when in these words he says _the Provinces of the_ Helsingi, Iarnberi, Iemti, _with both the_ Lappia’s, _as likewise_ Finnia _and_ Estia _paid annual tribute to one Domarus_. _Ericus Upsaliensis_ seems to make it a part of _Finland_, mistaking it for a certain part of that Kingdome so called, on the one side adjoining to _Swedland_, on the other to _Russia_, giving it a place between _Carelia_ and _Nylandia_. _Ol. Mag._ in his Table, and so his brother _Johan. Magnus_ in the Preface of his History, place it higher then the western _Bothnia_, making neighbours to it _Scrikfinnia_ furthest towards the North, and _Biarmia_ towards the East; though some[3] think there is no such place as _Scrikfinnia_, as it is certain there is none in those parts at this day called by that name. But yet we must not slightly pass over the unanimous opinion of so many learned men, especially _Saxo_, not a little knowing in the Northern affairs, who have all not barely named it, but have described the humours of the Inhabitants, their manners, habits and fashion of their governments, with other matters belonging to them. Instead of the _Scrickfinni_ or _Scricfinni_ of _Johan._ and _Ol. Magn._ I would rather read it _Scritofinni_; and as for _Skidfinni_ as _Adr. Buræ_ would have it, all the Antients, what ever else they differ in, will agree in this, that there must be an _R_ in the word. _Jornandez_ calls them _Scretfennæ_, _Paul. Warnefrid._ and _Diacon._ _Scritobini_ changing _f_ in _b_ (of which and some other things of the like nature I will treat in due time and place) _Adam Bremensis_ _Scritefiani_: and the Greeks agree in this writing, so that we ought not to doubt of the Latines. _Procopius_ will have them sometimes Σκριθιφίκους, other times Σκριθιφίνους. Besides ’tis manifest since the _Scritefinni_ are the same with the _Finni_, whose Etymology in their own language is from leaping,[4] by an art they have, by which with crooked pieces of wood under their feet like a bow they hunt wild beasts; they could not therefore take their name from _Skidh_, signifying the wooden shoes themselves, but from their leaping, _i. e._ swift running with them, which doubtless antiently was meant by _Skriida_, and which the Author cited by _Warnius_ in the 46 page of his Lexicon confirms, where he relates the form of an oath made by _Hafur_, that he would preserve the peace _Quamdiu Finnur skriidar_, _i. e._ as long as the _Finlanders_ continued their manner of leaping. As for the Etymology that is there given, that it signifies their wandring up and down, ’tis altogether false, for _Skridsko_ at this day denotes those wooden shoes which they run upon the ice with; neither doth _Skirida_ signify any thing else among the Antients but to glide along the ground, for they do not take up one foot after the other, as in common running, but carrying themselves steady upon the frozen snow, they move forward stooping a little, as shall be shewn hereafter. And perhaps this is the onely cause that they are called _Himantopodes_,[5] People creeping upon their knees; which agrees exactly with these _Scritofinni_: for they hearing that _Skriida_ was to creep along, what could they fancy the _Scritofinni_ to be, but People not going like other men, but crawling forward like creeping animalls, but of this I shall speak more at large when I come to the _Laplanders_ gliding upon the ice. That which I would chiefly evince here, is, that there are such a people rightly called _Scritofinni_, and the Country which they inhabit is _Scritofinnia_ or _Scritfinnia_, and that there is no reason we should think there was no such place, since there are those who are called _Scritfinni_, _i. e._ _Finlanders_, who run upon the ice with wooden shoes, whose Country from thence may well be called _Scritofinnia_. And the same may be urged for _Biarmia_ against those that will not allow there is any such place. For first the antient Writers making frequent mention of it, as that Author of the History thereof, calls it often _Biarmaland_ in the old _Gothick_ or _Islandick_ language, who also calls the King of it _Hereker_ in Ch. 7. and his two Sons, the one _Rœrik_ the other _Siggeir_. _Saxo_ likewise in his 9^{th} book, speaks of a certain King of this place, who reigned in the time of _Regner_ King of the _Danes_, making it border upon _Finland_, when he says the King of _Biarmia_ fled for refuge to _Matullus_, who then reigned in _Finland_. But now granting there were antiently such names as _Biarmia_ and _Scritfinnia_, it remains doubtfull still whether they were distinct Countries or no. All Authors except _Johan._ and _Ol. Magn._ seem to make them the same, _Procop._ _Jornand._ _Paul. Warnfrid._ and _Adam Bremensis_ speak of _Scritfinnia_, but none of _Biarmia_, and the Northern writers do just contrary. _Saxo_ indeed mentions them both, but not at the same time: once in his Preface he names _Scritfinnia_, leaving out _Biarmia_, in other places he names _Biarmia_ omitting the other; from whence I am almost of opinion that ’tis the same Country called by native Writers _Biarmia_, by forreign _Scritfinnia_. We may add further that as _Adam Bremensis_ makes _Scritfinnia_ next to _Helsingia_, the Author of the History of _Heraud_ and _Bosa_ sets _Biarmia_ in the same place, speaking of some Woods in it, and Rivers that emty themselves into the _Sinus Bothnicus_ or bay of _Ganduia_ next to _Helsingia_. And moreover as the _Scritfinni_ are a People of _Finland_, which not onely their name, but an old Chorographick Table commended by _Grotius_ doth intimate, distinguishing the _Fenni_ into the _Scritfenni_ and _Redefenni_, so ’tis probable of the _Biarmians_ as well for their neighbourhood to _Helsingia_, of which before, as for their worshipping a God by the name of _Jomala_, which is a _Finland_ word, denoting God amongst them to this day. Moreover the _Biarmians_ have many other things like the _Finlanders_, as the Art of darting, of Magic, _&c._ So that _Biarmia_ may be a Colony of _Finland_, whose People were called by Strangers, from their _skirring_ along, or gliding upon the snow, _Scritofinni_. But now supposing all this true, and that the _Biarmia_ of the Ancients, and _Scritfinnia_ were the same, ’tis a question still whether _Lapland_ be distinct from them or not. _Joh._ and _Ol. Magnus_ in their Geographic Tables and descriptions, make them distinct Countries. But that cannot be; for if _Scritfinnia_ and _Biarmia_ reach one way to _Helsingia_ and _Jamtia_, on the other to _Finland_; if they lye so near these Provinces, and extend to the Bay of _Bothnia_ (both which have bin demonstrated before) I do not see where _Lapland_ can have any place at all. And the same Authors are also mistaken in putting it South of _Biarmia_ and _Scritfinnia_, whereas the Antients placed these beyond it. For that they mean’t only by _Biarmia_ that which the Swedes now call _Trennes_, appears to be false from what has bin said before: for where are any Rivers in _Trennes_ that run into the Bay of _Bothnia_? and how is it bordering upon _Finland_? Wherefore contrary to _Joh._ and _Ol. Magnus_, I think rather that _Lapland_ is the same that was first by the Inhabitants called _Biarmia_, by Strangers _Scritfinnia_, then changing the name for some of the reasons here produced, it came to be _Lappia_ or _Lapponia_; which beginning from _Jamtia_ and _Angermannia_, goes all about each _Bothnia_, and at length ends in the extremities of _Carelia_ and _Finland_, so as to comprehend all the whole tract from the North even to the main Ocean, the white Sea, and the Lake _Ladek_, which are the very bounds of old _Biarmia_ and _Scritfinnia_. But that it went as far as the Ocean, the Antients seem not to have so well understood; nor indeed _Johan._ and _Ol. Magnus_, who in those parts, have made _Scritfinnia_ and _Biarmia_ different Countries from _Lapland_. So also _Damianus Goes_, who, whatever he knew of _Lapland_, had it from them, says it extends it self to unknown Regions, because he knew not who lived further towards the North Sea. But the Antients have placed there, besides the _Scritfinni_, the _Cynocephali_, _Busii_, _Troglodytes_, _Pygmies_, _Cyclops’s_,: and some others, passing by the _Himantopodes_, of whom we have spoken before: tho in this age none doubts but the _Laplanders_ inhabit it all, and those who have sailed along those Coasts have met with none others but _Laplanders_. In fine _Charles_ the 9^{th} King of _Swedland_ in the year 1600, being desirous to know the truth of that Country, sent two famous Mathematicians, _M. Aron. Forsius_ a Swedish Professour, and _Hieronymus Birkholten_ a German, with instruments, and all necessaries to make what discoveries they could of _Lapland_; who at their return, did certify, and make it out, that beyond the Elevation of the Pole 73 degrees there was no Continent towards the North but the great frozen Sea, and that the farthest point was _Norcum_ or _Norcap_, not far from the Castle of _Wardhouse_. But of this distant _Lapland_ those that are curious may enquire at their leisure, we purpose to treat here only of that which is subject to the Government of the _Swedes_; and this is a vast Country, thought by _Paulinus_ in his history of the North, of equall extent almost with all _Swedland_ properly so called. _Andr. Buræus_ says it contains in length above 100 German miles, and in breadth 90. All this Country comes now under the name of _Lapland_, in which all agree that ever described it; and if we would take an account of the Climate of it by this vast compass of Earth, we must begin from the 64^{th} degree of latitude, and so to the 71; but in longitude it must extend at least to the 27^{th} Meridian, or more. Moreover if we will compute the longitude from journies that have bin made thither, all hitherto have unanimously put the beginning of it about the 38^{th} degree, and the end in the 65^{th}. And this may suffice partly for an account of the situation of _Lapland_ in general; and partly of that which is subject to the _Swedes_. _Dam. à Goes_, a Knight of Portugall, sets its bounds thus in his description of Spain: _Lapland is divided into the Eastern and Western part, the Bothnick Sea coming between. The extremity of it is Tornia. Eastward it reaches to the white Lake, towards the North comprehending diverse Provinces, and extends it self beyond all knowledge. On the West towards Island it joins to part of Norway, and on the other side of Norway ’tis bounded with Swedland, Finland, and both the Bothnia’s._ But _Ol. Petr. Nieuren_ confutes this of the _Bothnic_ Sea lying between; for so part of _Lapland_ would lie in _Finland_ or _Ostrobothnia_, part in _Westrobothnia_, which every one knows is false: and the very vulgar can tell so much, that the _Bothnic_ Sea comes not any where within 18 or 20 miles of _Lapland_: tho this ought not to pass beyond _Damianus_’s time, since _Nieurenius_ himself confesses in another place, that the _Laplanders_ had their seat about the _Bothnic_ Sea, but that afterwards they were driven out, of which I shall speak hereafter. I will only add here a Table of the latitudes and longitudes of the chiefest Places, as they were taken by _M. Aronis Forsius_ and _Hieronymus Birckholten_ Ann. 1600.

_Longit._ _Latit._

Uma 38, 0. 65, 11. Pitha 40, 0. 66, 14. Lula 40, 30. 66, 30. Tœrna 42, 27. 67, 0. Kimi 42, 20. 67, 1. Lappijærf 42, 33. 70, 9. Antoware 44, 4. 70, 26. Tenokijle 46, 0. 70, 50. Porsanger 44, 2. 71, 42. Porsanger 43, 35. 71, 35. Lingen 37, 30. 70, 30. Trænees 32, 30. 70, 25. Euvenes 33, 35. 70, 0. Titisare 37, 55. 69, 40. Piala 41, 40. 60, 15. Siguar 38, 35. 68, 59. Tingwar 38, 0. 69, 40. Rounula 39, 30. 69, 47. Koutokrine 42, 0. 69, 17. Waranger 45, 0. 71, 35. Lanzord 45, 35. 71, 26. Hwalsund 42, 40. 71, 12. Skrisæ 38, 50. 71, 18. Trumsæ 35, 52. 70, 55. Andaces 32, 0. 70, 30. Serghen 32, 20. 69, 3. Wardhus 52, 0. 71, 55. Norkaap. 45, 30. 72, 30.

I proceed next to the disposition and nature of the Country, having first given you a Map of it.

FOOTNOTES:

[3] Buræus _in his descr. of Swedland_.

[4] _Paul. Warnefrid._

[5]_Ad. Brem._ _Solin. c. 44._

CHAP. III.

_Of the temperature of the Air, and soil of_ Lapland.