And thus much for the Rain-deers, which alone supply the want of Horses, Sheep, and other Cattel. Therefore the Inhabitants apply themselves only to the care of these, neglecting all the rest; besides Dogs, which faithfully watch their Houses and Cattel, and are very serviceable for hunting, as I have mentioned in that Chapter.
Of all the Beasts in _Lapland_ the Bear is chief: him saies _Sam. Rheen_, they stile King Of the Woods, and gives this reason, because in strength and fierceness he exceeds all the rest. They are very numerous, some fiercer than others, especially those which are mark’t with a white wreath about their necks, many of which are found in the North. These annoy the Inhabitants Cattel, and overturn their Stores; which they fix on the top of a Tree, to preserve their flesh and fish, and all that concerns provision: but in one night the Bear destroys all the food they have laid up.
Next the Bear the Elk is remarkable, which _Olaus_ calls the wild Asse, _Scaliger_ confounds it with the Rain-deer, for he saies, tho it had Asses hair, it was called by the _Swedes_, _Ranger_, by the _Goths_, _Rangifer_, by the _Germans_, _Ellend_, by the _Moscovites_, _Lozzi_, and some Books say that in _Norway_ they were named _Rehen_: what Books he means I am ignorant, but I am sure the _Elks_, which the _Germans_ call _Ellend_, were never called _Rehen_, but _Ælg_, or _Ælgar_, which is now the common name through all the North; neither can I think otherwise of the _Moscovites Lozzi_, for it is the same with the _Lithuanian Losso_, as _Herbestenius_ observes. That which the _Lithuanians_ call _Loss_, the _Germans_ call _Ellend_, and many in Latin _Alce_. So that _Loss_, _Lozzi_, _Ælg_, _Ellend_ is the same Beast, but quite different from the Rain-deer, contrary to what _Scaliger_ thought. For first it excells the Rain-deers in bulk not a little, being as high as any Horse; its horns are shorter, but above two palms in breadth, shooting out a few, tho not many young sprouts. His leggs are not round, but long, especially the foremost: he engages very smartly, and his sharp hoofs enable him to encounter all Men and Dogs that oppose. He hath a long head, and huge thick lips alwaies hanging down; his color is not so white, but all over his body it inclines to a dark yellow mixt with ashen: when he walks he makes no noise with his hoofs as all Rain-deers do; whoever sees both Beasts (as I have often) will perceive such difference, that he will wonder how any one should mistake. There is no great breed of these in _Lapland_, but they have them from other places, especially _Lithuania_. _Charles_ the ninth, by a public Proclamation claimed all the skins of those that were killed for his Exchequer, as I mentioned in another place. _Olaus_ saies that they continue altogether in the South of _Lapland_, and are taken most frequently by running them down, or hunting; in other places they are rarely found: but it is manifest that twice a year they swim in great Herds out of _Carelia_, over the River _Niva_, to wit, in the Spring to go into _Carelia_, and in Autumn to return into _Russia_. Some few Stags have bin seen in _Lapland_. _S. Rheen_ mentioning the chief Beasts which have bin found there, reckons severall species of four footed Beasts, as wild Rain-deers, Bears, Stags, Wolves, Gluttons, Beavers, Otters, Martins, Squirrels; but these Stags are but few and little, such as they call _Damacervi_, or _Platicerotes_, which since they have nothing peculiar from those in other nations, let it suffice that they are named. To these I may add wild Rain-deers, but because they differ from the tame ones only in bulk, being bigger, and in color somewhat blacker, I will likewise pass them over. _Sam. Rheen_ after the Stags mentions Wolves, of which there is a great number, distinguisht from those in other Countries only by their color, something whiter, whence they are often called white Wolves: their hair is thicker, longer and rougher. These most of all molest the Rain-deers, which are armed against them with their horn.