Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 November 1881 — The Reindeer. [ARTICLE]

The Reindeer.

John Habberton in Harpers’ Magazine. The reindeer, which in one way or another manages to be almost the entire support of the Lapps who have herds, is a large heavy animal, with remarkable independence of character. He will not accept shelter under cover, no matter how inclement the weather may be. Neither will he eat any food that is offered him: he preferra toseek his own, sustenance, which consists

principally of a peculiar moss, and as this grows very slowly,requiring about seven years to reach maturity, the Lapp must shift his home from time to time to meet the necessities of his herd. In midwinter, the moss”may be covered by several feet of snow, but the deer digs a hole with his feet, and disappears from the surface, burrowing his way through the snow as he follows his nose from one tuft of moss to another. The flesh of the reindeer is quite palatable and nutritious, his skin makes very warm garments as well as durable harness, and cheese made of the reindeer’s milk is very rich, although the quantity of the milk ! yielded per day seems scarcely worth the taking, as it amounts to a mere teacupful. z 1 a i The residence of Mr. J. C. Hines, of Thorntown, was broken into the other,