CHAP. XXXI.Of theLaplandersTrees and Plants.
I descend from their Animals to their Trees and Plants, with which they are well stored, thoJoviusobserves that they have no fruit Trees, as Apple, Pear, &c. neither have they any wild Trees which will not bear the cold, as Oak, Beach, whichOl. Pet.takes notice of, but adds that they have plenty of Pine and Fir, Juniper and Birch, Service tree, and Willow, Alder and Dog-tree, the Asp and Ollar: but these Trees do not grow every where, for the Mountains called theFells, betweenNorwayandLapland, bear no Trees at all:Pet. Claud.thinks the reason of that to be the continual storm of wind that is on them, but perhaps a truer reason may be the extremity of cold. The ground that lies near the Mountains is thick set with Woods, with this distinction that the parts next them bears nothing but Birch tree, remarkable for their thickness and height, and pleasant prospect, Nature having contrived them so regularly that they seem afar off to be some pleasant Garden. The soil more distant from those Hills, besides Birch-trees, hath Fir and Pitch, which seems like some new kind of wood, composed of these three sorts.
Besides these, there are very few others found inLapland. Shrubs, especially Currans, or Ribes are very frequent, but they regard not these because perhaps the tast is unpleasant, especially of those which bear Black-berries, which are more numerous than the others. The Junipers grow thick, being very tall and comely. This Country yields all manner of Berries, the chief are those which theSwedescallHiortron, some Dew-berries, or theNorwayBerry, whose species is the same that grows on Brambles, each Berry being divided as it were into graines of a pale yellow color, beginning to be red as they ripen. These commonly grow in marshy places. They creep on the ground, and are sustained by little props, so that they ought not to be reckoned among shrubs. The Berries are very wholsome, and are a present remedy for the Scurvy. The Inhabitants delight to eat them with their flesh and salt meats, as I mentioned before. They have a sort of black Berries, called by theSwedes,Halton, according toOlaus Pet.also the thin leaved heath, that bears a Berry, which some call ground Ewe, theSwedes,Kraokebær, the lesser black Berries called inSwedlandLingon, and the lesser black Berries calledBlaobær, all whichOlaus Pet.takes notice of, speaking of their manner of dressing meat, particularly of the Heath-berries: whence it appears that these Berries were as plentifull with them as the former. They have all sorts of other Berries, tho the Natives do not so much value them. This Country affords very usefull Herbs, such as are Angelica, which the Inhabitant value so much that they call it theLaplandherb, or Samigraes: they are much pleased with it in their meat: it grows with a short stalk, but thick. In the same place is found Sorrel, which they use too in their food. Some particular herbs they havewhich are not found any where else, asCalceolum Lapponicum, orBrassica Rangiferorum: what sort of herb it isSam. Rheenexpresses in these words, which, tho tedious, I thought fit to transcribe that we might have his exact opinion it. There grows (saith he) an herb which they callCalceolum Lapponicumbecause its flower is like theLaplandersshoe, it is of a blew colour with three rowes of seed in the pod, it has larger leaves than the vulgar cabbage, its stalk is a finger thick and the root bitter: it grows extraordinary fast, and rises to three cubits in height, and somtimes more: it is thought a bad and unprofitable herb because no beast will tast of it. There is another herb very usefel and wholesome, and of great esteem among them, whichOlaus Pet.take to be like a carrot, he says it is calledMosaraoth, haveing the tast and flower of Pimpervel growing in marshy grounds to an ell in height. ThatMosaraothis not aLaplandbutSwedishname, frommaosawhich signifies marshy places where mosse grows, what the inhabitants call it, I cannot yet learn. And these are the peculiar herbs which this country hath: I have not met with any one that could help me to the exact shape of them. But altho this soil beare some peculiar herbs, yet there are not many species of them, whichOlaus Pet.gathers from thewest-Bothnia, which borders onLapland, for in that place there are found but very few.
I come now to Mosse, which is of diverse sorts. The first is tree Mosse, with a kind of long wool, hanging down from the boughs, especially of the Pitch tree, and somtimes from others. The 2d. which is very plentiful and affords food for the raindeers in the winter is ground Mosse, of a white colour, with long thin leaves growing a foot high. The 3d. is ground mosse, but softer of a more delicate yellow green: this is pernicious to the foxes, which the inhabitants cut small and mix with their baits to catch them. The 4th. is also ground mosse, short and soft, of a very fine colour, which because it is so fine they use instead of feathers to lay under Infants new born. I hear of a 5th. sort with larger and longer leaves, which they callFathne, good against fainting if it be bruised and drank in broth, but I doubt whether this be Mosse, I had rather believe itAngelicacut small prepared and boiled under ground. The last thing which is to be mentioned is Grasse, which is of diverse kinds, the best sort is that which is found in the vallies near the mauntains calledFells, being short, soft, and juicy; that which grows in other places is thicker, rougher, and dryer. There is a 3dsort thin and slender which the inhabitants use for stuffing of their shoes, and gloves, to defend their feet and hands from the weather. And these are all the trees, shrubs, and herbs ofLapland.