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| INTERIOR VIEW OF THE LAPLAND VILLAGE - The
Lapland Village was west of Old Vienna,
on the south side of Midway, at the left, going out of the steet by
that course. There were twenty-four natives in the company, seven of
them being children, and one, a very remarkable person at the Fair -
King Bull, said to be one hundred and twelve years old. In the
Midway processions he was regarded as a curiosity, even by the Midway
people, as he was accompanied by children, grandchildren, great
grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, great-great-great
grandchildren, and great-great-great-great grandchildren. The
engraving shows that these people are much better looking than the
Esquimaux of the New World, and the Lapland arts and industries,
though of a humble order, are also superior. The women formed a
chorus, which sang at the doors to attract visitors, and the dogs,
reindeer, children and sledges offered no little entertainment.
Their summer and winter houses are seen - the tents of coarse cloth,
and the huts of boards covered heavily with sod. The Laplanders,
like the Esquimaux, fretted in hot
weather, and five of their seven dogs died. There were nine
reindeer. Five Dalacarlian girls made hair ornaments, and used no
little skill in selling to visitors. The amusement business and
change of climate did not wean these worthy people from their habits
of industry, and they continued their labors in tanning, dressing,
carving and hair picking. |
