The animals of this country are much the same as
those of Norway; but the rein-deer may more
properly be said to belong to Lapland. The sin-
gular usefulness of this animal in a great measure
recompenses the Laplander for the privation of
the other comforts of life. The rein-deer in sum-
mer live upon leaves and grass, and in winter upon
moss, which they dig up from under the snow;
yet upon such scanty fare they will perform a
’ journey of inconceivable length. The animal is
fixed to a kind of sledge, shaped like a small boat,
in which the traveller, well secured from cold, is
laced down ; and taking the reins,.which are fas-
tened to the horns of the animal, in one hand,
and a kind of bludgeon, to keep the carriage clear
of ice and snow, in the other, he sets out, and con-
tinues his journey with incredible speed, the ani-
mals choosing the road and directing their course
with very little trouble to the traveller. Their
milk and cheese are nutritive and pleasant; their
flesh is well tasted food, whether fresh or dried ;
their skin forms excellent clothing both for the
bed and body ; and their intestines and tendons
supply their masters with thread and cordage.

The Laplanders are rather lower in stature than
the more southern Europeans. The men are of a
swarthy and dark complexion ; their hair is black
and short, their mouth wide, and their cheek hol-
low, with a longish pointed chin. The women are
in general well made, complaisant, chaste,and ex-
tremely nervous. In their manner of life the Lap-
landers are divided into fishers and mountaineers.
The former, in summer, fix their habitations in
the neighbourhood of some lake, from which they
draw their subsistence, and in winter live in the
woods. The latter seek their support on the moun-
tains, and possess herds of rein-deer more or less
numerous. They are active and expert in the
chase ; and the introduction of fire-arms has al-
most abolished the use of the bow and arrow.
Besides looking after the rein-deer, the fishery,
and the chase, the men are employed in making
canoes, sledges, harness, cups, bowls, &c.; and
the women in making nets, drying the fish and
meat, milking the deer, making cheese, and tan-
ning hides. Like the Icelanders, they consider
their country the finest in the universe. They
live in tents composed of several poles or beams
of wood, which meet at the top and support each
other f the fire-place consists of a few stones, and
is always in the middle of the hut, a hole being
at the top for the smoke to pass. When travelling,
and exposed to the inclemency of the weather,
they throw a covering over the head, neck, and
shoulders, leaving only a small opening, through
which they see and breathe. In their dress they
xe2x80xa2 use no kind of linen. The men wear close breeches,
reaching down to their shoes, which are made of
untanned leather, pointed and turned up before.
Their doublet is made to fit their shape ; it is open
at the breast, and over it they wear a close coat,
with narrow sleeves, the skirts of which reach
down to the knees and are fastened round them
by a leathern girdle, ornamented with plates of
tin and brass. To this girdle they tie their knives
instruments for making fire, pipes, and other
smoking apparatus. The dress of the women is
the same as that of the men, with the exception
of a few ornamental peculiarities. All the Swedish
and Norwegian, as well as the greater number of
the Russian Laplanders, bear the name of Chris-
tians ; but their religion is full of superstition, and
a compound of Christian and Pagan ceremonies.
Their language has an affinity with th* Finnish,
but is greatly intermixed with others. They trade
with the Swedes and Norwegians, whom they
supply with the skins and furs of quadrupeds, such
as ermines, sables, martens, squirrels, foxes of
various colors, bears, lynxes, and wolves ; and re-
ceive in return meal, cloth, spirituous liquors, to-
bacco, and various utensils.

Laprairie, a Seignory of Huntingdon Co. L.
C. on the St. Lawrence opposite Montreal.

Lar, a town of Persia, capital of Laristan, with
a castle on a rock, chiefly celebrated for the man-
ufacture of muskets and cloth. It was once a
magnificent city, but is now in ruins. Some hand-
some houses still remain, and the bazar is said to
be the noblest structure of the kind in Persia
Long. 43. 40. E., lat. 27. 30. N.

Larachra, or Laraish, a strong town in the king-
dom of Fez, with a castle and a good harbour.
Here are magazines for the refitting of vessels,
but no docks for building. It is seated near
the mouth of the Lucos, 46 m. S. by W. of
Tangier.

Laredo, a town of Spain, in Biscay, with a good
harbour, 30 m. W. N. W. of Bilbao.

Largo, a town of- Scotland, in Fifeshire, on a
bay of the same name, at the opening of the frith
of Forth, which is a safe roadstead for ships of ail
descriptions. The town has a manufacture oflin-
en and checks. 8.m. S. S. W. of St Andrew.

Largs, a town of Scotland, in Ayrshire, with a
samll harbour en the frith of Clyde. It is memo-
rable for the defeat of the Norwegians, in their
last invasion of this county, in 1263. It is 15 m.
N. W. of Irvine.

Larino, a town of Naples, in the Molise, 25 m.
E. N. E. ofMolise.

Larissa, a town of Greece, capital of Thessaly
and an archbishop’s see , with a palace, and some
handsome mosques. It was famous as the resi
dence of Achilles, and retains its former name.
The inhabitants, estimated at 25,UOO, carry on a
large trade. It is seated on the Peneus, 75 m. S.
by W. of Salonica. Long. 22. 47. E., lat. 39. 48 N.

Laristan, a small province of Persia, extending
along the northern shore of of the Persian Gult
The soil is so impregnated with acrid substances,
and so destitute of water, that it is the most un-
productive province of the kingdom. Those who
inhabit the coast are addicted to piracy, and live
under their own sheiks, paying the king only a
trifling tribute. Lar is the capital.

Lame, a town of Ireland, in the county of An-
trim, at the mouth of a river of the same name,
8 m. N. of Carrickfergus.

lurnica, a town of Cyprus, the second in the
island, and the emporium of its commerce, the
bay on which it is situated forming one of the
best roadsteads in the island. It has no good wa-
ter but is supplied from a distance by an aqueduct
Long. 33. 45. E. lat. 34. 56. N.

Lurry Bundar, a town of Hindoostan, on the N.
branch of the Indus, called the Pitta. 56 m. W.
of Tatta. Long. 66. 42. E. lat. 24. 43. N.

Larta. See Arta.

Larvigen, or Laurwigen, a sea-port of Norway,
in the bishopric ofxc2xabChristiania. It is a place of
considerable trade, and has productive iron works
It stands at the conflux of two rivers, near the
sea, 74 m. S.S. W. of Christiania.

La Salle, a seignory of Huntingdon Co. L. C.
12 m. S. Montreal.

Lasenbourg, a town of Savoy, on the river Arc.
at the foot of Mount Cenis, the passage of which
is the principal support of the inhabitants The