The Mountains [1]
But let us return to our own species. If we look at its characteristics, its teeth, its hands and fingers, then we will soon learn how closely related we are to baboons and monkeys -the wild men of the woods. Look at them and see whether they are carnivorous; they will provide the final answer.
6. Satisfied with little. A Lapp does not fill his belly with as much porridge as it will hold but takes just a little now and a little then. Finnish farmers force down as many turnips and Scanians porridge etc. as the belly will take. The Dalecarlian, indeed, eats so that his belly sticks out like a drum, which is why he is more suited to digging and ditching than to running over mountains. The Lapp, on the other hand, is thin and slim. I have never seen a Lapp with a pot-belly. Milk also makes him supple.
7. I looked at their knees and feet etc. and found them to be of the same structure as everyone else’s. The sole of the foot did, however, seem a little more concave on the inner side than that of other people. What difference that might make is something that mechanics may be better able to say than I am.
8. All Lapps are small. I have still not seen one as big as me. A heavy and large body cannot walk as nimbly as a small one even though the organs are much stronger and longer. We can see this in all small things: a little Öland horse or a Norwegian horse runs very quickly and, although a large Scanian horse can outpace them, it is still amazing how fast they move their feet. It is quite obvious that their feet go faster than those of the larger horse.
It is amazing to see how large the Hälsinglander is and how small the Lapp. The reason is obvious: 1. If you give a puppy plenty to eat, he will be big; give him little, he will be small. 2. If you keep a little puppy warm, he will grow big; let him be cold, he will be small.
Thus it is with the Lapps. The reasons why the Lapps are so healthy are:
- The absolute purity of the air – I myself was as if reborn.
- Well cooked food.
- Cold food. Cooked food is allowed to cool – they do not rush helter-skelter at their food.
4. The absolute purity of the water.T - ranquillity of mind. As in the Golden and Silver Ages: no strife, no excessive anxiety whether about their kin or about money.
- None of the heavy eating favoured by farmers, who eat until their coats burst before they are satisfied.
- Only occasional use of spirits; it would be even better if there was none at all.
- Adaptation to the cold and endurance learnt from early years.
- Meat eating: carnivorous animals live longer.