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Of the heathenijb Gods of the Laplanders. 4.1
ther thro falfe intelligence, or mifapprehenfion, relates this bufineSs
fom-thing differently, they have (Saies he)a braSen Drum whereon theypaint
Several Sorts of Beafts , Birds , and FiShes, Such as they can eaSily procure:
bolt upright upon this Drum they fix an iron pearch, upon whith stands
a braSen Frog, which at the beating of the Drum falls down upon fbme
of the pi&ures, and that creature whoSe pifture the Frog touches, they
Sacrifice. Their uSuall Sacrifices are Rain-dears,tho Sometimes they ufe other
creatures, as Dogs, Cats , Lambs and Hens, which they fetch our of Mir*
way. The 3d thing obfervable is that they offer their Sacrifices uSually in
the Autumn, becauSe, I SuppoSe , the Winter and night being at hand they
think they have more need of their Gods afliftane<i, which may probably
be the reafon too why every year about that time they make a new image
for Thor , which isalwaiesdon 1 daies before Michaelmas. And thus they
conSecrate it, first they Sacrifice the Rain-dear, then taking out his bones
they anoint the Idol with the blood.and fat, and bury the flefhand bones
under ground. Befides this Idol they ereft one to him every time they
Sacrifice , and then they place them all one by another upon a table behind
their Hut. First when the God hath approved of the Sacrifice, which is
uSually a Buck to Thor, they bind it behind the houSe, then with a Sharp
knife they run him thro the heart, and gather the heart-blood, wherewith
they anoint the Idol, into a veffell. After that having placed the images
right, and adorned the table, they approach reverently to it, anoint
the head and back all over with the blcod , but on his breast they only draw
Several Croffes. Behind him they place the skull, feet, and horns of the
Sacrificed Dear; before him they place a Coffer made of the bark of Birch,
into which they put a bit of every member of the Rain-dear, with Some
of the fat, and the reft of the flelh they convert to their private uSes. This
is the manner of the Lapl.ir.ders Sacrificing to Thor. But when they offer
Sacrifice to Storjunkar, which is likewise a male Dear, then firft thfy run
a red thred thro his right ear, and bind him, and ficrifice him in the place
they did that to Thor * preserving the blood likewise in a vefTel. Then he
who performs the Ceremony takes the horns and the bones of the head and
neck, with the feet and hoofs, and carries them to the mountain of that
Storjunkar ■> for whom the Stcrifice was defigned. When he comes near the
Sacred Stone he reverently uncovers his head, and bows his body , paying
all the ceremonies of refpeft and honor. Then he anoints the Stone with
the fat and blood, and places the horns behind it. Unto the right horn they
ty the Rain-dears yard, and to the left fome red thred wrought upon tin
with a little piece of filver. The fame rites that are obferved to Storjunkar
are alfo ufed to Seita, to whom the Laplanders ufually Sacrifice upon
Holydaies, or after fome lofs or misfortune. Then making their Praiers
and Devotions to the Idol in their best clothes, they offer him all
manner of oblations, and thechoifest parts of the Rain-dear, as the flefh ,
fat, skin, bones, horns, and hcofs, whereof there are great heaps to be Seeft
at this day where Seita was woifhipped. The horns are found placed one
above another, in the fafhiop of a fence to the God, which is therefore
by the Laplanders called Tiorfwigarii, that is a Court fenced with horns,
which are Sometimes above a thouland in number. Before thefe horns they
ufed to hang a garland made of Birch tree, Stuck about with bits of flelhcut
L 3 from
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