Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Sidor ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
Of the Laplanders. , ^ n
recover out of this trance, which he would never do, (as they imagine) if
they either ceafed Singing, or any one ftirred him with their hand or Soor.
This perhaps is the reaSon why they fulfer no flie, or any living creature
to touch him; and it is upon this account only that they watch him fo
diligently, and not out of any fear they have leafl the devil Should take away his
body; which opinion o(Peucers is altogether falfe. It is uncertain how long
they lye in this manner, but it is commonly according as the place where
they make their difcovery, is nearer or farther off; but the time never
exceeds 24 houres, let the place be at never fo great a distance. After he
awakes he Shews them fome tokens to confirm their belief in what he tells
them. This is the first and chiefest ufe they make of the drum.
The next is, how to know the event of their own concerns, and what
fuccefs their hunting will have, or any other bulinefs which they
undertake, for they feldom venture on any thing, without first confulting that.
In order to the knowing this, they place the bunch of rings on the
picture of the Sun in the drum ; then they beat, Singing at the fame rtme;
if the rings go round towards the right hand, according to the Suns courfe
they promife to themfelves good health, fortune ,and great encreafe both
of men and beasts; if contrary, towards the left, they expeCt ficknefs and
all the evils attending on ill SucceSs. We may eaSily ground this opinion of
theirs upon the other mentioned above, where they believe the Sun the only
Author of all productions. Wherefore when the Index moves according
to his motion, it portends profperity by following his courfe, from whom
they expeCt all the good they receive. This is the way they take in all
their more weighty affairs, as in a journey , hunting, removing their
habitations, or any Such like thing, of which fomething befoce, and more
hereafter. Before they hunt they make particular obfervaiion which way
the Index turns, whether East , Weft, North , or South ; and colle<2from
thence where their game lies. Other things for which the drum is
fer-viceable , are , first, the discovering the nature of difeafes, whether they
arife from any diforder in the body, or are caufed by magic ; this being
known, then to find the remedy for them, which is commonly by
Sacri-fice to one or other of their angry Gods, but chiefly to Storjunkar, who
bears greatest autority among them, and if not appeafed, leaves them Small
hopes of recovery- Wherefore the Sick perfon vows a Sacrifice, either of a
Rain-deer, Bull, Goat, or Ram, or fomething of this kind to ore of the
Storiunkars, that stands upon the mountains. The Sacrifice is not left to
the difpofal of the Sick man, but must be made according to the directions
of the drummer; for he is fuppofed to be the only man able to advife them
in this cafe , he first discovers which of the Gods is difpleafed, and what
fort of Sacrifice is moft acceptable to him , for they refufe Several, and the
Same alSo at Several times. But before the drummer appeafes their Gods,
they give him a copper and a Silver ring, putting them on his right arm,
ttfen lie begins a Song , and beats the drum, and all that are prefent ;oyn
with him in a Chtrut s after this according to the place, to which the Index
points, he direfts them. Thefe are the thinfs commonly do»e by the drum.
The laft thing for which they think it neceStiry, is, the accomplishing their
wicked defigns, as impairing mens health, or depriving them of their lives;
which is frequently enough praCtiSed among them, tho not altogether So
’- P publicly.
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
