- Project Runeberg -  Through Siberia /
186

(1901) [MARC] Author: Jonas Jonsson Stadling Translator: Francis Henry Hill Guillemard - Tema: Russia
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had plenty of opportunity of observing their manners and
customs, and of studying their ideas. Generally speaking,
they were decidedly cleanly in their habits. Every morning
they washed themselves regularly. Having melted the ice
in a tea-kettle, they filled their mouths with water, which they
spirted into their hands and washed themselves. Having
performed this operation, they placed themselves before the
bilerik, i.e. the left corner of the yurta, which is by custom
reserved for guests, and commenced bowing and crossing
themselves at a rapid pace. There was no saint’s image,
but the pictures of Baron Nordenskjöld and Andrée, which
we had hung on the wall, served the same purpose. Their
orthodoxy, however, was evidently not very deep, for on
seeing that we did not cross ourselves, their zeal cooled
considerably. Their faith in the power of the Shamans
over the evil spirits was evidently stronger than their belief
in the efficacy of the sign of the Cross.

In their sleep these people would often sing or rather
howl in the same manner as they do during the
“functions” of the Shamans. I have never in my life heard
people make so much noise in their sleep as the natives
of northern Siberia, for when not indulging in these
extraordinary performances they would manage to produce the
most remarkable of snorings and gruntings, which at times
culminated in a sort of general pandemonium, in which
we Europeans would join rotundo ore to awaken the
dreaming performers, and put an end to the concert.

Having spent nearly two weeks on the island, and the

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