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310 GENERAL REMARKS
of greater moment, fuch as ficknefs, a mortality amongit the
cattle, or the like, they apply to privileged foothfayers or magi-
cians: thefe are called in the Lapland tongue Noaaids, and are re-
gularly educated in the art. Thefe men are completely initiated
by frequent interviews with the fpirits in Jabme-aimo; betides
which, they pretend to be in poffeffion of runic drums which
have defcended to them from anceftors famous in remote times
for their {kill in divination. The Noaaid obferves much the fame
method with that already defcribed, except that he makes ufe of
fome previous ceremonies with a number of very frightful grimaces
and contortions, in which he is helped out by the immoderate quan-
tity he takes of brandy and tobacco during his operation. By the
effect of thefe aids to infpiration, he at length becomes fo intoxi-
cated, that he falls into a deep fleep, which the ftanders by fup-
pofe to be atrance. When he awakes he pretends that his foul
has been conveyed away to fome paffe-warck, or holy mountain,
which he mentions by name, and attempts to reveal his interwiew
and difcourfe with the deities. At the fame time he namesa
facrifice which mutt be offered on a certain day, confifting, for the
moft part, of a well fed rein-deer; and this being complied with,
he encourages the hopes that the deity who is concerned will prove
favourable. ‘The Noaaid’s injunction never fails to be obeyed;
and if the facrifice of a valuable rein-deer be not fucceeded by the
goods effects which are hoped for from it, the fimple Laplander
(like thofe poor unhappy people who run for a cure from one doc-
tor to another, until they have expended the laft farthing of their
moncy)
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