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ACCOUNT OF DANISH LAPLAND BY LEEMS. 461
in honour of the gods, around altars: certain fragments of the bones, tongue, lungs,
heart, head, ears, and tail being laid alfo on thefe altars. When facrificing to this
deity, Rota, they bury a dead horfe in the ground, to the intent that pernicious
and hateful god fhould by its aid withdraw as faft as poffible to his abode, and
ceafe to moleft them any more. It happens, though very feldom, that they facrifice to
this idol by-acommon and ufual rite ; in which cafe they fafhion his image to the form
of man, and place the bones of the animal they have facrificed on the altar, yet without
any thing on them, to Rota; as alfo they ufually do to their other gods, for the purpofe
of covering them with flefh. For the Laplanders have this opinion, that their gods are
as equally fatisfied and contented with the bare bones of the animals facrificed to them,
as if they were covered with flefh and entire. And for the reafon that they afcribe to
them infinite power as_to gods, and fay that nothing would be more eafy for them than
to create flefh, and fo when created, to put into it bones,
Hitherto this doubtful relation, for the truth of which in every thing I dare not vouch.
Certainly Radien, Ruona-Nieid, Maderakko, with her three daughters, Sarakka, Juks-
Akka, and Ux-Akka, of whom mention is made, are names totally unknown to the
Laplanders of that tract of country where my miflion lay ; concerning Saivo-Sarva,
Jabme-Aibmo, or the land of the dead, when interrogated on thefe matters, and others
which occur in this celebrated hiftory of their deities, they did confefs that they had
heard fomething by rumour of them. Yet in moft things] agree with the author, who-
ever he was, little doubting but thefe things which he related as among the Laplanders
of the country of Drontheim and Norland were fo far formerly held as true,
that I need but mention for the prefent this one circumftance, in confirmation that Re-
dien, Bieve, and Rota, or Pluto, and fome others, may be feen pictured on their Runic
boxes, which place before us a compendium of Lapland heathen theology ; and even
the names given to the idols agree in part with the offices by which they are defcribed.
Scheffer mentions that the Laplanders adored chiefly three idols, namely, Thur, Stoer-
Junkare, and the fun, and diffufively lays down the rites to be obferved in their facrifices.
The two former idols are at this day unknown to the Laplanders of Finmark.
Joulo Gadze were well known to the Laplanders inhabiting Finmark. The Jow/o-
Gadze, if you believe the Laplanders, were certain evil fpirits, to whom formerly they
religioufly facrificed on the eve of the Nativity of Chrift, old ftyle. The Noaaide-Gadze,
or the affociates of the Neaaids, or magician, were fo called from the information and
aid which they were believed to give to the magician. Thefe, together with the
Joulo-Gadze, were very well known to the Laplanders, among whom thofe who were
reputed for prudence and belief, affirmed with one voice that the Noaaide-Gadze, or aflo-
ciates of the magician, were fpirits that ufually appeared under the form of children,
and in the Lapland drefs, in dreams, and even in clear day, to the Laplanders. Thefe
recommended their fervices and attention, pledging their faith that they would effect, if
admitted into the family, that their mafters fhould become fkilful and handy, and that
they fhould be profperous in hunting, in fifhing, in curing the difeafes in men and cattle;
and that they thould more eafily obtain their admiffion, they added, that before they
hired themfelves to the parents, that nothing was more equitable than that they fhould
perform for the fons and grandfons the fame kind offices, as appertaining to them by
hereditary right. If the magician, of his own free will and kindnefs, admitted thefe
fpirits, he obtained at the fame time with them alfo Torvo-Paike, or the caves and
mountain abodes which the Noaaide-Gadze had hitherto poffefled as a tutelary retire-
ment; if not, they obtained even by threats that they fhould afterwards be admitted.
When at length admitted, either gracioufly or without confent, they taught the Noaaids
their
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