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532 A NEW ACCOUNT OF SAMOIEDIA, AND THE SAMOIEDES.
The fun and moon as well hold the place of fubaltern Deities; it is by their inter-
vention they imagine that the Supreme Being difpenfes his favors; but they worfhip
them as little as the idols or fitches, which they carry about them according to the re-
commendation of their Koedefnicks. ‘lhey appear to care very little about thefe idols,
and if they wear them, it is only owing to the attachment which they appear to have to:
the traditions of their anceftors, of which the Koediinicks are the depofitaries and the
interpreters.
Among them fome ideas of the immortality of the foul prevail, anda ftate of retribu-
tion in another life ; but all this refers fimply to a fpecies of metempfycofis. ‘This fen-
timent obfcure as it is, feems to indicate that thefe people defcend from fome Afiatic na-
tion, formerly inhabiting the vicinity of India.
It is in confequence of their opinion of the tranfmigration of fouls, that they are ac-
cuftomed to inter with him, the dreffes of the deceafed, his bow, his arrows, and what-
ever belongs to him, becaufe they fay the defunct may need them in another world, con-
fidering it unjuft for any individual to appropriate to himfelf what belongs to another.
By this it is vifible, that if the doctrine of the immortality of the foul form a part of-
their religion, it is only as a fimple probability, refpecting which they have their doubts.
Laftly among them none of thofe religious ceremonies in ufe among other nations,.
in. particular circumftances of life, aremet with. Their Koedifnicks are not to-be con-
fidered in this light, any more than the ceremony of their marriage, the birth of their
children, or burial of their dead: the whole adminiftration ot this kind of prieits, iss
limited to their giving them advice, and idols of their making, when they are more.
than commonly unfortunate in hunting, or any ficknefs occurs. It would be very dif
ficult to introduce chrillianity among thefe people, on account of their unerftanding-
being too much confined to enable them to conceive things beyond the evidence of their
fenfes; as well as that they deem their condition too happy, to be defirous of any
change.
‘The Samoiedes are as fimple in their morals 2s intheir dogmas. Unacquainted with:
any law, they are without terms even for * vice or virtue. If they ab{tain from wrong
itis by a fimple inftin& of naturef. It is true they are accuftomed to preferve their,
wives each to themfelves, and carefully to avoid all degrees of confanguinity in marry-
ing to fuch a degree, that a man never-marries a girl defcended from the fame family
with himfelf, however diftant the affinity. Although the contrary be advanced by.
feveral writers the fact may be relied on. They provide for their children till fuch
time as they arrive at the period of being able to- help themfelves.
All thefe cuftoms religioufly obferved among them, are no other than the fruits of
tradition handed down to them by their anceftors, and this tradition with fome reafon
may belooked upon as law. But it does not appear that they are forbiddento affafli-
nate, to fteal, or to take poflefion by means of violence of the wives, or daughters be+
longing to others. Notwith{tanding, if credit be given to thefe good people, who feem
too fimple to difguife any thing, few indeed are the examples. of fuch crimes coms
mitted among them. When the caufe of fuch forbearance is required of them, as
from their own confeffion, they know of no principle which fhould deter them from
fuch actions; they reply with fmplicity: It is very eafy for every one to fupply his
* All the nations of the earth without exception, have very poflibly been the fame, it is thus Juftin
reprefents the Scythiaus. Book Il. Chap. ii. ‘¢ ‘Ihe ignorance of vice cleGted more with thefe people-
than the knowledge of virtue among others.”
$ Jullice not law was refpected by the people, Ibid,
3 wants,.
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