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Of the heathenijb Gods of the Laplanders. 4.1
from every member of the Sacrifice. This I SuppoSe first cauSed the
mistake of thofe who reported that the Laplanders worshipped the horns
of Rain-dears. All the fleih that remains of the Sacrifice the Laplanders
Spend in their houSes : and this is the ordinary way oS Sacrificing to
Stor-junkar. Two other methods there are but leSs uSed ; one when they bring
the facrifice alive to the hill where the Idol is placed: another when they
would do fo,but cannot climb the hill where Storjunkar is by reafon of its
steepnefs. For the first they kill the facrifice hard by the Idol, and when
they have performed the ufual ceremonies, they prefently boil the flelTi
in the place, efpecially that about the head and neck, and invite their
friends to the eating of it. This they call Storjunkars Feast, and when
they have done they leave the skin behind ihem. This is not ufed in all
Storjunkars hills, but only in fome peculiar place where he hath manifested
to them that he will be worshipped So. The other way of facrificing is when
the hill is fo craggy that they cannot afcend it with their facrifice, then
they throw up a stone to the top of the mountain , which they dip in the
blood and go away , as having paid their devotion. Bur as ( befides the
facrifice ) they once a year honour Thor with a new Image; fo do they
Stor’ymkar with frelh bcwes twice every year. The first time in Summer
with birch and graSs ; next in Winter with pine. The fame alfo re-
ports of the Seitas. Then it is they Seek whether their God be favorable
and propitious to them or no : for when they go to strow the bows and
grafs under him, if the stone proves light, they hope he will be kind ; but
if it be fomething heavier then ordinary, they fufpeft he is angry with
them, and immediatly to reconcile him they devote Some oblations tobim.
And thus are Peucerut his words to be understood, when the Laplanders
(Says he) goa hunting or filhing, or upon any other enterprise, they try
their fucceSs by the weight of their God, who if he is eafily moved, they
take it for granted that he approves of their deSign; if hardly, then he
diflikes it :but if he be unmoveable then theyfuppofe bini offended with
them. This is not to be understood of all their affairs, but only when they
lay freSh Siraw under him, for at other times they enquire his plefure with
a drum, of which I have already fpoken.
It remains now that we treat of the Sacrifices uSed to the Sun, theSe are
young Rain-dears, and thoSe not bucks but does : the rites are most of
them the fame wirh thoSe already mentioned; only instead of a red String
thro the right ear of Storjunkars facrifice , they run a white one thro the
Suns; then they make a garland, not ofbirch, but willow, about as big as
the hoop of an Hogshead. This they place upon a table behind the Hut
where they facrifice to Thor, not upon the fame table, but one like it.
And this facrifice differs from the other in that there are neither images
erefted here, nor horns , the beasts being not come to their growth. But
that there may be fome refemblance of the Sun, they place the chief bones
of the Sacrifice upon the table in a circle.
Befides thefe 3 principal Gods they have fome petty ones, as the Manes
ofdeceafed men , and the Juli’i troops. They have no particular names for
the GhoSts, but call them all Sittc : neither do they ered them images as
they do to Thor and Stor ’junkar; only they offer them fome certain
Sacrifices. At which time their first bufineSs is to enquire the will of the dead,
whether
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