igS TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VOL. V. 



imagine, the fate of their vvarhke expeditions depends. They 



worship likewise an infernal Demon, whose attributes are wrath 

 and vengeance ; while they invoke him, they are influenced solely 

 by fear, lest he may afflict or torment them, for they believe that from 

 him all their calamities and misfortunes proceed. As to a future state, 

 they are as charitable as the Universalist, for they cannot bear to hear of 

 a future state of torment and damnation. On the other hand, they 

 imagine that they are to enjoy all the pleasures after which they aspired 

 in this world. They have their priests, prophets and physicians ; and 

 their sacrifices consist generally of those brute animals which they 

 consider the greatest favourites of the evil spirit, for they seldom 

 supplicate the Great Spirit, except before battle, as they deem him 

 a benevolent Deity, who is disposed to favour, rather than torment them. 

 * * * By offering sacrifices to the malevolent spirit, for it is 

 seldom that they worship the benevolent deity, they think that they can 

 avert his wrath. 1 have often observed that the Tongusi, of all the other 

 tribes of Siberia, are those who pay the greatest attention to this 

 religious ceremony ; for, whenever they labour under diseases or 

 •scarcity of food, they first offer a sacrifice and then set out to hunt, 

 fully convinced of their success. Their mode of offering sacrifices is 

 attended with many ceremonies which are performed by their bravest 

 warriors. Having lighted a fire, they take a dog, and sometimes a bear, 

 which they suspend above the fire by several poles, till the animal is 

 totally consumed. It is customary among some Tongusian tribes to 

 dance during the sacrifice ; there are others, however, who stand silent 

 and motionless till the offering is completed. Then a dance commences 

 which lasts for several hours, as if rejoicing for appeasing the angry demon. 

 Before they go to battle they never fail to make an offering. Then all 

 their villages are assembled and they form a kind of procession. The 

 women walk one after another till they arrive at the spot where the 

 sacrifice is to be offered. This place is generally some elevated ground 

 at some distance from the village. The warriors march in full uniform 

 with their faces painted. Before the dog is committed to the flames, 

 they whisper something in his ear, telling him, as I have been told, to 

 obtain for them the assistance of the great or benevolent spirit in battle, 

 and prevent the evil or mischievous one from punishing them." 



" On the night previous to their departure a very singular entertain- 

 ment is given by the chief, in which the Potoosi, or the sacred pipe^ 

 is introduced, for the purpose of binding the warriors to fidelity and 

 bravery. The Potoosi, among all the Tongusian tribes, is considered a 

 sacred instrument, which their fathers received from the Great Spirit or 



