A GOOD OMEN 77 



the kaam's tambourine, who then begins his per- 

 formance, ending- in his announcing an order from 

 the god to give him a horse, cow, or goat, 

 according as a particular animal in the Kalmuk's 

 possession has taken his fancy. This is supposed 

 to appease the spirit's wrath. Such is the constant 

 deception to which the wretched natives are sub- 

 jected. It was a strange sight to see the man 

 beating his tambourine, slowly at first, uttering 

 incomprehensible and savage sounds into the spirit's 

 ear, then louder and louder till he got into a state 

 of ecstasy, under the magic spell of his familiar 

 deity. Finally, he gave a loud yell, and I was 

 told that the spirit was ready to answer my 

 questions. I asked (of course through the in- 

 terpreter) whether I should kill many wild sheep ; 

 the reply came, in a hollow voice, that a " Kotchko " 

 (wild sheep) with white patches on him would be 

 hurled down a precipice. I took this as a g'ood 

 omen, and rewarded the old rascal with a couple 

 of roubles. Mr. Meyer told me that a few years 

 ago there were two well-known rival kaams in the 

 district, and that they once quarrelled on the question 

 whose spirit was the stronger. Both began invoking 

 their god in the manner just described. It was said 

 to have been an exciting scene, for they reached such 



