S64! NORWAY. 



in Norway, as practised upon the Laplan- 

 ders, by a person commissioned to take 

 from them their ma^rical drums and idols. 

 Having procured information of any Lap- 

 lander who kept such things concealed, he 

 first requested to have them brought forth. 

 This their owner refused. After having 

 long used entreaties, to no purpose, he 

 laid hold of one of the Laplanders' arms, 

 slipped up the sleeve of his jacket, and so 

 contrived at length as to open a vein. 

 The Laplander was near fainting, and, en- 

 treating him to spare his life, promised to 

 bring the drum required ; upon which the 

 arm was bound up immediately. This plan 

 has been frequently pursued with success*. 



* A notable method of converting these poor peo- 

 ple from pagan superstitions, and of exempUFving the 

 mild and just spirit of the Christian religion! This 

 bleeding was as effectual as that practised by the 

 grand inquisitor upon a king of Spain, who showed 

 symptoms of humanity at an auto da fii; even with- 

 out the flogging superadded in the latter case, which 

 the pious crusader against Lapland drums did not 

 find necessary. 



