THE SACRIFICE OF HORSES. 107 



the tribes who formerly tenanted Liefland. Marco Polo, 

 in alluding- to the custom of interring- the bodies of the 

 chiefs of the race of Ghengis Khan at a certain lofty 

 mountain, no matter where they may have died, adds ; 

 ' It is likewise the custom, during the progress of re- 

 moving the bodies of these princes, for those who form 

 the escort to sacrifice such persons as they may chance 

 to meet on the road, saying to them, " Depart for 

 the next world, and there attend upon your deceased 

 master," being impressed with the belief that all whom 

 they thus slay do actually become his servants in the next 

 life. They do the same also with respect to horses, killing 

 the best of the stud, in order that he may have the use of 

 them.' This was in the 13th century. 



Tumuli containing the remains of horses and men are 

 met with in Central Asia and Siberia. The vast plains of 

 these regions have ever been nurseries for horse-loving 

 nations. This sacrifice and burial of horses was par- 

 ticularly practised by the early northern nations, but 

 especially by the Scandinavians. When a hero or chief 

 fell gloriously in battle, his funeral obsequies were hon- 

 oured with all possible magnificence. His arms, his gold 

 and silver, his war-horse, and whatever else he held most 

 dear, were placed with him on the pile. His dependents 

 and friends frequently made it a point of honour to die 

 with their leader, in order to attend on his shade in the 

 palace of Odin ; for nothing seemed to them more grand 

 and noble than to enter Valhalla with a numerous retinue, 

 all in their finest armour and richest apparel. The princes 

 and nobles never failed of such attendants. The warrior 

 and his horse were to salute the god in the regions of ever- 



