THE OSTIAKS. 575 



beads and metal. They are heathens, worshipping the sun and moon, 

 the water and the trees ; in fact, whatever object meets their eyes 

 they convert into a deity; and, above all, they adore the bear, offering 

 prayers and sacrifices to him before venturing on an expedition to 

 hunt him down ! 



The Ostiaks and the Yakouts are established in the northernmost 

 districts of Siberia, from the Oural Mountains to Kamtschatka. I 

 borrow from a Polish lady, Madame Felinska, long exiled in Siberia, 

 some curious details relative to the Ostiaks, whom, during her banish- 

 ment, she had numerous opportunities of studying. Seeking one day 

 a pathway through a wood, she encountered a couple of Ostiaks on 

 the point of performing their religious duties. These consist in 

 placing themselves before a tree a larch in preference in the 

 wildest and densest part of the forest, and there executing a series of 

 epileptic contortions. Such pagan demonstrations are forbidden them, 

 says Madame Felinska ; but, despite the Christianity which they 

 have professed to accept, they are and will remain pagans. 



Nearly every Ostiak carries about his person a rude image of the 

 divinities which he adores under the name of Schaitan ; but this does 

 not prevent him from wearing on his breast a small copper crucifix. 

 The Schaitan represents the human figure, carved in wood, or, rather, 

 cut out of a small fragment of wood. It is of different sizes, accord* 

 ing to the price and the various uses for which it is intended : if for 

 carrying on the person, it is small ; images for decorating the hut are 

 much larger ; but in every case the god is clothed in seven pearl- 

 embroidered chemises, and suspended to the neck by a chaplet of silver 

 coins. The wooden deity occupies the place of honour in the huts 

 and cottages, and before commencing a repast, they take care to offer 

 him the daintiest morsel, smearing his lips with fish or raw game ; 

 when this sacred duty is performed, they eat in contentment. 



The priests of the Ostiaks are called Scha-mans ; they enjoy 

 immense influence, which they employ in furtherance of the basest 

 superstition and in promotion of their own personal interest. Ambi- 



