436 RETURN TO KUREIKA 



They alone may be able to rise above the corruption of 

 the officials, and the superstition of the clergy. 



The two curses of Russia are its Church and its State 

 staff. The one sells justice and the other palters with 

 morality. The Emperor is said to be anxious to reform 

 these fatal errors in the administration ; but, in a remote 

 corner like the one to which I allude, he has practically 

 no power. The Russo-Greek Church is nominally 

 Christian, but what elements of Christianity are in it I 

 am unable to say. Its outward appearance is simple 

 buffoonery, savouring more of Cagliostro than of Christ. 

 It has never had any real influence upon the natives. 

 Many of them have, indeed, gone through the ceremony 

 of baptism, and wear crosses of silver or brass as charms, 

 but none the less do they retain their old faiths or seek 

 the aid of the Shamanski in their troubles. Every native 

 family has a special sledge set apart for its household 

 gods, drawn by reindeer which are also set apart for 

 this purpose, and covered in by a " clean " reindeer skin, 

 that is, a skin upon which no man has ever slept. The 

 images or idols are made of wood, stone, iron, anything 

 in short that can be carved to resemble a human being 

 or an animal. These idols must be looked upon more 

 in the light of charms than of gods. They are never 

 prayed to. Their only use seems to be to act as a 

 centre of magnetic or spiritual influence. The Shaman 

 arranges them, walks round them, beating incessantly on 

 his drum, whilst the people dance around until he, and 

 probably they, become more or less ecstatic, or under 

 the sway of frenzy. It is said that under this excitement 

 the Shaman will often foam at the mouth. In this 

 state they believe a certain supernatural influence is 

 exerted, through which information is obtained, supposed 

 also to be of a supernatural character. It principally 



