CONCERNING LAPLAND, 
3°S 
called Noaaids. In this office of facrificing they difcovered great 
dexterity, and on that account were diftinguifhed by the Danifh 
name of blodmander, or men of blood. They knew how to fepa- 
rate and divide the different parts of the animal, according to the 
nature of the facrifice, and the deity it was intended for. Upon 
thefe occafions they conftantly wore a particular habit. 
Thofe adts of worfhip, occafioning a great reduction of their 
ftock of cattle, often brought the Laplanders to a fituation of 
mifery and want: as the mountain Laplanders, when attacked 
by the fmall-pox or the mealies, with difficulty got over thefe 
diforders, owing to the pores of their fkins being rendered imper¬ 
vious by the dirt and fmoke in which they lived, they made 
numerous facrifices of rein-deer during their illncfs, fometimes to 
the number of twelve rein-deer to one perfon. Now thefe people, 
obferving that the converts to chriflianity appeared to rid them- 
felves of all complaints, by merely figning themfelves with a crofs, 
were eafily difpofed to adopt that religion. But as the God of the 
chriftians feemed to them only to have provided for their happi- 
nefs hereafter; and was, moreover, too mild and gracious to affii<fl 
them with difeafes, they {fill confidered it to be their intereft, 
occafionally to continue their facrifices to the gods of their fore¬ 
fathers, in order to relieve themfelves from ficknefs and the evils 
of this prefent Rate ; and herein they feem to have refembled the 
Samaritans mentioned in the New Teftament, who worfhipped 
the God of Ifrael, and the idols of the Gentiles at the fame time. 
This in fome meafure accounts for the Laplanders being only fully 
Vox.. IL B r converted 
