Ai Ai = 0^ 0: 1 ' 1 2 3 5 8 '^%mLt. California grional A r / if k rr /^ ^1 i^fl^ / ,/ omw >j^. .r r *Cj' J A d / i*" '/^- '"" .^_ '" {frtar Natioia "^^'^S f^e* THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES GIFT OF UNIVERSITY CALIFORNIA LIBRARY / ?. s-^ ^^/^- '^^ RUSSIA: d R, A COMPLEAT HISTORICAL ACCOUNT O F ALL THE NATIONS WHICH COMPOSE THAT EMPIRE. THE FIRST VOLUME. LONDON, PRINTED FOR J. NICHOLS: T. CADELL, IN THE STRAND; II. PAYNE, PALL-MALL; AND N. CONANT, FLEET-STREET. MDCCLXXX. q-=2 ^ 4,- r CONTENTS O F THE FIRST VOLUME. INTRODUCTION. Sect. I. O F the Siberians in general p. t II. Of the Kara-Kitans xxiv III, Of the Mongouls xxxiii IV. Of theBurats xliii V. Of the Kalmucs xlix VI. Of the Tfongares Ixvi yil. Of the Religion of the Kalmucs and Mongouls Ixxiv yill. Of the Religion of Tibet ^ or, of the Dalai Lama Ixxxiii FINNISH NATIONS. p. i The Laplanders 4 The Finns 34 The Lettoniansj the Eflonians, and the Lieffs 5Z The Ingrians 60 a z The iv CONTENTS, The Tfcheremiffcs 68 The Tfchouwafches 93 The Mordvines i n TheVotiaks 124 The Terptyaireis 1$^ The Vogouls IB7 TheOftiaks l^^ Ai-i^: . ^ S INTRQ' [ V ] INTRODUCTION* SECTION i. Of the Siberians in gene rah Tt will perhaps be thought no im- proper introducSlion to this work to give a general account of Siberia and of the Mongouls, hitherto fo little known in Europe, and io inaccurately defcribed : efpecially as all the relations in our language are not only exceedingly vague and confufed, but fo erroneous in many eflcntial particulars as to be of but doubtful authority in all. Vol. I. b A com- VI INTRODUCTION, A complete account of thefe peo- ple is fcarcely ever to be expedted. We have no account of any king- dom in Europe deferving of that title. But, as only fuch fadls will be here exhibited as may be de- pended on, and no conjedlures ad- vanced but fuch as the reader is left at liberty either to admit or rejecSl, the relations of future travellers muft rather conlift of additional fadts and more probable conjectures, than dete6lions of falfliood or re* futations of an ideal hypothefis. Siberia, in the iignification now adopted, comprehends the whole tradl of land under the dominiori of the Ruffians, from the Ouralian mountains Introduction. vii hibtintains to the Penfliinean fea and the Eaftern ocearij on one fide ; and on the other from the Frozen fea to the frontiers of the Mand- fliours, Mongoiils, Kalmucs, and Rirguifian Kofacsi Were the boundaries of Europe and Afia in the North to be afccr- tained by rivers, the Don^ the Vol- ga, the Kama, the Kolva, and the Petfchora, Avould obvioufly form the Unes. No more than two vo- loks'i^* are to be met with between the Don and the Volga. One is at Zaritzin, where Peter the Great had * A volok in the Riiflfian language Hgni- fics a fmall trafit of land between any two tivers that run nearly in the fame tlircd'ion. b 2 a dc- Viii INTRODUCTION. a defign of making a canal of com- munication between the two rivers. The other volok is beyond Tfcher- din, between the Kolva and the Petfchora. By this divifion the w^hole chain of Ouralian mountains and all Siberia would be in Afia. Siberia is called by the Ruffians Siber, and formerly meant no more than the inferior regions about the Ob, which, under the reign of Ivan Vaffillievitch, became tributary to the Ruffian empire. This name Sibir was entirely un- known to the Tartars about the Irtifch; and the ancient refidence of Kutfchum Kan (called commonly by the Ruffians Siber) was Ityled by them Ifker. In INTRODUCTION. IX In procefs of time this appella- tive obtained a more extenfive fig- nification, by comprehending under it thofe lands which Kutfchum Kan pofTefled about the Irtifch, the To- bol, and the Tura. As the Ruf- iians made greater progrefs, this name was given like wife to a larger tra(5t of country ; and, at length, to all the conquefts of the Ruffians as far as the Eaftern ocean. About the year 1563, Siberia was firfl added to the title of the Ruffian tzars. Both the derivation and lignifi- cation of the word are entirely un- known. It cannot come from the Ruffian word Sever [the north] as b 3 fomc K INTRODUCTION. feme authors have imagined, Sibir and Sever being very different words ; but what Hill more refutes the notion is, that Siberia Ues not to the North, but to the Eaft of Huflia, The name moft probably wa$ found in ufe amongil the Permians and Syrans ; the latter of whom carried on their commerce about the inferior regions of the Ob, a long time before the country was fub- dued by the Ruffians ; from whom perhaps it found its way to them, Several of the names of places about the Ob and Solva, which are evi- flently from the Syranian language, feem to corroborate this conjecture, INTRODUCTION. XI For in fiance, this people were the firft who gave the name Ob to that river, before called Umar; and the regions about its mouths they flyled Obdor, which fignifies in their lan- guage the mouth of the Ob, Siberia, fince it became a Ruf- fian province, is tolerably well peo- pled by the Ruffians, who have founded therein towns, fortreiTes, and villages, of various proportions. It neverthelefs prefents but a void and defert view; iince, by its ex- tent, it is . capable of fupporting fe- veral millions more than it at prefent contains. The climate is cold, but the air pure and whole- fome ; and its inhabitants in all pro- b 4 ' bability Xil INTRODUCTION. bability would live to an extreme old age if they were not fo much addidled to an immoderate ufe of intoxicating liquors. This country produces rye, oats^, and barley, almoft to the 6oth de- gree of northern latitude. In for- mer times a poodt of rye was fold there for two or three copeeks, and even at prcfent it fetches no more than 6 or 8 copeeks]:. But this is to be -underftood of fertile years. The provinces moft fruitful in grain are thofe of Tobolfk, Tomlk, and Yenifeifk, the country about the -f A pood is 36 pounds Englilb J Ihice or four pence. INTRODUCTION. Xiil Upper parts of the Lena, and the fouthern and fouth-eaftern lide of the Baikal fea, as far as Nertfchinfk, Cabbages, radifhes, turnips, and cucumbers, thrive here tolerably well ; but fcarcely any other greens. All experiments to bring fruit-trees to bear have hitherto been in vain : but there is reafon to believe that induftry and patience may at length over- come the rudenefs of the climate. Cedar-nuts are here in great plenty about Tumen and in the difbridl of Catharinenburg in the neighbour- hood of the river Iffet, and fo are w^ild cherries. A fort of fmall al- jnond grows in the parts about the Irtifch :xiv INTRODUCTION, Irtifch in the neighbourhood of the Kahnvics; and in the government of Jrkutz are Httle apples, hardly big-f ger than peafe, thovigh refembling our common ones in fubftance and tafle. Currants and ftraw berries of feveral forts grow here in as great perfe6lion as they do in our gar^ dens. Herbs, as well officinal as common, together with various edi- ble roots, are found every where. But a remarkable circumftance is, that there are no bees in all Siberia, Siberia is abundantly provided with iron, copper, and other mine- rals. The filver mines of Argun have been a long while famous; and in our times the much richer one INTHODUCTION. XV one of Kalivan, on the frontiers of jthe Kalmucs, has been difcovered * The Mamut's bones are a produc- tion of mature pecuUar to Siberia t. The * In Barnaul, the moft important lilver- hut, upwards of 400 pood of fine filver, and from II to 15 pood of gold, is fmelted an- nually. In the year 1763, all the Siberian mines together yielded 330 pood of filver, (or 13,200 Rufilian pounds) and 990 lb. of gold. Laxmann*s Sibirifche Briefer p. 86. ^ Notwithflanding Kalm, in his travels to North America, . fpeaks of the incredibly large horns of fome animal, which he calls the Moofe-deer, found fomctimes in North America, and, he adds, likewife in Ireland; this in Siberia is a natural production. The race of this animal he fuppofcd was extind:. According to his opinion, it was a kind of elk, only much larger than the common. Now 3 Mamut^ Xvi INTRODUCTION. The forefts are well flocked with a variety of animals, fome of which are not to be found in other coun- tries. Thefe fupply the inhabitants wdth food and cloaths ; and at the fame time furnifh them with com- modities for an advantageous trade. Siberia may be confidered as the na-* tive country of blacK foxes, fables, and Mamut, or as the Ruffians formerly pro- nounced ic, Memot, feems to Mr. Kalm to have been derived from Behemoth, which the Arabians thought to be the largefl animal in the world. This people, coming into Tar- tary, finding there thefe relics of the Siberian animal, and obferving that they were difco- vered about rivers and in fens, thought they could have belonged to no other animal than the famous Behemoth, and thus the word was thenceforth received as a proper name. He ftrengthens INTRODUCTION. X vii and ermines, the fkins of which are here fuperior to thofe of any part of the world. The valuable beaver- fkins, only known lince the expedi- tion to Kamtfchatka and the Eafterrt ocean, are purchafed by the Chinefe at 40 and 50 rubles the fkin. Horfes and cattle are in great plenty, and fold at a low price. ftrengthens this conjedlnre by aflcrting that Mamut is not a Siberian word ; for, accord- ing to Strahlenberg, the Oftiacks of the Ob call thefe bones kbofur, and the Tartars khir, A new argument in favour of this opinion is, that many other Arabic words arc met with in Siberia ; namely, bafar, arak, tariff kafta:?, bolva?!, gnha, iulpa, cs^c. The word Behemoth might therefore probably come the fame way into Tartary and Siberia, by which fo many others were introduced, that is to fay, by the religion of Mohammed. Moil XVm INTRODUCTIOKl Moft of the rivers abound in all forts of large and fmall fifli. We may therefore venture to affirm that Siberia is as plentifully provided with bread, flefh, and fifh, as any country in the world* Of the Siberian rivers there ard three which both for length and breadth have few equals, the Ob, the Yenifei, and the Lena. Into each of thefe is received another^ not much inferior to itfelf; The Irtifch falls into the Ob, the Angara into the Yenifei, and the Aldan into the Lena. Almoft all the rivers of Siberia difembogue into the Frozen ocean. Not one of all whofe fourcd is in Siberia runs down to the coun- tries INTRODUCTION. Xix tries of the Mongouls, Buchanans, Kalmucs, and Tartars ; but, on the contrary, many of them which rife in Mongaha, and the country of the Kalmucs, flow northward through Siberia. They are fo commodious for navigation, that a veflel might go through Peterfburg to Selen- ginfk, were it not for only two Vo- loks ; one between the river Tfchuf- fovaia and the Tagil, and the other between the Ket and the Yenifei ; the latter of about 90 verfls, and the former not fo wide. It is worth remarking, that all the rivers which fall into the Frozen ocean, notwith- Handing they are uncommonly a- bundant in fifli, are entu'ely defli- tute of crabs. The XX INTRODUCTION* The old inhabitants of this coun-* try are ftill moftly idolaters. They confift of many nations, entirely differing from each other in their manner of living, religion, language, and countenances. But in this they agree, that none of them follow agriculture, which is carried on by fome Tartars, and fuch as are con-* verted to Chriftianity. A few of them breed Cattle ; and others follow hunting, which would have been profitable enough, had it been fubjedted at firft to better regulations, and had the Ruffian promuijchlenniki'^^ been more fpar- ing in their depredations. * The word promuifchlennle, or promu^ i/chlenniki, muft be explained. On the dif- covery iN/rROi>uciTioN. xxi The primitive natives of Siberia may be divided into two kinds, viz. thofe whofe race exifls to this day, covery and redudllon of Siberia, great re- ports were made of its very valuable furs* This allured vaft numbers of loofe people to form themfelves into bands, and run from Ruffia to Siberia, partly on account of its advantageous commerce, and partly for the fake of the chace, Thefe adventurers were called promuifchlenn'iki, and became of great fervicc to the crown in making farther dif- covcries, and extending its conquefts. But, endeavouring to enrich themfelves in too fhort a time, they did the country irrepa- rable damage, by (tripping whole regions of their beft and mod valuable animals, begin- nijig in the north and driving them fouthward into the Chincfc dominions. They enjoyed the protection of the crown, for which they gave the tithe of what they caught. Mullers Sauihmg RuJJifcher gefch'icbt^j vi. p. 491. c and XXll INTRODUCTION. and thofe that have died away and become extind:. Among the ancient inhabitants of Siberia which exift no more, wx reckon the Kara-Kitans and the Kirguifes. Of thofe that ftill flou- rifh the moft remarkable are the Burattians, the Teleutans, the Jakii- tans, theTungulians, the Samoiedes, the Voguls, Oftiacs and Tartars, Mongouls and Kalmucs. We fliall begin with the Kara- Kitans ; who, though they did not adlually dwell, as a nation, in Si- beria, yet had a very intimate con- nexion and much intercourfe with the people of Siberia ; and then proceed INTRODUCTION. Xxiil proceed to the Burattians, Kalmucs^ and fome other nations ; following the order in which the countries they inhabit are lituated* c 2 SEC- XXIV INTRODUCTION. SECTION 11. Of the Kara-Kitans. THERE is a ftrange tradition handed down among the Siberian Tartars, which affirms *' the Ki- " taians (whom the Europeans call *^ Chinefe) to have relided in former *' times about the fuperior regions *^ of the Irtifch^ and that they re- ^' tired from thence through fear of *' the mif-fhapen foufts which ap- '' peared to them to be horns." Ne- verthelefs it is certain that thefe Kitaians are not the Chinefe, but the inhabitants of the country of Kara-Kitai, a people fufficiently known INTRODUCTION. XXV known in the Oriental Hiftory. Se- veral writers, both ancient and modern, make mention of them ; but fo obfcm'ely, that it is difficult from them to afcertain the true frontiers of their country. This obfcurity has caufed fome writers to place this Kara-Katai wrong, and others to doubt whether fuch a country did in reaUty ever exift. Abulgafi, the Tartarian hiflorian, takes them to l)c the black Indians, founding his opinion on the appel- lation Kara-Kit ai, i. e. Black KitaL The French tranilator of Abulgafi thinks himfelf nearer the truth by making Kara-Kitai the kingdom of Ava. But they feem both in the wrong ; and perhaps the following c 3 fa6ts XXVI INTRODUCTION. fadls may lead to a jufler idea of this people, and the fituation of their country. A barbarous nation called Kitan, the antient inhabitants of the coun- try Leao-tong, in the tenth century made themfelves maflers of all the regions between Kafchkar and Ko- rea, and many of the northern pro- vinces of China. Here they founded the dinafty of Leao, The defcen- dants of this family held the go- vernment till the year i ii 4, when the Nutfchen, another nation of barbarians, rcfiding beyond Korea, broke out in rebellion, fubdued thefe Kitans, and founded a new dynafty, called Kin. Jelutafchj INTRODUCTION. XXvil Jelutafch, the prince of the fa- mily of Leao, driven away by the Kin, fled weft wards, traverfed feve- ral countries, and fubdued them as far as the Cafpian fea ; whereupon his followers proclaimed him king. In the year 1124 he took up his relidence to the weft of Kafchkar, in a place called in the Ghinefe an- nals Ufe-Uaoltu-'-, and here founded a new empire of the Kitans, which, to diftinguifli them from the eaftern Kitans who remained in Leao-tong, under the yoke of the Kins, were called the weftern and black Kitans. The laft khan of thefe w^eftern Ki- * Uaoltu has the fiamc fjgnlfication with the Mongolian word ortu [the hord], and inv plies a main camp. c 4 tans XXVlll INTRODUCTION. tans was Gaur-khan, or Gur-khan^, fo highly renowned in the hiftory of the Tartars, who Teceived the Naimanian prince Kiitfchhik, that had been driven from his dominions by Tfchingis-khan, and gave him his daughter in marriage. This prince repaid his favours with in- gratitude, and deprived him of the throne. All thefe countries which were fubdued by the weftern Kitans, from Turf an to Kafchkar, as far as * In the Arabic and Perfian languages, Gaur-khan fignifies an unfaithful -prince. Hence the Caffars or Hottentots took their name j as alfo did the Gaurs or ancient Per- fians, the INTRODUCTION. XXIX the rivers Ob, Irtifh, Gihon % and Silion t, were called Kara-KitaL Kitai, from their conquerors ; and Kara, not on account of the inha- bitants being of a black colour, but becaufe they were obliged to pay a tribute to their conquerors ; alfo to diflinguifli it from the antient Kitai, namely, the northern pro- vinces of China, over which the Kitans had formerly reigned I, From * Arab. Dfajhun ; the ancient Oxus. In the Tartarian, Amoudarja. 'j- Jaxartes. Tartarian, Sirt. The foiircu of this river is under 40 degrees 10 minutes latitude, and 36 degrees 30 minutes longi- tude, wcftwards from Pekin. 'I The names of colours very frequently t>car a metaphorical fignification among the Afiatic XXX INTRODUCTION. From all thefe inquiries it ap- pears that this people are thofe Ki- Afiatic nations. The Ruffians in Siberia call the Tckngutes, white Kaimucs, and the Eluts or Uirats the black Kaimucs. So Ruffia was formerly divided into Blacky White, and Red Ruffia. The Ruffian tzar was fly led Bieloi tzar, the White tzar. The Chinefe monarch Akan-khan, of the family of Kin, is fo called according to Abulgafi, from the Mongolian and Tartarian word altan or altyn, which lig- nifies gold, as kin in the Chinefe language de- notes the fame metal. The hord of the great Batu, about the Volga, is called the Golden hord. The Kaimucs call the firlt month in the year Tzagan fara^ the white, which means the joyful month. Every one knows the names of the ffhife, Black, and Red feas. The reafons of thefe denominations arc dif- ferent, and therefore the names of the co- lours may be taken in different fignifications. D'Herbelot^ article Gepghiz-khan, gives another derivation of the name Kara-Kitai, becaufe the country is full of thick woods. But this docs not appear to be well founded. tans. INTRODUCTION. XXXl tans, who, according to the tradi- tions of the Tartars of Tobolfk, for- merly fettled in the fviperior regions of the rivers Irtifli and Ob. That is to fay, thefe Ghinefe were" the Kara-Kitans, or the Kitans reliding at firft in Leao-tong, but afterwards driven out by the Kins. The name X/to*, which the Ruffians, Tartars and Turks give to China^ arofe from thefe Kitans who reigned over a large part of the northern China; and it was not before the tenth century that this * Called Cathay by Milton and feveral other of our Englifh writers. Katay is the name of a part of Tartary in Rubruquis, who travelled over thefe parts in the middle f the thirteenth century. denomi- XXXii I N T R O D U e T I O K. denomination of China was known. In the beginning of the thirteenth century Tfchingis-khan fubdued the Kara-Kitans, and added their lands to his territory. The .name of Kara-Kitai fell by degrees from that time into difufe, except by a few hiftorians and Travellers, who re- tained it through ignorance '. * Garber relates that there exifl at this day, in the weftern regions of the Cafpian fea, Ghaitaki and Kara-Chaitaki ; bat it is not known whether or not they be the defcen-r dants of our Kara-Kitans, and were tranf* planted there perhaps by fome accidei;it, SEC INTRODUCTION. XXXUl SECTION IIL Of the MoNGOULS.^ I T feems not to be doubted that the antient Mongouls, who firft be- came known by the conquefts of Tfchingis-khan, were the real pro- genitors of the prefent. Tfchingis-khan was at firft no more than a petty fovereign. His father had been before him only the head of a Mongolian hord-, and was forced to pay tribute to the Kins. * Hiftoirc de Gentchifcan du Pcre Gaubil, p. I. I On XXXIV INTRODUCTION* On the death of his father he found himfelf in a very precarious lituation ; and was at length obhged, as it feems, by a rebelUon of the gteateft part of his fubje6ls againft him, to fly his country, and hve on the bounty of Togrul, the chief over the Karaitian hords '''. He began his conquefis at forty years of age ; and having fubdued * Abulgafi, p. 162, ^ feqq. p. i67 Gaubil, p. 10. coll. cum Marco Paoli, lib. I. cap. 52, p. 44. Abulgafi, p. 117, calls him Tairel; and Gaubil, Toli. In the Chinefe an- nals he is called Unx-khan, becaufe the em- peror of China gave him the title ofUang^ [Regulus], on account of fome important fer- vice he had done him. all INTRODUCTION. XXxV all the Turkifli Tartarian nations, he attacked his former fovereign Altan-khan, vanquifhed him, and obtained from day to day new vic- tories ; till, at length, he became matter of the greateft part of Alia, from the Eaftern ocean to the wettern coafl of the Cafpian fea. The Mongouls are not fo well known in Europe and the weftern parts of Afia under that name as that of Tartars, And this although Tfchingis-khan was a Mongoul and not a Tartar; and although it was by the Mongouls he made all his conquefts ; this change of names appears to be as old as the mo- narchy of the Mongouls, though it XXXvi INTRODUCtlON* it is a thing they hate much, and cannot endure to be called Tartars*. Perhaps this denomination arofe from the Chinefe, who call all neighbouring nations, living without their great wall, Tata. Add to this, that the Mongouls in the hiftory of their family reigning in China, in the Chinefe annals, go always under the name of Ta-dfi f . There might alfo poflibly be more Tartars, pro- perly fo called, than Mongouls in the army of Tfchingis-khan. It is aflerted that Ogotai, the fucceifor of Tfchingis, had an army of more '* Rubruquls, c. xvili* p. 14. 35. ic Gaubil, Hid* de Mougoux, p. 2* 20. 25. 70- th an I INTRODUCTION. XXXVii than a million and an half-. Not more than the tenth part of this immenfe army could be Mon- gouJs. The territory of the old Mon- gouls muft have been nearly the fame as that occupied at prefent by their defcendants, aiid efpecially ' thofe called the Kalkas Mongouls. Rubruquis tells usf, that the ge- nuine native country of the Mongouls > and the main camp of Tfchingis- khan, was called Mancherule ; or, as he has it in another place]:, Onam * Gaubil, p. 90. \ Rubruquis, cap. xix, p. 57, ;|; C. xxxi. p. ()^, Vol. I. d Cherule. XXXVlll INTRODUCTION* Cheruk, Nobody has hitherto been able to Tinderftand this word. Yet it is nothing more than a mutilated compound of the names of the two rivers Onon and Kurulun'^. The Chinefe hiflory plainly and dire6tly afTerts that the countries aboiit thefe rivers were the true feats of the Mongouls. Tfchingis- iehan himfelf was born in a place contiguous to the Onon. The firft wars he v/aged were againft the neighbouring princes reigning about the rivers Onon, Tolat, and Ku- rulun. * Which Gaubil calls Kerlon* f Gaubil calls it Tula. Tho INTRODUCTION. XXXiX The town Holim ''''- muft have likewife been in thefe regions, on the other fide of the Orchon. We have now therefore in fome meafure fettled the frontiers of the old Mongouls to the weft, north, and eaft; but we cannot determine fo exactly how far they extended to the fouth. That they occupied a part of the defart Gobi is evidently apparent from the Chinefe hiftory of the reigning family of the Mon- * Which D'Anville calls Kara-Kuran, and other writers Kara-Karom; and which he places in the midll of the immenfe fandy defart Gobi [in Chinefe Schamo'] about 44" N. Lat. d a gouls, Xl INTRODUCTION. gouls, where this fandy defart is exprefsly called their native country. Tfchingis-khan, refufing to pay tri- bute to the family of the Kins, im- mediately retired northward and en- camped along the river Kerlon. Whether the Mongouls inhabited the countries nearefl the Chinefe wall, is a different queftion. It is certain that Tfchingis-khan attacked his fovereign in his own country in the beginning of his re- bellion. He fcaled the wall, and con- quered the tow^ns fituated near the wall called Tai-tong, in the pro- vince of Schanii, and Suen-hoa in 4 Pet- INTRODUCTION. xli Petcheli -. This he could not have performed had he not before been mafter of the regions lying between the defart and the wall. However, this is no proof that the Mongouls had dwelt hitherto in the re- gions contiguous to the wall of China. It feems more probable, that Tfchingis had fubdued thofe countries. This opinion is fup- ported by his limilar expeditions on other fides : for he difpatched fe- veral parties at one and the fame time to attack China on different fides, and in thofe regions which the Mongouls certainly never inhabited. This, at Icail, cannot be called in * Gaubil, Hift. des Mongoux, p. 15, 16. h feqq. d 3 doubt, Xlii INTRODUCTION. doubt, that the Mongouls, before they attacked China, had aheady fubdued all the different branches of Tartars, and he could therefore meet with no impediment on their part to his expedition againft China, SEC- INTRODUCTION. xliii SECTION IV. Of the BuRATs. THE Bur ATS are defcendants of the antient Mongouls, and confe- qiiently brethren of the modern. This is manifeft from .the vicinity of thefe two nations and the refem- blance of their language. But they clafs themfelves rather among the Kahnucs than the Mongouls *. Olot * This is by no means however a contra- cVidtion. The Mongouls and the Kalmucs were doubtlefs once one nation. This is evident partly by the fimilitude of the lan- guage of both nations ; and partly that at this il 4 day ySbr INTRODUCTION. Olot and Burat, they fay, were two brothers, who had a grievous quarrel about a mare. They fought, and Burat was forced to retire with his followers. At prefent this people inhabit the territories about the Baikal fea, and along the rivers Angara and Lena. They extend, in a diredlion from Wefl to Eaft, from the Udinfkoi Of- trog as far as the town Nertfchinfk. The Burats that inhabit the Nor- thern regions of the Baikal, con- day a tribe of Ujrats [Olots, or Kalmucs] exiil in Mongalia, whom the European mif- lionaiies place about the Hoang, beyond the country of Ortufs. trary INTRODUCTION. Xlv trary to the cuftom of the other tribes of the Mongouls and Kal- mucs, conftrudl their wooden huts ill a fexangular form, and all of them after one model. They how- ever flill retain their old Mongolian huts of felt, which are ealily tranf- ported from place to place. And hence we may conclude that they are ftr angers in thefe parts. In the mid ft of the Baikal fea is fituated the ifle of Olchon. Here, on the fummit of a high mountain, is fiiid to be a great trivet, with a large kettle-drum placed upon it. This circumftance has led feveral to conclude, that Tfchingis-khan puilied his conqucfls as far as this place. Xlvi I N T R O D U C T I O K. phce. Rubruquis "^ aflerts, that this conqueror was by profeflion a fmith ; and Abulgalit gives us this ftrange relation. " The Mongouls," fays he, " having funk into obUvion *' for four hundred years, appeared " again at the working of an iron ** mountain ; and this event gave ^* rife to an annual feftival, whereon ** they heat an iron red hot, on " whieh the khan gives the firft *^ flroke ; and, after him, every chief *' of the Mongolian tribes." By comparing thefe two relations to- gether v/e are able to find out from whence the tale that Tfchingis-khan was 2ifinith took its origin. The * Cap. xix. -j- Part il. chap. v. circum- INTRODUCTION. Xlvii circumftance of the feftival is true ; and the invention of the art of fmelting iron in the mountains Ir- gonekon gave occafion to it ''. All the reft is a mere fable. It is commonly faid, that this mountain is fituated fomewhere in the dominions of the Elutian Kon- taifcha. But no perfon has hitherto pretended to mark it out with any precifion. It fliould feem more probable that its Htuation is in the neighbourhood of the river Argun, where we find filver, copper, and iron : for, notwithftanding the word Irgon does not fignify copper in the * Petit dc la Croix', Hifloire de Gcngis- chaiij lib. i. cap. i. p. 8. modern XlvHi INTRODUCTION. modern Mongolian language, yet It denotes that metal in the languages of the Syrans, Permians, Votiacs, and Tfcheremifles. S E G- INTRODUCTION. XliX SECTION V. Of the Kalmucs. UIRAT is the primitive name of the Kalmucs, and fo their proge- nitors are called by Abulgafi-'-'-. The Tartars of Katfchinfk, Krafnoyarfk, Kufnetz, and the Sagaians, know the modern Kalmucs by no other name. Nay, this appellation is preferved among themfelves to this very day, with only a fmall alteration: for they call themfelves Oelots. * Abulgafi, p. 112 & 198. The 1 tNTRODUCTlOK- The Ghinefe miflionaries flyle them Eluts ''. This is the general name of the nation. Torgo-ut [Torgot], Dfongar [Sengor], and Chofchot^ are only different branches of the Kalmucs ; RuiT. Kalmak and Kalmyk, This name was given them from a kind of caps which thefeEluts wore, called in the Tartarian lan- guage Kalpak, The circumjacent Mohammedan Tartars who ufe tur- bans, and differ from them entirely on the fcore of rehgion, language, manners, and way of life, and moreover wage an eternal war with them, gave this name to them as an opprobrious appellation. * Du Halde, torn. IV. p. 46. This INTRODUCTION, li This cuilom, of naming a na- tion from a certain outward cha- ra^eriftic lign, is not only comm^oa to the Tartars, but to many other people of Siberia. The Koraiks, living along the Pentfchinian gulf, call the Ruffians Milgetong^ i. e. Firemen, The fame people call the Tfchuktfches Mainetong^ i. e. Courageous jjien^ and the Kamtfcha- dales, Kontfcbadalj i. e. People who live at the ut^noji extre^nlty or end. From this name Kontfchadal^ the Ruffians afterwards formed Kamt- fchadal and Kamtfchatka, In like manner the Mohammedan Tartars of the Sunian {^Ci called all the lii INTRODUCTION. the Turkumans, and afterwards all the Perfians likewife, Kifilbafch^ i. e. Red-heads. The reafon of this de- nomination was as follows. The Perlians aflifled the Scheik Sofi (the founder of the reigning family in Perfia, which lately became extindt) in his w^ars. For this fervice that monarch permitted them to wear for ever caps of red velvet, fuch as he ufed to wear himfelf. The Tar- tars of Buchani and Chiva call the Mankattes, a people of the fame religion with themfelves, Karakal-^ paksy i. e. Black-caps* If, with Abulgafi, we divide the whole Turkifh nation into two great branches, that of the Tartars, and that INTRODUCTION. liii that of the Mongouls, the Uirats muft be reckoned with the latter. Indeed they refemble their neigh- bours the Mongouls in counte-- nance, hving, manners, cuftoms, and reUgion ; and muft have been feparated only by political difienti- ons. The affinity of the three na- tions, Mongouls, Kalmucs, and Bu- rats, may be feen by the affinity of their languages. Mongouls, Burats, Kalmucs* God, Burchan. Burchan. Burchan*. One, Nege. Nege. Nege. 'two, Chour. Koir. Chojur. 'fl?ree.GurhL Gurban. Gurba. Four, Durba. Derby n. Darbo. * Likewife Sajatfchi, i. e. The Creator. Vol. I. e Five. liv INTRODUCTION* Five, Tabu. Tabun. Tabijt. Six, Dfurga. Dfergon. Surga. Seven. T>o\b, Dolon. Dole. /^>6/. Naima. Najaman.Naima, Nine, Juflli. Jihun. JefTu. ^en, Arban. Arban. Arba. I GO. Dfo. Dfon. Dzo. iooo.Minga Mingan. Mingan. The Uirats lived formerly about the eight riverSjWhich, according to Abulgali ', take their rife in the Eaftern regions of Mongolia, and at length concur in one large river Ikar, or Ikran Muran t. At firft fight a perfon might be led to ima- " Abulgafi, p. 1 1 V -f Muran, in the Mongolian language, fig- nifies a large Jtream. gine iNTRODUCTION. Iv giiie that this Ikar was the fame Itreani that is called by the Ruffians at its foiirce Onon, in the middle of its couife Skilka, and thence to its mouth Amur. Abulgafi feems to lead us to this opinion. For, if thefe eight before-mentioned rivers take their rife in the countries in- habited by the Mongouls, one fliould think that the Ikran itfelf flowed through the parts belonging to the Mongouls. Abulgali fays like wife * that the Ikran falls into the ocean. Now, if we find no other river in the country of the Mongouls that difcharges itfelf into the ocean, the Ikran furely muft be ^ Abulgafi, p. 106. e 2 the Ivi INTRODUCTION. the Onon. The laft argument is, that the fame author affirms ^^ that fome Tartars fettled about the Ikran. But thefe Tartars neverthelefs pro- bably lived near the ocean. For when they rebelled againft Altan- khan, the emperor of the family of Kin, the rendezvous of the Mon- gouls who came to affift the empe- ror was on the Onon, and there the Tartars loft a battle f ; The Tartars however did not all live in one place ; but fome about the Onori, fome about the fuperior regions of the Hoang-ho, and fome in various other places. It is impoffible there- JO $iii * Abulgafi, p. 105. -f Gaubil, Hiftoire de la dynaflie des Mon- goux, p. 4. 2 fore INTRODUCTION. IvU fore to decide by this account whe- ther the Ikr-ia iignifies the Onon or the Hoang-ho. The Mongouls Hved Jikewife on both fides of the great fandy defart Gobi ; feveral of them confequently nearer to the Onon, and fome nearer to the great Chi- nefe wall, and the upper regions of the Hoang-ho ; which places they inhabit to this very day. The Onon bears different names, according to the territory it runs through. The Ruffians call it Amur; the Tungufians, Schilkir ; the Chi- nefe, Helong-Kjang, i. e. T'he river of Dragons ; and the Mandflioures, Sagalin-Ula, the Black river. This lafl denomination perhaps led fome e 3 writers Iviii INTRODUCTION. writers to imagine that the Ikar, or Ikran-Muran of Abulgafi, were the fame that Marco Paolo calls Kara- Muran, and that both were the Ikar of Abulgafi. Were we to allow this Kara-Muran and the Ikar of Abulgafi to be one and the fame river, yet they are not the Amur, Marco Paolo mentions fuch things of his Kara-Muran as are impoffible to be reconciled with the Amur, He fays *, along that river are built many towns that carry on a confi- derable trade ; and about its mouths is the fleet of the great khan, con- fifting of 15,000 vefTels. Now both thefe circumftances are falfe * Marco Paolo, lib. ii. cap. 31. 52. refpeding I NT ROD Oct I ON. liX refpecling the Amur ; but may be faid with feme abatement of the Hoang-ho. If we add to thefe accounts the relation in Abulgali ^, that Ugu- dai, the fon and fuccelTor of Tfchin- gis-khan, made an irruption into Kitai, and laid iiege to a town on the ftiore of the Kara-Muran ; then it follows, that, as Kitai is the northern part of China, the Kara- Muran muft neceflarily be the Hoang ; which agrees likewife with the expeditions of the Ogotai, who carried on no wars but in the northern China f , * Abulgafi, p. 357. -f That Abulgafi calls one river by two names, Ikar and Kara-Muran, affords no proof c 4 againft IX INTRODUCTION. That the Kara-Muran of Marcq Paolo is the Hoang-ho, feems to need np farther proof. Father Gaubil, who knew China as tho- roughly as his native country, and againfl our opinipn. He colledted his chro- nicle from a number of Mongolian and Per- iian writers, whom he found to give two names to one thing, and took no trouble to in- quire more minutely into the matter. Nothing is more common than for two nations to call the fame river or place bv different names. It happens even to a fingle nation. For in- llance, the Chinefe, at different times, and in different fituations, give various names to their towns, provinces, &c. obfcuring their hiftory by that means to fuch a degree, that it is impoflible for the mofl attentive reader to purfue it regularly without a regifter of thefe different denominations. Pere Gaubil's Jiiftory of the Mongolian dynafties affprds many proofs of this alfertion. who INTRODUCTION, Ixl who deferves more credit in this matter than all the writers before him, mentions, in three feveral paf- fages of his book -'', that the Kara- Muran of Marco Paolo is the Hoang- ho. Even the names Kara-Muran and Hoang-ho both fignify a turbid muddy river ; the former in the Mongolian, and the latter in the Chinefe language. And all tra- vellers affirm the Hoang-ho to be in reality of fuch a quality. Admitting it then for a fa6l, that the Kara-Muran and the Ikar-Muran are the fame river ; it cannot be the Amur, but the Hoang-ho. * PereGaubil, p. 63. 239. and 286. The Ixii INTRODUCTION. Thediftinguifliing cbaradlers ad- duced in favour of the Argun are equally applicable, indeed more fo, to the Hoang-ho. This latter river difcharges itfelf likewife into the ocean. The eight rivers w^hich, according to Abulgafi, take their rife in the territories of the Mon- gouls, are eaftward with refpe6t to the weftern Mongolian dominions, notvvithftanding they fall into the Hoang-ho. The other afTertion of Abulgafi, that a part of the Tartars fettled about the Ikar, and that the auxiliaries of the Mongouls affem- ble about the Onon in order to carry on from thence the war againft the rebellious Tartars, may be eafily reconciled INTRODUCTION. Ixiii reconciled with the Hoang-ho, by- only remembering what was men- tioned above, that the Tartars fixed not in one particular place, but in- habited feveral. Thefc conjeclures receive a very great fupport from the later accounts of the millionaries in China, who place the Uirats juft about the Ho- ang-ho, beyond Ortus. Thefe Uirats are, as was before obferved, the fore- fathers of the modern Kalmucs, who retired farther to the weft. By the general map in the Chinefe Atlas, we find the Tumets fome- wliat farther to the eaft than the Uirats. Thefe Tumets, according to Ixiv INTRODUCTION, to the Hiftory of Abulgafi % are defcendants of the Uirats, and therefore people of the fame origin. For both are fprung from the Mon-* gouls : not from thofe that inhabited the regions beyond the vafl fandy defert about the rivet Selenga, Or- chon, Tola, Kurulun, Sec. who were otherwife called Kalkas ; but from thofe who encamp between the de-^ fert and the Chinefe wall, over the provinces Schanfi and Petfcheli, and who, to diilinguin.! them from the former, are called the Yellow Mon-^ gouls, or only Mongouls, without any addition. According to the * Abulgafi, p. 114. mif' INTRODUCTION. IXV miflionaries -, the whole number of thefe Mongouls, Hving under the Chinefe fceptre, is compre- hended within 49 ftandards. / Du Halde, torn. Iv. p. 71. SEC- lx\i INtRODlJCt iOl^. SECTION VL * Of the TsongAKes. THESE inhabitants of thJ regions from north to foiith between Siberia and the greater and leffer Bucharia, and from eaft to weft from the Altaian mountains to the Kalkas Mongouls, are a branch of the Uirats, and are governed by their own independent fovereigns. They extend weftward to the re- gions along the river Hi, which flows into a lake among the Altaian mountains on the' frontiers of Tur- keftan *. * Souciet, Obfervatlons Mathematiques, torn. I. p. 14a. Paris, 1729, 4to. Da Halde, torn. I INTRODUCTION. IxvU This nation, once fo formidable to the Chinefe, has been either de- Itroyed or difperfed fince the year 1757 by their own civil dillen- tions and the intrigues of the Chi- nefe. Their country is now a de- But let us refume our firft in- quiry, and endeavour to fix the time when they came firft from the torn. iv. p. 54. Abulgafi, p. 65. Soucict places the vveftern fituatlon of the mountain Altai in 46 degrees 20 minutes latitude, and 20 degrees 20 minutes longitude weft of Pekin. The fituation of the lake Palkafi, into which the river Hi is faid to difcharge it- fclf, he fixes in 46 degrees 50 minutes latitude, and 37 degrees 40 minutes longitude to the weft of Pekin. frontiers Ixviii introduction; frontiers of China into the defert and about the Hi. ' It feems highly probable that it happened under the great revolu- tion efFedted by Tfchingis-khan, when the principal part of the na- tions he fubdued were totally exter- minated to make room for the con- querors ^'. , ^ i... ... Dfir The khans of the Kalmucs, and probably others of their chiefs, de- * This may be feen from the ixth part of Abulgafi's hiftory, where we meet with na- tions dwelling near the Cafpian fea about the Oxus and the laxartes, or in the Kapfchak regions, PeriSa, Bagdat, &c. which people lived before the inroads of Tfchingis-khan in Mongalia, and were even Mongouls. fcended ilSfTRODUCTION. Ixix fcended in a diredt line fron Tfchin- gis-khan. At leaft Kaldan [Bafchtu- khan, as Du Halde always calls him], who fubdued the Mongonls^ and was himfelf defeated afterwards in a war againft the Chinefe em- peror, claimed his defcent from Tfchingis. The Mohammedan Tar- tars difpute this honour with their enemies the Eluts ; but the latter have greater probability ,on their fide. For this we know from the Chinefe hiflory, that Mangho, the fon of Tolei, ufurped the Mongolian throne, contrary to the regulation of Ogotai-khan -. This irregular behaviour difgufted feveral princes * Pere Gaiibil, Hid. de la dynaflie des Mongoux, p. 98. 106. 112. f of IXX INTRODUCTION. of the family of Ogotai, who op- pofed him, but fo ineffedually, that they were exiled by Mangho, either to Bifchbalig^ or about the region of the Irtifch. Of thefe exiled princes, one efpecially deferves to be no- ticed, namely, Haitu^ who founded a confiderable ftate in the country of Almalig. This prince, having perfuaded the chiefs of all the neighbouring tribes, as well as thofe who were encamped eaftwards and northwards from the Altaian moun- tains, to become of his party, carried on a war of more than 30 years againft the two Ghinefe khans, Hu- pilai and Timur. We avoid making here a large digreffion to fix the true lituation of Bifchbalig and Al- tNTRODUCTION. IxXl Jiialig *. It will be fufficient to re- mark, that thefe princes were ba^ nifhed into the country of the t)fon- garian Kalmucs, where they raifed their troops in the war againft the Chinefe. From thefe refearches we find that the Dfongarian princes, thinking themfelves defcendants of Tfchingis-khan> muft derive their * Galibil, p. 35 & 126, afferts, that Bifch-i balig lay to the north of Turfan, and Almalig to the weft of Bifchbalig. It feems that the tradt of land, at prefent called the LelTer Bu- caria, was ftiled in antient times Kafchgar and Almalig. He adds, that Almalig was crouded \^^ith Mohammedans. The Lefler Bucharia, Turfan, and Chamul, were already Moham- medans before Tfchingis-khan ; and no Mo- hammedans are to be met with in the envi- rons of thefe countries, to the north, eaft, and fouth* f ^ genealogy Ixxii INTRODUCTION. genealogy from thefe exiled princes of the family of Ochotai. Gaubil and Souciet are miftaken in deriving the Kalkas princes from Tfchingis- khan, and the Elutian princes from Timur. Du Halde - makes the fa- mily of the Elutian khan Kaldan to be defcended as well from Timur as from Tfchingis-khan ; and this by taking it for granted that Timur was of the family of Tfchingis. Thus far is certain, that both Tfchin- gis-khan and Timur-Bek had one common anceltor in Tumenah- khan t. * Tom. iv. p. 31. ^ This Tumcnah had two fons. Kill and Fadfchuli [Abulgafi, p. 152 & 399, calls them Kabull'and Katzuli], the former of whom was the great grand father of Tfchin- - gis.; INTRODUCTION. Ixxiii gis ; and the latter the feventh great grand- father of Timur. [D'Herbelot, artic. Gen- ghis-khan]. We find by the Chinefe annals, that Timur married a princefs of the family of the laft Mongolian emperor of China Schnnti. [Gaubil, p. 271.] This relation be- ing true, Schunti mufl either not have been emperor of China ; or Timur, not having yet ufurped the fovereignty, was accordingly of no authority. For Schunti fled to Tartary in . the year 1368; and the reign ofTicbingis lafted 3'5 years, he died in 1405. [Gaubil. p. 316. com. with Abulgafi, p. 405.J But it leems that Timur married the daughter of Sclumri after the death of her father, in order to get a pretext for attacking China, and wrefling it -out of the hands of the founder of the new dynafly of Ming. f 3 SEC- Ixxiv INTRODUCTION. SECTION VII, Of the Religion of the Kalmucs cind. MoNGouLs. FORMERLY both the Kalmucs and Mongonls profefled the rehgion of the Schamans. This they after- wards changed for that of Tibet and Tungut, or the religion of Da- lai Lama. In the interior regions of the eaft, three religions prevail ; which inuft be carefully diflinguilhed froni each other. Thefe are the Scha^ piane^ the Brahmine^, and the relir gioA INTRODUCTION. IxXV gion of Lama. That of the Scha- mans is the oldeft religion in India of which we have any account. It is mentioned by Strabo, Clemens Alexandrinus, and Porphyry. The firft of whom calls them Germa- nians^ the fecond Sarmanians^ and the third Samanians, Its followers cultivated philofophy ; and the Brahmans themfelves confefs that they are indebted to them for their fcience : and they read the writings of thefe Schamans juft as we read the Greek and Latin authors. Yet the Brahmans perfecuted their pre- ceptors, and flopped not till they had forced them to fly. Inlbmuch that for fix hundred years pail: we no longer find any traces of them f 4 on Ixxvi INTRODUCTION, on the other fide of the river Ganges '' All the religions that continue to prevail on the other fide of the Ganges, feem derived from the Schamane, Even the religion of Lama is nothing more than a rer formed Schamanifm. The oldScha- mans had nothing certainly fixed as to the origin pf their gods, or the time, quality, or perlbns of the fuc- cefiion. Among the Lamaites one god fucceeds to another, in an unr interrupted feries, in the perfon of their Lama. The religion of the ancient Mon- gouls fprang likewife from that of * Hiiloire du Chriflianiliiie des Indes par M. de la Croze, liv. xvii. the INTRODUCTION. Ixxvii the Schamans. But thefe barbarians being deltitute of all writing, this religion could only be propagated by oral tradition. As for the Bu- rats, Jakutes, and the heathen Tar- tars, their religion refembles that of the ancient Mongouls ; but it is without any coherence, and fo mutilated, that it would be very difficult to colledl from its fragments any fort of fyftem of the old Scha- mans. We are able to trace the name of the god of the ancient Schamans, in- deed, in the denomination of the chief goddefs of the Siamefe and Pegu- ans, which is Sommona Kodom^\ * The Tartars call god Kutai, Chutai, or Gudai ; the Periians Khoda. SommoiL. Ko- dom fignlfies therefore probably the god of the Schamans, IXXviii INTRODUCTION. The Mongouls call this god Schi- gimuniy and the Kalmucs Scbaka- muni, or SchakScbimona, which laft , denomination muft be our guide in obtaining our knowledge of this deity, who can be no other than the well-known Schaka or Schekia^ who was born loiy years before the time of our Blefled Savour, and was called after his apotheofis Fo, PereGaubil, in hisHiftoire des Mon- goux, confefTes that he cannot dif- cover whence the name Fo takes its origin. It is true nothing certain can be adduced about it. But it feems highly probable, that Fo is the Bod or Budda of St. Jerome ; for neither the Tibetans, nor Mon- gouls, nor Kalmucs, have an F in their INTRODUCTION. Ixxix their language. Mr. D'Ahoille ob- ferves that Bod feems generally to fignify goddefs; and Bodtan, orBou- tan, a name given to the kingdom pf Tibet, fignifies Gad's^land. Of this name Budda, a great many traces are flill to be found in the countries of the Mongouls and of India. This god Sommona Kodom is likewife called Pouti-Sat^ i. e. The lord Pouti. The Burats call their priefls Bo, Wednefdiy is termed in all the languages of India Budda, In the Samfkret, or holy language of the Brahmans, that day is named Budda-waram : in that of Qt^lon ^ Budda-dina : in that of Siara, Fan-pout: and in the Malabarian .language, Buden-kirumei. Ail IXXX INTRODUCTlbN. All thcfe names are the appellatives of one and the fame god. The inha* bitants of the kingdom of Leao have an academy, to which the priefts of Siam refort for the acquifition of their knowledge. Thefe call their principal god indifferently either Budda^ Somjnona Kodom, or Schaka. In Tibet, this divinity has ftill an- other name, La, Perhaps the name of La may as alfo that of the king- dom Leao itfelf, are derived from this denomination of the deity. The lignification of the word Schaman is differently explained by three learned men. Our country- man, Mr. Thomas Hyde, interprets it a figbin^ or fobbing man. Kaempfer INTRODUCTION. Ixxxl Kaempfer* explains it by a man zmthout pajfions, M. de la Loubere, an ingenious and very learned man, who travelled to Siam, tells us, that it lignifies in the Balian, or holy language of the Siamefe, a man liv- ing in the woods ; a hermit. The laft of thefe interpretations may very well be reconciled with what Clemens Alexandrinus relates of his Sarmanes. *' They are her- *^ mits," he fays, ^' and live neither " in towns nor houfes : they cover " their body with the bark of trees, " and eat nothing but wild fruits. " Their drink is only water, which * HiHoire du Japon, torn. I. p. 46. Amft, 1732, i6% " they IXXXii INTRODUCTION. " they fcoop from the brook in tlie *^ hollow of their hands, Sec." In the fame manner M. de la Loubere very ingenioufly explains the word Scbaka, He derives it from the Siamefe word l^chau-ka^ my lord, the ufual title of the Talapoins or priefts of Siam. Schaman and Tala- poin mean the fame, the former in the Balian, and the other in the common language of the Siamefe, SEC INTRODUCTION. IXXxiil SECTION VIIL Of the Religion of Tibet ; or, of the Dalai Lama. WE have like wife only obfcure and confufed accounts of the religion of thefe people; and the miflionaries relate numberlefs abfurdities, both as to its origin and its dogmas. The monk Rubruquis feems to have had fome knowledge of them ''. But, fpeaking likewife of the Neftorian chriftians (who have even a bifliop refident in the Kitaian town Segin -f), * Voyage de Rubruquis, chap, xxvi, XXV iii. -f- Rubruquis, chap, xxviii. p. 60. & chap, xlvii. p. 125. Marco Paolo mentions likewife a Kitaian town Sin-gui [the termination gut is the Chinefe dfchu], and that a part of the inhabitants were Neftorian Chriflians. and IxXXiv INTRODUCtlOlS^. and of another fort of idolaters whoni he calls theTuinianS''*,he confounds the three together. Carpini t, another monk, who travelled before Ru- bruquis to the great hord of the Tartars, reprefents the Uigures as chriftians of the Neftorian fe6l. The JefuitGaubil aflerts the fame thing |. * Rubruquis, chap. xlv. aflures us the Tuinians were idolaters. But, what is extra- ordinary, in the very fame chapter he affirms, that the Tuinians were addifted to the fed: of the Manicheans. The Oriental chriftians often call Manes Al Thenaoui, and his fedt Al The- naouiah ; which word fignifies the doftrine of the two principles. See D'Herbelot, Bib- lioth. Orient, art. Mani, Hence it feems pro* bable, that thefe Tuinians are Manicheans. f- Carpini, Voyage, art. v, p. 40. \ Obfervations Mathematiques, &C. pub- liees par le pere Souciet, torn. i. p. 224. D'Herbelot, Biblotheque Orientale, art. Jgur. Uigur is called, according to the Chinefe geography, Turfan, 3 All tNTkOBUCtlON. IXXXV All thefe writers urianimdufly affert^ that Chriftianity was difle- hiinatedoverTongert, China, among the Mongouls^ and even in the fa- mily of their khans. But it is no eafy matter to make thefe teftimo- nies accord with the prefent ftate of thofe countries. For we find not the leaft trace of Chriflianity there- in, except among fuch as have been converted perhaps by the Jefuits in Chma in modem times. On th^ contrary, the religion of Lama pre- vails much at Tongut, in fome kingdoms of India, in Mongolia, among the Eluts, and alfo in China. . It feems therefore probable, that the Neftorian monks in former time g niight IXXXVi INTRODUCTION. might have vifited thefe regions. But, in procefs of time, as their priefts became more and more ig- norant, as well as remoter from other Ghriftians, Chriftianity became likewife more and more corrupted, till at length it vanifhed quite away, or was abforbed in the religion of i^ama. -^ '-' *- ^ This religion feems not to be of a very antient date. It is a mix- ture of the fuperftition of the old Schamans with the Chriilian re* ligion. From the Schamans it retained Fo and the metemp- fychofis : from Chriftianity it pro- bably took its ceremonies and ha- bits. Several INTRODUCTION. Ixxxvii Several learned writers derive the ceremonial of the religion of Lama from the Indians, and that from the Egyptians : as it is thought that the ceremonies of the Egyp- tians were fpread almoft over the face of the whole earth. From all which we fhall only obferve, that in the remoteft ages the Egyp- tians had no other phyficians than their priefts. This cuftom obtained likewife amongft the Syrians' and Hebrews. Afa firft ufed the af- fiftance of proper phyficians, and was reproved for it-'-. The fame * " And Afa, in the thirty and ninth year of his reign, was difeafed in his feet, until his difeafe was exceeding great : yet in his difeafe he fought not to the Lord, but to the phy- ficians." 2 Chron. xvi. 12. g 2 cuftom IXXXVJii INTRODUCTIONr cuftom prevailed in India and over all the Eaft. The antient Tartars and Mongouls had no other phy- ficians than their priefts. And we find it fo at prefent among all the favage nations of Siberia, and even in America. It feems very pro- bable that the earlier Chriflians took fome ceremonies from the neighbouring nations; and perhaps all the rites and ceremonies among different nations that are very fimilar to each other came ori- ginally from the religion of the Egyptians ^'% * The priefts of .^Egypt Ihaved their head and wore linen garments. Martial, epigram, xii, 29. Juvenal, fat. vi. lin. 533. Qui grege linigero circumdatus, et grege calvo Plangentis populi currit derifor Anubis. ' ^ Kaemp- INTRODUCTION. IXXXix Ksempfer ^' labours much to make it probable, that the founder of the religion of Fo was an Egyp- tian. But he feems to be in the wrong: and his conjecture would have been more probable, if he had put the religion of the Brah- mans inftead of that of Fo. It might furnifh matter of dif- pute between the Indians and ^Egyptians which of them were the elder nation. If Shuckford's con- jecture could be proved true, that Mount Ararat, on which the ark of Noah refted, is one of thofe mountains which form the nor- * Hilloire du Japon, torn. I. p. 31. 34. g 3 thern XC INTRODUCTION. thern frontier of India, it would be a great argument in favour of the Indians. Several writers endeavour to prove likewife, that the Perfian magi received tlieir knowledge and their religion from the Indians^'. And indeed as the -Egyptians and the Brahmans have fo great a fimi- larity in their manner of life, po- lice, tenets, and religious cere- monies, one nation certainly tran- fcribed from the other. But the queflion is, which nation received them from the other ? Some arts, as well as fome of the doctrines of the philofophers, came from India to Europe, as the game of chefs, the art of reckoning with ten * Ammlan. Marcellin. lib. xxiii. cyphers, INTRODUCTION. Xci cyphers, Democritus's do6lrine of atoms, the metempfychofis, &c. which laft was received Hkewife by the ^Egyptians. Pythagoras brought this dodlrine from India, not from ^gypt. Eu- febius, in his Chronicle, relates that about four hundred years after the birth of Abraham, which happened a hundred and twenty years before the going out of Mgypt, there came a fwarm of Ethiopians from the river Indus, and fettled in the neighbourhood of Egypt. We here fee that the Indians made a voyage by water to Egypt; but we find no accounts that the Egyp- tians ever made fuch an one. g 4 ThQ XCU INTRODUCTION, The -Egyptians, on the contraryu may alledge x\\e expeditions of Oli-^ ris, Bacchus, and Sefollris, For, notwithftanding thefe events are mixed with fables, the moft abfurd relations have ye^ fome certain foundation in truth, which we ^e not capable of thoroughly de^ veloping. It may be that fome Egyptians emigrated likewife tq India, in order to avoid the cruel treatment of the Periian king Cam- byfes. At leaft the hiftory of man- kind feems to fupport this conjec-r ture; for the limits of every religion have always be^?i extended as often as it has been perfecuted. There INTRODUCTION* XCIU There are two perfonages that have for feveral centuries been very famous in the world, Prefter John and Dalai Lama. Three travellers, Carpini, Rubruquis, and Marco Pa- olo, firfl: made Europe acquainted with Prefter John, but they all have different opinions about him. The firft reprefents him as an In- dian king; the fecond as a Chrif- tian king of the Tartarian hord Naiman, whom he believed to be like wife Chriftians. But both their accounts are certainly wrong. The Portuguefe having found a way to India by fea round Africa, (Jifcovered a certain Chiiftian prince in XciV INTRODUCTION, in Abyflinia, whom they took for Prefter John, notwithftanding the three before-mentioned travel- lers had placed him, not in Africa, but in the remoteft parts of the Eaft, in the neighbourhood of China. This circumllance they overlooked. But we mufl firfl proceed to give fome accounts of Dalai Lama. He lives in a pagoda on the mountain Potala,which, according to the Jefuit Gaubil, is under 29 6' northern la- titude, and 25 5 8' weftern longitude fromPekin*. >^ /*._..> His followers explain the nature of his immortality in the following * See Du Halde, Defer iption de la Chine, et de la Tartaric Chinoife, torn. IV. p, 122. 125. manner: INTRODUCTION. XCV manner: that his foul, after the death of his body, paffes into ano- ther human body which is born exacSlly at that time, and this man is the new Dalai Lama ^\ Almoft all the nations of the Eaft, except the Mohammedans, be- lieve the metempfychofis as the moft important article of their faith ; efpecially the Indians, the inhabi- tans of Tibet, and Ava, the Pe- guans, Siamefe, Mongouls, all the Kalmucs, and the greatefl part of the Ghinefe and Japanefe. Ac- cording to the dodrine of the me- * Others relate, that they keep a young man in the pagoda during the life of the Da- lai Lama, who is to fucceed him. 2 tempfychofis, CVi INTRODUCTION. tempfychofis, the foul is always in action, and never at reft; for no fooner does fhe leave her old habi- tation but fhe enters a new one. The Dalai Lama being a divine perfon, he can find no better lodg- ing than the body of his fuccefTor ; or, properly not the foul, but the Fo refiding in the Dalai Lama which pafTes into his fuccefTor: and this being a god to whom all things are known*, the Dalai Lama therefore is acquainted with every thing that happened during his refidence in the former body. Thus, at leaft, the thinking people of that religion would perhaps explain their me^ tempfychofis. The far greater part * Du Halde, torn. IV. p. 573. 3 of INTRODUCTION, XCvix of the worlhipers of Lania, how- ever, do not require reafon and ar- guments for what they beHeve; but take all in a literal fenfe, and examine no farther ; having the fame notion of the Lama as the Mongouls had of the Pope'-. Prefter John, of whom we hav& fpoken above, in like manner gave rife to many conjectures ; the greateft part of which are fo im- probable as not to deferve refuta- tion. We will begin therefore at once by that method which feems * Rubruquis fays, that in his travels to the Greater Tartary, he was afked by fcveral Mon- gouls whether the Pope was really five hun- dred years old. to XCVm INTRODUCTION. to promife the beft elucidation of the matter. The name Pretre Jean, or Juan, was miftakenly heard by the firft Europeans that vilited thefe region?. And their fancy working upon it, formed many extravagant ideas which were received and cherifhed in Europe. Thefe travellers per- ceived a certain refemblance between the found of a word in the Mongo- lian and Tibetan languages with that of a French, Italian, and Portuguefe word, Unufed to the ftudy of lan- guages, they imagined that fuch words as had a limilar found muft have likewife the fame fignification .dIo 10{ tin.. 03 INTRODUCTION. Xcix in the language of Tibet and of the Mongouls which they bore in fome of the European. This idea being once received, many fantaftical ety- mologies and fables naturally arofe, as that about a certain Indian Jo- hannes Prefbyter, Sec. Among all the etymologies, that of Scaliger* feems to be the moft probable. This name, according to his opinion, came from India, and properly was Prefte Jehan [Preftq Giani; for Gehan in the Periian and Indian languages fignifies the world\ which is as much as to fay, a mejjenger of the world', or an uni^ * De cmendatione temporum, p. 637. verfal C INtR0DUCTI6^^* verfal apojile. The Nefloriaii pa- taiarchs always appropriated to them- felves the pompous title of Catho- Licus*, which fignifies,as every one knows, almofl the fame thing. Now, if we can admit that the mi^ lionaries of the Neflorians came into thefe countries (which almoft every competent judge in fuch matters will allow) then the Nellorian pa- triarch and Prefter John are one perfon ; at leaft according to the rules of etymology. And this Pref- ter John being a Ghriftian, he muft ^ave been the Catholicus of the * See Differtation de la predication de la foi Chretienne a la Chine, par M. Renaudot, dans les anciennes relations des Indes, et de la Chine, p. 238, & feqq. Nefto- INTRODUCTION. ci Neftorians ; or perhaps only a biftiop fent by the CatholicUSj who in thefe diftant regions aflumed a greater title than was ftridly due to him. In the purfuit of thefe enquiries w^ fliail find this Prefler John^ or this Neflorian Gatholicus, to be like- wife one and the fame with the Dalai Lama. Preiler johri was heard^of earlier than the Dalai Lama. In the country bf the Mongouls, where Prefter John is faid to have formerly re- fided, they knew nothing about a Dalai Lama before the time of Ka- juk-khan, one of the defcendents of h Tfchingis- Cll .INTRODUCTION. Tichingis-khari'-. Among the Eu- ropeans, Pere Andrada is one of the fir'ft who mentions him, about the yeat 16244, and Bernier fpeaks of him as of a ft range novelty |. i; ? It- deferves tos be remarked, that the old writers, whilft they tak-e notice of the Neftorians and Prefter John, fay not a fyllable of the Da- lai Lama. But no fooner are they became acquainted with the Dalai Lama, than they ceafe: all mei^tion of Prefter.John and the Neftprians j^. Mongolia and Tibet, nrloT ^ Rubrifquis, chap. xix. Marco *Faolt7/ Uk-c. 5i;''XJAubiVp. 105. & f4gv:. ; ^n'nO . t yo^:ages, vol. II. p. 30^* All INTRODUCTION. ClU All thefe circumftances feem fuf- ficently to prove that the Catholi- cus, Prefte Gehan, and Dalai-, are only one perfon. The foregoing accounts, with thofe which will appear in the fup- picment at the end of the fourth volume of this work, may be con- lidered as a critical excurlion on the Mongolian hittory, and the religion of Tibet. But all thefe accounts, no lefs than fuch as are to be met with in other authors, would be frill 'more imperfe6l, had not Mr. Pallas * Dalai, in the language of the Mongouls, fignifies ^fea, or ocean, and in a metaphorical fignification an immenjc dijlance* h 2 latel y civ INTRODUCTION. lately favoured the world with a work in the German tongue, which defer ves the attention of every man deliro\is of purfuing his enquiries into the hiftory of Alia, into the manners and religions of nations. Mr. profefTor Pallas, of the Im- perial Academy of Sciences at St. Peterfburg, travelled through many parts of the immenfe Ruffian em^ pire^'. His difcoveries in natural hiftory, * Let us hear a general defcription of Ruf- fia and its Inhabitants, given by an elegant Scotch writer at the beginning of the laft cen- tury, and which feems accurate enough for the times in which he wrote : ** Ultra Polo- '' niam Ruffia jacet, qtiam obtinet Mofcovl. " tarum princeps, Nomen Imperio ab urbe " Mofco eft : quam illius Ruflise caput mul- " titudo INTRODUCTION. CV hiflory, and his great merit in other branches of fcience, fecure him the efleem titudo ineolarum & habitatlo regum fecit. Ab oceano ad Cafpium mare immenfo tradtii patet. Diverfis lateribus Polonis Suedifque confinis ell. In aliis ejus limitibiis Tartar! h^reait. Longo frigore, & penetrabiH, dam- nata eft. Vix profecflo jam vere redditur terra, qiiam nives opprefierant. Inde 2eftas graviffime incumbit, & quafi red imeret mo- ras quas longa hiems fecit, fubito, a^flu per- coquit frudtus, non tamen ad nftrarum ar- borum felicitatem. Pene fupra fidcm eft, ibi quoque pepones maturefcere, quibiis apud nos non fiagrarites modo foles qua;- riinter, fed & f^epe repetiti. Crebr^e filvse campos attoUunt; in iis pretiof;:^ pellibus (erx ; cevx etiam copia, atque mellis; & hinc priecipuum in ilHs regionibus mcrca- tiirse commejcium. Multi incolse funt, nc(pic tamen pro terrarum amplitiidinc, quas poffidcnt. h 3 " Scrviluti CVi INTRODUCTION. efteem of every one that has candour and juftice enough to give honour to *' Servituti gens nata, ad omne libertatis *' veftigium ferox eft ; placida, fi prematur*, *' Neque abnuunt jngum. Ultro fatentur *' principi fe fervire, illi in fuas opes, in cor- " pora, vitamque jus effe. Sordidioris reve- '' rentise humilitas Turcis non eft in fuorum *' Ottomanorum fceptrum. Ceteras quoque <* gentes ex fuo genio a^ftimant. Hofpites> '* live forte, live confilio in Morcoviam ad- " vedtos, in idem jugum damnant, & fervire ''fuo principi volunt: fi quos furtim abe- " untes retraxerunt, ut fugitives pledhint, *' Magnatibus, licet ipfi ferviunt, in minores ** fuus faftus eft : & vulgus horuni maxime '' fupercilium timet. '' Fertur populus adeo literarum rudis cfk, *' ut pauci inter illos vulgatiffimas preces mC' *' moria teneant quibus Numen propitiamus. ** Bello quam otio aptiorcs : & plerumque in ** armis funt : five quo Tartarorum impetum ** frangant. INTRODUCTION. GVU to a gcnivis rarely equalled; at the fame time that his readinefs at comr municatioa ^^ frangant, five alio limke Polonos laceffunt, ** aut repellunt: Ifta quoque setate civilibus ^' odiis inter fc ccrtaverunt. Acies illis ^x ** cquitibus tota: pedile ideo vix utuntur, '' quod omnium beliorum momenta in celeri- '* tate conllituunt : magno impetu vel impref- '* fionem adorti vel fugam. Sed ubi pavere f inceperunt, ad defperationem quoque ver- *' tuntur. Adeo ut ex prselio fugientes, fi af- " fequitur hoftis, nihil aufi repugnare, ita fe " vid:oribus dcdant, ut ncc mortem depre- '' centur. Cafligandis furtis remifli funt: ta- " men prsedones ultimo fupplicio ulcifcuntur. " Gens eft cauta, nedtendifque fraudibus apta; ** neque ignorant, ideo mercatoribus fe fuf- " pedos : quos ut placabiliores habeant, in- *' terdum in mutuis commerciis aliam pa- " triam fibi fingunt. Perpotandi ftudium acre " eft, & practcr patrios potus ne quidem ad- *' ved:a vina. dcfunt. " Uxoribus CViii INTRODUCTION. munication and fweetnefs of difpo-^ iition render him the delight of all his acquaintance. This " Uxoribus longa captivitas, quas domi fe- " rio continent, dignas quoque majoribns ** malis : adeo fervilibus fupra fidcm ingeniis ** demiflas efle aiunt. Virorum in fe bene- *' volentiam ex verberum numero leflimant ; " nunquam melius fuo judicio habitze quam ** cum in feva ingenia inciderunt. Quidam ** e Germania in Mofcoviam mlgraverat^ vir ** e plebe, & fi nomen in tantilla re placet, ** lordanes dicebatur, Hsefit er^o in ilia re- ** gione, & cum fibi ex fedes placerent, inde ** etiam duxit uxorem. Hanc cum caram " haberet, omnibufque officiis mutuam gra- " tiam afFedtaretjilladejedtis luminibus moefta, * crebro in fingultibus & ceteris, mcerentis " animi indiciis erat. Viro denique fcifcitanti " moeflitiffi caufam ; fe enim nullis, quod ** fciret, amicitias muneribus defuiffe ; quid *' tu, inquit mulier, tam cgregie fingis amo- ** rem ? Num putas latere me, quam tibi vilis fim ? INTRODUCTION. GIJ^ This indefatigable refeaixher, tra- velling about the Volga, among the Kalmucs of thofe parts, and flaying '* fim ? iimulque largos gemitiis cccplt eflTuii- *' dere. Ille attonitus, in amplexus moeren- '^ tern recepit, rogare perfeverans, numquid *' earn offendiflet ; peccavifle fe forfitan, fed " cuipam emendatione deleturum. Ad hsec " ilia, ubi aiitem fimt verbefa, inquit, quibus ** te amare docuifli ? hoc certe potiffimum " pa(fto, maritorum in uxores apud nos be- '* nevolentia & cura fancitur. Hoc a Jordane '^ auditOjprimumflupor continuit rifum; mox " utroque vanefcente, e re fua efle putavit, ut " uxorem eo modo haberet, quern ipfa pras- " fcripferat ; nee miilto port arripuit csedendac *' mulicris caufam: & ilia fuftibus mitigata, *' turn primum bona fide amare & colere vi- ** rum coepit. Nee tenuit ille modum, fed " jam ferior quam mifera conjunx optaflet, ad *' extremum grandi i(ftu dicitur hujus etiam ^* crura & cervicem affiixifle," fome tit INTRODUCtl-ON. fome time in the parts circumjacent to Salenginfk and the countries in- habited by the Burats, endeavoured to coUedt upon the fpot the tradi- tions handed down among this peo- ple, to gatlier the different annals written in the Mongolian language^ and to obferve every thing that re- lated to them. All this he efFeded In that fpirit of judicious enquiry for which he is fo remarkable. In the year 1766, he publiflied the firft volume of the work above alluded to, under the title of Sam- lungen hiflorifcher nachrichten ueber die Mongolifchen volkerjchaften, This volume contains refearches into the hiftory, the phylical and civil ftate, iNTRODucTioisr; cxi ftate, of this primitive nation of Alia. The fecond volume, not yet pub- lifhed, but which will foon appear, is to contain an invefligation and ex- planation of the religion of Tibet to which the Mongolian nations now adhere ; a work that will enrich the ftock of human knowledge with difcoveries, the greateft part entirely new, and which no perfon in Eu- rope, except Mr. Pallas, is able t communicate. St, Peterjbiirgy oa. 15, o. s. 1779. ' THE Tbt Rtadtr ivill txtufe^ and torrtSl^ the follonuing Errors : P. 6. note^ 1. II. r. ^* /chrit/hubeor fcbreit/hube,^* ^. 7. notct 1. 2. r. * Olennie Tungufians,** P. 1 1. /!/? that all thefe fmall nations are only branches of the Finn'ijh Jlocki is well founded* B2 THE 4 FINNISH NATIONS. THE LAPLANDERS- TH E Laplanders call themfelves by the name of *Same, or Some ; and their country, Sameandna, or Sameladde. They occupy that territory which reaches beyond the gulf of Bothnia to the north, between the weflern part of the North-fea, and the eaft- ern part of the White-fca. This country is lituated, according to the Ruffian Atlas, be- tween the 69th and the 75th degree of north- ern latitude, cpmprehending, on the northern- moft fide of it, the frozen Alps, or Alps of Snow. Thefe Alps compofe the fummit of that chain of mountains called Severnoi, whofe declivity towards the eafl and fouth confills of lower mountains, deferts, forefts, fenns, and lakes. The frontiers of Norway, Sweden, and Ruffia, unite here in fuch a manner, that Swediih Lapland * occupies the fouthern divifion, which is the largeft. * Called alfo The Lapland Marches, or The LapuKirlss. Ruffian THE LAPLANDERS. 5 Ruffian Lapland is fituated in the eaftern part of the country. Northern Lapland, which is the fmalleft divifion of it, extends the whole length of that chain of high moun- tains, on their northern fide. ''''f-'' The people of this laft divifion, as well as their climate, are too rude, and their man- ner of living too hard, to admit of their bcr coming numerous in proportion to the extent of their territory. Ruffian Lapland is about a thoufand verfts * in diameter, and yet conr tains no more than twelve hundred national families. Norwegian or Danifti Lapland is confiderably lefs extenfive ; and Swedilh Lap- land, on the contrary, much larger, in which are cantons more civilized ; and yet their population is not greater. The Laplanders are a Finnifh race. Six centuries ago they were c2.\\cdSnde'.Finnas -f, which * A verft is little more than three quarters of an Englifli mile. t The Hon. Daines Harrington, whofe name muft be mentioned with pleafure by every lover of curious inquiry, has fubjoined to his tranllation of JE.\t'vcd's Qrofius a few notes by the learned Dr. Forfter. In B 3 one 6 FINNISH NATIONS. \diich is to fay, vagabond or wandering Finns, It is more than probable, that the original Finns fepa- :: r^iri ^ one of thefe the latter gentleman obferves, that Scriie'- Finnas are the fame nation with the Finnas mentione4 by Ohthere in his narrative to king Alfred. And a4ds : *' The anonymous geographer of Ravenna di- vides the Fionas into the Scerdefenos, and the Rede* fencs ; i. e. fuch as ufe only fnow-fhoes, and fuch as have fledgfts drawn by rein-deer ; for fcriden in the ancient northern languages, zXidJchreiten in the modern German, fignify tojirlde, to walk with long and accele- rated (leps : from thence the Germans derive the word in Ikating they make long ftrides ; and as thefnow-fhoes, employed by the Efkimaux in America, by the Lap- landers in the north of Europe, and many other na- tions in the north of Afia, not only aflift them in walking ovpr the deep fnow, by preventing their fink- ing in, but alio accelerate their motion ; it is highly probable, that the Finnas obtained their name fronx thence, efpecially as the Finnas here mentioned are the anceftors of the Laplanders, or inhabitants of Finnmarck, as the Danes call that countiy: thofe Einnas who had vehicles, rhedasy drawn by rein-deer, were the igcond branch of them, and therefore called rtdefeni. The divifion is very natural ; fome of this n,atioh had tame rein -deer, lived upon their milk and flefh, and ufed them to draw their fledges t fomc Others fubfifled chiefly upon hunting, fowling, and finding; and therefore were obliged to make ufe of ihoxv fcred-Jhoes, or fnow-Jhoes, in order thus to over- take the animals they hunted. Such denominations are not fo very uncommon. In the north-eafl: part of Siberii THE LAPLANDERS. 7 feparated by emigration, to feek a kindef -climate and a better life. This nation had dwelt among their mountains from the re- moteft antiquity, and had princes of their own ; but the Swedes made themfelves maf- Vers of it ; and at prefent there are no fami- lies among them that pretend to nobility. The Laplanders are of a middling ftature. They have generally a flattifh face, fallen cheeks, dark grey eyes, thin beard, brown hair, are well-built, ftraight, and of a yel- lowlfh complexion, occafioned by the wea- ther, the fmoke of their habitations, and their habitual filthinefs. Their manner of life renders them hardy, agile, and fupple ; but, at the fame time, much inclined to lazi- Hefs. They have plain common fenfe, are Liberia is the nation of the Tungufians, divided into the Konnie Tungufians, the Klennie Tungufians, and the Sabatchki Tungufians, becaufe thefe difterent branches of that people have either horfes, rein-deer, or dogs, for their beafts of draught, &c." I quote this remark chiefly for its accuracy ; and have nothing to atld to it. As etymologies depend greatly on tafte and opinion, the reader will take either that in the text or this in the remark. B 4 peace- 8 F.INNISH NATION^ peaceable, obedient to their fuperiors,. not given to theft, not fickle, chearful in compa- ny* but miftruftful, cheats in commerce, proud of their country and conftitution, and have fo high a notion of it and of themfelves, that, when removed from the place of their nativityj they ufually die of the noftalgia, or longing to return. Their women are Ihort, complaifant, chafle, often well-made, and extremely nervous; which is alfo ob- fervable among the men, although more rarely. It frequently happens that a Lapland woman will faint away, or even fall into a fit of frenzy, on a fpark of fire flying towards her, an unexpected noife, or the fudden fight oF an uncommon objed:, though in its own ilature riot in the leaft alarming; in Ihort, at- the mod trifling things imaginable. During thefe paroxyfnis of terror, they deal about blows with the firft thing that' prefents itfelf; and, on coming to themfelves, are utterly ignorant of all that has pafled. In their familiar converfations, it is re- markable that the hearers often move their lips exactly as they do who fpeak. Their THE LAPLANDERS. 9 Their language is of Finnllh origin, and comprehends fo many diale(^s, that it is with difficulty they underftand each other. They pronounce all the fyllables with a hardnefs tiiat gives their fpngs a fort of howling ot barking found, which is very difagreeable. They have neither writing nor letters among them, but a number of hieroglyphics, which they make ufe of in their Rounes, a fort of flicks which they call Piftave, and which ferves them for an almanac "*. Thcfe hiero- glyphics are alfo the marks they ufe inftead of fignatures, even in matters of law. The Laplanders name the months after the productions of nature in the animal and ve- getable kingdoms. The month of May, for example, they call Tfche/mes, the month of frogs. Their manner of diftinguilhing the conftellations is ingenious. The Great Bear, for example, is named the Bow [Zouofka] ; * This feems the Runic Clog. See Dr. Plott'i Staffordfliire. they 10 FINNISH nation:?. they call the Pleiades, the Cattle's heart [Teioke] ; a comet [SeipixnalTe] a ftar with ^ tail. Numbers of them follow the ftudy of aftrology, and pretend to prophecy. Amongft the Laplanders the diftribution of ranks is founded on age and property. The defire of procuring the latter is their {Predominant paffion ; and hence it arifes that tfc^iJ"' few proceedings confift chiefly of dif- j^te'S' concerning inheritance, and intereft too often renders them inflexible to theprayers df the poof. As they dare not ufe a rein-deer that has on6e df^w'n a dead body, the interment even <^ a parent frequently caufes a long litigation among the children. A Laplander often' runs away, to avoid the.punifhment due to fome trifling fault. The runaway moft commonly efcapes to fome neighbouring canton ; and this retreat is as important to him, as a European would think a flight to the Indies, 6 Not- THE LAPLANDERS, rt Notwithftanding the mtrodudtion of Chrif- tianity, the Laplanders have preferved the manners of the Nomades * ; fo that agricul- ture profpers not much among them. They divide themfelves into Lapland-fifhers, and Lapland-mountaineers. The former always make their habitations on the brink, or in the neighbourhood of fome lake, whence they draw their fubfiftence. The others feek their fupport upon the mountains and their envi- rons, pofleffing herds of rein-deer more or lefs numerous, which they ufe according to the feafon, but go generally on foot. They are excellent and very induftrious herdfmen, and are rich in comparifon of the Lapland- filhers. Some of them poffefs fix hundred or a thoufand rein-deer ; and, befides that, have often filver in money, or plate. They mark every rein-deer on the ears, and divide them into clafTes ; fo that they inftant- ly perceive whether any one is flrayed, though they cannot count to fo gr^at a num- * Pliny gives the derivation of this word aVi tuV /*?{, paftura, quod paftioni fludercnt, lib. v, c. 2, ber iz FINNISH NATIONS. ber as their ftock amounts to. Thofe who polTefs but a fmall flock give to every indi- vidual a proper name. The)^ caflrate the males, when they have a greater proportion than is neceffary for propagation, by crufhing the tefliclc with their teeth. Such rein-deer are alert, tame, large, flrong, and hand- fome^ on which account they ufe them for draught ; and hold them in fo great efli- mation, that it is a common compliment among them to call one another a gelded rein-deer [Haerze Jez]. The Lapland-filherSj, who are alfo called Laplanders of the woods, becaufe in fum- mer they dwell upon the borders of the lakes, and in winter in the forefts, live by fifhing and hunting, and chufe their fituation by its convenience for either. The greateft part of tbem, however, have fome rein-deer. They do not travel much on foot, but are adtive and expert in the chacc. The introdudtion of fire-arms has almoft entirely abolilhed the ufe of the bow and arrow. As foon as a Lapland mountaineer becomes poor, he com- monly tHE LAPLANDERS, i^ monly gives the remnant of his flock to fome friend ; and becomes for a time a Lapland- hunter. With refpedt to the large game^ fuch as wild tein-deer, wolves, &c. they moft frequently knock them down with heavy clubs, as it is eafy to come up with them by means of their fnow-flioes, which are very long, and prevent them from finking into the fnow. Bears they generally fhbot, and finilh them with fpears. Befides looking after their rein-deer, the iiihery, and the chace, the men employ themfelvcs in the conllruftion of their ca- noes, which are little, light, and com- paft. They alio make fledges, to which they give the form of a canoe, harnefs for the rein-deer, all forts of utenfils in wood, fuch as cups, bowls, &c. which are fome- times prettily carved, fomctimes ornamented with bones, brafs, or horn. It is the man*s buiinefs likewife to look after the kitchen, in which the women never interfere. The employment of the women coniills in making nets for the fifliery, in drying fifh and J4 FINNISH NATIONS. ^nd meat, in milking the rein-deer, in raiak* ing chcefe, and in tanning hides. They pre- pare the nerves of the rein-deer in fuch a manner as to make them ferve as thread; ^hey draw brafs-wire by the help of the horns pf the rein-deer pierced, inftead of a draw- ing iron. The wire is at firft round, but they flatten it. They embroider their cloaths, which they make themfelves, with brafs wire, filver, fham gold, or wool, which they have the art of dying in all forts of co- lours. Thefe people live in huts in the form of tents [koie]. The carcafe of the hut is compofed of poles ftuck in the ground, and bept at top in fuch a manner as to compofe a vault almofl round. A hut is about four or five fathom in diameter, and not much above one in height. They cover them ac- cording to the feafon and the means of the ppfTeflbr : fome with briars, bark of birch^ and linen ; others with turf, coarfe cloth [walmar], or felt, or the old fkins of rein- deer. The door is of felt, made like two curtains, which open afunder. A little place fur- THE LAPLANDERS. 15 furrouncled yvi^h. flones is made in tl^e middljj of the hut for the fire, over which a chain is fufpended to hang the kettle upon. Round the fire they lay boughs of fir, which thei" cover with Ikins, felt, &c. They a^p not able to Hand upright in their huts, but con- ftantly fit upon their heels round the fire. At night they lie down quite naked ; and, to feparate the apartments, they place upright flicks at fmall diflances. They cover them- felves with their cloaths, or lie upon them In winter they put their naked feet into a fur bag. Their houfliold furniture confifts of iro;^ or copper kettles, wooden cups very neatly cut, bowls, fpoons, and fometimes tin, oy eyen filver bafons ; to thefe may be added thp implements of fifhing and hunting. That they may not be obliged to carry fuch ^ number of things with them in their excur- fions, they build at certain diflances, in tlf? forefls, little huts [loavret] made like pjd- geon-houfes, and placed upon a pofl*, which * One of them is feen at a diftance in the plate prefixed to this volume. is 16 F^INNISH NATIONS. is the trunk of a tree cut off at about the height of a fathom from the root. In thefe elevated huts they keep their goods and prp- vifions; and though they are never fhut^ yet are they never plundered. In their drdfs they life no kind of linen* The men wear clofe breeches, reaching down to their IhoeSj which are made of untanned ikin, pointed, turned up before; and, in winter, they put a little hay in them. Their doublet is made to fit their fhape, and open at the breaft. Over this they wear a clofe coat with narrow fleeves, whofe fkirts reach down to the knees, and which is faflened rotind them by a leathern girdle, ornamented with plates of tin or brafs. To this girdle they tie their knives, their inflruments for getting fire, their pipes, and the reft of their fmoak- ing apparatus. Their cloaths are made of fur, of leather, or of cloth ; the clofe coat, of cloth or leather, always bordered with fur, or bindings of cloth of differ- ent colours. Their caps are edged with fur, pointed at top, and the four feams adorned with lifts of a different colour from that THE LAPLANDERS. 17 that of the cap. The Ruffian Laplanders generally ufe the fkins of rats for the border of their caps. The women wear breeches, ihoes, dou- blets, and clofe coats, in the fame manner as' the men ; but their girdle, at which they ' carry likewife the implements for fmoaking tobacco, is commonly embroidered with brafs wire. Their clofe coat has a collar which comes up fomewhat higher than that' of the men. Befides thefe, they'weai- kef-" chiefs, and little aprons, made of Ruffiaii' painted cloth, rings on their fingers, and' ear-rings, to which they fometimes hang* chains of filver, which pafs two or three' times round the neck. They are often dreffed in caps folded after the manner of turbans. They wear alfo caps to the fliap'e'of the head, but all are ornamented with the embroidery of brafs wire, or at leaft with lift of diffe- lent colours. The rein-deer fupply the Laplanders with the greateft part of their proviiions ; the chace and the filhery furnifli the reft. Their Vol. I. C princi- iS FINNISH NATIONS, principal dilhes arc the flcfh of the rein-deer^ and puddings which they make of their blood, by putting it, either alone or mixed with,, wild berries, into the flomach of the animal from whence it was takcny in which they c^ok it Jpt;, food. Among game the wild rqin-deer-.ia, .very ufeful,. and in plenty; hilt the lleifli.x>f the bear is their moft delicate i^eat. They; ,eat every kind of filh, even the fpflrdog ;. a|.^w4i^ ^ll forts of wild animals^: nftt; excejitijpgil^jiyls of, prey, and carnivorous, animals. ,,.Tli^ii; winter provifions coniift of , fiefli-ai\d ijfli^rifd in, th^. open -air, both pf , vylj^ch they ^at.-^ju^jj.^d without any fortfjaff (\rp.ffing,. Thcy-iput the milk of tiic rein- cte.ei*mta tlie.,llomachs of that animal', a^Q4: fp let it, freeze.; die cold preferves in like manner tbeir provifion, of all forts , of wild fruits,' Riyrt^le-berries, goofeberries, and a kind af,,red,t>errics^;^, yi'hich grow in the mofs ia tlie.;fprells. In winter, when, t|;^ey want to, ufe their frozen milk, they chop off pieces ^ with an hatchet. The feafoning of their food is the fat of fea-dogs and ialt,"'if * It is the Oxycoccus of Tournefort ; our cran- bccries probabl)'. thty THE LAPLANDERS. 19 they can get it. Some of them buy, in the \Vay of barter, flour and oatmeal, of which they make gruel. A fort of fweet milk, curdled, and retaining all its cream, is one of the greatefl dpJnties of a Laplander; they turn this milk by means of a certain herb ** They make foups of a fort of cheefe, which i^ fo fat that it takes fire on applying a can- dle to it. Their common drink is water, fometimes mixed with milk ; they make alfo broths and fifh-foups. Brandy is very fcarce with them; but they are very fond of it. The Laplanders are tributary to fuch of the three powers before-mentioned on whofe territory they have fixed their habitations : but, as their excurfions caufe them often to change their fituation, many of them pay tribute to two fdvereigns ; and fome to all the three. Thefe taxes, however^ are every where fo moderate, and the Laplanders fo eafy a people, that no difpute ever happens about them. * The Pin^uicula Vulgaris of Linnaeus j our Sanicle. C z Th 20 FINNISH NATIONS. The mofl confiderable branch of their commerce is the traffic they carry on witK the Normans*, or Norwegians. Formerly this trade was carried on in the way of bar- ter; but. coin is now more current among, them. The balance is always in favour of the Laplanders ; becaufc they can furnifli more me'rchandife in Ikins and furs, than they buy flour, oatmeal, cloth, knives, hatchets, and other utcnfils, and hard-ware goods.. "V^hencfe it is, that tliey commonly pay their taxes in, current coin : although in Ruffian Lapland they may pay it, if tl^ey will, in fkins and furs. Vt^henever they are inclined to eat, the head of the family fpreads a mat [drello] on the ground ; for they never lay their meat on the bare ground. Men and women fquat round this mat, which is covered with dilhes. Every Laplander always carries about him a knife,. a fp'oon, and a little cup for drinking.. Each has his portion feparately given him, that no * The Northmannaland of Ohthere. See Bar- ringtoa's Orofius, p. 242, 243. perfon The LAPLANDERS. 21 perfon may be injured ; for they are great eaters. Before and after the meal they make a. Ihort prayer : and, as foon as ever they have done eating, each gives the other his hand. In their vifits alfo they give their hand, and kifs, faying at the fame time, Buerijs I or, as others pronounce it, Puerefs ! I falute thee. They fpread cloaths upon the ground for their gucfls to fit upon. The chief place of diflindtion is between the matter and mif- trefs of the hut. They entertain their guefts with fruits and tobacco ; when they fmoke, they fpit in their hand, and fnuff the fpittle up their nofe. When they pay a vifit to any perfon of note, or fuperior diftind:ion, they carry him prefents. In taking leave they ufe the fame ceremony as at their entrance. They give the name of Bcuor-Azt to thofe whom they Willi well to. The Laplanders do not ufe the hot bath, fo univerfal in Ruffia; but every Saturday they bathe in rivers, the two fexes commonly together ; Saturday being with them the ho- liell day of the week. C 3 All 22 FINNISH NATIONS. All the money which they have not mimedi- ate occafion for they bury in the earth, as well as their plate, and whatever they think of value. Nor even at the point of dpath do they declare the fpot where it is hidden, ima- gining that they ihall want it in the other world. By this means the beft part of their property is entirely loft. Many of their children die by the hard manner in which they are brought up : but fuch as furvive are generally robuft and alert. What may contribute much to the llrength of their conftitution is their living free from care, their temperance^ and continual exer- cife ; together with the elevated fituation they take care to build their hpufes on. Yet, not- withftanding all this, it is but rare that they arrive at a very advanced age. Their common difeafes are, the itch, th^ pthific, and putrid fevers. They are fubje(5t to inflammations in the eyes, the effedts of the flipw and the continual fmoke they are exr pofe^ THE LAPLANDEPvS. 23 pofed to in their huts. BefidcS'ifh6fe acci- dents to which they are very liable, ' they fre- quently run the rifk of breaking their arms and legs from their confttint climbing of mountains and craggy cliffs. The venereal difeafe is unknown in Lapland. The reme- dies theyprefcribe and ufe are for the moft part idle charms and fuperftitious ceremonies. In wounds, however, they ufe the turpentine extrafted from the fir ; and for the cure of the itch they make baths, in which they in- fufe the bark of the birch. In internal dif- eafes they drink the frefh blood of a wild rein-deer. If they feel any part of the body out of order, their mod ufual remedy is fire. In every fpecies of external pain they light mufh- rooms prepared like touch-wood, and burn it on the part afFedted till the ikin cracks and burfts. Sterility is a fort of reproach among the Lapland women, as with the Jews. They are generally delivered without difficulty: The hufband affifts at the labour, and affords his wife the neceflary help. Without this praftice they would often be diftrcfled, as C 4 the 24 FINNISH NATIONS, the habitations are frequently at fuch a dif- tancc one from another as to preclude the aid of any other woman. Their cradle, formed out, of wood, is fmall, light, and made in the fliape of a Ihuttle, or of a canoe pointed at the two extremities. Into this the child is put, quite naked, upon mofs, and is covered with a piece of fur faftened to the cradle by a firing. The Laplanders fufpend theCe cradles in their huts ; or, as the feafon permits, to the branch of a tree ; but in their jpurnies the women carry them at their backs. The father prefents his new-born fon with a female rein-deer, on which he makes fome figure as a diftincftive mark. This mark be- comes afterwards the proper and peculiar fig- nature of the new citizen ; and all the pro- duce of this female rein-deer is the unalien- able property of the child, and makes no part of the family pofTeffion. On the child's cutting its firfl tooth, the father, if he be rich, or in eafy circumflances, gives him a fecond rein-deer. In THE LAPLANDERS. 25 In general, the fathers beftow an extrava- gant fondnefs on their children ; the confe- quence of which is in Lapland, as well as every where elfe, that thefe too indulgent pa- rents find themfelves, if not hated by their children, too frequently abandoned by them in their old ^ge. The fancy of the parents direfts the mar- riages of their children, in which they have no other view but intereft. Hence the moll contemptible woman may make a good match, if Ihe poflefs but fome property. A young man is not permitted to marry until he be able to take and kill a rein-deer. In fome provinces they manage the contract of marriage with all the formality of a bargain ; although the pretenfions on both fides fre- quently rife very high on the firfl propofal. They reckon feverally whatever the young man is to give in order to obtain his fair-one, which mofl commonly confifts of rein-deer, pr different kinds of ikins. The a6 FINNISH NATIONS. The wedding is kept- at the bride's houfe, who is drefled in her beil manner, and ap- pears before the guefls with her head quite uncovered ; which, at other times, is never the cuftom with either women or maidens. The feaft is a kind of mefs, to which each of the guefls brings meat and drink. Their diverfion at weddings, and other merry makings, is the game of goofe; a fort of draughts, with thirteen men ; twelve repre- fenting geefe, and the thirteenth a fox. They wreftlc, and jump over a flick held horizon- tally ; and are fond of giving grotcfque ac- counts of different adventures. They likewife dance and fmg, or rather hpwl in difagree-. able meafures. The new-married people live with the woman's relationsjfcJr the firft year ; at the end of which they retire to their own koie, or hut. The Laplanders bury their dead in coffins, in fome cantons with their cloaths on, in others quite naked. The pagan Laplanders inter their mod famous hunters near the places confecrated to facrifice. Formerly their cuf- tom THE LAPLANDERS. 27 torn was, to throw the body into the ground naked, and without ceremony ; afterwards to furround the fpot with flpnes, and to pile others upon it. They generally place a fledge with Its bottom upwards upon the grave ; and lay fome eatables and pieces of furniture near it. Even the baptized Lap- landers do this fecretly^ The rich give fome little refrelhment to the funeral attendants, but the generality of the people do not ob- ferve this cuftom. All the Swedilh and Norwegian, as well as J:he greateft number of the Ruffian Lapland- ers, bear the name of Chriftians ; but their religion is full of fiiperllition, and a com- pound of Chriflian and pagan ceremonies. The heathens ftill acknowledge, as their an- (ceflors did heretofore, an Univerfal God, whom they call Joubmel. They admit, befide him, inferior divinities, good and bad, gods and goddcfles. Thefe deities, as they imagine, dwell and rule in heaven, as Joubmel, and Raidian, who take to them- felvcs at death fuch as have conduced thcm- felves well through life. Other gods inhabit the 28 FINNISH NATIONS. the air, as, Bci'vc, or the fun; Horanguelis, whom they call alfo Aia, or Thor, whieh iignifics thunder. Another divinity of the air is Biag Ohnai : he prefides over ftorms. Their tcrrellrial deities are, among others, Leib Ohiiai, Maderakko, . and SaiVo Ohiiak. The former of thefe is the God of hunting ; Maderakko is a goddefs, w'ho, with her three daughters, prefide over every thing that relates to women ; and their Saivo Olniak are the gods of the magicians, and live upon the mountains. Jabme Akko, or the mother of the dead, has her abode on the furface of the earth : Ihe takes care of departed fouls till the final decifion of their doom. Pefkal, Rota, and many others, are infernal gods. PelkaJ, the fovereign of the malevolent gods, dwells in the centre of the earth, where they place their hell : he and Rota fhare in the government of the wicked. Evil demons have likewife their habitations in the waters. They are afraid of fiery goblins and fpeftres, -which they call Stallomna ; fatyrs, or demons of the woods, and malevolent fairies of the lakes. There is, however, a great difference in matters of faith : one man believes in all thefe THE LAPLANDERS. 29 thefe divinities, while another admits a larger llock, and fome conliderably reduce their number. Inliead of temples, they have confecrated mountains, to which they always give fome epithet from their rein-deer; for inftance, Styre-n Alda lignifies the rein-deer of the moun- tain Styra. They have lakes and rivers that are facred. The former are called , ii> their tongue A'ilekas Jailvra, and the latter Pajfe Jok^ .In all thefe places there are confecrated trees, on which figures are carved and round them are little fcaffoldings, for the -offerings^ from three to five feet high. Even the Chrif- tian Laplanders have fo much veneration for thefe places, that they never approach them without making fome offering ; nor will they upon any account hunt or make their habi- tation in the neighbourhood of them. The women particularly avoid them in the moft fcrupulous manner. Here are to be feen mif- Ihapen idols of wood and (tone, or carved out of roots of trees. Their wooden idols are called FaJ/i ; and thofe of ftone Saeii, The latter 6 are 30 FINNISH NATIONS. are chiefly found near lakes and rivers, and confifl of a great heap of flones, fliaped and piled up in the mofl whimfical manner. While they are fifhing in thcfe holy waters, they are forbidden, among other thihgSj to fpeak, to have a dog with them, or to be aflifled by women. In times of epidemical difeafe among the rein-deet, in' cafes of ficknefs, of unfruitful marriages, arid other temporal adverfities, they make their offerings ; always confulting a magician, to which of the gods they fhall facrifice, what offering they Ihall make, in what place they Ihall depofit it, and many more particulars. To this end the magician makes ufe of his magical drum [gobodes]^- which is a box of an oval fliape, covered on' one fide with a fkin, and furniflied on the other fide with feveral firings and pieces of iron to rattle and make a noife. Strange figures, intended to reprefent the heavenly bodies, beafts, and birds, with many other chara6^ old one, with the fur-cloaL They imagine their magicians pofTefs the power of controling the winds and the rain ; of producing and deflroy- ing infefts, of fpeaking to fpirits, and a thou- fand other fooleries. But they believe, at the fame time, that the thunder is inimical to the magicians : and hence their proverb, " If it were not for thunder, the world ** would be deflroyed by magic." They attribute fingular effedts to certain words and phrafes, and fcarcely undertake any thing without a previous charm. Of the chriftian Laplanders there are two kinds ; thofe of the Greek and of the Lu- theran churches. And there are very well- meaning, honeft men, in each communion. Vol. L D THE 34 FINNISH NATIONS. THE FINNS. CI A ME, or Souome*, is the appellation ^^ which thefe people call themfelvcs by. Their country they name Souoma, or Sa7}ia, and Souomen Sari, which fignifies, a fenny country, cmiiaining many ijles, which in their language are called Sari, The terms Finns or Fenns, Finn/and, or Finnmark, are Gothic tranflations of the word Souome. The Ruf* fians give this people the name of Finnitzi, but more commonly Tjchouchontzi ; by which latter contemptuous appellation, they fnean a grofs, dirty fellow. * It will be thought flrange by the reader, unac- quainted with the languages and dialefts of thcfe parts of the world, thaf two words fo feemingly un- like fliould be often joined together with an or, as if they were nearly the fame. It is therefore necelTary to mention, that it is extremely difficult to dillinguilh the a from the o in their pronunciation ; and, indeed, there is nothing more comnpon than to find the one letter written where the other is pronounced. This obfervation holds good likewife in the Ruffian tongue ; many fyllables are pronounced with a broad 0, which in writing are fpelled with an a, and vice verfa. Fin nl and, THE FINNS. 35 Finnland bounds the north-'eaft angle of the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gplf of Finn- land, between the 6oth and the 65th degree of northern latitude. It is generally thought to contain 3000 Swedifh leagues fquare, or 30,000 fquare verfts. The country is. rocky, and full of high mountains, covered with forefls, and immenfe marlhes, with a vail number of lakes, fome of them dillind:, others having a communication together. In many of thefe lakes are iflands ; and, in their neighbourhood, many tradts of land very fit for agriculture. This wild country is not at all rich in minerals. The greateft part of Finnland is fubjet to Sweden. Carelia, or the fouthern part, has belonged to Ruffia ever fince the year 1 72 1. Its population, confidering the ob- ftacles already mentioned, cannot be very abundant. The Finns, that fertile flock, which has been the parent of almoft all the northern nations of Europe, are themfelves of Afiatic D 2 origirl. / 36 FINNISH NATIONS. origin. In the moft obfcure periods of anti- quity they abandoned their eaftern feats, to fettle in the w^flcrn parts, which they occupy at prefent. Thefe people have a great affinity with feveral nations, both Eu^ -ropean and Afiatic, fuch as the Tfcheremiffes, the Tfchouvafches, and others. But their moll: confpicuous relationship is that which they have with the Laplanders and the Biarms, or ancient inhabitants of Permia; particularly with refped: to the origin, the chara mer, another for winter, and a third for a kitchen. The yard contains barns for corn and hay, flables, and upright frames to dry the corn upon. Befides thcfe, they have ma- gazines for different purpofes, and a bath, all built of firs, laid on one another without regularity, after the manner of building in Sweden and Ruffia. The furniture and houfe* bold implements are the fame as in Sweden. All kinds of corn fucceed very well, efpe- cially in Carelia : but in many provinces it is fubjet to frequent accidents from the nature of the foil, which is a cold and effervefcent clay, whofe confiftence varies according to the drought or humidity of the f^^afpn. The ground in many places abounds ^./AM'*^* < * The name of that chain of mountains, almoft. always covered with luow, which crofies Lapland. ''t'^]^i~-yij>iK.^''.['.di i'ii*rl'." "For THE FINNS. 51 For three long nights, fliall reign throughout my hut. With tranfport fliall I climb the mountain's fide. Joy op*^ this day ; joy {hall attend its clofe. Thee I revere, from thee expecl my prey ; Nor e*er forget my carrol to the bear." E 2 The 52 FINNISH NATIONS. the L E T T O N I A N S, the ESTONIANS, and the LIEFFS. TH E Lettonians, the Eftonians, and the Lieffs, mhabit Lieffland, or Livonia; the former make alfo a part of the inhabitants of Courland. Eftonia, or Eftland, and Li- vonia, bear the name of their inhabitants. They have all an affinity with one another ; but make not one nation. The Lettonians are of the fame race with the Lithua- nians and the ancient Pruffians ; that is to fay, defeended from the Sclavonians and Finns. At the beginning of the thirteenth century they formed themfelves, by degreesj into a nation, near the mouth of the Viflula, and have fincc expanded themfelves to a wider compafs- Three parts out of four of their language is compofed of Sclavonian terms, "and the reft of Finniih origin. The Eftoni- ans are lefs mixed ; and the Lieffs, as well as the inhabitants of the ille of CEfel, are lim* ply THE LETTONIANS, &c. 53 ply a branch of Finns. Their Finnilh dia- ledts differ in the fame degree, and that fo confpicuoufly, that every one of them is at^ length become a language by itfelf. Thefe three nations are ufually confounded by the Germans under the name of UndeutfchCy which fignifies Non-Germans, and comprehends them all. If any one Ihould chufe to derive the name Lettonians from the word Lada, or Liede, which fignifies to root up, or break up land, it would not be more deftitute of probability than many hundreds of deriva- tions daily imagined. They have been cul- tivators of the ground from all antiquity. When they left their fituation on the Viftula to fettle in Livonia, about the mi4 but falling in like manner down the back. Behind, they tie another mantle to the girdle, of the fame kind as the upper one. Some of the women wear a band of fome fkin, about a hand's breadth, covered with glafs beads, and little fhells and counters, over the left Ihoulder, acrofs the breaft, fome- what like the ribbon of fome order of knight- hood. The Tfchouvafches make regular meals, placing themfelves round a table for that purpofe. Before- they begin eating, they make a fhort prayer, faying : God, give Vol. I. H us 98 FINNISH NATIONS. us bread * / and after the repafl they fay : O Lordy caji me not away -f ! It is a piece of politenefs among thefe people to cram their guellsas much as poflible, and to prefentthe pieces to them upon fpoons, and folicit them to eat till they can hold out no longer. They fleep, like the Tartars, on broad benches ; and thofe that are not very poor make ufe of a feather-bed. At the birth of a child, the friends of the parents, male and female, come to congratu- late. They are treated with beer ; and the firfl-comers give a name to the infant, and make him prefents by flipping a few kopeeks into the veflel they drank out of. This cere- mony is called. The cradling of the child \, Whenever a Tfchouwafche has a mind to marry he commiffions a friend to bargain for a girl for him, who always gets her as cheap as poflible. The price of a girl for marriage is commonly from twenty to fifty rubles; * There bar^ Ycura ! f Thora fyrlak ! ^ Fiatfchir ghivas, but THE TSCHOUWASCHES. 9^ but a good chafferer will get one at five, eight, or ten rubles : the rich, however, ge- nerally go as far as eighty *. The portion of the bride is paid in cattle, houfehold furni- ture, arid clo'aths, and is in proportion to the iiim paid for her -f. After thefe preliminaries, follows a cere- mony called, Tbe carrying of the -prefents \ The young man arid his prarents vifit the betrothed, pay the price agreed on, and make the new relations feveral forts of prefents, confining of Ihirts, cloaths, and linen. On this occafion, the father of the girl makes an offering of a loaf of wheaten bread, and a portion of honey, to the fun, which he pre- fents to that luminary, accompanied with a prayer for a happy marriage, and profperit3r on the young people ; after which> they fit down to eat and drink, and appoint the wedding-day. * The money paid on this cccafibn is called Goloti ojk'i. f This negotiation is nanaed in their language ghota, which fignifies, to afk In marriage^ ^ Kojlhenai kayas. H z Th- 100 FINNISH NATION!?. The day being arrived, the nuptials arc celebrated in this manner. The bride, co- vered with a veil, hides herfelf behind a Icrecn ; from which, after fome time, Ihe goes and walks round the eating room with a . gravr and folemn ^ gait. Some young girls hefe bring her beer, honey, and bread ; and when Ihe has gone three times round the room, the bridegroom enters, fnatches off her veil, kiffes her, and changes rings with her. From this inftant fhe bears the name of Scbourafneghery or betrothed girl, in quality of \yhich Ihe dillributes bread, honey, and beer, to the guells, with which they refreili themfelves. She theii returns behind the icreen", where the married women put her ort 2i ghon/pou, o^ cap of 'a matron, handfomer and more adorned than thit ihe wore before the betrothing. In the evening, when the bride and bride^ groom undrefs, the lady is obliged to pull off her hulband's boots. The next morning, they come to look for the Mofaical proofs of ^virginity j when, if it appears that the bride had THE TSCHOUWASCHES. loi had been defiov/eretl before, a boy, who ferves as a fort of paranymph, prefents a mug filled with 'beer to one of the principal affiftants. In the bottom of this mng is a hole which the lad ^ops with his finger, but draws it away when the other has the mug at his mouth ; by which means the beer runs down his beard and. bofom. This fails.^^to excite much laughter from the company, and a blufh from the bride. BtUt this terrible ceremony is never followed by any more fe- rious confcquences. The day after, the bride appears as miflrefs of the houfe, regales her friends, and they divert themfelves better than the day before : they dance to the found of the Ruffian balalaica, the dudu, &c. Such of the Tfchouwafches as have been baptized, notwithfianding their profeffion of Chrillia- nity, obferve conilantly this national cere- monial, not ncglecfting, however, to fubjoin the facerdotal benediction of the church, though a long time, perhaps, after the mar- riage in their own way. The wedding is often held at the houfe of the bridegroom's parents, and is a fort of club dinner, to which every gucft brings his own fiiare. Before the H 3 meal. 102 FINNISH NATIONS. meal, a loaf is handed about with a hole iqi, the top of it made by an arrow ; into this hole fuch of the gucfts as are fo inclined put a few kopecks by way of prefent. Among the Tfchouwafches the hufband i? mafler of the houfe ; he orders every , thing himfelf ; and it is the duty of tlie wife to obey without reply : a cuflom calculated to prevent domeflic broils ; accordingly quarrels are very uncommon in the families of the Tfchouvvafches. If the hufband be utterly diffatisficd with his wife, he goes up to her, and tears off her veil or her cap called fourban ; and this adt alone is the fign of a complete divorce. All the Pagans among the Tfcheremiffes, Mordvines, Votiak$, anci Vogoules, have the fame cuflom; but the exertion of it is not very frequent. The Tfchouwafches obferve the fame cere- monies in their funerals as the Tfcheremiffes. As foon as the grave is filled up with earth they place lighted torches, a cake, and a piece pf a roafled hen, faying, that it is for THE TSCHOUWASCHES. 103 the dead *. The company devour the re- mains of the repaft, and think they have eaten with the dead ; then, after having caft the old cloaths of the deceafed upon the grave, they go and bathe, and afterwards return to feaft at the houfe of their departed friend. On the third and feventh days after the in- terment, they celebrate a commemorative feaft like to the firft of thofe in ufe among the Tfcheremifles ; but befides this feaft every one facrifices in the month of Oftober a fheep, an ox, or a horfe, at the tomb of thofe of their family ; the flefh of thefe vidims is ' dreffed upon the fpot, and is all eaten up, except a fmall part, which is laid upon the tomb with a little beer. On the Thurfday in paffion-week every father of a family places certain eatables in the yard of his houfe, with a lighted torch near them, to the memory of each perfon that has died out of his houfe. The dogs, as proxies for the dead, regale them- felves on this provifion. Even the baptized Tfchouwafches are apprehenfive that without this ceremony the repofe of their relations will be difturbed in the grave. * Exprefled in their language, by Amcnfcha talder^ This i for thee, II 4 '^ The I04 FINNISH NATIONS. The pagan ritual of the Tfchquwafches does not differ from that of tjie Tfcheremiffes in refped: of principles, Their priefts are called' Toumay or l^omma,' who fay prayers, and are, as occafion ferves, priefts, for- tune-tellers, and magicians, In places where there are no priefts a fober old man performs the functions of one ; and this perfon is. called Tfchotikyoat, The keremets of the Tfchouvafches are all made in the fame man- ner as thofe of the Tfcheremiffes, only they ^re indifferently called irfan and kerejiiet, Thor is the name they give to the Supreme Being, who has a wife called Ihor Amyfch, mother of the gods. It fhould feem that the keremet is their chief fubaltern beneficent divi- nity, and is, as well as all the divinities of that clafs, of the family of Thor, who has a great nymber of children and relations. They make offerings to the keremet in the places, deftined to devotion and facrifice, each of which places is a divinity, and confccrated to itfelf. Befides this god keremet, they admit of a Poulighs, a Ghirlftr^ a Pighambar, and a s THE TSGHOUWASCHES. 105 goddefs Kabe. Other Tfchouwafches have pther divinities. Irftn is the name they give to the inferior gods in general, whom they look upon in the light of angels or deified men. Schaitan is the chief of their, malevo- lent gods or evil genii, and has his re- iidence in the water. Their Ohito are deceit- ful fatyrs, or gods of the forcfts, ever ready to feduce mankind. In their prayers they never forget to befeech Thor that he will vanquilh Schaitan. The Tfchouwafches have, properly fpeak- ing, no idols; but their Terig or Trig is fomewhat very nearly fuch, and refembles the Moudor of the Votiaks. The Yerig is a little bunch of rofe^tree twigs, cut in au- tumn, and placed in a corner of the chamber. The Tfchouwafches look upon thefe branches as fo facred or fo dangerous that no one dares to come near them. Every autumn they renew the Terig, and fet the old one afloat dowi) a river. Their idea of the exiftence of man after death extends to a blifsful and a miferable immortality. io6 FINNISH NATIONS. immortality. Good people are tranfplanted after death to a blelTed abode, called The land of perfetl fatiifanion*, where they meet with their families, their cattle, and their other goods, in a much bette^ ftate than that in which they left them in this world. As for the wicked, they think they are condemned to wander after death as Ikeletons deprived of ilelh in cold and barren defarts, Ihi- vering, wretched, and forlorn. Their feafts of the keremet, or public fef- tivals, bnly differ from thofe of the Tfchere- miffes in the names they bear ; 'but the vic- tims, the preparations, and the ceremonies, are alike. If they differ at all it is in this, that the Tfchouwafches throw a part of every oblation into the fire. The fpring is the time for their Tbumori' hayran ; a feafl appointed for petitioning the gods to give them a fruitful and a happy year. After the harveft, they celebrate their Qui'tjchouk, or facrifice of thankfgiving to the In their language TJchemhrda. gpds THE TSCHOUWASGHES. 107 gods for the gifts of harveft; the cercr ^nonies of which are performed in the kere- met, and the vidtims are not taken from tho herds but from the flocks. The keremet tafa- 4os of the Tfchouwafches is the feaft of thepu jrification of the keremet, and is kept in the fpring at the breaking up of the fields in the keremet, by lighting feven fires, and making offerings to the gods. The oblations confifl of cakes and milk, of which they throw part into the fire and eat the reft, ad- dreffing their prayers chiefly to Keremet Afch, or Keremet the father ; Keremet Amfchciy or Keremet the mother ; and to Kereniet Onewli, or Keremet the fon. To obtain health and profperity for their cattle, they facrifice oxen in the keremet to Pighambar : but if this fa- crifice be made of fowls and fmaller beafts in cafe of ficknefs among the flocks or herds, every man offers at home. Their Sine Tyre Tfchouk Tons, or bread-offering for the new harveft, is the fame fcftival with that of the Tfcheremiffes called Tournon-bayran *. Wednefday in paflion week is called Moun- I^Qun, or The Great Day, and fometime^ The * See page 88, above. Day, io8 FINNISH NATIONS, Day, by way of excellence. On this day, every father of a family makes a facrifice of Ibirds at home, with an oblation of cakes ; and on this occafion it is cuflomary to make vifits. In general, the Tfchouwafches, Tfcheremiffes, Mord vines, Votiaks, &c. Kaye mixed together in their wprflup jEnany Chriflian ceremonies with many more that are Mahommedan, fuch as the great feftival of Eafler, the commemoration of the dead on Holy Thurfday, with the cuflom of ablution before prayer, proflrations, the man- ner of performing their adoratio;is., and many others. Even the term briyran, as was before obferved, is a Tartarian word, and ^gmiiQS fe/iivaU The prayers of this people are always the fame ; they vary only according to the motive from which they are made, and the divinity tO'W.hom they are addrelTed. The following is a tranllation of the mofl perfed: invocation of the Tfchouwafches : God, [T'har, or fome other deity,] have mercy upon me ! God / forfake me not : Give me a great number of Jons and daughters* God ! give me a great quantity THE TSCHOUWASCHES. 109 quantity of Jheaves of corn, and Jill my hams with provi/ions. God! give me bread, and honey, and drink, and liiBuals, and health, with tranquillity and rejl, God! Jill my yard with' horfcs, horned cattle, Jheep, and goats. God ! blefs my houfe, that I mitf lodge, and entertain, and zvarm the traveller, O God! give thy hlejfmg to the mijlrefs of the earth ; fo they call the Emprefs. And at the end of every period of this prayer all the aflembly fay, A}7iin ! Since the year 1723 the greateft part of the Tfchouwafches have embraced the Greek religion ; notwithftanding which, there arc more Pagans amongft .them than amongft the Tfchercmifles : and the people who undertook their converfion found the Tfchouwafches lefs docile, and more flrongly attached to their pagan rites than the others ; and as at prefent a profelyte, who is not fo upon conviction, is not thought much of, they are fuffcrcd to do as they pleafe, and no one mcddlci with them. They pique themfelves on being not at all inferior to their baptized brethren in a peaceable, regular, and good condu(ft. no FINNISH NATIONS. conduct, any more than in induftry and ap- plication to labour, in fidelity and fubmiffion to their fuperiors. All thefc nations are entirely ignorant of tl^ ufe of an oath in their mutual dealings with one another; but content themfelves with a limple affirmation or denial, and al- ways keep their word. But as cafes muft arife before the magillrate in which an oath is the only lawful teftimony for the termi- nation of difputes, or other matters, it is cuftomary, on thefe occafions, to put a piece of bread and a little fait in the mouth, and to fay. May I be in want of thefe, if I fay not true ! or, if I do not keep my word! The oath of fidelity adminiflered to the recruits that are raifcd among this people, is in the fame manner, except that they are made to take the bread and fait over two fwords laid acrofs. [ I" ] :ri THE MORDVINES. TH E Mordvines are fettled on the bor- ders of the Oka and the Volga, in the governments of Nifchnei-Novogorod and Kafan ; and fome of them are iikewife found in the government of Orenburgh. They were for a long time in fubjedtion to the Tartars ; but even then they had their pecu- liar khans. It is aflerted that before their fubmiffion to the Tartars they dwelt higher up the Volga than they do at prefent, in the neighbourhood of Yaroflauf, Koftroma, and Ghalitfch. They compofe a very confiderablc nation, although not fo numerous as either the Tfchouwalches or Tfcheremifles ; and, at every numeration of them, they have been found to increafe in the fame proportion as the Ruffian peafants. The Mordvines are divided into two prin- cipal races or tribes. Of the firft of thefe are tie Mok'chanes, who live along the river Mokfcha, which falls into the uppermofl part of 112 FINNISH NATIONS, of the Oka. The fecond principal race is that of the Erfanes, in the neighbourhood of the Volga. To thefe might be added the tribe of the Karatayes ; but they are fo few In number that they confift only of fome villages in the government of Kafan. Amongft themfelves they all bear the name of the tribe to which they belong * ; but the Ruffians comprehend them all under the name of Mordvi, which is not uncommon with the MordVines themfelves. Formerly they had a nobility amongft them; but their families have been a long while extindti The Mordvines are of Finnllh origin, as well as their language, which comprehends, however, feveral Tartarian words. The dia- -letSts of the Erfanes and the Mokfchanes dif- fered formerly fo much, that they might eafily have been taken for two feparate languages. Strid:ly fpeaking, every tribe has at prefent its peculiar language; but of late years they have been- fo mixed and confounded together, and of courfe their * Mohfchi, or Mokfchanes j Erfanes^ or Etfad, languages THE MORDVINES. 113 languages Hkewife, that they are no longer much unlike, and are e^fily underftood by each other* Before the introdudtion of Chrifli- anity among them, a Mordvine was not per- mitted to marry out of his tribe ; but, at prefent^ that is not regarded ; and they fettle indifferently in this or that tribe, as every one thinks proper, preferving always, however, fome principal charadteriftic, feveral par- ticularities of drefs, and many of their dif- tindtive cuftoms. With refpedt to the figure of'theMord- Vines, it refembles more that of the Ruffian, than either the Tfcheremifles, or the Tfchou- wafches ; [and in their manner of living they conform more to the Ruffian peafants. The Mordvines have cpmmonly brown, harili hair, a thin beard, and lean face ; it is very rare to find a pretty woman amongft them. They are honeft, laborious, and hofpitablc, but flow ; and imitate the Ruffians and Tartars in feveral things. There are not many unbaptized among the Mordvines, but thefe eat pork without any fcruple ; whilft all the heathen Tfchouwafches, and all the people Vol. I. I of 114 FINNISH NATIONS. of Afiatic Ruflia, abhor and abftain from ir, as the flefh of the impurefl of animals. They purfue a life of agriculture fince their fubmiflion to Ruffia ; and are not fond of towns, but always form themfelves into little villages, like the two laft defcribed na- tions, and give the preference to forefls. Their villages, their houfes, their farms, their agriculture, and their little flocks, their goods, their food, and their whole ceco- nomy, differ in nothing from the Tfchou- tvafches and TfcheremilTes. In like man- ner the Mordvines have alfo a little inclofure near their houfe, wherein they plant roots and herbs for the kitchen. They are not fo fond of hunting as their neighbours. The Mord- vine women are employed in the fame ttorks as the Tfclieremiffian, and have nei-. ther lefs , application nor lefs dexterity : the fiate of their families, their riches, and their taxes, are likewife the fame., The- Mokfchanes are excellently well fituated for the culture of wild bees, fome of them pof* fjeiling from loo to 200 hives. The THE MORDVINES. 115 The drefs of the men among the Mord- vines is perfed:ly the fame as that of the Ruffian peafants, except their fhirts, which the Mordvines pink and embroider about the neck and openings. The drefs of the women differs in both tribes. In general the mar- ried women are- more adorned than the girls, otherwife they only differ in the head- drefs. Both of them wear lliort linen trowzers, called Pc'ik; and, inflead of flockings, they twift fuch a number of rags about their legs, that they have the appearance of polls. Their piked pointed Ihoes, which they call kari, are made of the bark of trees. They wear, like the Tfchouwafchian and Tfchere- miffian women, Ihifts *, all whimlically em- broidered, which they tie round the waift by a girdle juft above the trowzers, to which they fallen a little apron behind -f, which is prettily embroidered, and. ornamented with fringes and talTeis. This piece of drefs is not quite ufelefs; as their wide and purfled fliifts are at a good diftance frpmu^eir limbs. * Called parnar. t Ca!led^)rM. I ^ Whenever ii6 FINNISH NATIONS. Whenever thefe ladies intend to be better dreffed than ordinary, they faften over the gir- dle a broad ribbon pinked and wrought with fringes and taflels. The neck and Ihouldersf are adorned with a necklace, or rather a piece ' of net-work, which covers their neck and bofom. They wear rings on every fingef,'^ and ear-rings of a large fize, to which they tie little firings of glafs-beads. Two or three > bracelets always form the ornament of the arm and wrift. They drefs their haif in fe- veral little trefles, which the grown women cover with a cap clofe to the head ; 'the ' young women wear a high cap in the form of a cone. The Mordvine girls tie up their hair in a number of trefles, which they inter- weave with black wool, in order to render them thicker and longer. The drefs of the Mokfchane women differs' only in a few particulars from that of the Erfanes. The little Ihells which they fix on feveral parts of their drefs are of that kind called by Linnseus Cyprea nodofa^ When THE MORDVINES. 117 When the time of delivery approaches, the woman retires to the bathing room. Here fhe receives the accullomed vifits, and thofe of her friends, who name the new-born child. The other ceremonies common on this occa- fion are the fame with thofe that prevail amongft the Tfcheremifles.. The moft ufual names of males with the Mordvines are Trena, Kafat, Betkoub, "Tfobidas, &c, and thofe of the females Lopai', Rakfa, SchindoUf LoumfouTy &c. Their marriages are tranfadted by nego- tiation; and they bargain for their wives in the fame manner as the Tfcheremifles do. The kalyrtiy or price of the bride, is com- monly between eight and ten roubles * ; which fhews evidently that this nation is not over-and -above rich. The time for the ce- lebration of the nuptials being come, the fa- ther of the young man goes to fetch the bride, whofe father conduces her by the hand and * A rouble is a filver coin, worth lOo kopeeks, or 4 fliillings fterling, I 3 delivers ri8 FINNISH NATIONS. delivers her to the former. Her mother, on this occafion, prefents a Jittle bread and fait to the father-in-law of her daughter ; and then the maid takes leave of her parents, which is always accompanied with tears ; her father-in-law leads her away covered with a veil. On her arrival at the bride- groom's they all lit down to table ; the young man pulls his cap over his eyes and places himfelf by her fide. A cake of three feet in length is placed upon the table, which the father of the bridegroom takes, and prefents the pointed extremity of it under the bride's veil, faying, Open thine eyes to the light ; he thou happy in thy children^ and never dejlitute of bread ! Immediately after this the bride- groom fees his beloved for the firft time, whom his father has bought for him with- out confulting him. This done, they begin to eat and divert themfelves by dances, fongs, and fports, but always with the mug in their hands. Formerly the dance of this people was in a flyle peculiar to themfelves ; but it is now almofl forgotten, and they ufe that of the Ruffians, to the found of the goulli, the pipe, &c. When the young people THE MORDVINES. 119 people prepare for bed, the bride makes a great deal of refiftance, infomuch that the afliftants force her to fit down upon a mat, and then, taking up the corners, carry her upon it Into the bed-chamber, faying to the bridegroom, Here, Wolf ,' heboid thy Lamb *. Parents very frequently promife their chil- dren while yet in their infancy, and, as a fign of the engagement, they interchange the pointed ends of horns which ferve them for fnuff-boxes. The young woman, however, is not bound by this compadt ; but, if the lad is inclined to marry elfewhere, he is obliged to pay a certain number of roubles by way of muldt. It is lawful to have feveral wives at once; but they very rarely make ufe of this privilege, any more than do the Tfchc- rcmifles. A widower always chufes to marry his fifler-in-law whenever he can. If the parents will not confent to this, he tries to Aide into her hand under the table a little loaf with- out being perceived, pronouncing at the fame Votet vergafs, outfcha ! I 4 time 120 FINNISH NATIONS, time My ftjler^in-law Jhall be kept for mc. On faying this,- he mufl run out of the houfe as faft as he can ; for, if he is caught, he is immediately regaled with a fhower of blows as hard and as thick as they can be laid on his bones : but, if he has addrefs enough to efcape them, the fair-one belongs to him. Among the Chriflian Mordvines the brides likewife. cover themfelves with a veil during the marriage ceremony. Great care is taken that they do not meet a man in their way to the church, as that is looked upon as a moft unhappy omen. The dead are interred in their befl cloaths. The company eat cakes and drink beer about the grave, .and place a portion of each upon it. At prefent the greateft part of the Mord- vines profefs the Chriftian religion, and are much lefs inclined to Paganifm than the TfcheremilTes and the Tfchouwafches ; how- ever, they are flili fomewhat attached to their antient idolatry, which very much refembles that THE MOR'DVINES. ni that of the Tfcheremiffes. The Keremets are in no refpcQ: different. They have, indeed, no longer any pagan priefts pro- perly (o called ; but every man of decent reputation may fupply the place of one, and take the name of Atai, The Erianes call the Supreme Being by the name of Pads, or Pas ; the Mokfchanes call him Skei, which alfo figr nifies the fky. They have a mother of the gods, and a fon of god, whom they name Initfchi Pas. Their Ma/ier Pas is a fubter- ranean divinity, not very beneficent. The Nikolai Pas is the Saint Nicholas of the Ruffians, whom they hold in great venera* tion. The Mordvincs attribute to him the profpcrity of the Ruffian empire, for which reafon they light up little wax candles to his honour in the Ruffian churches ; and in their houfes they hold his image in great refped:. Bolides this, they have no image or figure of any of their gods. Their adorations, victims, and facrifices, as well as their fef- tivals in general, and the ends they propofe by them, are the. fame with the religious ce- remonies of the TfchcrcmilTcs and the Tfchouwafches, excepting that the Mord- vincs \zt FINNISH NATIONS. vines make no oblation to the fire, all their offerings being dire(^ed to the earth. They dig a fmall trench, into which they pour the blood of the vid:ims, and then cover it; up with earth : pieces of the flefh are like-, wife bmicd in the fame manner. The bones are thrown into the rivers ; and the atais or facrificers keep the fkins of the vidtims. Every fpring the Mordvines celebrate a feaft of the keremet, in which they facrifice animals. They have a fort of country wake, at which all the males and females of the village affift ; this the Erfanes call Fain Osks, and the Mokfchane^ give it the appellation of Fel Osks. At this feftival they facrifice a red cow to the god Pas Atfuhouski, and a black cow to Majier Pas. Every father of a fa- mily makes an offering of game at home, and an oblation of different forts of cakes and ftrong liquors ; this is done in honour of the fun, whom they call Tfchi Pas, and ufe the fame ceremonies as the Tfchouwafches do in their facrifices. At every new-moon, they bow towards that planet as foon as they per- ceive it for the firft time, and beg profperity during THE MORDVINES. 125 during the continuance of her influence. In autumn they make a family facrifice to one of their gods, named Tourtfchache Pas, to ob- tain from him a favourable winter. Although thefe people have no know* ledge of the religion of the Ruffians, they fuppofe them to have peculiar divinities ; and to obtain their favour they facrifice game, and make oblations of cakes and liquors every Chriftmas and Eafter day* Whenever they hear thunder they exclaim. Have mercy upon ns, God Pourguini * / but they make no offering of any kind to this deity. Their prayers are the fame with, thofe of the people we have fo often men- tioned above. The countenance that the Mordvines put on while they pray, the manner of lying with their faces upon the earth, and feveral of their other cuftoms, feem borrowed from the Tartars. * Pafchangui Pourguini Pas, THE 124 FINNISH NATIONS, THE V O T I A K S. VOTES is the ancient Sclavpnian name of thefe people, whom the Tartars call Jrly or, the people the farihejl off. This appellation Ari has led fome authors to dcr rive their origin from the Arinzes, who at prefent inhabit the borders of the river Yenifei. It is very certain that the Arinzes dwelt formerly about the circurnference of Mount Oural ; and it is aflerted that they were confiderably weakened and diminiflied before they refolved upon retiring into the heart of Siberia. The Votiacks call them- felves Oudi, Ondmourt, or Mourt, which is the general name for Man. This nation chiefly inhabits the province of Viaitk in the government of Kafan. They name their country Kam Kcjip, or, the land between the rivers, which are the Kama and the Viaitka; the former in the Votiak tongue is Boudfin Kam, and the other Viaitka Kam. The THE VOtlAKS. 115 The Votiaks ftill form a pretty confidera- ble nation : reckoning thofe that inhabit the i government of Or^w^Kr^, they are eftimated at forty thoufand males. They were formerly-* diftinguiihed by tribes or families, and have- preferved this ancient diVifion, infomuch'^ that they give their villages^the name of thefd tribes : for inflance, Soulonnein Balgui fig- nifies the people of the Soulonnes of the- family of Balgui ; Kourak Sanies, the village of Kourak of the family of Sames; and fo of the reft. Their ancient noble families, as well as the defcendants of their khans or* princes, are fome of them quite extinft, and ' the reft confiderably obfcured. This nation was one of thofe who were formerly under the proted:ion of the Tartars ; but, iince it has been fubjed:ed to Ruflia, it has preferred a fecure and quiet life of agriculture to the ambulatory one of herdfmen and ihepherds, and fixed habitations to their ancient tents. The Votiaks are commonly of a middling ftature, and thin. The colour of their hair is various, but for the moft part reddlfli; and 126 FINNISH NATIONS. and they refemble the Finns in their make more than any nation that derives , its ori- gin from them. The Votiaks are honeft, peaceable, hofpitable, fober; but fuperfti--, tious, of cold complexions, and extremely iimple. The women have winking eyes, and fmall even to uglinefs ; they are ftiort of flature, timid, very modeft, and con- fequently challe, laborious, and complai- fant. Thefe people fpeak a language of their own, but derived from the Finnilh tongue, and have even at this day neither writings nor letters. In reckoning their accounts they make ufe of little flicks, which they call fos ; a fort of tally in which they make as many notches as there are units in the number they want -to denote. Inftead of a fignature they ufe certain marks which they name hand- marks *. They do not reckon their time by years, though they give different names to * Many nations have a way of printing marks on the back of the hand by pricking the Ikin, and rub- bing it with black ; which marks are never effaced, but remain indelibly in the Ikin for Ufe. the THE VOTIAKS. 117 the months, in conformity to natural events : thus, the month of March is named 9ilprotf Califs, i. e. the month of the breaking up of the ice : the month of June bears the appel- lation of Goufchan Sir a Talifs, . the month of the ftation of the fun, or the folftice; and the reft in like manner, Friday is their fab- bath, or day of reft, which they call amia nounak The Votiaks, as well as many other nations of Afiatic Ruffia, give Wednefday the name of the day of blood, in their lan- guage vir nounal ; on which they never un- dertake any thing of importance. The Votiaks never compofe large towns, but live in villages ; and are always ready to tranfport their habitations from one place to another that appears preferable. The in- terior difpofition of thefe villages, the houfes, the oeconomy of the inhabitants, their moveables, their food and drinks, their taxes and general conftitution, refemble exadtly thofe of the nations already defcribed. To the chiefs of their villages they give the name of Ellir, and to their ftarofts, or elders, that of Kartlik. The Votiaks live in a more ' retired 128 FINNISH NATIONS. retired manner than the above-mentioned nations, and fuffer among them neither fo- reign villages nor houfes ; they even refufe admittance to fpeftators of their feafts and folemnities. It is very rare that any litiga- tion or difpute among thefe people is carried before the tribunal of the province. They are affiduous in rural oeconomy, neg* lediing neither the culture of bees nor the ehace, in which latter they ufe indifferently the bow or fire-arms. In their Icifure hours many of them employ themfelves in making all forts of turnery, fuch as cups, fpoons, Ihuttles, &c. ; and others varnifh all kinds of bowls and cups. The women arc employed in fewing, in making linen, coarfe cloths, and felts ; they alfo make cloaths, and orna- ments of embroidery. Rich folks are not common amongfl the Votiaks ; but neither are there any that can be called abfolutely poor* He who pofTefTes from fifteen to five and twenty defettines * of land, with twenty or * A defettine is a piece of ground of 80 fajenes in length, and 40 fajenes in breadth. The fajeneis the Ruffian fathom, and is equal to 7 feet of EngUfli meafure. thirty THE VOTIAKS. 129 thirty horfes, and other cattle in proportion, pafles for an opulent man of the firft clafs. The drefs of the men is' like that of the Ruffian boors, only that it is commonly made of coarfe white cloth. Their winter caps are of cloth, with a border of a diflferent colour. They tie a knife to their girdle, and a cafe for a hatchet. The Votiak women wear fhort Ihifts, a pointed boddice, and Ihoes made of bark. Their fummer habit is a common upper fhift, with lleeves fomevvhat narrow, with the wriflbands pinked or wrought : the Ihift is faftened round the waifl by a girdle, which is placed in fuch a manner that one end hangs down on each fide. To this girdle they fix a little bag, called yanffJi, which is their work-bag, wherein they keep thread, needles, and other implements for fewing. They cover the head with a kind of drefs, called nilferga kifel, of linen, pinked and fet- off with fringes, which they bring over the head, and fupport it by means of an elaflic circle very high ; thus fuftained in the air at Vol. I. K one 1^0 FINNISH NATIONS, one end, the other falls half-way down the back. They wear a curl on each fide neai? . the ears, and commonly tie their hair at the bottom. Their winter drefs confifls of a long gown complete, called tainafcha-deran, with flits before, a'nd full fleeves, without any collar : this gown is generally of fome gay- coloured cloth. They cover the head with a handkerchief, tied under the chin, over which they place a cap, ornamented at top with a column of birch-bark, the whole co- vered with fluff. Over this column they throw the large linen beforcmentioned, which they fometimcs let fall down the back, and. at others ufe for a veil over their face, Befide all thcfe ornaments, to this fingular drefs they add ear-rings, rings, and bracelets of brafs, and fometimes iron. The girls wear caps clofc to their heads, which they call lakia, and which are alfo in ufe among the Tartar girls; the married women arc always more gaily drclTcd than their daughters. The manner of falutation among them is to give hands, and fay. Dies ban, i. c, health, or profperity ! The women, in- itead THE VOTI AKS. 131 ftead of embracing, flrike one another with both hands upon the Ihoulder. The injurious and abulive terms among the Votiaks are, Scbo'i ourdam! Thou walking carcafe! Vijlanjchaitsn! Thou flupid devil! Scha'i'tan med bajlosl May the devil take , thcc ! Every village of the Votiaks has a numbet of baths ; thefe the women chufe for the place of their lying-in. On the birth of a child, the father facrifices a white ram to the genius or tutelary angel of the new-born infant ; which facrifice is called keldiffiti, or the facrifice of the angel : they feaft and make merry on the bccafion. The names of men p'eculiar to this people are, Jfchmak, Danabaz, Kamaty Eltemir, &c. and their feminine ap- pellatives, Dalifch, Bidelety Beke, Akjlon^ Tfchanga ; which lalt fignifies a crow. They bargain for their wives, and thofe who retain their paganifm have as many as they can purchafe : however, it is not very common for them to take two or more at a time. The negociation of a marriage is K z calle(i 132 FINNISH NATIONS, called yerafclou, and tlie price that is paid for the wife yerdoun, which is, for the rtiofl part, between five and fifteen rubles ; and the dowry of the bride is always in j^ropor- tion to the fum Ihc cofts her hulband. In- tereft is the only thing that determines them to marry, and then decides their choice ; y^t they never marry their fons under ten years of age, nor their daughters till they arc fifteen, , , -..< \, ... ' '; , On bringing the yerdoun to his father-in- law, the young man takes back his bride, who is delivered to him covered with a veiL On his return home, he finds guefts affembled in his father's houfe, to whom the bride is prefented, after having been previoufly tak^n afide into another room, and cloathed in th'e drefs of a niarried woman, who, whilft the tor-kcirt, or prieft, makes the oblation of a cup of beer to the gods, fits in the door-way upon a piece of cloth, laid there for that purpofe : the objeft of the offering is to pro- cure bread, riches, and children, to the nfew- marned couple, who drink of the beer blefled by the 'pr left, which adt may be called the facer* THEVOTIAKS. 13^ facerdotal benedidiion of the nuptials. This done, one of the bride-maids prefents beer or mead to all the gucfls, and the bride kneels down before every one of them till he has drunk off his goblet : then they eat and drink as much as they are able, and dance till the young people are put to bed. Some weeks after the wedding, the, bride's father comes to examine into the houfe- keeping, and brings the remainder of the dowry ; or, inftead of it, fome pieces of houihold fluff, and takes back his daugh- ter, whom he keeps from her hufband two or three months, and fometimes even a whole year. During all this time ihe drefTes like a virgin, and is employed at work fome- times for her parents, and at others for her- felf. At the end of the determined fpace, the hulband comes to demand his wife, who ihews as much repugnance at following him as flic did on the day of her marriage ; the fame crying at taking leave of her parents, and the fame relij men : the Vogouls give them the name they bear themfelves, Manft, The river Obey in this country language is called Yagh, and for that reafon the fouthern Ofliaks fettled near this river bear the name of Afyagh. The northern Ofliaks, and thofe of Sourgout, call themfelves Ghondi Ghoui, or the original people THE OSTIAKS. 175 people of the river Konda : it is probable that thefe people formerly inhabited along the Konda and the upper Tom, and that they retired towards the north to avoid the zeal of bifhop Stephen, who in 1372 undertook. to convert them to Chriftianity. This evan- gelic miffion caufed at the fame time a ge- neral emigration among the Biarms and Siryains from Veliko Permia *. The appre- henfions which determined thefe latter to take their flight were fo ftrong as to make them forfake their temperate climate, and to ex- change the weflern fide of mount Oural for the uncultivated and frozen banks of the Oby : fince which time no diftindtion is made between thf fe fugitives and the Kondars, the name of Oftiaks being indifcriminately given to both of them. The Biarms, BcfTarmians, or ancient Per- miaks, as well as the Siryains, have a very near relationihip to the Finns, and had preferved their dialed: together with all the religious ceremonies of their Paganifm. Even Or Great Per mis. 17.6 FINNISH NATIONS. in the earlieft periods the Permiaks were very famous for the commerce they carried on with the Perfians and the fubjedts of the Great Mogol. Thefe different nations car- ried their merchandife up the Volga and the Kama, and tranfported them as far as Tfcherdyn, which even fo long ago was a very trading city on the Kolva. From thence the Biarms continued their rout with the mer- chandifes of the people that traded with them, as well as their own> flill farther ; and, embarking them upon the Petfchora, they fell down as far as the Frozen Sea, to obtain peltry and furs from the nations in- habiting its banks, which they gave after- wards, in exchange for other goods, to the Eaftern and ' many other neighbouring nations. There are ftill to be feen the ruins of fe- veral cities which formerly exifted in thefe northern parts, and are fo many monu- ments of the ilourilhing ftate of the ancient inhabitants of the country. There are alfo fome remains of the ancient Biarms in the province of Viaitk, which forms a part of 2 Permia ; THE OSTIAKS. 177 Permia ; thefe Biarms, who have continued in their original country, occupy at prefent but a fmall number of villages. In the year 1774, many of them, to the number of 561 if^fiii and 362 women, embraced Chriftianity. 'JTowards the upper part of the Kama and the Soughona, and in the neighbourhood of Quftioug, &c. miany Biarm-Siryains are ftill to be met with. Thefe people have fo far adopted the manners and cuftoms of the Ruffian villagers, as well in refped: of their buildings, as their drefs and manner of life, that, if we except their Finnifli dialed:, it would be difficult to diftinguifh them from P-uffians. Among themfelves they fpeak this Finniih language, and the Ruffian tongue with the Ruffians ; but there are vil- lages where the women do not at all under- l^and the latter, from their being fo feldom with Ruffians. The Oftiaks are one of the moft numerous nations of Siberia. However, though they do not diminilh, yet it cannot be faid that they increafe their numbers ; for it is impof- fible that population can be very confiderable ^ Vol. I. N in lyS FINNISH NATIONS, in a climate (o fevere as that which they inhabit, and under the difadvantages of a life fo extremely hard as that they lead. It is very rare to meet a man among them above the middling ftatnre. They have a jflattilh face of a pale yellowilh colour, harih hair of a deep colour, a thin beard, a dul! undcrftanding, and a phlegmatic tempera- ment ; confequently they are timorous, fu- perftitious, and lazy, dirty and difgufling ; but tracftable, mild, and a good-hearted peo- ple. They are not ill-made, and fome of their girls are far from being ugly : it has, however, been remarked, that the Oftiak women after the birth of their firll child be- come wrinkled and ugly. Of all the languages of Finnifh origin, that of the Ofliaks approaches nearefl to the Vogoul language, but it comprehends alfo a great numbercf Samoyede terms. This people have neither letters nor writing, nor any other mode of inllruftion. They reckon as far as ten, but no farther, like the reft of the Fin- nilh nations. They cannot reckon time by years ; THE OSTIAKS. 179 years ; yet they divide it into thirteen luna- tlons, beginning the year from the new moon that happens between the 14th and the 21ft of our Odtober. They name the lunations by the changes they obferve in the filhery and the departure of the birds of palTage. Before the Olliaks were in fubjef^ion to Ruffia they were governed by princes of their own nation, and their defcendants are flill reputed noble. As thefe peo- ple divide thenifelves into different flocks or tribes, they chufe their chiefs from among the progeny of their ancient rulers. Thefe main- tain peace and good order, and fee to the payment of the taxes, which are called yaJfaL If an Oftiak is ordered to make oath con- cerning any matter in litigation before the public tribunal, he is made to ftand upon a bear-ikin, with a hatchet by his fide, and a bit of bread in his hand, and he muH pronounce thefe words : May the hear devour me; may the hatchet knock me on the head; may the bread chcke me ; if what I fay be rot N 2 tru/ j8o FINNISH NATIONS. irue ! They fora,etiaic3 alfp fwear upon thcif idols, aud Qn<^Qf them are ever found to bs; perjured- All the.Qilia^spn tlj^, borders of the rivejr Oby are fifher^gen, and diftinguiih themfelyef in this emplo}^ment by an uncommon addrefs and dexterity. ; jhey kngw how to take ad- vantage of .all the changes that the waters yii'^ dergo, and of all the paflages and harbpura of the fjih. There are few that do not p^f* {pfs fome r,ein-de,Qf j many of them have even, to the number of two hundred, which they, employ fox jtl;er proviiions. TU^ \^^ is Ja ^eater-ufe among them than %e^ afms, In fujximer when they n;eet[ with . tji^ v^helps pf ipxp they bring them hpme, an^ feed them witl^ fifh; and^j^ when pf a p;;ope^ f^qy^^vqry'^c^X.^y^, fia^^^hi^ boafdj with hj^ ' ' tk osVrAk's.; i?i ikiiu 'f tiey"' ta& tuch' '. greaV cafe of thefe animaisj, that the women^ fu"ckle|''tliem 'at their o^n ,'^,r"(?-^? while ti>ey ^rq very fmafl. As tiey fendiv, ttiat the ikm oj t ne , fox is the De'tte"5r for the "beafi^^s being lean/'they brealc oiic of his legs rome-time before tjiey intend to kill him^ thaf;t^e pam rnay caule him to lofe nis appetite, ancf {o become tlim. They keep a great number of large dogs for hunting ^n^ ^ .drpyipg^^, Jy4g,es, . Not . one ^ Olliak liorned cattle^ oor Iheep, ,^ ^ . ]'' The buuhefsof theltienis to make their canpes, their iledges to be -drawn ,by dogs, which they call ;zjr/j. nets, baikets. ana -vca ,;- ./i :f3:^ -,;../ -onGM d.i uJ mo weels -^ for nlhiiig;, Inow^lhoes very long and" wide, pows, and hQulhold- utennls, The elve. with others, and tan ^ijis. . Ti^ey mal? a.coarfe, linen frqm a fort; of petj:!? called in their l^ngjuagg fatfcbou-, ^i>d , clpstths fr9ni ^'<>therwife called theboteA- ^ -^*^ N 3 the i82 FINNISH NATIONS. the fklns of beafls and fifties, Some of them undcrfland the making of foap by piixing alhcs with the fat of fifli. They prepare the nettles for their linep by hanging them out in the air till they turn red. They tan peltry without oak-bark by rubbing the fkins well with the roe of filhes; and drefs filh- fkins by rubbing them with alhes to foften them. They go to the neareft tdwns to difpofe of their dried fifh, glue, filh-oil, and furs ; buying at the fame time all forts of little or- naments and trinkets for their cloaths, as alfp flour, oatmeal, and Ipirituous liquors. The balance of trade would certainly be much in their favQur if they did not ufually drinfc out all the money they get : fome, how- ever, put by a fmall matter for buying jjcin-deer, kitchen-pans, little filver cups, &c. but generally fpeaking the nation is poor. The tax upon every male is the fkins of two fables, at the rate of a ruble the pair : but at times when fables are fcarce the tax- gatherers are fatisfied with other furs. The ikin of a Jingle black fox often quits a whole village THE OSTIAKS. 183 Tillage of its yaffak or impoft, fuch fkins being extremely rare. All forts of furs are Valued by fworn appraifers. The Oftiaks live in villages compofcd of from five to twenty huts, which they for the mojft part build along the banks of rivers, or on the fea-fhore. The inhabitants of every village are ufually of the farue family or pa- i;^ntagej ;ind in affemblage -pf villages of the differeat pumbers from five tp twenty form ^ v<^i ,. This people is fo far from numerous, that there are volofts in the pro- vince of Sourgout, five of which talj:en to- gether, that is^ 30 or 40 villages at leafV, contain only about fix hundred males; and the- whole tribute they pay confiUs of 450 pair' of fables, or the funa pf 450 rubles; a very fmall revenue from fucl^ a vaft territory. From the tpwp pf Tom to a little below Narim every family lives feparately frpm the reft. Their tioumal^ or winter huts, are little houl^s of wood, with a hearth in the middle and ai^ oven in the corner. Jh? * The volofts arc all the property of tlje cr^wn. N 4 little i84 FINNISH NATIONS. little fpace that remains is occupied by thc^ bench for flceping on, under which are their cupboards and places for their dogs, and the little foxes that they bring up at home. In fevere cold they fleep round the hearth; and fome of them fo foundly, that they have been known to get very much burnt without waking. They enter their huts com^ monly by a low door facing the weft ; to-^ wards the eaft thev make fome hol^s, and" cover them with filhrfkins, and thefe are th? windows. The huts are funk in the groiindt to the depth of half th^ir height. The ha- bitations of the Ofliaks* in the provinces 'of Berefof and Obdor are larger; but they are in like manner half way under ground. Every '^ bri^ contains from four" to ten rooms, diftributed round one general Hearth; and each apartment is occupied ',by ' one diftihft family. The children, whoTcafcely ever gtJ out of doors," the dogs, the'fifh, the wood, the fmoke of tobacco, the fifh oil, the vermin, &c. c'aufe a na{!inefs and ftench which furpalTes 'imagination. They k