had a similar vision he could not transmit the right to one of the next generation.» 1

Among these two peoples, besides hereditary succession, the faculty to »see» the spirits was a condition for assuming the priesthood. The like qualification is also required of the priests where priesthood as a strictly hereditary institution is not heard of. As the principal duty of the priests with exclusion of the magicians - is to mediate between mankind and the higher powers, so the chief qualification requisite for entering the priesthood is the faculty of communicating with the gods. This faculty, however, may be proved in different ways.

Mr. Warner states that when certain wonderful things befall a Kafir, he is thought to be under the influence of the spirits of the dead. His case is then investigated by the priests and if they find that he is really in the state presumed, and not guilty of imposture, they perform the rites connected with the initiation of a neophyte into the priesthood. 2 The idea entertained. by the Ama-xosa Kafirs is that anybody, while in a state of ecstacy, is under the direct influence of the spirits, and, consequently, is competent to become a priest. Among the Congo tribes, a man who distinguishes himself »by reason of his superior mental capacity, or by virtue of his individual courage and prowess, -

3

is forthwith regarded as one favoured by the spirits. Availing himself of the opportunity afforded by such a distinction, he constitutes himself a professional N'ganga N'Kissi (charm-doctor), and professes to be endowed with the power of communication with the spirits. » The

xi. 395.

2

3

4

1 Dorsey, 'A Study of Siouan Cults,' in Smithsonian Reports,

In Maclean, Kafir Laws and Customs, p. 80.

Fritsch, Die Eingeborenen Süd-Afrika's, p. 99.

* Ward, 'Ethnographical Notes relating to the Congo Tribes,' in

Jour. Anthr. Inst. xxiv. 286.

Samoyeds, Castrén informs us, believe that the power of a shaman consists in putting himself in communication with the spirits.1 It sometimes happens among the Wotyaks that a man gives himself out to be a sorcerer, pretending to intercourse with the gods. 2 The Yakuts regard their shamans as especially endowed persons, through whose mediation they are able to hold communion with the gods. 3

Among certain peoples the supposed connection between the priests and the spirit-world more particularly appears in the belief that the priests have one or more tutelary deities of their own, who always give them assistance when such is required. In certain cases it is even stated to be a necessary qualification for priests to have such gods at their disposal. We are told that an Eskimo, before he became an acknowledged Angakok,. had to show his power by calling forth his Tornak, or helping spirit, and that, if he failed ten times in succession to call forth the spirit, he had to give up his claims to become an Angakok. + 4 To become a mystery-man» among the Algonquian Indians, it is necessary to receive instruction from some one of well-known skill, but the power of the neophyte is furthermore dependent upon the reputed power of his personal Ma'nido, or tutelary demon. 5

Very generally we meet with the mere statement that tutelary or helping deities are attached to the priests. The medicine-men of the Eastern Tinneh are reported to hold communication with tutelary spirits."

1 Castrén, Nordiska resor och forskningar, i. 199.

2 Buch, 'Die Wotjäken,' in Acta Soc. Scient. Fenn. xii. 591.

3 Приклонскій, 'Три года въ Якутской Области, in

Хивая Старина, і, 3. р. 73.

4 Rink, Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo, p. 59.

5

Hoffman, 'The Menomini Indians,' in Smithsonian Reports, xiv. 62.

6 Ross, 'The Eastern Tinneh,' in Annual Report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, 1866, p. 307.

1

Each shaman of the Thlinkets, too, has some familiar spirits of his own, whom he can summon. The Ojebway Pow-wow, or conjurer, has likewise his personal gods, 2 and among the Patagonians a wizard »is supposed to have two demons in constant attendance, who enable him to foretell future events; to discover what is passing, at the time present, at a great distance; and to cure the sick, by fighting, driving away, or appeasing, the other demons who torment them.» 3 The shamans of the Buryat are believed to be endowed with the faculty of foreseeing the future with the assistance of their tutelary deities, and the Lapps thought that their shamans always had at their disposal a fish or a bird from the world of the dead. The Syâna or »cunning man, of the Golapûrabs in India, »generally has a private devil or two of his own, which he lets loose to pursue the evil spirit that is afflicting his patient.» Tutelary spirits of a similar description are said to attend the sorcerer of the Malays in Malacca, 7 and the same is stated with regard to the regular Manang, or medicine-men, of the Sea Dyaks. Similarly the Chema, or benevolent sorceress of the Lolos, has a génie particulier, and the Dahomean priest adopts for life the fetish that has »come to him.» 10

1

5

9

6

Веніаминовъ, Записки объ островахъ Уналаш

кинскаго Отдѣла, ііі. 55.

2 Jones, History of the Ojebway Indians, p. 87.

3 Falkner, Description of Patagonia, p. 116.

4

Агапитовъ and Хангаловъ, Шаманство у Бурятъ, in Извѣстія В.-Сиб. Отд. Геогр. Общ. xiv, 1. р. 41.

5 Friis, Lappisk Mythologi, p. 2.

• Crooke, Tribes and Castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, ii. 428.

7

Blagden, 'Folk-lore and popular Religion of the Malays,' in Jour. of the Straits Branch of the Roy. As. Soc., 1896, p. 4.

8

Ling Roth, 'Natives of Borneo,' in Jour. Anthr. Inst. xxi. 116. 9 Vial, Les Lolos, p. 12.

10 Burton, A Mission to Gelele, King of Dahome, ii. 151.

As the faculty of conversing with the gods is so very generally confined to the priests, other people being excluded from communion with the spirit-world, it is an easy step to the conclusion that the gods have themselves selected their representatives among mankind. In conformity with notions of this sort, many peoples believe that the gods confer divine powers upon certain men and that the only way in which a person can become a priest is through being chosen by the gods.

The shamans of the Aleuts said that it was not they who called up the spirits, but that, on the contrary, the spirits themselves chose their attendants.1 Among the Thlinkets an aspirant to shamanhood has to remain in solitude till one of the spirits sends to him a riverotter, from the tongue of which he obtains the secrets required. 2 The Eskimo Angakoks, also, were supposed to be endowed by the god with supernatural power when dwelling alone in solitary places. After having been invoked for some time, Tornarsuk, or the highest god, appeared and provided the novice with a Tornak, i. e. a helping or guardian spirit. The gift of a seer or prophet is among the Ojebway Indians believed to be given by the Thunder-god, and then only at long intervals and to a chosen few. Among the Waraus in Guiana the incipient Piai-man, or medicine-man, is reduced to a state of unconsciousness by swallowing a dose of tobaccojuice: »His spirit is supposed to leave the body, and to visit and receive power from the yauhahu, or hebo, as the Waraus call the dreaded beings under whose influence he is believed to remain ever after.»> 5 The Kafir priests

1

4

3

Веніаминовъ, Записки объ островахъ Уналашкинскаго Отдѣла, і. 125.

3

2 Dall, Alaska, p. 425.

Rink, Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo, p. 58.

+ Hoffman, 'The Mide'wiwin,' in Smithsonian Reports, vii. 157. Brett, Indian Tribes of Guiana, p. 362.

4

1

claim to derive their wonderful powers from the spirits. 1 Many shamans of the Siberian peoples are, they say, chosen by the spirits for their vocation; 2 as a rule, nobody can make himself a shaman of his own accord, but the devil must call him. With reference to the Yakuts, it is stated that shamanism seizes involuntarily upon the chosen individual, he begins to dream and tries to hurt himself, after which he declares that the spirits have commanded him to become a shaman. The supernatural power of the Lappish shamans is thought to be conferred upon them by the gods. 5 In India the Bhills have a class of oracles called Barwás, »who are supposed, through the influence of the hill-gods -to be endowed with the hereditary gift of inspiration.»>< Again, speaking of the inhabitants of the Barito River basin in Borneo, Dr. Schwaner points out that >>the Bilians (priests) are chosen by certain Sangsangs (gods) desiring to partake of earthly enjoyments, or wishing in general to be in contact with men for various reasons and to pass into their bodies when occasion offers.» 7 Among the Australian tribes we find ideas of a similar kind. In Victoria the office of doctor or priest is alleged to be obtained by the individual visiting, while in a trance of two or three days' duration, the world of spirits, and there receiving the necessary initiation. 8 >> The

Natal,

ii. 83.

1

p.

Maclean, Kafir Laws and Customs, p. 82. Shooter, Kafirs of

167.

2 Шашковъ, "Шаманство,' in Записки Геогр. Общ.

* Bastian, Der Mensch in der Geschichte, ii. 132.

5

Genetz, 'Matkamuistelmia Venäjän Lapista,' in Suomen Kuvalehli, vi. 340.

6 Malcolm, 'Essay on the Bhills,' in Trans. Roy. As. Soc. i. 77. 7 Schwaner, Borneo, i. 185.

8

Stranbridge, 'Tribes in the Central Part of Victoria,' in Trans. Ethn. Soc. N. S. i. 300.