is, fastening little brass rings, corals, and other ornaments, to its legs, neck, ears, &c. This occupied upwards of half an hour; two or three lighted lamps were placed on a table, at the west side of the tent, before the sheep-skin images. Before the table were placed the two Shaman sticks, called horses, being ornamented with the figure of a horse's head on the top, and hung round with a number of iron rings and flat slips of the same metal, which make a tinkling noise when the stick is moved. A sword was stuck into the ground beside them.

"The younger Shaman began the service by playing on a Jew's harp, the instrument the Shamans use to invoke the objects of their worship, and, as they say, to bring their minds into a fit state to hold intercourse with them. The harp was then handed to one of the Odagans, who began to play in the same strain. In the mean time the younger Shaman rose, laid aside his girdle, and hung a circular plate of brass round his neck. He then turned towards the table where the lamps were burning, and taking a taper in his hand, and waving it with a slow continued motion over the table, began to mutter, in a low tone, a kind of prayer or incantation. This was in the Mongolian language, but pronounced so indistinctly, that I could not understand a single word. This lasted fifteen or twenty minutes, and then seizing the two sticks, one in each hand, holding also the sword in his left hand, with its point to the ground, he turned towards the fire in the middle of the tent, muttering all the while his invocations. A wooden

cup was then given him, and a man stood by with a vessel containing some milk. The milk was poured, in small portions, into the cup, and the Shaman threw the first part into the fire, then repeated portions out

of the hole in the tent, towards the east, west, south, and north. The Shaman then began to utter words in a louder tone, and to use more violent gesticulations. His whole frame became agitated, and after reeling about the tent for some time, he sat down in his place.

"The old Shaman, who was quite blind, and apparently very infirm, then rose, took the two sticks (omitting the sword) and began his prayers; at first his voice was low, and his motions were gentle, but as he continued to strike the ground with his two rattling sticks, he gradually became more active, and began to make strange noises, hissing like a cat, and growling like an angry dog; his legs then began to tremble, his whole body shook violently, and at last he began to jump with an agility and force which I did not think so feeble a man was capable of. This exertion lasted till he was quite exhausted, and he sank down upon the floor.

"The other Shaman rose a second time, and took his two sticks and sword. The people, who were crowded all round the tent, now drew back as far as possible, and the wooden posts, which partly supported the roof of the tent, were removed to allow more space for going round the fire. The man appeared now wrought up to a higher ecstacy: he walked, or rather staggered, round the fire, leaning on the two sticks, and now and then jumping violently, and, to appearance, unconscious of the presence of any one. In the midst of these feats, he threw off his boots, and began to rake out the burning cinders from the fire with his hands, and spread them by the side of the fire-place. He took up a piece of live charcoal, and held it for some time in his hand, but, as I could perceive, in a way that could not burn him. Next he began to dance upon the glowing embers with his naked feet,

but neither did this seem very extraordinary, for the quickness of the motion soon scattered the ashes, so that he could not be burnt.

"The last part of the farce, for such I consider it to be, was his laying down the two sticks, and reeling about with the sword in his hand, setting the point of it first against his side, and then against his breast. He had staggered towards the door, and placing the hilt of the sword against the wall, with the point of it to his breast, leaned and pushed against it, as if he had been forcing it into his body; at last it seemed to go in, and he writhed and twisted his body, as if he had been really pierced through, and was making efforts to draw the weapon out.. To assist him in this, he went towards the young man, who had been all this while holding the goat; and the lad, taking hold of the handle of the sword, drew it with all his might. I observed, however, that the Shaman was holding it by the blade, and, after various struggles and contortions, he let it slip through his fingers, and so it seemed to be extracted from his body with a jerk. All this was performed with his back to the people present, and not one of them could see whether the sword entered the body or not; but I am persuaded the whole was mere trick; and Gendang, my writer, did not scruple openly to say so before them all, and taking the sword went through the whole ceremony of stabbing himself in the way of fun. This produced nothing but a smile from the spectators; and during the whole performances the people continued talking, laughing, and smoking their pipes with the greatest indifference.

"The old Shaman again rose, and went through his part much in the same way as before, but not so violently; sometimes he suddenly stopped, and turn

G

ing round his blind eyes as if he wished to see something, mentioned a number of names, and inquired if such and such a one was well and happy. The other Shaman replied in a low voice, 'well.' Then were pronounced the names of their dead friends, and the old man pretended to see and converse with the spirits who had the charge of them in the invisible state.

"All these ceremonies were only preparatory to the letting loose of the goat; and now they began to talk of getting a horse provided for the fit man,' by whom the goat was to be sent away into the wilderness. Two other men were to go along with him, and the place to which the animal was to be taken was several versts distant, where there were no tents. On some occasions, they told me, the Shaman strikes the goat with a sword, but they never kill it, and after it is let loose they never inquire after it; nor is it ever more seen, as no doubt it soon becomes the prey of the wolves.

"I wished to wait till the whole was concluded, but I understood that the Shamans were to repeat their tricks till day-break, and not till then was the animal to be sent away. I therefore returned home with my companions, not a little struck with these singular ceremonies. I could not learn that these Shamans had any reference to the expiation of sin in this service, nor that this scape-goat was considered as bearing away their iniquities. Their view of it rather is, that it is an offering very acceptable to the Ongoon, or spirits they worship-renders them propitious, and procures blessings upon their cattle and all their undertakings."

CHAPTER VI.

ROYAL IMPOSTORS.

Pretenders to Royalty numerous-Contest between the Houses of York and Lancaster gives rise to various Pretenders-Insurrection of Jack Cade-He is killed-Lambert Simnel is tutored to personate the Earl of Warwick. He is crowned at Dublin. He is taken Prisoner, pardoned, and made Scullion in the Royal Kitchen-Perkin Warbeck pretends to be the murdered Duke of York-He is countenanced by the King of France-He is acknowledged by the Duchess of Burgundy-Perkin lands in Scotland, and is aided by King James-He is married to Lady Catherine Gordon-He invades England, but fails-- His Death -Pretenders in Portugal-Gabriel de Spinosa-He is hangedThe Son of a Tiler pretends to be Sebastian-He is sent to the Gallies-Gonçalo Alvarez succeeds him-He is executedAn Individual of talents assumes the Character of Sebastian - His extraordinary Behaviour in his Examinations-He is given up to the Spaniards-His Sufferings and dignified Deportment-His Fate not known-Pretenders in Russia-The first false Demetrius-He obtains the Throne, but is driven from it by Insurrection, and is slain-Other Impostors assume the same NameRevolt of Pugatscheff.-Pretenders in France-Hervegault and Bruneau assume the Character of the deceased Louis XVII.

THE seductions presented by a throne, and some circumstances which seemed to give a chance of success, have, in various ages and countries, stimulated individuals to personate the descendants of sovereigns, and, in some instances, deceased sovereigns themselves. To mention all of them, even briefly, within the narrow limits of a chapter would be impossible; and, therefore, passing over the false Smerdis, the Alexanders, and others of ancient times, we will select a few specimens from modern history.

During the reigns of Henry the Sixth and Seventh, infinite carnage and misery were caused by the contest between the houses of York and Lancaster. That contest also gave rise to several remarkable im