n Siberia, the governments of Tobolsk and Tomsk, live
Ostiaks, a small Finnish tribe of 26,000 persons, who are poor fisher
folk, hunters and nomads with reindeer. This tribe is rapidly dying out.
North of them, in the northern parts of western Siberia and in
north-eastern Europe, live the Samoyeds, of Ural-Altai origin, who are
still fewer in number than the preceding tribe, and live by
reindeer-breeding and fishing.

All these Siberian tribes and many others are Shamanists, and are so
called after their priests, Shamans. They believe in an intimate
connection between living men and their long-deceased forefathers. They
entertain a great dread of the dead, and do everything they can to
exorcise and appease their souls, bringing them offerings. All this
business is attended to with much black magic and witchcraft by the
Shamans, who are also doctors. When any one dies the spirit of the dead
must be driven out of the tent, so the Shaman is summoned. He comes
decked out in a costly and curious dress, and with religious enthusiasm
performs a dance which soon degenerates into a kind of ecstasy. He
throws himself about, reels and groans, and is beside himself. And when
he has carried on long enough he catches hold of a magic drum, whose
soothing sounds calm him and bring him back to his senses. When he has
finished his performance the soul is gone!

Over white plains, over hills, and through valleys, the train bears us
on farther north-westwards through the government of Irkutsk. At
Krasnoiarsk we cross the Yenisei by a fine bridge nearly two-thirds of a
mile long. In summer vessels can ascend as far as Minusinsk, in a
district of southern Siberia, rich in gold and iron and productive soil.
In general Siberia is a rich country. Gold, silver, and copper, lead,
graphite, and coal occur, besides many other valuable minerals and
stones in the mountains. The country has also good prospects of future
development owing to its remarkably excellent agricultural land. Most of
this is situated near the railway, and all Siberia is intersected by a
net of waterways. From one of the tributaries of the Obi steamers can
pass by canal to the Yenisei, and thence on to the Lena. Omsk, the third
town of Siberia, with 89,000 inhabitants, is the centre of this water
system. More than 6000 miles of river can be navigated by large
steamers, and nearly 30,000 by smaller boats. In western Siberia, around
Tomsk and Omsk, the agricultural produce incr