Connecticut western news., 1882-07-19

mixed with fresh milk and water and powder made of soft pine bark. Sour milk we ke ep for months in large pits dug in the earth. Of course it is frozen hard, and we cnt it with axes. About 3 o'clock we again eat butuhae. Before going to sleep the wellto-do people eat meat, while tie poor eat more butuhas. Sometimes we have barley gruel and other preparations of milk. IN winter we occasionally have fish.
 "My people do not know much of the world. Yet they know that beyond the sea is the city of San Francisco, in- habited by Americans, 8 rich and kind people. They know of the Americans, because some years ago an American company came to Siberia to build rail road from the Pacific to the Ural mountains. The Russian government did not allow them to do it. That com pany donated to the Yakoots large sum of money for the purpose of build ing schools. Unfortunately, as yet we
 
 sides, the Yakoots know of the exist ence of the Rabhtag. or him who is far away that is their name for the czar. They believe that the Rabhtag can do much good or evil, if he chooses"
 "Are the Yakoots Christians or pagans ?"
 "They are Christian in name but pagan in fact. According to the law passed in 1908, all Yakoots born since then have been baptised as Christians. They are also married by the Russian priests. They receive communion, and when they die are buried by the priests. They know how to cross themselves ill the Russian orthodox way, but they know not 8 single Russian prayer and don't understand word of the sacred services. Some years ago Russian missionary, now Bishop Dionisy, trans lated the New Testament into the Ya- koot language; but as the Yakoots can- not read, they could not avail them selves of the holy book.
 ''On Eas ter day the priests read the Testament in the churches in the Yakoot tongue. There are no Yakoot priests, and there are but few churches. Some times the Yakoots have to go from 100 to 300 miles to get 8 priest. Under such circumstances, the Yakoots con- tinue to observe the pagan worship of their forefathers. Though there are no idols left, yet they live close to their numerous gods. Every evening when they eat meat they throw pieces on the fire in order to propitiate some god. Every time they drink koumiss they splash little of this delicious drink on the fire. They adore Tangra. the Christian God, not more than the pagan, Aytoion (the Lord). In case of sick ness they call upon the Oyoun, that is, the sorcerer, or the Oudahan, the witch. These eonjure the devil, and thus cure the patients. Their theory of sickness is this: The devil, on being offended, enters man and beglns to eat his hesh."
 "Are the Yakoots satisfied with the Russian government
 "They don't come much in contact with the Russian officials, for they are governed by their own elders, elected from themselves. Yet they have their grievances. In the first place, they are dissatisfied because the government ap- propriated so much of their land for the Russian exiles. Then, they don't like to have Russian murderers, horse thieves and other criminals in their neighborhood. There is not much friendship between ;he Yakoots and the Russians. The Russians call us dogs, and when we want to frighten our children we say, 'Nutcha (Russian) comes.'"
 "Do you possess land in common, or divide it ?"
 "Our land is common property. We divide it only for number of years, and thus every family mows hay and cultivates barley on it's own lot. As taxpayers, our people are divided into three classes, according to the number of cattle they possess. So we pay three, five or ten roubles a year,
 "Where do you get your knives, axes and other implements ?''
 "Our own blacksmiths make them. They can even make rifles, locks, scales, scythes, and so on. Spoons and cups we make of wood"
 cit must be tedious life in the Sibe- rian woods and snow."
 "Why, don't think so. Our people are sociable, they often visit one an- other and, instead of How do you dc 2 they ask, How are your hay and wood ? And there is much sense in that ques- tion, for no Yakoot can feel well if he has not enough of hay and wood. Then our young men and women meet to- gether, sing, dance as lively as their heavy deerskin dress allows and tell fairy tales of the milk lakes and the fat valleys and of the combat between 8 good young man and bad young man for the bride of the former. Thanks to Russian civilization, the Yakoots drink vodka, smoke tobacco and play cards. In spring, when the first koumiss is made, we celebrate national holiday. Our young men compete in running, jumping and wrestling, and the victors don't care even for 8 wreath, being sat- isfied with the con sciousness of their superior skill and strength. Still, I must admit that poetry and music are undevsloped among us. The continuous snow storms aud dreadful frosts are not