SHAMAN, a Tunguz word, meaning exorciser of spirits, supposed by Bunsen to be a corruption of Sramana, a term applied to Buddha and to Buddhist priests in general. Shamanism found its way from India to Siberia via Tibet, China, and Mongolia. Rules on the formation of magic figures, on the treatment of diseases by charms, on the worship of evil spirits, on tbc acquisition of supernatural powers on charms, incantations, and other branches of' Shaman witchcraft, are found in the Strangyour or Tanjur, the second part of the Tibetan canon. Shamanism means a deification of the powers of nature and a spirit worship. According to Dr. Latham, Saman is the name given by the Turk population of the Lena, called the Yakuts, to their highest divinity. Megasthenes in B.C. 295, in his embassy from Seleucus to Sandracottus (Chandragupta), divided the philosophers of that country into the Brah man and the Sarman, Srarnan, or Saman. Of these latter, the most famous were such as lived a life of asceticism in the woods, clothed in the bark of trees, and feeding upon seeds and fruits. In Shamanism, magic and ritualism of every form must be included. The modern Shaman affects a peculiar intimacy with the divinities of the stream, cave, and forest, and acts as a medium between them and their believers. Ile fashions rude images of what he calls deities, and in his exorcisms he works hirusclf into a strange mixture of trance and epilepsy. Shainanism exists undis guised amongst the Shanar of Ceylon, runong many of the less civilised races of India, and mixed with Hinduism in almost every village. It is found amongst the races of Scythic or Tartar origin who occupied India prior to tho arrivial of the Aryan Iliudus, and to the present day branches of the Tamil race in the extreme south of India continue to practise fetish and shaman rites. Shamanism amongst the Turanians was evinced by ecstatic excitement. In Shamanism,
the superior deities are far more powerful than roan, and of a different nature. Their place ol abode also is far away, and accessible only tc Shamans. As totemism overlies fetishism, st does Shamanisin overlie totemism. Colonel Dalton states that the paganism of the Ho and Mundah all essential features is Shamanistic. In Siberia the Shamans work themselves up into a fury, supposing or pretending that in this condition they are inspired by the spirit in whose name they speak, and through whose inspiration they are enabled to answer questions and to foretell the future. From Sloudenka to Koultouk the distance is only 20 miles, but a part of this station is very bad, till the road descends to the shore of the Baikal, which it reaches near a mass of rocks named Shaman Kamen. Formerly the religious fanatics executed their criminals here. Their religion and its ceremonies are founded on sorcery ; they believe in good and evil spirits, and sacrifice parts of the antral to their god, whom they name Bour-khan. They give themselves little trouble about the good spirit, but for the evil one they have a great reverence. They believe him an inhabitant of our earth, that he has his abode in dense forests and rugged mountains, and that he is ever active in the midst of terrific storms. They also think that he has the power to transform man into whatever shape he pleases. With the Shamans, the priesthood is hereditary ; it is a rare instance that a stranger is admitted into it. The Shaman Kamen is held sacred by all of the Shaman creed, and they never pass it without offering up their devotions. Rude figures have been sculptured upon its surface, and formerly men, women, and children have been sacrificed upon its summits.