The account agrees generally with what we are told of the original Shamanism of the Tunguses, which recognizes a Supreme Power over all, and a small number of potent spirits called Ongot.  These spirits among the Buraets are called, according to one author, Nougait or Nogat, and according to Erman Ongotui.  In some form of this same word, Nogait, Ongot, Onggod, Ongotui, we are, I imagine, to trace the Natigay of Polo.  The modern representative of this Shamanist Lar is still found among the Buraets, and is thus described by Pallas under the name of Immegiljin:  “He is honoured as the tutelary god of the sheep and other cattle.  Properly, the divinity consists of two figures, hanging side by side, one of whom represents the god’s wife.  These two figures are merely a pair of lanky flat bolsters with the upper part shaped into a round disk, and the body hung with a long woolly fleece; eyes, nose, breasts, and navel, being indicated by leather knobs stitched on.  The male figure commonly has at his girdle the foot-rope with which horses at pasture are fettered, whilst the female, which is sometimes accompanied by smaller figures representing her children, has all sorts of little nicknacks and sewing implements.”  Galsang Czomboyef, a recent Russo-Mongol writer already quoted, says also:  “Among the Buryats, in the middle of the hut and place of honour, is the Dsaiagachi or ‘Chief Creator of Fortune.’  At the door is the Emelgelji, the Tutelary of the Herds and Young Cattle, made of sheepskins.  Outside the hut is the Chandaghatu, a name implying that the idol was formed of a white hare-skin, the Tutelary of the Chase and perhaps of War.  All these have been expelled by Buddhism except Dsaiagachi, who is called Tengri, and introduced among the Buddhist divinities.”

[Illustration:  Tartar Idols and Kumis Churn.]

[Dorji Banzaroff, in his dissertation On the Black Religion, i.e.  Shamanism, 1846, “is disposed to see in Natigay of M. Polo, the Ytoga of other travellers, i.e. the Mongol Etugen—­’earth,’ as the object of veneration of the Mongol Shamans.  They look upon it as a divinity, for its power as Delegei in echen, i.e. ‘the Lord of Earth,’ and on account of its productiveness, Altan delegei, i.e.  ‘Golden Earth.’” Palladius (l.c. pp. 14-16) adds one new variant to what the learned Colonel Yule has collected and set forth with such precision, on the Shaman household gods.  “The Dahurs and Barhus have in their dwellings, according to the number of the male members of the family, puppets made of straw, on which eyes, eyebrows, and mouth are drawn; these puppets are dressed up to the waist.  When some one of the family dies, his puppet is taken out of the house, and a new puppet is made for every newly-born member of the family.  On New Year’s Day offerings are made to the puppets, and care is taken not to disturb them (by moving them, etc.), in order to avoid bringing sickness upon the family.” (He lung kiang wai ki.)