People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 July 1894 — SUICIDE IN RUSSIA. [ARTICLE]

SUICIDE IN RUSSIA.

Aged and Sick Tchuktchln Sacrificed wllli Strange Ceremonl< g Even To-Day. Very few persons iu Europe or elsewhere are aware that human sacrifices still exist in a part of ihe Russian empire. Among the Tchuktchis such sacrifices still take place, says the Gazette de Yalcootsk, and seem likely to be practiced for a long time to come. At the same time no blame therefor can be attached to the Russian government or to the orthodox church, for efforts by both to stop the custom have proved ineffectual. Tho sacrifices alluded to are those of old people aud the sick, who, finding no pleasure in life, resolve to have done with earthly existence, to rejoin their dead relations and go to increase the number o 1 happy spirits. The Tchuktchi who has made up his mind to die immediately notifies his neighbors and nearest relatives. The news spreads In the circle of his friends and all of them soon visit the unhappy person to influence him to change his mind. Prayers, reproaches, complaints and tears have no effect on the fanatic, who explains his reasons, speaks of the future life, of the dead who appear to him in his sleep, and even when he is awake, calling him to them. His friends, seeing him thus resolved, go away to make the customary preparations. At the end of from ten to fifteen days they return to the hut of the Tchuktchi with white mortuary garments and some weapons which will be used by the man in the other world to fight evil spirits and hunt the reindeer. After making his toilet tha Tchuktchi withdraws into the corner of the hut. His nearest relative stands by his side, holding in his hand the instrument of sacrifice, a knife, a pike or ayope. After the sacrifice the assistants place the body on a sledge drawn by a reindeer, which drawn it to the place of the funeral. Arrived at their destination, the Tchuktchis cut the throat of the reindeer, take from the dead body its clothing, which is torn to pieces, and place the corpse on a lighted funeral pile. During the incineration the assistants offer up prayer to the happy in the other world and supplicate these to watch over them and theirs. These horrible practices are followed to-day with the same exactness as in ancient times.