Indian Antiquary Vol 12

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 97

MARCH, 1883.)
CHINGHIZ KHÅN AND HIS ANCESTORS.
85
one to be admitted to his presence until he burnt for some person not present, a piece of had thus decided whether it would be lucky to his clothing or of his goods must be present as do so. This form of divination was thus car. an emblem (ghai) of himself. The bone must ried out:-Three shoulder-blades having been remain on the fire until the Dallaji deems there procured, the Khân held them in his hand, and are a sufficient number of fissures, when he turned over in his mind whether some course prophesies According to their situation, prowas to be carried out or not. The servant then portions and relation to one another, whether took the bones and burnt them in a hut close there will be ill-fortune or good, life or death, by, of which there were two close to the Khân's or whether some purpose will have a fortunate sleeping-quarters. When they were burnt black termination or no. Pallas says that it is strange they were taken to him, and then carefully how frequently these prophesies turn out right, inspected. If the cracks caused by the fire thus increasing the reputation of this method occurred longitudinally, then it was deemed of divining. Notwithstanding the variety prudent to carry out whatever was proposed or there is in the disposal of the fissures accordintended; if on the other hand they occurreding to the heat of the fire, the position of the transversely, or if a bone broke into round pieces, bone, etc. etc., there are certain principal lines then it was deemed inexpedient to carry out which are tolerably constant, and to which the the plan. Pallas has given an account of this Kalmuks attach certain names and virtues. kind of divination as still practised among the Pallas has given a detailed list of these which Kalmuks. He tells as that among the various however require his plate to understand them." kinds of divination which have been apparently In the earliest times of Chinese history we practised among the credulous Mongols, and read of divination by means of the Tortoise which have widely prevailed in Asia wherever (kuer). This was practised by burning certain Shamanism has existed, perhaps the most herbs in the carapace of a tortoise until certain famous is that of prophesying what will take fissures appeared in it." Pallas tells us that place to-morrow or a few days hence, by an in the work Belgen Bichik, a special kind of inspection of the fissures made in burnt shoul. divination is described, consisting in the selecder-blades by the fire. These are interpretedtion of nine long threads or strings, to the end according to certain systematic rules. This of one of which a bead is attached. These mode of prophesying is known to the Kalmuks are held between the thumb and index finger as dalla tullike, and those who practise of the left hand, and are plaited together with it are called Dalldji. These people are not the fingers of the other hand during the reading Shamans but laymen, who have acquired by of certain mystical formulæ, the performer not long practice great skill in the art. Among the looking at them. They are then wound once Kalmuks there is a work entitled Dalla contain- round the index finger, and one being taken ing rules for the interpretation of the different at random is drawn out. The event is foretold cracks, transverse and straight, which occur in according as the beaded thread comes out first, a burnt shoulder-blade, and the Lamaists employ second, third, etc. etc." a special prayer addressed to the god of The Shamans also prophesy from the cries of medicine, Otachi, while the bones are on the ravens and of magpies, the flight of birds, etc. fire. The best bones for the purpose are those The cry of the owl and the howling of dogs of sheep, of the larger antelope, of the roe and are deemed unlucky.” The various prohibireindeer. A hare's shoulder-blade is only good tions embodied in the code of Chinghiz and for one day's prophecy, while that of the wild which were, as we argued, due to fear of insaltboar can only be used to foretell the issue of a ing the elements, were no doubt drawn directly boar hunt. The process of preparation is to take a from the teaching of Shamanism. Carpini's shoulder-blade with its flesh upon it and to boil list of such prohibitions is more extensive than it. The flesh must then be removed with a knife that we gave. Thus he says it was forbidden to and not with the teeth. When the bone is being put a knife into the fire or in any way to touch
. BahramisPack, vol. II, pp. 350-354 ; se sloo D'Ohsson, vol. II, pp. 616-617.
* De Mailla, vol. I, p. 104, note 1. " Gomboyef, Melanges Asiatiques, vol. II, p. 655,