174               ORIGIN OF THE

FESTIVAL OF DREAMS AMONG THE TONGUSI, COP
          RIAKS, AND KAMSCHADALES.

  Several travellers who visited the north-east parts of
Asia mention several festivals, and among them rejoi-
cings called the JNokoosi or interpretations of dreams. In
a certain season mof the year, -we are told by Santini that
all the young people of both sexes among the Coriaks as-
semble in order to guess dreams. These merriments
and entertainments, he tells us, continue for several days,
during which time dances, songs, and music, form the
principal part of the entertainment. According to Aber-
nethy, they paint and disguise themselves when they go
abroad without paying any respect either to morality or
decency. Many of them, especially among the Tongu-
si, says the same author, consider this a favourable opf
portunity of revenging insults and injuries, because they
imagine that they are not known to the sufferer. La
itche compares the JVokoosi of the Kemachadaks with
the Carnivali of the continent of Europe, which takes
place yearly in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and in some parts
of France before lent commences. During the celebra-
tioh of the C(rnivali, which lasts for fourteen days, those
who join it masquerade themselves and are at-full Iibesr
ty to play all those tricks with impunity Lwhich cannot
be considered criminal.-'--The Kamschadales, as well as
the North American Indians, may do the same withoat
punishment; because, according to their custom, every
person makes himself as foolish as he can. Abernethy
speaks of his having distinguished himsel fon one of these
occasions among the Coriaks for the sole pnrpose, as he
himself tells us, of saving his life; because he consider-
ed them actually deranged, and consequently his life in
danger on account of being a stranger and a foreigner.
Santini found himself in the same predicament among
some tribes of the Tonausi, and would most likely have
been grossly insulted, had not his converts, the Tongu.