Ostiaks
or OSTYAKS, a Ural-Altaic people living along the lower course in 479 led them over the Julian Alps, conof the river Ob in Western Siberia, where quered Odoacer in 493 and became King they struggle against chronic poverty, of Italy. The country prospered under drunkenness, frequently famine, to get of Italy. The country prospered under a living by fishing and hunting fur- pel these people and in 552 the kingdom bearing animals. They dwell in wretched was taken from them and they gradually and very dirty huts, eat flesh raw, use bows and arrows, and weapons of bone and stone; and are still in great part heathens. They are decreasing in num- and stone; and are still in great part bers, and are estimated now at about 20,- 000. Their language belongs to the Finnish division. became incorporated with other nations.
Russian Poland, when it was a district