Chapter V: Modern Chips of the Old Blocks

Traces of Olden Days—Modern Witchcraft; Selling a Gale; Bewitching
Cows; Evil Eye; Numbering the People; Leaving a House Unswept;
Making Clay Images to Harm a Neighbour; Jealousy of Giving Fire
on Certain Days, answering to the Old Fire Festivals—Kindling
the Need-Fire—Sacrifice of an Ox to Arrest Murrain—Sundry
Customs supposed to bring Luck to the Cattle—Rowan-tree and Red
Thread—Of Reverence for Sunwise Turns common to many
Nations—Churchyard and Funeral Superstitions—Carrying Fire Round
Horses and Cattle—Traces of the Old, Spring Festival, still
called Beltane, or Baal’s Fire—Wheel, Emblematic of the Sun, and
Wheeling Dances—Bonfires—Exchanging Easter Eggs—Midsummer Fire
Festival (Christianized as the Feast of St. John)-Bonfires and
Dances—Leaping, and making Children Pass Through the Fire—Autumn
Fire Festival (Hallow-e’en)—How Christianized—Bonfires and
Divination Games—Winter Festival—Yule—Adaptation of Christmas
and other Festivals—Noel—Rolling Fire Wheel—Burning the Clavie,
and kindred Pagan Customs—Traces of Grian, the Sun-god—Gruagach
Stones whereon Libations were Poured—Hebrides Dedicated to
Goddess Brighit—Institution of Christian Nuns of St. Bridgit to
Tend the Old Sacred Fire!—General Process of
Assimilation—Offerings of Horses—Pagan Customs at Christian
Baptisms—Worship of Neithe, Goddess of Water—Well
Worship—Ineffectual Efforts to Check Worship of Trees,
Fountains, and Stones—But the King’s Touch as a Cure for
Scrofula Sanctioned—Traces of Moon Worship—Odd Customs of
Betrothal—Thumb-licking—An Owl’s Question 182

CHAPTER VI.

A ROYAL FUGITIVE.

Sketch of Prince Charlie’s Adventures while hiding in the Hebrides 277

CHAPTER VII.

THE OUTER HEBRIDES.

St. Kilda—Home of the Sea-bird Inhabitants—High Character—Toilsome
Lives—Traces of Old Churches, and Assimilated Paganism—Edicts
Sanctioning this—Ritual Combs—Martin’s Visit to St. Kilda—Origin
of Certain Gaelic Names—Church Ceremonies under
Difficulties—Sail to Harris—Drive to Fincastle—Temple of
Callernish in Lewis—Kindred Rude Stone Monuments Extending in
Unbroken Succession to Hindustan—Temples or Tombs—Modern
Dolmens—Passing Through the Regenerating Cow, or Perforated
Stone, or Rock Crevice—Herring Fishery—Sail to North Uist—Cattle
Market at Loch Maddy—Story of the Red Dye—The _Machars_—An
Improbable Shell Midden—Isle of Vallay—Fish Market—Tides and
Fords—Benbecula—Treasures Brought by the Gulf Stream—“God’s
Blessings”—Timber Supply—South Uist—Barra—South
Bernera—Mingalay—Sail to Dunvegan—Piper’s College—Legends of
Macleod and Macdonald—Story of Lady Grange 288