68
Catalogue of Brand Material.
III. General Observanxes.
(a) Propitiatory and Precautionary First-footing
Almsgiving - - - -
Pouring ale into the sea Sprinkling boats and houses Bathing in lochs -
Rites with Five.
Hair of cattle singed with burning rag
Cattle lustrated with fire, ammonia, water and salt, together with prayers and charms - - -
Rowan-tree branches burnt before house, to keep away witches : (Highlander in) -
Torches carried round fields to purge out evil spirits and to ensure fertility
Burning peat carried round homestead . - -
Sweeping round peat-stack, to preserve peats ^ -
House-fire kept alight -
Unlucky to give fire out of the house, 1780
[h) Bonfire Customs.
Bonfires forbidden by
Presbytery 1648 - Bonfires customary
One for every house
LOCALITY.
Rites. Caithness (Wick). Outer Hebrides. Lewis (see § iv.). Orkney.
Caithness, Galloway
(see 5 iv.).
Orkney, 1633.
Highlands and Hebrides.
Fife.
Perthshire (Braemar).
Outer Hebrides.
Sutherland. Borders.
each village
,, and isolated farm, to bum the witches Numerous, i860 -
1 See Divination below.
(Locality ?).
Fife.
Highlands, Hebrides,
Moray, Buchan, North- east, Perthsh., Ren- frewsh., and West.
Highlands and Hebrides, Perth (Balquhidder), 1S88.
Perth (Callander), 1770- 80.
North-east.
Head of Loch Tay.
