ry ‘ 
76 Transactions. 
looking in his direction. Turning to ascertain the occasion of 
their mirth, he was amazed to find that he had nothing but his 
horse’s halter in his hand, both horse and cart having been left 
standing on the roadway about a quarter of a mile distant. This 
devilry was clearly due to the malign influence of the warlock, 
for he was observed engaging in some mystic incantations as the 
carter approached the door of his dwelling. We may supplement 
these experiences with a reminiscence of present day witchcraft, 
The narrative is given, as far as possible, in the words of our 
informant :—“ Auld Jean D 
mother afore her were baith witches, cam’ in ae morning afore a 
Moniaive fair day tae ask me tae help an’ stack hay at Craig- 
darroch in her place, as she wanted tae gang tae the oo-rowin’ at 
—, whose mother and grand- 
Glencrosh. My mither said ‘ Het! she’s far ower young ;’ and 
I said ‘I’m doost no gaun,’ for, ye see, I had made up my min’ 
tae gang tae the fair. Jean gaed oot o’ the door gie ill-pleased like, 
and my mither said ‘She’s an ill body, and ye should maybe hae 
gaen ;’ but I doost gaed a lauch, an’ thocht nae mair aboot it. 
Well, next morning, believe me or no as ye like, I couldna lift 
my heid, an’ I had gaen tae my bed as weel as I ever felt in my 
life. My mither said ‘Oo, lassie, I think she has bewitched ye ;’ 
an’ tae tell the truth, I thocht sae mysel’, for I never felt the 
same aither afore or since. I was doost ill wi’ a queerness, but 
for the life o’ me couldna tell what was wrang. Next day I was 
a richt again, but by that time, of coorse, I had missed the fair.” 
Happily, if the evil was a widespread one preventive or remedial 
measures were within the reach ofall. Thus, a horse-shoe nailed 
over the threshold was supposed to afford perfect immunity, 
neither witch nor warlock being able to enter a dwelling where 
this mode of protection had been adopted. By some a branch of 
rowan tree was looked upon with equal favour, and bundles of 
small rowan tree twigs were constantly kept suspended over the 
doorway, or attached to the top of the box-bed or corner cup- 
board. Salt was likewise considered efficacious, and when churn- 
ing had to be done it was customary to put a handful of salt into 
the churn together with the cream. In the event of the churn 
getting bewitched through neglect of this precautionary measure, 
it was necessary to remove both the churn and its contents across 
running water, for it was only in that way the baneful 
spell could be neutralised, and butter induced to reward the 
