622 REPORT—1896, 
any animal that had died and been buried for a considerable time were 
dug up and stored. For about a fortnight previous to Hogmanay the 
boys went the round of the village and laid all the peat-stacks under 
tribute. The peats were all carefully stowed away till required. On the 
last day of the year the peats were first piled up, and then the pile was 
covered with the bones. At twelve o'clock at night the whole was set on 
fire, and the younger part of those present ran round the blazing pile, but 
no words were repeated. My informant (eighty-three years of age) has 
engaged in all this. He also said that he as well as others used to get 
empty tar-barrels, put a little tar into them, place them on their heads, 
have the tar in them set on fire, and, with them blazing on their heads, 
parade the village. About thirty years ago those in authority set them- 
selves to put down the custom. The bonfire was erected as usual, but 
the word went round that the kindling of it was to be prevented, and if 
anyone succeeded in kindling it every endeavour would be made to ‘droon’t 
oot,’ and this could have been easily done, as the village pump is quite 
close to the site of the bonfire. Nothing daunted, the villagers assembled 
to wait the current of events. As the midnight hour approached, the 
policeman made his appearance carrying a pail. He came up to the pile, 
put down his pail, and began to walk round and round the green. The 
boys stood at a distance, peeping from every corner, and watching if an 
opportunity of throwing a piece of fire on the pile could be found. <A few 
yards from where it stood is a house in which lived at that time a woman 
named Jess Clelland. Jess was on the side of the old custom, and she 
was on the watch to outdo the men of authority. The policeman took a 
rather wider turn than usual, and when his back was turned Jess seized a 
burning peat from her hearth, rushed out, and thrust it into the bonfire. 
When the policeman turned he saw the pile ina blaze. He ran, seized 
the pail, and made for the pump, The pump-handle was gone, and the 
policeman withdrew. Jess gained the victory. Let Mr. Lang indite an 
ode to her. 
122a. At Newton-Stewart there is a fire procession which starts 
from ‘The Angle’ on Hogmanay exactly at twelve o'clock at night. A 
tar-barrel is fixed on two long poles by means of two cross-bars. The 
barrel is well filled with tar and paraftin. The whole is mounted on the 
shoulders of four (?) men, and the contents of the barrel are set on fire. 
The procession marches along the street past the bridge over the Cree 
that leads to Minnigaff village. When the end of the street is reached 
the processionists retrace their steps till they come to the bridge. This 
they cross and march through the village of Minnigaff to the green, where 
the bonfire is now in full blaze. Here they get their barrel replenished 
if need be. They then retrace their steps through the village and over the 
bridge to Newton-Stewart, and then along the street to ‘The Angle,’ the 
point from which they started. Here the poles and barrel are thrown 
down and the whole burned. During the procession the carriers of the 
blazing barrel are changed every now and again. Last year an attempt 
was made to put a stop to the procession, under the plea that it gave 
occasion to much drunkenness. Mr. J. Reid, the minister of Minnigaff, 
remonstrated with the authorities against such a step, and most luckily 
his remonstrance prevailed, and the procession took place with all order, 
Mr. Reid himself being witness. 
[A bonfire is burned at Invergordon, Ross-shire, on the last day of the 
year. It is kindled at twelve o’clock at night. | 
