1 - Megaliihic Structures of the C Islands. [April, 



Guernsey by numerous examples occurring, in which celts have 

 been found immediately after thunderstorms, the fact being that it 

 is only after thunderstorms that the people look for them Seme 

 years ago the signal staff of the Guet du Catel watch-house was 

 shivered by lightning, and shortly afterwards a man in the same 

 neighbourhood picked np close by a flint celt, measuring 6 inches 

 in length. He was in the habit of chipping off little bits, and, 

 applying the instrument to his nose, discovered the peculiar smell 

 well known when ftvo pieces of flint are rubbed together), which 



he conceived, vei isely, proceeded from its mystical fire origin in 



the clouds. Among the common people the celt is supposed to 

 have supernatural powers, and to have the virtue of preservation 

 from injury.* It is often placed in the masonry of a house to 

 preserve the same from hghtmng. Mr. Lukis is in possession of 

 ral, which have been obtained from old walls. They have been 

 known to be kept on board of merchant ships, in the captains 

 cabin, for the same purpo-e. Mr. Bose tells us that the stone 

 are highly valued in Denmark as charms, so that it is difficult 

 to induce their possessors to sell them. were thought to 



bring good luck to the house. There is also an instance mentioned 

 in which one of these ancient implements was found concealed 

 under the floor of a cottage, near the door, having been placed 

 there to keep out witches. In the Grecian Archipelago few 

 : fcages are without one of these stones, which is supposed to 

 possess some sanitary virtue; the possessor breaks off a small 

 portion of it when required, and either keeps it as a talisman 

 against some particular malady, or dispenses it to his friends for 



_: : source of danger to which this innocent implement 

 ie Txposed is the feet of its being supposed to be thrown to the 

 earth by fairies and hobgoblins. The old inhabitants of some of 

 our islands, when they found one on their premises or fields, would 

 immediately smash it to powder upon some stone. A Jersey 

 gentleman has informed me that when he ^ras a lad he had seen 

 many treated in the same manner. Some years since I (Mr. Lukis) 

 obtained a celt from a countryman of this island (Guernsey), and 

 there arose a fearful storm of lightning and thunder in the night. 

 On the following morning both husband and wife appeared at my 

 house begging me to return the celt^ as they had not slept a wink 

 the night before. 



" In Brittany the Moen-sourous, as the celt is called, is often 

 thrown down into a well or spring as a purifier of the water. One 

 well in the Morhihan is known to have had as many as five of 

 those instruments thrown into it In Switzerland the mountaineers 

 are in the habit of wrapping one round the neck of the bell-wether, 

 * Compare Nflsson on * The Stone Age,' chap. vL. pp. 199- i _ 



