043 
"Ifttrin," or "the island of the land of cold;" although, 
when the word is now used, the Highlanders mean by it the 
place of everlasting fire. 
In the old statistical account of Callander, in Perthshire, a 
singular custom is mentioned as existing at that time, and 
founded upon the old feast of Samh-uinn. Baal fires were 
lighted on rising grounds and in villages. When the fire 
was burnt down, the ashes were carefully collected in a 
circle ; a stone was then placed in the circumference of 
glowing ashes, for every person or family interested in the 
ceremony. If any stone was injured, or moved from its 
place in the morning, the person whose stone it was, was 
considered to be doomed, and supposed to die before twelve 
months. Here is a clear allusion to the excommunicate 
person being deprived of fire, and left to perish. The festi- 
vities of Hallow-een still bear some resemblance to this 
custom. Nuts are placed in the fire by the lads and lasses ; 
if they burn evenly together, a marriage is supposed to be 
the inevitable result. If one should jump out of the fire, 
no marriage can take place ; but probably single misery will 
be the doom. 
The ceremonies at Beltane were equally conclusive of a 
Baal origin. In the old statistical account of Callander the 
writer records a custom that was then wearing out in all the 
Highlands, and which, therefore, he very wisely thought, 
ought to be taken notice of. " On the first of May, called 
Beltan, or Beil-tein day, all the boys in a township or hamlet 
meet in the moors. They cut a table in the green sod of a 
round figure, by casting a trench in the ground ; they kindle 
a fire, and dress a repast of eggs and milk in the consistence 
of a custard ; they knead a cake of oatmeal, which is toasted 
at the embers against a stone. After the custard is eaten 
up, they divide the cake into so many portions, as similar as 
possible to one another in size and shape, as there are persons 
