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in the company ; they daub one of these portions all over 
with charcoal till it be perfectly black ; they put all the bits 
of cake into a bonnet ; every one, blindfold, draws out a 
portion. He who holds the bonnet is entitled to the last 
bit. Whoever draws the black bit is the devoted person to 
be sacrificed to Baal, whose favour they mean to implore in 
rendering the year productive of the sustenance of man and 
beast. There is little doubt of these inhuman sacrifices 
having been once offered in this country as well as in the 
East, although they now pass from the act of sacrificing, 
and only compel the devoted person to leap three times 
through the flames." 
It is singular to observe in connection with this oat-cake 
lottery, and a somewhat similar one to be noticed imme- 
diately, that though the only idea of sacrifice now entertained 
by the Highlanders is one drawn from Scripture and classic 
authors, viz., that of bulls, and goats, and rains, &c, &c, 
their word for sacrifice is "Iob-oirt," from iob or uib, "a 
raw cake" or "lump of dough," and thoirt, to " offer" (the 
" th " being quiescent), thus retaining the old word for Baal 
offerings. 
There are many other notices of Baal fires existing at that 
time; and a short time ago a sum of money was left in 
Aberdeenshire to keep up the Beltane fire.* 
* The following paragraph appeared in the Leeds Mercury of June 29th, 1867. 
"A letter from Dublin says :— The old Pagan fire-worship still survives in Ireland, 
though nominally in honour of St. John. On Sunday night bonfires were 
observed throughout nearly every county in the province of Leinster. In 
Kilkenny fires blazed on every hill side at intervals of about a mile. There 
were very many in the Queen's County, also in Kildare and Wexford. The effect 
in the rich sunset appeared to travellers very grand. The people assemble and 
dance round the fires, children jump through the flames, and in former times 
live coals were carried into the cornfields to prevent bright. Of course the 
people are not conscious that this midsummer celebration is a remnant of the 
worship of Baal. It is believed by many that the round towers were intended 
for signal fires in connection With this worship."— [h. D.] 
