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"A
gude New-Year I wish thee, Maggy."
BURNS
THE Highlander’s native proneness to
festive enjoyments, far
from being cloyed by recent series of feasts and diversions, only
receives from their speedy recurrence an additional excitement. Anxious by
all means to secure this occasion its accustomed share of hilarity, fresh
schemes of amusement are studied and promoted with unabated avidity. The
peculiar character of the time pre-eminently entitles it to every
demonstration of satisfaction which mankind can evince; and it must be no
small stimulus to the Highlander’s laudable zeal, to see that in
this he is imitated by beings whose abilities
are far
inferior to his own.`
We presume it is a circumstance that
is very little known in other quarters of the kingdom, that, on this
particular occasion, even the brute creation (if we may use the
expression) have an instinctive knowledge of its auspices. In particular,
that admirable object of Highland curiosity, the
"Candlemas [The term candlemas
is applied to the New-Year in the Highlands. The origin of the term
arose from some old religious ceremonies performed on this occasion by
candlelight.] Bull," manifests no small degree of respect for the
occasion. This strange and curious animal, which has so long
escaped the observation of all the Saxon
naturalists and astronomers that ever lived,
has been long since discovered by our Highland philosophers. We say
astronomers! because, however strange it may appear, this bull forms an
object of speculation connected with their department of science. It must
not, however, be inferred from this circumstance, that it, is of that
celestial species of bulls designated by astronomers to distinguish a
particular division of the zodiac; neither is it of that terrestrial
species known to naturalists and cattle-dealers.....it is of a species
distinct from both. Partaking together of the aëriaI and terrestrial
nature and qualities, both the earth and the air are equally its elements.
This bull rnakes an annual excursion, in some latitude or other, about the
twilight of this night, no doubt in honour of the occasion. He has, it is
said, neither wings nor any other apparent buoyants; but he takes
advantage of the course of the wind, on which he glides along in
fellowship with the clouds, in a manner that would do credit to the
best aeronaut of the day. The particular place of his ascension or
descent, which varies with the direction of the wind, cannot be exactly
ascertained. Nor can we favour the curious with a minute description of
its bodily appearance, since we never had the good fortune to be present
when it was seen. All our informants, however, agree in representing it as
of a very large size, the colour of a dark cloud, and having all the limbs
of a common bull. [We are totally unable to account for the origin
of this strange piece of superstition. It is unnecessary to remark, that
the object of this delusion is nothing but a passing cloud, which the
perverted imagination of the original Highlander shapes into the
form of a bull. There is something very ominous as to the art or direction
in which the bull rises or falls—we believe it to be prognostic of its
being a good or bad year.]
As soon as night sets in, it is the
signal for the suspension of common employments; and the Highlander’s
attention is directed to more agreeable and important callings.
Associating themselves into bands, the men, with tethers and axes, shape
their course towards the juniper bushes, which are as much in request this
night as kail is on Hallowe’en. Returning home with Herculean loads, the
juniper is arranged around the the fire to dry till the morning. Some
careful person is also dispatched to the dead and living ford, who
draws a pitcher of water, observing all the time the most profound
silence. Great care must be taken that the vessel containing the water
does not touch the ground, otherwise it would lose, all its virtues. These
and every other necessary peculiar to the occasion being provided, the
inmates retire to rest for the night, full of the thoughts of the morrow.
The Highlander’s morning cheer this
day is far less palatable than that with which he is served so comfortably
on Christmas day. But if it be not so agreeable to his temporal
inclinations, it is far more beneficial to his spiritual interests. The
Lagan-le-vrich, though very good in itself as a substantial dish, will do
no more than satisfy for a time the cravings of nature, But the treat of
which he partakes this day extends its effects to the good of both soul
and body. This treat, if we may so call it, is divided into two courses,
which are productive of the following good effects.
The first course, consisting of the
Usgue Cashrichd,
or water from the dead and living ford, by its
sacred virtues, preserves the Highlander, until the next anniversary, from
all those direful calamities proceeding from the agency of all infernal
spirits, witchcraft, evil eyes, and the like. And the second course,
consisting of the fumes of juniper, not only removes whatever diseases may
affect the human frame at the time, but it likewise fortifies the
constitution against their future attacks. These courses of medicine are
administered in the following manner:
Light and fire being kindled, and
the necessary arrangements having been effected, the high priest of the
ceremonies for the day, and his assistants, proceed with the hallowed
water to the several beds in the house, and, by means of a large brush,
sprinkles upon their occupants a profuse shower of the precious
preservative, which, notwithstanding its salutary properties, they
sometimes receive with jarring ingratitude.
The first course being thus served,
the second is about to be administered - preliminary to which, it is
necessary to stuff all the crevices and windows in the house, even to the
key-hole. This done, piles of juniper are kindled into a conflagration in
the different apartments in the house. Rising in fantastic curls, the
fumes of the blazing juniper spread along the roof, and gradually condense
themselves into an opaque cloud, filling the apartment with an odoriferous
fumigation altogether overpowering. Penetrating into the inmost recesses
of the patients’ system, (for patients they may well be called,) it brings
on an incessant shower of hiccupping, sneezing, wheezing, and coughing,
highly demonstrative of its expectorating qualities. But it not
unfrequently happens, that young and thoughtless urchins, not relishing
such physic, and unmindful of the import ant benefits they reap
from it, diversify the scene by cries of suffocation and the like, which
never fail to call forth from the more reflecting part of the family, if
able to speak, a very severe reproof. Well knowing, however, that the more
intense the "smuchdan," the more propitious are its effects, the
high priest, with dripping eyes and distorted mouth, continues his
operations, regardless of the feelings of’ his flock, until he considers
the dose fully sufficient—upon which he opens the vent, and the
other crevices, to admit the genial fluid, to recover the spirits of the
exhausted patients. He then proceeds to gratify the horses, cattle, and
other bestial stock in the town, with the same entertainment in their
turn. [It is believed that this extraordinary entertainment is now
administered in no part of the Highlands, except in Strathdown and its
immediate neighbourhood. In that district, however, the inhabitants
generally attend to it, merely, it is believed, from the influence of
inveterate custom.]
Meanwhile, the gudewife gets up,
venting the most latent embryo of disease in a copious expectoration; and
clapping her hand upon the bottle dhu, she administers a renovating
cordial to the sufferers around her. The painful ordeal is therefore soon
forgotten, and nothing is heard but the salutations of the season. All the
family now get up, to wash their besmeared faces, and prepare themselves
for the festivities of the day, and for receiving the visits of their
neighbours. These last soon arrive in bodies, venting upon the family
broadsides of salutation peculiar to the day. [The literal expressions
used in the salutation applicable to this day in the Gaelic language, the
writer could never perfectly comprehend. The literal translation of the
words are, (Mu nase choil orst,)
"My Candlemas bond upon you." The real meaning of the
words, however, is, "You owe me a New-Year’s gift;" and it is a point of
great emulation who will salute the other first - the one who does so
being considered entitled to a gift from the person so saluted..]
Breakfast being served up, consisting of all the luxuries that can be
procured, those of’ the neighbours not engaged are invited to partake of
it; and the day is terminated with balls, drinking, card parties, and
other sports too tedious to be mentioned. |
