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Rh of the body (one pilgrim was seen to touch her foot with it), crosses himself with it again and replaces it upon the altar.

The pilgrim then leaves the chapel by the doorway on the south side, kneeling and praying in the doorway before leaving. One old woman—the same that touched her foot with the healing stone—was seen to scrape some grit off a stone of the doorway and apply it to her big toe.

The pilgrims after leaving the chapel of St. Conal have completed the observance and return to the shore where they can put on their shoes again. While at the well and the altar they tear off bits of rag, sometimes apparently brought for the purpose, and leave bits sticking in the rocks near the spring and under or near the altar stone. Some drop pence through the round hole in the stone, and some leave rosaries, scapulars, hair-pins, hair-combs and similar articles by or under the altar stone. The object of the pilgrimage seems to be to obtain relief from some specific complaint, but it is said that the water of the holy spring has properties other than curative in that it has the power of driving away rats and similar vermin when sprinkled in the house. The altar seems to be sometimes spoken of as the "bed" of St. Conal.

 

you inform me if there is any established rule for hanging up horseshoes for luc? I have been told that it was advisable to turn the points downwards so that the evil principle may go down to its own place, but it seems more usual to turn the points up.

[There seems to be much difference of opinion regarding the position in which horseshoes should be hung. The matter was discussed by four correspondents in Notes and Queries, 7th Series, ii. 277 f. One writer remarked that the points should be upwards, to keep in the luck; because it is contrary to art, except in the 