Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/296

 288 Revival of Witchcraft in Ross-shire.—A correspondent sends us the following:—The belief in witchcraft, which has never become quite extinct in the more remote parts of the Highlands, has recently been revived in a certain parish on the west coast of Ross-shire. Some time ago a party of gipsies, who had been encamped in the locality in question, took the liberty of grazing their horses on pasture belonging to a township of small tenants in the immediate neighbourhood of their camp. This unwarranted encroachment on their rights the tenants resented, and drove away the obnoxious intruders, hag and baggage, from the place. On taking their departure some of the gipsies were heard to remark that the tenants might not be quite so conservative of their pasture, which ere long they would have no cattle to consume. At the time no notice was taken of this implied threat. Soon after, however, three valuable cows belonging to one of the tenants died one after the other in quick succession, suddenly and under mysterious circumstances, while two of the other tenants lost a cow each under similar circumstances. A respectable farmer, noted in the district for uprightness and integrity of character, and who is considered an authority in veterinary matters, had been called to see one of the animals shortly before it died, and, having carefully examined the beast, at once pronounced it to have been "witched," as the symptoms were those of no known disease. On the strength of this statement on the part of one who is looked on as an authority in such matters, coupled with the ominous language made use of by the gipsies, a considerable section of the community unhesitatingly attribute the death of the cattle to the agency of witchcraft! As a charm against the evil influences at work one of the tenants, acting on the advice of the initiated, had the door of his byre changed from one side of the house to the other, but with what result remains to be seen. Pending the efficacy of this charm a young man has proceeded to one of the western isles, with the view of consulting a famous witch-doctor said to be in practice there. As an indication of the prevalence of the belief in witchcraft it may be stated that in the district in question there are two witch-doctors residing within a distance of twenty miles of each other.—Glasgow Herald, 28 July, 1884.

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Glasgow.