Since the cessation of the terrible gales of the early part of the month, the weather has been bright, bracing, and breezy, with occasional snow showers along the uplands, that have already converted the many mountain ridges around each into a veritable Sierra Nevada. On the nights of the 13-14th and 14-15th we sat up till a late, or rather an early hour, keenly on the watch for a meteoric display, in railway nomenclature, then due, but which, up to the date of the present writing, has not yet put in an appearance. Meteors there were, but they were the mere phosphorescent streaks rarely looked for in vain by the student of the heavens on a fairly cloudless night at this season. The lunar eclipse of the early morning of the 15th was well seen, the beautiful orb, like a shield of burnished silver, riding serene in the unclouded blue; but the obscuration was too partial to be in any way interesting or striking to any one who had gazed on the phenomenon in its grander phases as often as we have done.
To our good friend Mr. Carmichael of South Uist we are indebted for the following contributions to our stock of ancient Celtic folk-lore, a subject much neglected, but of very great interest notwithstanding:--
A prayer to be said at covering up the fire at bedtime.
(Taken down from the recitation of a man living at Iocar of Uist.)
Smàlaidh mise an teine; Mar a smàlas Mac Moire. Gu'm bu slàn an tigh 's an teine, Gu'm bu slàn do 'n chuideachd uile. Co sid air an làr? Peadair agus Pàl, Co air a bhith's an aire 'nochd? Air Moire geal 's air a Mac. Beul De a dh'innseas, Aingeal geal a lann'ras, Aingeal 'an dorus gach taighe Gu solus gael a maireach.
Which may be rendered into English as follows:--
I will cover up the fire aright, Even as directed by the Virgin's own Son. Safe be the house, and safe the fire, And safe from harm be all the indwellers. Who is that that I see on the floor? Even Peter himself and Paul. Upon whom shall this night's vigil rest? Upon the blameless Virgin Mother and her Son. God's mouth has spoken it. A white-robed angel shall gleam in the darkness, An angel (to keep watch and ward) at the door of each house Till the return of the morrow's blessed light.
Having thus duly covered up the fire, and committed the house and its inhabitants to the Divine protection during the watches of the night, the following "Bed Blessing" was repeated by each as the people retired to rest:--