Grampian Club > Scotland, social and domestic

148 Scotland, Social and Domestic.
A custom existed at Biggar of kindling a bonfire on
the top of an eminence. This was called "burning
the old year out." In his Tour to the Hebrides, Dr.
Johnson remaiks : —
"At New Year's Eve, in the hall or castle of the
laird, where at festal seasons there may be supposed
to be a very numerous company, one man dresses him-
self in a cow's hide, upon which other men beat with
sticks. He runs with all this noise round the house,
which all the company quit in a counterfeited fright ;
the door is then shut. At New Year's Eve there is
no great pleasure to be had out of doors in the
Hebrides. They are sure soon to recover from ttieir
terror enough to solicit for readmission, which, for the
honour of poetry, is not to be obtained save by repeating
a verse, with which those who are knowing and provi-
dent take care to be provided."
On the last day of the year the members of families
reassembled under the paternal roof. The evening was
enlivened with toast and sentiment. Twelve o'clock
was eagerly anticipated. At the first stroke of the
hour a rush was made to the window, which was
thrown open, to facilitate the egress of the old year.
Before the clock had ceased striking, the gudeman
opened the house-door, " to admit the new year." Then
followed congratulations and embraces, health-drinking
and shouting. Some seized the kettle containing the
" hot pint," bent on being " first-foot " to their neigh-
bours. It was a matter of concern to the parties visited
that he who first entered was sonsie and well-favoured.
Should a decrepit person, or one empty handed, be the
first-foot, unhappy consequences were supposed to follow.
In localities where draw-wells were used, gudewives