ring home great loads of juniper, which on New Year's Day was kindled in
the different rooms, all apertures being closed so that the smoke might
produce a thorough fumigation. Not only human beings had to stand this,
but horses and other animals were treated in the same way to preserve
them from harm throughout the year. Moreover, first thing on New Year's
morning, everybody, while still in bed, was asperged with a large
brush.{29} There is a great resemblance here to the Catholic use of
incense and holy water in southern Germany and Austria on the
_Rauchnaechte_ (see also Chapter VIII.). In Tyrol these nights are
Christmas, New Year's, and Epiphany Eves. When night falls the Tyrolese
peasant goes with all his household through each room and outhouse, his
wife bearing the holy water vessel and the censer. Every corner of the
buildings, every animal, |328| every human being is purified with the
sacred smoke and the holy sprinkling, and even the Christmas pie must be
hallowed in this way. In Orthodox Greek countries something of the same
kind takes place, as we shall see, at the Epiphany. To drive away evil
spirits is no doubt the object of all these rites.{30}

The most interesting of Scottish New Year customs, considered as
religious survivals, is a practice found in the Highlands on New Year's
Eve, and evidently of sacrificial origin. It has been described by
several writers, and has various forms. According to one account the hide
of the mart or winter cow was wrapped round the head of one of a company
of men, who all made off belabouring the hide with switches. The
disorderly procession went three times _deiseal_ (according to the course
of the sun) round each house in the village, striking the walls and
shouting on coming to a door a rhyme demanding admission. On entering,
each member of the party was offered refreshments, and their leader gave
to the goodman of the house the "breast-stripe" of a sheep, deer, or
goat, wrapped round the point of a shinty stick.{31}

We have here another survival of that oft-noted custom of skin-wearing,
which, as has been seen, originated apparently in a desire for contact
with the sanctity of the sacrificed victim. Further, the "breast-stripe"
given to the goodman of each house is evidently meant to convey the
hallowed influences to each family. It is an oval strip, and no knife may
be used in removing it from the flesh. The head of the house sets fire to
it, and it is given to each