“The people of this district have two customs, which are fast wearing out, not only here, but all over the Highlands, and therefore ought to be taken notice of, while they remain. Upon the first day of May, which is called Beltan, or Bàl-tein-day, all the boys in a township or hamlet meet in the moors. They cut a table in the green sod, of a round figure, by casting a trench in the ground of such a circumference as to hold the whole company. They kindle a fire, and dress a repast of eggs and milk in the consistence of a custard. They knead a cake of oatmeal, which is toasted at the embers against a stone. After the custard is eaten up, they divide the cake into so many portions, as similar as possible to one another in size and shape, as there are persons in the company. They daub one of these portions all over with charcoal, until it be perfectly black. They put all the bits of the cake into a bonnet. Everyone, blindfold, draws out a portion. He who holds the bonnet is entitled to the last bit. Whoever draws the black bit is the devoted person, who is to be sacrificed to Baal, whose favour they mean to implore in rendering the year productive of the sustenance of man and beast. There is little doubt of these inhuman sacrifices having been once offered in this country as well as in the East, although they now pass from the act of sacrificing, and only compel the devoted person to leap three times through the flames; with which the ceremonies of the festival are closed.” I may conclude this chapter by referring to similar practices in Brittany, where Baring-Gould[39] has so successfully studied them. The present remnants of the old cult in the different parishes are now called “pardons”;[40] they are still numerous. I give those for the May and August festivals (p. 83). _May._ Ascension Day. Bodilis, Penhars, Spezet (at the well of S. Gouzenou), Landevennec, Plougonnec. Sunday after Ascension Day. Trégoat, S. Divy. Whit Sunday. Kernilis; Plouider; Edern; Coray; Spezet (Chapel of Cran). Whit Monday. Quimperlé (Pardon des Oiseaux); Pont l’Abbé (Pardon des Enfants); Ergué-Armel, La Forêt, Landudal, Ploneis, Landeleau, Carantec. Whit Thursday. Gouezec (Les Fontaines). _August._ 1st Sunday in August. Pleyben (horse races); Plébannalec; Pouldreuzic; Plougomelin; Huelgoët; S. Nicodème in Plumeliau (M.) (Cattle blessed; second day horse fair, and girls sell their tresses to hair merchants).