7
SOME FOLK-LORE OF THE SEA.
By the Rev. Walter Gregor.
SAINT ELMO'S Light is called Covenanter, or Covie's Aunt, in Portessie; Fiery Cock, in Crovie; Jack-o'-lantern, in Nairn; Jack's lantern, in Findochty. When it appears, some fishermen fancy that they will never get to land, or that some disaster will fall upon them. (Portessie). Some think that the death of one of the relatives of the crew is not far off, and that the light is the ghost or spirit.[1] (Nairn.)
The phosphorescence of the sea goes in Nairn by the names of "burnin wattir" and "fiery wattir."[2]
When it begins to appear on the sea, a Nairn fisherman would say: "The sea's firin"; and when at the herring-fishing, before casting the nets, "Wait till the wattir fires."
The dulness that appears in the sea during the month of May is spoken of as "the easterly wattir"; and the fishermen say, "The sea's alive wi' the livin breed," or, "The sea's alive wi' the livin vermin."[3] (Crovie.)
The Storm.
In Buckie and the neighbouring villages the sound of the sea coming from the west bears the name of "the chant fae (from) the saans (sands) o' Spey," and is regarded as a token of good weather. The Nairn folks call this wind from the west "the sooch (ch guttural) o' the sea," and regard it as a forecast of fine weather.[4]
