Wind stones of the Western Isles

Martin described a chapel of St Columba on the isle of Fladda-Chuan with a round blue stone on its altar that was always moist. Fishermen kept there by contrary winds washed it all round with water in the hope of a fair wind, and the islanders swore their weightiest oaths on it. Others hung a he-goat to the boat’s mast for a good wind, and on Iona it was said that whoever stretched his arm along a certain stone three times in the name of the Trinity would never err in steering. On Borera a stone cross was set up to bring rain and laid flat when there had been enough.