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Old Highland Industries. 395
" The mode of preparing the grain for meal varied considerably,
the most primitive being wliat was called gi-addan meal.
This was prepared as follows :—The standing oats or l)arley
having been cut down and brought to a convenient spot, the
grain is taken in handfuls from the sheaf and held over a pot or
flat stone and set fire to, and the grain being thus parched and
dried, the slight teiuli-il is burnt through, anil the grain drops on
the stone or into the pot. This handful is kept constantly beat
by a stick to separate the grain more readily from the straw.
When sufficient grain has been collected, it is stirred about in
the pot or on the stone till quite diy, it is then fanned, and the
grain so prepared for the mill."
I need not describe to you the quern or hand mill; it is well
known as being composed of two flat stones, the upper one revolving
on a centre pin and di'iven by hand. The quern has not
altered in its construction for thousands of years, and I found the
Bedouin Arabs in Jericho preparing their grain in exactly the
same way with the quern as I found the girls in Benbecula and
Harris. It is often referred to in Scripture as the Jews' handmill,
and no doubt it was a quern which Samson ground on in his
prison house.
The manufacture of these mill-stones was of great importance,
and suitable stones were carried great distances. I liave found in
the outer Islands many stones, of which tlie only account which
could be given was, that they were Lochaber stones, and no doubt
the Margarodite schist of Glenroy is admirably suited t