Essay on Scotland.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 7 May 1913, Page 2

Essay on Scotland.

The following reprinted from the Southern Times, Bunbury, will be read with interest :— Scotland is a braw wee land on the North of England ; it has water nearly all round it, and whisky over a large part of it. The population ia about four and a half millions, in~ eluding Mr Andrew Carnegie. It has a peculiai language of its own, and if one can pronounce it coherently it is an infallible test of sobriety, "it possesses considerable mineral wraith, but very little finds its way out of the country. Gold has at times been discovered in certain districts, as well as in the pockets of certaiu natives, but in both cases it has been found difficult to work The best known exports of Scotland are Harry Lauder and Scotch whisky, though sufficient of the latter is retained in the country to satisfy the demands of home consumption. The chicf1 import in re* cent years is Winston Churchill.-.' The national dress of Scotland is the kilt, which is a kind of short petticoat. ! In pattern it resembles a chess.board, though in cold weather the wearer finds it more like a draught board. It is believed to have leen originally invented because the aborigines were unable to hud trousers big enough to get their feet through. The bagpipes provide a wind instrument which ia said, when blown, to produce a tun©. On many occasions in the history of war, Scotch regiments have marched to death listening t j the strains' of the ' bagpipes, though it is not known whether their willingness to meet the former was inspired by thoir desire to escape the latter. Scotland has produced many well-known men among them being Kobert Burns! ' " believed to have been a poet.. It is usually denied that he was born in Battersea. His most famous poems are « fecots who have " and " Stop' you* tickling, Jock." In Scotland ±or a couple to declare themadlfes man and wife in the presence of witnesses is tantamount to a'marriageit is not known whether there is oftea a tendency in many quarters to disA^fei pense with the witnesses. The chieflß national characteristic is reckletsNjx-/" ~~ penditure.