THE SECOND ANNUAL CALEDONIAN GATHERING.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 25, 4 January 1864, Page 2

THE SECOND ANNUAL CALEDONIAN GATHERING.

Since the first Scottish Gathering, which took place out of Scotland itself, and which was held in Holland Park, London some fifteen years since, there have been few Annual National fetes attended with so much success. '.'.lntroduced in Victoria shortly after its taking a position as a colony,: Caledonian Gatherings were eminent ly successful, and the establishment in Melbourne of a/Galedonian Society, was quickly followed; by every up-country • town of any importance* where, under the auspices of ths society, annual meetings of Scptia?s sons were, held, with unvarying satisfaction. This re's "lilt may be attributed to the fact that no colonists are more imbued with their national sympathies than Scotchmen- -the remembrance of home is ever with them in whatever part of the world they may be located ; consequently, "any display "of '"national" games'' arid sports peculiar to theold country, only.ser.ye to renew or tb keep riiore fresh the'merriory" of the past. Caledonian Gatherings in- the colonies serve another and equally agreeable purpose ; heldon the first day of the New Year, they bring together, - like New Year's meetings in the old country— friends, who have "been severed by distance during- the past year, and -serve to reconcile again friends, who have been more widely separated during the past year by ill feeling ; but who cannot resist" the; .'.'. compliments of the season," which 'gene- : rally heal all past differences. If the sports • which are introduced at Caledonian Gather-' ings, may ; not; be , such --/as' -afford great pleasure to an English audience, we cannot ' find f aulf; with the enthusiasm of our Scottish friends for taking so much delight' in them. The; national- costume to them, -but recalls historical Teeollections . of the dress of their forefathers ; the sports of " tossing \ the caber,' M l*f throwing the /hammer?'.-- and such; like pastimes, remind them pleasantly of the" amusement's of "the land- of 'the^riaouritain arid flood 5 " and if the sound of the pibrpch, or the wild Highland slogan of the pipes'* may, ' to Sputherhears, spund/ like .babarous music, the {Scotchman only * hears the/ : inspiriting nbteswhich led his ancestors to, the battle field; or,, in its more melancholy strains, he* hears the, dirge whiph wailed for .the slain. Compared with these, Italian trills are tame ; The. tickled ear noheart-felt'rapture owns. ' The Second Annual Gathering in Inyercargill oh Friday was even a more successful affair than/ the cornrilittei expected. : In point of numbers— in regard/to, the arrangement of the various sports;, arid in the great Essential of. Weather, there.. was. yery 'little cause ; of "/complaint.- The d ay . : was .: of a rAiddUdg^tempf rature, : - arid 'although towards the,; after noon a ; few drops7bf /rain , fell, and the inevitable invercargill/ wind A raised a .little\ dust,3few;days i or holdihgthe Gathering could have been better arranged for/with the meteorological who control j the weather. The (bbriimericetnerit of the games was" announced * for about mid-day,- -on -the -ground -selected* by the~comrnittee*-near j the'- : edgeof .;the Town Belt, to wardsthei southern" side '"-of s the boundary, and • " from an* early •hour"— to use -the hackneyed': phrase— : crowds of people: in holiday- 'attireip were arriving . on the- spot,; some on fpqt,. some' in various / kirids^ of conveyance s-rr/ including the primitiye/dray sporting their' 'borseflesh'/.for /the/ occasion; Indeed, looking towards invercargill'' from the Grand Stand—" grand^ *' iri"anbther/sißnse • from the' variegated costumes aof /the,, rladies : who graced it— it" appeared; '-as lf;, the/town was like the iriexhaustiW^ ;ahd the/st^ . f rpm it ; at al|7 7,thisj nbt^jtlistandiri leaving looked so gay and liyelyas/the'sun shone on its bunting-decorated housesVi -L*p Jbjone ■ o'clock,- when the -sports commenced, jthey still flocked towards the centre of attraction. ". Gather, gather,' ' . appeared .to be-the„.Cjeltip wat^iwbm/fpr :/thb; day£ ; arid^aU^hpse who could , Obeyed the call, untilTtivere, were-at least' fourthyu^a'nd persons agWS^hgd'arbund. the ground, or awpersed in/little fnots/in/ the adjacent bush^"^ - .Con-unittee7 for t^ manner in/which /th& Aground ;:was*arrange^fOT.ca^irig 01^ the /spprts^;/The '■' fqr7_ refreshing: the / iriiv^ard"man;br for Qualifying tb/e/hibdicum ? of dust which was blowing about, were miainly i provided 'by ' Mr/'.Cainerori ', /of/ the/* Albion I Hotel, 1 who ;*had " "hung 'but' hra* push " froni >' a/large, ''pubiic," situa^d Uihderheath the > Grand .Stand ; artd although -"the 'host hi tnself , *;■ "arid v a large ,host of waiters arid waitressei ?•'; /perspiring in their efforts/tt j--; supply -the thirsty,;they had all too much /U I do* and the surplus of :Ythose/seekirig refresh f ment afforded considerable trade to other anc t smaller establishment? i near at band; A

■j t - ■■■■ r..JMj „,".'i, ' i j ,■- -i 'il ■• . -==**• -l nSri, »,~swfer t.-*!- •■>'- ) -.. .y '_-. ?m y %*. ' ''" ••■« "-'.< •; iririmb^bf peripatetic venaoro|of|thj^article4: : i I io'f cbrianmQtju7ri'^alE^BUch likWriieelßiagai were/ \ ilalsodbmg aTgreaf trade during'-thejdayj; 'ajm' i -althbugliV towards evening the exbiliaratingZ ; imbibition were ap|rarentliri| i is /only duejb/ffi&prder|i t- iovihg^3tiabit»*Cof/ our community %^say?th^ beyond wn'atorilyjreqyiifed the frienoly caution/; froni-a^judicabut-.'^j^ble.' or; Wb, there; were^ 1 n^yn*n*itc^^ ..whatever.^ * •J^the-excetferi^ ofl^TJne.^eon--stabulary fbrce/jjb^^ indebted for 'th^ asadstancje ; tbcy^aJßFordedjjiri: keeping the ground;/ — 7:;7 . .7. / /; 7 i -<7-siioFSyZafter-'oneb'clcM^ day wiere initiated ;by the appearance on the platform, in " thV^entre of /the enclosure, of two pipers in -f ulLy Highland costume, who played.first tbgetber, and, subsequently, alter-, '"■ -hatelyf duririg the p^ first of "whujh.was/.,, „ A r " ■■ -- •* 77 APvttixq [inn a] Light. : Stone.-- First prize, £3 ; seeoncLprize, £2 ; third prize, jj £17 Forthis 'sport there wereMseven or eight competitors, the" great interest in it being - ! eiicifed by the three^fbllowirig, y izl; Ferguson; M-Farlane, and Cameron, who soon distanced^ t-he other competitors," arid towards^ the closed 'by ;I Fergusbn 'and 7 M-Farlarie7alone. From 30 feet, these ; twb,-at each succeeding thi-ow v /woUia^utstripbyafoot or two his oppon|rit's'flingj'their Rivalry !beingi.%xcited7'byi.^&7 applause of/the onlookers; until Ferguson .was -declared* the ;by^a throwi'measruring 35 feet iirich ; M-Fariarie/gairiing the second" prize"by a throw 0f "34 feet 7J lb -inches j the third -prize being w6'n7^ 32'Jieet/ *' '"lO'lricheSv/'j /: AA\^A'AA..yv :■"="■"" '■"* ;■ _| ■; ;■-.- Throwing thb 7 Light Hammbr.— First prize, £3;;aecbnd prize,lG2 /.'third prize; £17 - yt - -A' ! /riurhber;^ of / cbriiprititl^7entered [for; this" spoit, none of " them/; 7:ho^(gyer^ succeeding rin - r a cast to" any great jdis-; /istance,v Which - wouldi.7ba to the crcumstance that Vthe rules of the com--mittee precluded- ther practice* of allowing the - thrower to increase .the/ inipetusriß^ flings i ing^/the7 harrimeivTbyi swinging, it round his head, previous to 'the caßt^a*-inUe,-'p(Brhaps ''■Wisely /"adopted "as -a : 'precaution' againstl the occurrence of ari : accident. ; /The /firsts prize fell to J.""Brand, /for 74 feert inch"; the secdncT to M-FarlaneV'for-72 feet 4 inches, and/ the, : tlrirdy»llkr-Leoa; for 69 feet*itidies,77 ; ' : 7 RunkinS/ High7^ * , "p^iz^7^|:^ ;. . Front 'about -sit /competitors who entered ' .. the number was quickly weededby John Clarke and J. iGowr (a Tasmanian' native), between i whom-.the garoe ; .was excitingly^played;out. TBoth, men/ tobk "their te^ Clarke witli .a; cleari: spring, gathered by a quickrubj while the natives more leisurely; took his /jumpafter ca? short arid slowemriri up io the bar." ;^The.eff6fts i? dfitoth ? ineri 'wexel -enthusiastically cheered by .their xespective admirers, until^at: liengtb./Ciarke, despite ,a, slight sprain of his foot -in ; -.tatting one of; his leaps, (gathered : up his energies fpr^ a f nnal_ jurijp," and ; cleverly . cleared- '4*feet f l% jhdfies,/ which : ,w;as; a -.little nipre tliari-his^opponent could oyertop without bringingvafteKhim the^ bar. The. victory of the Invercargilllte gave immense .satisfaction to his friends. - Pottinc:. thb -Heavy Stone.— First prize, . £3; secbri& prize; 'j£2 ?: third priise, £li __ The first prize was taken by : J. M'Fa'riane, for 29 i feet ; second prize by J76ow, f or 28 ; feet 7 ipches ;7thiibl:prize ; by. -R. ; Ferguson; for 27"fbet'4/inbhes; 7 /. Short ■-■.* RAcE>-HOnce round* the ■ -grourid.^- . First prize, ,£3; secdrid prize, _S2;' third prize, £1. "' •/■'' -."'" -'■;"•'"■-'- .-, ,-= v Fbr this race, , so many eritered that it would have been more judicious for the judges] to. have7divided the.: competitois- into/two sections',; and. allowed" the winners to -try pon-- * 'clusionsv' Tlie same course naight-also jhave been adopted ,in the Boys r Race, so riiany competitors running in eachjqf that ** the race was not always to the swift, "Jbut, to the best tactician, 1, who riianaged tp_ avoid/ j jostling amongst the great crowd.' A- pretty good st^rt was effected by Mr Harvey, who offi-; - ciated in the capacity/of starter/andatter some jostling,^scrambling,' and a. few tumbles/ tlie Uead'wastakeri by Lambert, closely followed by ; • Fislier. This position, ;was maintained until.' about half- way roundj' when Clarke shdved 1 lurnsel.f in between, [and passed both/ at a slapping , place, which he/ kept upjaritil he = landed , himself an easy winner by'three or f bur yards ; Lambert coming in for the second" prize,; which Fisher lost by a .jostle and .ajfall. about "twenty /yuda^frbln/ine'' winning post-.- . J.,,Laurie_.came in third. ._._.. 7 ___ j TjtBowTNG ■ the '.Heavy'VHxmmeb.— -First prize, £3 ; as»rid,*L2 •;"•' third, £1. : A large'riuniher of^/coriipetitors i entered for this sport, the result of the numerous throws —none pi /which, hb^eyer, came near |the. "Douglas* 'cas*^ ,, --" s bbwing "J. Brand i tbe winner, of; the ...first, prize for a distance of 63 feet 3 rachi:-s, J. M^Farlane thejecond, for "62 feet .2. inches, iarid H..Carij«r6n the"thirdfor a distarice of/ 57 feet 10 ; inches. Gnii.T.rte.-CAH.uM,'! or-, Sword pANCE.r4First prize, 7£3; second prize, JE2. *" 1 The intricate ..stepjs7char^terißtic of this, dance were- cleverly- executed by Messrs. J. Cameron and/ IT." M'Ponald , .who in the order t 'named took tlie first "aria ' second/ prizes: respectively. The M crossed swords n werb in this instance represented by /cross^ stipks.' = which somewhat detracted -froiin the interest of the dance. "'.?.£ I -BoYa' It acb; (under • sixteen); y t rFirstf '-prize/ 10s j second, ss ; third, ss. An immense crowd ;:of7the generation were attempted to be placed in something like border if or^thja wcejjbuJt £he n^BOTTwas^ so'great, that almost immeoiately after they -.. were started the/, crowd was considerably thinned by numerous falls. Near the termination bf.,, the- race one ; of the boys was coming in a winner, when he was jostled: by thp boy'. a-Httle"' behind him;aftd fell. The result of tb,e,rpce was considared so unsatis factory, that afresh start was made, when the race was won by.T.ißenson ' Another Boys' Race (for boys under twelve) was afterwards run, and won, bj"- J..Hart. •• i Long RAt3B.—Firstv prize, £3 ;* second, £2 ; third, £i; Again too many competitors started, for this race, which was* easily won by ; John Clarke." 1 " * ' _ Tossino.the 1 CABEB.r-Firßto prize, £3; „ second, £2 ; third, £1. ' . A number ot competitors measured their - -strength t against- the unwieldly beam, but were^unsticcessful in .tossing it, and when it was "'something' reduced in weiglit, M'Leod' was the only ms who could do so, winning .the first. prize, M'Farlane being- second best. Hop, Step ANn Jump. — First prize, )£3 -;^ second £2 ; third, £1 . : A well-contested match" resulted in John Clarke winning the first prize, W. Johnson the second, and 4\ -Wilkinson the third. Steeplechase, — First prize,- £3 ; second, £2 ; third 1 , £l. ''";__* ' ' The first prize fell te "Woolnough," tne second to*Ullven, the 'third] tb 'Johnston. Lowo Race.— First prizo^ L 3 ; .second, L 2; « third, £I. 7 " ' ' '-> • - - ' A'gdodly number|f tatted tor this racef .the ■first prize for which r was" easily won by John Clarke, J. Laurie coming in second. - • During the competition in' some* of the last L mentioned sports, other games were going on , for which prizes -were also" awarded, such as to the best player at quoits, the best dancer i of the High Und" Fling, competition for the j best standing leap,- and other minor sports. ) Towards dusk a very lengthy programme •\ of sports was brought 'to a close, the various I I members of the Committee of the Society, l I Judges, and others, who had; the carrying of

'it ouf^earning tlie^thanksbfxthose present fori 'the excellent way |i"n7 wb^h/they performed! tlieirlbrierbus dutiesi7-ThSre^was;nb tediousl waiting between the ; dMextjjnt garae3, and 1 sport succeeded spbr^itiih^rapidity whi ch i. iusjainfed the^inj^ea^ol^h^day, and if tb|ig lafgliil&dience''^ jLt the'close/of the/tfayTwith the va_^^ entor-B provided for tbern, it fault 1 of7tKe Southland Caledonian; Society/^ I