THE SHAH IN THE HIGHLANDS. A Highland Fling Too Much For Him.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 410, 12 October 1889, Page 3

THE SHAH IN THE HIGHLANDS. A Highland Fling Too Much For Him.

The " Centre of the Universe, the Fountain of Light," Na&r-ed-Din, has lor two days illumed the wilds of Caledonia His-Im-perial Majesty, descendant of Darius and yon of the Royal tribe of Kad jar, who dwell by the mountains of Kurdistan, has seen with his own eyes the Scottish clansmen. These Celtic children of- Caledonia — whether Macgregors,-Macdonalds, Dulls, 'or Grants —claim kindled with him 5 for are they notof Phoenician and Arabic stock, and is it not universally held in the Highlands that Gaelic was the language spoken 'in Eden ? For certain the Shah . has laid .aside the austority of the 'Eastern potentate among these mountaineers, the court etiquette and laws of the Meden 'and Persians have been for once relaxed, arid he -has essayed, under the spell of the bagpipc?,to learn the Scotch dance-steps. Mr Mackenzie,of Kintail, entertained His Imperial Majesty with Highland games. For the Gillies' Bali that same night was reserved the honour of introducing the Ruler of Persia to a more intimate knowledge of Scottish merrymaking. About 10 o'clock the Shah, accompanied by Mr Mackenzie, Sir Henry Drummond Wolff, and Mr Sidne3' Churchill, entered the marquee, where a programme of reels, Strathspeys, Highland flings, and iancy dances was being gon&through. Haifa score of braw pipers, resplendent in Mackenzie tartan kilts, provided the— (well)— music. The place was full 01 country people,- most of the men being attired in .Highland costume, as, indeed, were also Prince Albert Victor of Wale&, and Mr Mackenzie and his sons. Everything had been prepared on- a . scale of princely splendour, and the ;<ccne at the moment was tall of colour and animation. Even the iont seemerl to sway to the rhythm of the dancers' movements. The Shah walked freely among the people, laughing an! exchanging words here and there .with many — - now in Persian, , anon in -French' and occasionally in English. A, lively reel finished ; a Highlaml-iiing. commenced, and. Mr Mackenzie, whose years exceed -even those of the Shah, fried to get his Majesty to join in the dance. The bagpipes, which send electric fire through Highland veins, were in full blast, and the throb and beat of pattering feet were emphasised by frequent . loud ' Hoochs !' the Shah caught . the infection, a-nd, whilei , hishost capered and snapped his fingers »' before him, tried to dance a Highland fling. The Imperial Persian legs, however, did not lend themselves readily to thegvrations of that vigorous terpsichorean teat. In fact, as the natives observed, ' They 3id .not shape themselves' to the- steps and time of the brisk and graceful dance. Laughing mo&t heartily and good-naturedly at hi& own failure, the Shah abandoned the attempt in despair. Then he tried the next best thing, he got others to dance fancy bteps for him. A buxom dame, whom he much admired because of her light and graceful tripping, he smiled upon, patted -and complimented; and begged to dance again the Jlighlancifling; but Mrs , with fair woman's privilege, was coy and obdurate, and would not dance it save with the Shah tor partner. Afraid after his previous failure, the King shook his head, smiled, and passed op. -