A VISIT TO THE CALEDONIAN SPORTS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 209, 6 April 1877, Page 12

A VISIT TO THE CALEDONIAN SPORTS.

Exstbb Monday breaking fine, I took up the paper to ascertain what Dunedin had provided for its inhabitants in the way of amusement. Steamboat excursions and the Caledonian sports constituted the bill of fare. I was too late for the steamers, they having started at the early hour of 9 and 10 a.m., so I resolved on wending my way to Kensington and regaling myself on Scotch reels, Cumberland wrestling, foot racing, and bagpipes. The morning was beautiful, and the walk to the ground would basebeen most emoyable if the tide had been in, but the unpleasant 1 odours which arise when the tide is out, completely did away with the pleasure derived from the bright sun, the pure air, and the charming scenery which surrounds this fair town. The ground ? It 3 ?portß? portß were held * tf tt were tetter drained, is well adapted for its purpose, and the stand, after those at Flemington and the Melbourne cricket ground, will compare favorably with anything else of the kind in Australia. It is a large and substantial structure. s *

I have seen a good deal of foot-racing in my time, and was not much struck with the exhibition of Monday last. With the exception ot Macpherson's running, it was only mediocre. Macpherson with practice ought to develope into a very fleet runnerT Why j were there no long races in the programme ? They test the stamina of the competitors, and they afford more amusement to the public. To win a long race a man must train strictly, no half measures will suffice. I have often witnessed the spectacle in footraces ot bottle-holders running occasionally alongside a competitor, and dousing him with cold water. Until last Monday I was always under the idea that this was a means used for freshening the runner up; but on that occasion there was one enthusiastic youth who was very excited over one of the competitors in the walking match He was most assiduous in his attentions with the bottle • his method of application was, however, rather novel. Instead of throwing the water directly on his friend's head and face from the bottle, he, in the first place, inserted the bottle into his own mouth, took a good mouthful from it, then, when he saw his friend approaching, he would plant himself close to the rin°- and dexterously lodge the contents in his friend's face. If this was intended as a refresher, I, for my part, should certainly have selected some other means of application. I may add that this competitor did not win. * The wrestling took my fancy most, and the bagpipes least. Every one to his taste, say I; but I must confess I cannot for the ate of me see where the music comes in in the ba<nripes Two ardent votaries of this wonderfully-made instrument continued perambulating the ground the entire afternoon, blowing away to their heart's content, and, I presume, to the delight of most of the Scotchmen present. Two members of the fair sex, however, who were standing within hearing of me, expressed their disapprobation ot the national instrument in strong terms, and with accents which evidently proclaimed them as hailing from north of the Tweed One remarked that it reminded her of the "childer squalin* in the mornin ;" and the other expressed a fear that the"puir bodies maun be tired, and wished that some one would " tak them away and gie them a drap of beer." J Of the wrestlers, a little man with yellow socks pleased me most. He was a small, slight fellow, but evidently as hard as nails. He displayed great science and agility, and the way he threw his opponents, who were all larger men than himself, gave great amusement to the people. I did not wait to see who eventually won the first prize for wrestling, but it seemed to me that the hght i weights i had not fair play in the arrangement of the prizes. Ihe best of the light weights could only hope for second prize. It was not to be expected that little yellow feet, for instance, would succeed m throwing a giant like Tyson, yet it was only by the accomplishment of such a miracle that he could claim the first prizes Ihe bellman of Dunedin is übiquitous. His bell is to be met with everywhere. He was the first person I noticed on the ground on Monday. His general get-up, not forgetting his voice, is imposing. His duties on this occasion were, amongst others to give notice of the different events, and summon competitors to their posts. On one occasion the gentleman who had to furnish the music for a dance did not put in an appearance at the first summons of the bell. The bell had to be rung several times before he turned up, and the way Mr. Bellman rang that bell, and demanded in stentorian tones that "the gentleman who was to play the fiddle for the hornpipe would please now step into the arena," was a treat to all beholders. "The gentleman who was to play the nddle had been regaling the inner man, or, at least, so thought the bellman, and it evidently banished all malice he might entertain for the trouble he had been put to in calling him because he met him with an easy smile and said, "Ah, Mr Fiddler* we have been calling you, but I perceive you have been having a » Mr. Fiddler smiled a guilty smile and assumed his post. Besides the legitimate amusements there was an Aunt Sally presided over by a very voluble darky. This Sambo professed a devoted attachment to his Sally; and one way he had of showing it was by breaking out into loud manifestations of concern for his "dear partner" whenever any of the public, who patronised him commenced shieing at the pipe in the aforesaid Sally's mouth. 1 he result was that the pipe escaped scatheless, for the loud utterin^s of the dark proprietor helped considerably to distract the attention and divert the aim of the person attempting to strike it. He was not a witty personage, and his remarks were all noise and fury, signifying nothing. Himself and his Sally, however, reaped a good harvest, for though several knocked the pipe out of Sally's mouth, none succeeded in breaking its bowl. There were other amusements of a somewhat similar kind, the ring business et hoc genus omne ,- but I dont fancy that any of their spirited proprietors made their fortunes. The sporte, as a whole, passed off well, and afforded considerable amusement to the large crowd which patronised them. v v 7,