The Sun.
London, England, 1855-09-17 00:00:00

THE BRAEMAR, GATHERING.

The annual gathering of the Highland clans for the
exhibitio❑ of athletic games took place at Mar Castle, on
Thursday, in the presence of the Queen and Court from
Balmoral.

From an early hour in the morning the clansmen were
seen mustering in groups, and large numbers of pedes-
trians and sightseers had gathered in the village of
Castleton before nine o'clock. The Forbes Highlanders
had left Strathdon, under the leadership of Sir Charles
Forbes, of Invernan, on Wednesday afternoon, and
marched to Balmoral, where they encamped on the G reen-
terrace, between the new castle and the Dee. Here they
presented a very picturesqe group, and being fine,
stalwart Highlanders, dressed in full Highland cos-
tume, they had a very characteristic appearance. The
night was wet and cold, yet they started fresh
and hearty for the gathering on Thursday morning,
marched to the ground to the music of the bagpipes, and
carrying the banners of the clan. About one o'clock the
Farquharsan and Duff Highlanders, under the Farqu-
harsons and Duffs, as their chiefs, marched from Castle-
ton, and took position in front of the old castle of Mar,
the whole forming three sides of a square, within which
the games were to come off. A large number of spec-
tators filled up the lines, and a fine display of the prin-
cipal families of Mar, with a few strangers from England,
was presented on the castle-terrace. A carpeting of the
Farquharson tartan was laid on the green platform of
the terrace slope, and sofas placed for her Majesty, the
Prit el, and the Royal family.
The weather was very fine;‘ and the scene was of the
grandest character. The castle stands in the centre of
an open plain, through which the ri
From the summit of the battlements, and ver
Deeog to the
winds.
south, yon see a perpendicular mass of granite rouck
twit wins ith
cliffs overhanging,, screened by gigantic mot ,
of Castleton
Is seen
among which appear the gray peaks of Lochnagar.
Looking to the west, the village
r-
nestling in a sheltered spot, and beyond
Glen Tilt.onfd it you look up
the pass which conducts to the
Towards the north Ben Mac Dhui, with a portion of its
highest slope yet covered with snow, rises above other
giants of the Cairngorm range, and sweeps round to the
east. Deer forests face the lower slopes of this araphi.
theatre, on the foreground of which stands the mansion
of Invercauld.
About 2 o'clock the games commenced, and consisted
of the usual variety of throwing theeghe acpi
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described.
iennat o'clock, and was
received with enthusiasti
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the Queen, and the dancing.
e
was especially attractive.
aruiditt Hei
spirits,
trierhrisp, Majesty and
e
The sword dance was the rand feat of the day. Imagine
two broadswords laid
ona spring platform at right
angles. Imagine half-a-dozen athletic Highlanders foot-
ing a systematic step to the music of the bagpipe, every
step touching the apex of an angle ; imagine this done,
and the angle danced over from apex to apex for a quay.
ter of an hour or 20 minutes, and the swords never once
touched, and you have the sword dance, which carried
off the first prize.
The Queen and Court remained for about an hour and
a-half, and then returned to Balmoral amid the renewed
cheers of the people.
In the evening there was a grand ball as usual in the
Castle of Mar. It was attended by the Farquharsons
and other distinguished families of the district, and kept
up to an early hour in the morning.

TUB RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT READING.—Mrs. Nor-
ton died late on Fiday night, making the fifth death
occasioned by this catastrophe. The remaining patients
in the hospital are all progressing favourablyexcept Fer-
guson, the stoker of the pilot engine, whose case is pro-
pounced very dangerous. The nature of his injuries are
two severe scalp wounds. Mr. C. Sowdon, the wine
ulercilaut, is alto iu a precgioo BOO* 13744 at low .