The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-31 00:00:00

. ,
TEE PRINCE'AND PRINCESS OF WALES
IN TtE.HIGtLANDS.

I

THE BRAEMAR GATHERING.
The Braemar gathering, with a chance of witness-
ing a meeting of theclans—after the Modern fashion
—hris of late been one of the principal attractions
towards Deesideeand no doubt the numbers present
this season, even. under ordinary circumstances,
would have been considerable. There can be no
question, however, but that the intimation which
bad been publicly made that the Prince and Princess
of Wales intended to hoiaoUr the' Highlanders by
visiting the gathering, proved the loadstrrie which
drew together the large company who eat week
bent their steps to the upper valley of the Dee. For
weeks past the. Earl and Countess of Fife have been
making preparations to render the reception of the
Prince and Princess worthy of this their first visit
to the Highlands, a loyaltir end' thaughtfulness
which have been fittingly recompensed by their
Royal Highriesses graciously becoMing the guests
of the Earl and Countess at Mar-ledge from Thurs-
day till Saturday. Mar-lodge,, hich tourists to
the Linn of Dee will know better as the roman-
tically eitueted`Corriemulzie Cottage, in the vicinity
of the eeautiful Falls'of Curriemerliie, was suddenly
'converted into as pretty a Highland palace' as eye
could desire to look upon.
The gathering of. the Highlanders: for competi-
tion in feats of strength and skill was fixed to take
place, on the ample lawn in front of old Mar Castle,
and to this spot tourists end residents alike con-
verged by midday on Thursday. Across the road
leading to the castle a'very handsome triumphal
arch, composed chiefly of heather and birch and sur-
mounted by a crown of the former, was erected,
while the grim old castle itself looked quite gay in
itslsedeekings.- Imtieediatety in-front of the castle
snow white tents were placed for the reception of
the Prince and Princess, and the company from
Mar-lodge, a slightly elevated dais being so con-
structed that their Royal Highnesses could
witness the sports comfortably, whether the
weather should prove wet or dry, by being under
or beyond canvass. Between 1 and 2 o'clock the
sound of the pibrochs coming across the water an-
nounced the approach of the Fife and Farquharson
Highlanders, " all plaided and plumed in their
tartan array," &c. The Forbes, or " Lonach" men,
from Strathdon, who have always made the most
imposing appearance at these meetings, were un-
fortunately absent on the present occasion, through
recent domestic affliction in the family of their re-
spected chief, Sir C. Forbes, of Newe. Eech of the
Fife men carried a pike in hand and sported the family
emblem, the sprig of the holly in his bonnet ; while
the Farquharsons bore broadswords and displayed a
branch of the yew. The former clans were com-
manded by Lord Maccluff, Mr. Kennedy Erskine,
Mr. Duff Abercromby, M.P., and Mr. J. C. 0. Mill.
In the absence of Colonel Farquharson the men
of his clan were under the command of Mr.
Brown, the resident factor on the In vercauld estates.
Up till about 3 o'clock the day had been cold and
dusty, "dirty weather," in short, as a sailor might
say, while the portentous mist that floated in thick
clouds overhead and crept like smoke up the sides of
Craig-neich, Craig Vallech, Craig Nurron, Craig in-
taueht, and the other lofty mountains that enclose
the old Castle of Mar and the fine valley in which
it is set, gave no hopeful tokens of the sun lendieg
his powerful influence to aid in the enjoyment—to
say nothing of comfort—at the gathering. Just
about 3 o'clock, however, the flying showers ceased,
and when the Prince and Princess drove up, the
weather may be said to have become on the whole
favourable. Their Royal Highnesses, who were
in an open carriage, were received by the High-
landers and the spectators with loud cheers, which
they graciously acknowledged. The Prince was
dressed in full Highland costume, with broadsword,
sporran, and dirks complete. The" garb," it was
universally admitted, became him remarkably well.
The Princess wore a dress of the Victoria tartan
pettern, and thereby won additional favour in the
eyes of the Highlanders. Immediately on the Prince
and Princess taking their seats on the dais prepared
for them, the sports began. Among the company
present were the Duchess of itoxburghe, the Master
of Lovat, Mr. and Lady Susan Grant Suttie, Sir
Thomas and Lady Louisa Moncrieffe and the Misses
Moncrieffe, Lady Annally, the Hon. Miss G. White
and the Hon. Capt. White, the Hon. Lewis Wing-
field, the Earl of Brecknock, Viscount Boringdon,
Sir James Elphinstone, M.P. ; Sir Frederick John-
stone, the Earl and Countess of Listowel, Lord
Berkeley Paget, Major Balfour, Mr. John Phillip,
Ree,.; Col. Phipps ; Col. Forbes, of Inverarnon ;
Mr. Charles Forbes, jun., of Newe; Mr. W. B.
Duff, of Fetteresso, M.P. ; Mr. Augustus Lumley,
Mr. Theodore Williams, Captain Balfour, of her
Majesty's ship 'Winchester, and Mrs. Balfour, Dr.
Will, Colonel Kinloch, &c.
The games commenced with "putting the stone,"
followed by " throwing the hammer" and " tossing
the caber," feats peculiar to the Highlanders, and
in which excellence depends chiefly on strength of
arm. For " putting the stone" Donald Dinnie,
known as ," the Dceside Champion," and a sore
thorn in the sides of the Highlanders, as he is not
of them, being a modest-;oohing lowland lad, firmly
knit, and evidently a man of vast power of arm,
stood first, throwing a stone of 2Sib. a distance. of
27ft. Dinnie also was victor at the next exe
se,
making a hammer of 161 b. fly through the air 84it.
At "tossing the caber"—that is, making a
,pon-
derous tree of 20 or 30ft. in length spin right over
on end without touching the ground—Charles
M' Hardy, a stout young
son, a Glenislaman. But 0 .
chleariom. At loonaren
yracpeafr'
t the Hiehlandcre cannot, leer
°tile:l:l:dig' merit in games where
ahnladnwdears,
won
ns pbyrelelloabimeret!
,peed, agility, or skill are necessary. la rveitla or
leaping they can give no examples of vehil, train-
petitors
in," and fleetness will achieve such as Wc.3thall,
White, Brighton, or the crack English corn
di play, while the grace of attitude and qeickneee

of eye that characterise the I'cra;s bat cr Torn Lockyer leeepinte
grea:'n
°ncl
decidedlytlei their
attractive,a and
reach.
their
citi:j:ediff't,;lBrincile:airnnnt;teohreises-
on the present occasion. displayed
and dezterity in the execution of
(the sword danos) and their exciting strathspeys
and reels. A Farquharson man named klackePzeY" s
carried off the dancing honours—though proba.hlye'
fur grace of movement and variety of step a Cor-
poral Forbes, from Dundee, who entr.,r;d in the con-
test for all earners, won most admiration. The
objection to his performance, however, was
that it showed too much art, and consequently
was wanting in the untutored naturalness, so .to
speak, demanded in true " Highland" dancing. The
Prince and Princess seemed much interested in the
games—more especially the dancing—and did not
leave the ground till nearly 6 o'clock, when they
drove off amid loud cheering for Mar...lodge.
" ce,altnes:

The games were finished shortly after 6 o'clock,
and by 7 the Highlanders and the spectators had also
left the ground for Castletown, where the former
were entertained to dinner by Lord Fife, and the
latter entertained themselves as best they could--
the whole resources of Messrs. Fisher and Hunter
and the villagers generally being iu constant• and
urgent demand.
At Mar-lodge the Earl and Countess of Fife en-
tertained the Prince and Princess of Wales and a

was cloW*)-vith th'e o owing. ta eaux,
Qiieen of Seets at Wernik's Castle. '
-Qumn :Wry ' ' - Miss G. MoncriEffe.:
Mary Eaaton
Mary Carmichael lion. Miss White.
Mary Sefon• '• ' ft' "`.
Mary (Lady Aiinel?uff. ,
IL—Mary
,Queen of Scots, attended by Rizzi°.
Mary Stuart .. Miss G. Moncrieffe.'
Rizzio = '•
t ;: :
Elaine
•- • J .
Lay the-letter in pay'hand
"A little oral die, and- "616se'ilie liand UpOn-if; • '
"I shall guard it even in death. : •
"And when the heat is, guile from out my, heart, ,
"Then take the little bed on which I
' "For Lauticelot'gliii,e;citUd 'decik it likaqhe' queen's '
"For richnes!,,awl pie also like t,lie queen
"In all I have of rich, and lay,me on it
* ' " et—
Q.
" So that day there was tole in,AStolat."
of the King.",
IV.—The Soldier's Return.
Lady Ann Duff. ' • 1' " Ladq Agnes Duff.

3sster of Lovat. '
• " The wars Are o'er, and I'm come hame,
"And find thee still true-hearted, 14, r.
" Though poor in gear, we're rich in Love,
"And mair;•iviose ne'er be parted."—BUrns.
V.—Charlotte CorditYcontemplating her Picture befoie her
Execution.*
Charlotte Corday
Gaoler • • Mr. W. Kennedy Erskine.
VL—Figth, Hope, and Charity, • ,
Faith
Hops
Charity '
Child • • ' 'Lady-Agnes Duff.
The various ",tableaux" were admirably presented,,
.the steadiness of the figures, so requisite for the
proper, effect in these " living pictures,' being as
nearly as possible pfect: The Piinae and Princess
joined heartily in the applaUse bestoived upon the
"distinguished performers," and7the encores wete
frequent. During the night:watch and ward was
faithfully kept at the lodge by a piakcii body-guard
of the Fife Highlanders.