The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-12 00:00:00

THE SCOTTISH FETE

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•
Yesterday's weather was more propitious. The -1 at.':
,-
was never very bright, and the glimpses of
,cunihina--:sk
were never vary briluant, but the rain held off; and (10 •
teropera'ure was pleasant and weal adapted' for out-of-' ;I:
door sports. The eonsequeaco was a large influx of
company, including several distinguished personages.
Among the notabilities on the ground we recognised the
Duke of Argyle, the Duke of Montrose, and the Marquis
of Douglas—great old names, which go well with a Scot-
tish gathering. The Duchess of Gloucester and the
Marchioness of Ailsa were also present; while, as for the
rank and file of spectators, the crowded stands presented
a cheering contrast to the dripping nakedness of the
sloppy bstaches on the day before.
The sports were of the same general character as
those which we described in our yesterday's paper.
The weather having become more akin to what poets
say is the proper style of thing for the first day of
merry May, Mr. Flexmore had his happy peasants
duly rigged out in what is considered pastoral attire
by the idealising costumiers of theatres—and •
merry round they danced among the garlands
of the maypole, finishing off with the quaint mortis
step—and, possibly, we do not say certainly—setting
any followers of Mr. Disraeli who might have been pre-
sent philosophising upon the curious phenomenon of
such merry doings having been invented so long before
the contrivance of the sliding scale. As a contrast to
the morns dance and the maypole round, he had plenty
of reels and strathspeys performed with great vigour by
the kilted figurantes, and inspiring the French gentlemen
present with notions of the generous impetuosity of a
mountain pas de quatre. The bagpipe of course afforded
the music for the last-mentioned per formances, and we
may mention that, either to the credit of the artists, or
the alterations and improvements which in these inge-
nious days may be making in the instrument, we have
rarely heard bag-pipes play less out of tune, or at a die-
tance—a considerable distance—sound more tolerably.
As to the
to the great pure Highland sports, the caber was tossed
apparent entertainment of the foreigners,
who had never probably associated the idea of amusement
with jerking about a fir tree—the hammers were flung,
and many excellent casts made; the stone was " putted"
)b;adand there was more than one exciting
gTanenaer, but, more Scottico, is ex-
which the
(whichcf
oe ol l te- Tir
at es elyo, 1 lotkiansx Highlanders got over the
ground in famous style; and more than one jumping
match, in which they showed, to a certain degree, a
orthela
represented by
laws
of gravitation. As
wholesome
before, te broad-swordeonte contempt f
exercise—bladessticks—was displayed by several of the crack swords-
men of the Guards; and a number of wrestlers from
Cornwall on the one hand and Cumberland on the other,
hugged each other in fair and courteous rivalry. There
was a sack Derby and a wheelbarrow St. Leger. The
winner in the sack contest adopted different locomotive
tactics from those of his predecessor the day before, and
jumped in such a masterly manner as almost to rival a
kangaroo. The starters with the wheelbarrows were
blindfolded, cad occasioned great fun by the devious
courses which they pursued and the style in which they
ran their chariots into each other.
We were glad to see our French friends entering the
lists. They competed—and the arrangement was per-
haps the best amongst themselves. Their quarter-staff
play was very clever and nimble, and they hit each other
as famous bangs with th% staves as ever honest Gurth
dealt the roguish miller. Their single-stick was also
very clever; the players wore no sort of protection, but,
according to the old Scotch proverb, made their hands
keep their heads. Only their hands once or twice
failed, and a sound thwack proclaimed the defection. A
mode of contest new to England was also introduced in
what was called " French boxing, with heel and hand."
In this species of pugilism, which Frenchmen would
describe as to firer la suvate, the antagonists hit with
fists and kick with feet. The "ring" would pronounce
the practice foul; but the French have got a notion—
not unsupported by common sense—that if one gentle-
man wishes to belabour another, he may profitably, and
without any detriment to his chivalry, call upon his
feet to aid his hands. The French players were ad-
mired for their finish and neatness of style, and their
great manual dexterity.
An interesting series of combats between the bayonet
and target and claymore, resulted in the weapon of Ba-
yonne being routed by the sword-awl-shield men. The
great mistake, however, of all these contests consists in
treating the bayonet—which is a secondary and subordi-
nate weapon—as a principal one. The sword-and-
buckler hero may demolish the bayonet hero, but what
if the latter add to the weight of the former by the ad-
dition of an ounce of cold lead from the gun attached to
the bayonet before band? The enthusiastic gentleman
she argued that the Highlanders should meet disci-
plined forces only with targets, pistols and claymores,
forgot that there is such au order as—" Form square,
and prepare to receive cavalry" not. unfrequent, in real
no-mistake warfare. 'We should imagine that the clay-
more and target would do but small service against the
rush of a rattling charge of French cuirassiers, which
the bayonet would keep at bay as rocks keep oat the
surf.

We ought not to omit to mention that Lord Holland
with a large party was present, and that the hospitalities
of Holland-house were liberally and gracefully extended
to all the principal personages concerned in the fate.
To-day, the games, at reduced prices of admission, will
be resumed, and finally closed.