New-York tribune., 1907-12-08
aIGHLAND SHOOTING.
o11Fashi0ned Entertainment and
Scientific Sport.
Meigl, Scotland, November %

tF So with comfortable houses and annie
fDsi@ is,ss for the slaughter Of grouse partrdges
'S0i--,+s black game, hares and rabbits. are
-. the middle Of August to November. and
"a "a t,e owner, having pocketed the rentals and
- 70 make their estates self-sustaining, do
H'4P-.l. shooting on their own account The
,.,es have been entertained on the big es-
To-" ,be record drives for grouse and par-
- have leen made; the enormous bags have
"-' -ecerded in the society @apers and the
p--,,sn tenants who have been luxuriouslv
''.,e their guests at high cost have gone
- The Scottish lairds return to their es-
and exchange courtesies with their neigh
'' Each day there is a shoot on some large
&c for pheasants with half a dozen guns
car fire host il is the most important event
r., year He wants record bag for the
&c. plans the shooting though it were a
-g.o-v campaign: selects the men for the
s-,q line Of seEtries with painstaking care;
-. the field Of non-combatants and women
a settles down for a scientific days sport
+.-b man has two guns. with q helper to stand
=, and load them, and each has his own dog to
.,,,b the birds; and the host, with one gun. is
A. ,,n7u1and Of the beaters. with his head game
,..,sr as his Lieutenant. Luncheon is served at
ne house after the mornings work. and this is
,1yoved by tea when there is no longer light for
soot;ns and the sportsmen then drive TO their
bornes by motor or trap after the head game
t..,e- has received a guinea tip from each
r,ss- II there has been no bungling and there
: xa;r bag il Is considered a good bit Of old
fashioned sport
These shoots on the large estates are the chief
.o,sl events and are conducted as seriously and
:, silently except for the gun fire. as a scientific
fsme Of golf on ST Andrews links. These are
.. formal exchanges of hospitality: hut there
q sport every day when there is tolerable
,rssther. and the laird lives for little else He
q on his own ground. wears the kilt as the
s;s.inctive costume Of the Highland gentleman.
md breathing his native air, is not disposed 70
rhsure places with a king on a throne or a mil
Tuuzire in Lombard Street. His happiest day is
svant with one or two companions in woodland
r- on moor. and il Is the simplest Of oldtime
su1-t They start out early with their guns and
usir OF dogs 70 find out what they can get by
lssurely shooting, and are satisfied when their
hse az nightfal contains a dozen brace Of
,hessants half as many partridges, a few
f-use couple of woodcock and hare The
mixed bag implies exploration at random of the
esxte a prolonged scramble through thick hill
vocd along precipitous ravines, detours through
r-ouse heather and boFgy moor and plunges
oyer rough pastures and stubble. where par
ridges or pheasants are timorously wlnnowlnS
ster harvest Ten or twelve miles may have
been covered before nightfall: and what an out
.ar il has been for the practised eyes. the
trained ears and the irnpressionable natures Of
ersrtsmen In close touch with bird life, What
rAssaTable excitement there has been IN the
breath Of the moist air, the glimpses OF noun
isin peaks wreathed in blue mist, the sudden
fiat Of a grouse over a wind-swept hillside. ]
of partridge, the sly vagaries Of wild, wheel (,
.s pheasantg the impatient whinpering Of dogs /
and the congenial sense Of human companion /
ship. Every incident of the long tramp through !
overt and bog is rehearsed over port and whis- I
ksy al dinner in the old house, and no record !
Lag with organized slaughter by driving or beat
tnf is SO sports1zlanlike theirs.
The oldtime simplicity still survives in the /
ssottish shooting boxes, al least toward the /
elose Of the year. when the rich tenants have !
gune with their retinue OF servants, supported /
ty lavish tips from guests and the tennis courts,
golf COURSES and croQuet grounds are no longer /
flied by day with gay costumes nor the drawing /
r0Gzs occupied long after midnight by prlose |
players There are fewer onnibuses and motor !
on the roads. fewer elaborate TED /
s1d dinner gowns On exhibition and fewer /
Hslass and bored faces. for fashionable shooting
parties are VIGOROUSLY dull for women Ihere /
IS heartier hospitality on a smaller scale win |
sbun6snce of talk about shooting and birds put |
With scant measure Of stale London gossip /
md card playing. The Highland lairds are IN
hits when they dine together, and picturesque 1
costume il Is with coat respondent with buttons 1
sad enbroideries and plaid and silk skirt below /
ise waist The lsborers and workmen may nave /
discarded the costume as medieval and uncorn-
so--,k ,+-s-r r1fr
their birffright and as the distinctive sign OF
tsr dignity rs landed proPrietors- They hunt
ride and fish in it, go 10 kirk in it and consider
Il the staseIiest costume for full dress occasions.
Il helps TO remind them that they are on tnelr
native heat. and can trace back their genoa /
8lgies for hundreds Of years; and most OF them /
think that is something better than making a /
'Ttune in trade buying ancient estate oL /
noorland and forest and rebuilding q castle.
Iaey have manners as free and natural as the /
breath Of the rnoors. and entertain their friends
sl1aout subjecting them 20 extoruonate Tolls 10
esnekeepers gillies, buffers and housemalds.
1hee are recognized tips for a big pheasant
Eaooi and these arr more han doubled for deer /
stalking; but visitors are not expected TO recon
Gle servants 70 low wages. They have shooting
lartes not because Il is a smart thing TO do |
sac enables them 10 keep up with the owners
" NE best houses, bat because they love out
osr life, the rattle Of the guns, nanpuVrlhg
NHh dogs and birds and genuine sport
tns tenants who hire grouse moors and
nhesssnt coverfs for short season seldom get
- nHch sport as they bargain for The game I
ssepers may be helpful In suggestions ana may
s<1H earn generous tips for intelligent service
WI ns host cannot bring on a satisfactory shoot
4a'ess he knows every yard Of the ground ana
sAa The campaign after q prolonged I'll"
Hsogh Reconnaissance. The laird on ms own
4la has little &c learn about IT or about the
.olts cf bi,s1s and the tricks of wild partrioges