Douglas Island news., 1919-04-04
,BY AN "EXPERTD


 cation by a British officer with tho troops in Rhineland. 10 Is trans latiou of descriptive account writ- ten by one or the correspondents Of Inc puazischcr Post of Baden rela- .uyc Go the British advance, and the officer who sends it suggests that . "its unconscious humor will render .It more interesting to Che Scottish reader than Co the German"
 Au day long ! have been standing amidst Che hard-bitten citizens Of Nalmedy watching Che passage Of English troops on their way Go Rhiuclaud. With stern sorrow in their hearts. but with head erect and eyes flashing with determination fn endure all for Che sake of their beloved fathcrland. the burghcrs of Nalmcdy have stood, hat iu hand, ,5IutuE Che colors Of an alien foe'
 What is more natural than that we Germans. who are che most pa ucut oi scientific investigators, should. despite the hard and bitter occasion. find spectacle even as bumuatlug as the occupation Of our beloved land a matter for detached utcrcste And perhaps some few facts concerning the Scottish rcgi- mcuts of English infantry may be ot interest Co our sorcly-uled but uudauntcd people.
 Scotland has always been a wild mystery land Co the people of our country. and there arc many curi- ous misapprchcnisons concerning the
 Scotch HiEhhudcrs" which l may perhaps dissipate. have made many visits Go Scotland. SO perhaps wa. not SO much startled when
 hc "sqIrI" of the bagpipcs echoed through the streets and these fierce uutamcd soldiers came marching proudly past. have seen these men ot kuts before. and was not isc many of our good ladies Of Nalmcdy shocked by the baroness of legs. which Is SO surprising a -pcgtaclei
 By now a very large number of our good German people know that tbc English battalions arc not all Scottish. but there are a great many facts which they do not know about Scotland and her warlike people which am perhaps the first Co put . ou record.
 Tho Highland race are Celtic race distinct from Che English. Their language Is different. their manners and customs arc altogether at var lance with those Of the languid sourlcrucrs. Iu physioguomy they differ very materially from their southern ucighbor. The Scotch have rcd hair and their features are hard or. They are a simple frugal pco- pie. tbc majority of whom arc cn- gagged iu hunting che deer which abomds in many parts Of Scotland. and iu fishing Che rivers for sal- mon. trout. and. on some parts Of Che coast. for herrings.
 They arc intensely religious. their form of worship being Lutheran. and che holiness of a Scottish Sunday Is rroyorhial On that day no trans ruu an Che work ceases, and the sound of thc kirk, bells (it will be observed that thc Scottish language .s akin to German and that what is .krk" iu Scottish is "kirche' In Gcrmam rings throughout the land. and everywhere may be seen the r.ous people vending toward their meeting houses.
 The Scotchman is trained from his youth m warlike exercises. Every year there arc what is known as "Hshloud Gatherings" These are barbaric festivals, attended by the most astouudiugly primitive exer- cises. For example, one of the favor its competitions is to dance on red- hot swords. and he who dances long . est receives a prize. varying in value according Go the wealth Of the dis trict.
 Though Che young men are stoical iu their endurance of suffering, it sometimes happens that in spite of their efforts wild cries escape them as this exercise is carried out. and in order Co drown the cries it is che custom Co play the bagpipe wig orousIy. the player walking up and down to hide from the spectators .bIs own agitation.
 Another test which shows beyond doubt that Che Scottish were prepar- ing for this war for many years is known as putting the shot" In other words. bomb-throwing. the shot being almost as heavy as a shell from thc minnewerfer During this war the practice enabled the Scottish regiments to dispense with trench mortars. Another exercise is "tosslng the caber" A large log of wood is placed in the mans hand and it is his object to throw it as |. far as possible By this system of training Che Scottish regiments were