3-011-983 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Gathering of the Highland Clans at Braemar Castle, in the presence of the Prince and Princess of Wales, 1864. Engraving from a sketch by Mr. Colebrooke Stockdale, of the '...annual muster of the sturdy Highlandmen for their favourite athletic sports and feats of strength or skill...The chief interest lay in the competition for the prizes open to "all comers"...Donald Dinnie...sent the stone over 28 ft. 8 in., and threw the hammer 84 ft. 4 in. The tossing of the caber was, however, the most interesting of any of the competitions; and in this the renowned Donald came off victorious with a remarkably clean "toss," followed by that of Paton. At the close, Donald, although he had got on his cloak and was retiring, quietly took up the caber, and without the slightest apparent effort turned it over. For the half-mile race, for a prize of £5 offered by Lieutenant-Colonel Farquharson...there were no less than seventeen competitors at the start. The race, which caused much excitement, was very keenly contested, and easily won by Robertson, the Glenisla champion. Considerable interest was also evinced in the dancing of "Ghillie Callum," which next came off, as well as the dancing of the strathspeys and reels'. From "Illustrated London News", 1864.