Aberdeen's American " Send-off."

Evening Star, Issue 7301, 27 August 1887, Page 4

Aberdeen's American " Send-off."

The following amusing and interesting account of the departure of the Earl and Countess of Aberdeen we cull from the «New York Herald ' of the 17th July : " The wind-up of the season," said one of the best known passenger agents, standing on the Cunard dock yesterday, watching the Servia's departure. "The City of Rome will carry out what remains of them on Wednesday," he continued, " and then it is all over." A mighty "wind up" it was too ! The greatest crowd of the whole season, and the most sensational "send-off" of the vear. The Servia was billed to start at 2 p.m. The thermometer denoted 95deg in the shade. There were 450 passengers aboard. There were somewhere about three or four thousand non-passengers on deck and dock. The Earl and Countess of Aberdeen were about to sail. An enormous crowd had gathered on the dock to wish Godspeed to the popular Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland in 1886. Irish delegates of this city were there determined to show their appreciation of a man in high governmental position, who, years ago, had dared to declare himself in favor of the Irish cause. Scotchmen came down by the hundreds to pay their respects to the man who has the honorable repute of " the best; landlord in Scotland." In the saloon of the Servia a huge basket of splendid roses, ferns, and carnations, the handle richly festooned with sky blue and pink ribbons, bore the inscription "To the Countess of Aberdeen, with the compliments of the Parliamentary Fund Committee." Next to this stood a big raised basket full of yellow, red, and pink roses, ferns, mignonettes, and sweetwilliams ; on the side, on a ground of white carnations, the words " Bon Accord" were designed in red immortelles. A card above read " To the Countess of Aberdeen, with bon voyage and beat wishes, from the Scotch deputation." The saloon was transformed into a bower of flowers. The crowd had come to see " the popular lord," and they were going to see him at any price. There were some, indeed, who appeared to imagine that the Scotch peer would come in fancy dress, perhaps in tartan, kilt, and brogan. On the deck the band of the 69th Regiment were present to welcome the friend of Gladstone with appropriate music. About ten minutes to two a coach drove quietly up through the dense throng, and a cheer rose up that made the air ring again. The crowd had now become simply awful, and the party escaped on to the bridge. Scarce breathing room was left, and efforts made to prevent non-passengers coming aboard were simply futile. The scene was not wanting in fun, either. Just as the band had ceaßed playing for a ishort interval the wild notes of a Highland bagpipe were heard. At the same time an unexpected addition to the orchestra appeared : a Scotch piper, in full Highland costume, kilt, bagpipe, and all complete. Without further ado he forced himself into the centre of the astonished bandsmen, and defiantly tuned up in the wildest of his native airs, beating time with his feet. The Earl of Aberdeen's attention was immediately drawn to the familiar sight, and he at once stepped back to tell Her Ladyship of this unexpected musical treat. Then they both listened as though they had never heard the pipes before. The weather and the abnormal amount of lung power required to play the Scotch national instrument soon told, and after a seance of ten minutes the piper once more unwillingly gave way to the band. Before retiring, having gracefully taken off his feather-tipped bonnet to the Earl and Countess, he made the following utatement:—" I am Pipe-major William M'Ewenson, of Edinburgh, also of the Caledonian Club. I just played ' Back-o-Ben-a-Hee.' It is an Aberdeen tune, and the noble Earl knows it right weel." Within half-an-hourof her appointed time the Servia swung out into the stream, and then a cheer rose, and again and again, and the ladies waved and youths swung brooms with raw cotton on the top to represent the Scotch badge—the thistle. Thus perhaps the most popular of British statesmen who has ever visited the United States sailed away. _^^^^_^___