THE BAGPIPES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2309, 2 June 1898, Page 53

THE BAGPIPES.

The effect of the bagpipes on the Scottish Highlander, says "A Highlander, but not a Pipar," in the Daily Times, is matter of history. The followiug extracts wiil better show this than any words of nuine :—: —

"The feelings which other instruments awaken are general and undefined, for they are common to all ; but the bagpipe is sacred to Scotland, and speaks a iaagnage which Scotchmen only feel. There is nob a battlefield honourable to Britain in which its war blast has not sounded. When every other instrument has been hushed by the confusion and carnage of the scene ib has been borne into the thick of the battle, and far in tlie advance its bleeding but devoted baarer, sinking ou the earbb, has sounded afc oect encouragement to his counfcrymtm and his*own coronach."

Neil Munro, iv his " John Splendid," now being published in Blr.ckwood's, writes re the bagpipes :—: —

" God, bow ih&C pibroch stingg me to tha core !

"My heart never stirred much to tbe mere trick of an instrument but one, and the piob mhor (great bagpipe) conquers me.

" I heard them (the bagpipes) at Boitzenburg, when we g&ve fche but of the gun to Tilly's soldados ; they played us infco Hol3fcein ; and when the ditca of Stratsung was choked with tbe tarban of Maekay, and our lads were falling like corn before the hook, a Re.ay pipsr etood valiantly in fronl and playsd a 6aiaoe. TheD and now it's tbe pipe?, my darling."

'The following instance? are given iv the history of the Highland regiments. Ab p. battle with. Hyder Aii, General Coobas'a notice was particularly attracted by oce of tbe pipsrs of the 73rd (now the 73 si) Ilighlandeis who always blew up his mo3b warlike sounds whenever ihe Sre became nobler than ordinary. This so pleated the* general that he cried aloud. " Well dene, my brave Sellow ! You shall have n pair cf silver pipes for this ! " At Vimeira a piper of the pame reginienfe (fche 7ist) was shoe in the thigh aiid so badly wounded that he could not advance with the regiment He was propped against a bank, and struck up a favourite regimental air, to the great delight of bis comrades.

At Waterloo Piper Mackay, of the 79th Cameron Highlanders, stepped outside (he bayonets and continued to play round tbe outside of the square ihe popular air of " Cogaid na Sith " (Peace or Wat), with much jnjpirir.g effect.

Then take the hsb fight with the derviuhes at Atbara. We are t^ld thab the Cameron Highlanders (the Bathe 79ch) were first in the trenches, followed by tho Ist geaforths (72nd), their pipers playing through a hurricane of bullets. Piper Stewart, of the. Cameron?, wag kilkd, seven bullet 3 passing through his body. Piper Mackcuz c, of the Seaforths, bears the marks of six bullets, fchcujh practically uuwouhded. '• Tata aud now it's the pipes, my d&iling."