Highland Society OF SOUTHLAND.

Southern Cross, Volume 7, Issue 26, 8 October 1898, Page 7

Highland Society OF SOUTHLAND.

SECOND AWWUAMSATHERING. At the blast of the pibroch on Friday evening of last week, despite the persevering rain, a goodly assemblage filled the concert-room of Guthrie’s buildings. Many members and friends of the society journeyed from remote parts of the district to share in the annual festival. Amongst those,present were not a few pioneer settlers —tough-fibred veterans who, after decades of hardships and toil, still confront the changes of Time with unfailing courage and cheerfulness. Groups of these met when opportunity offered in the course of the evening, and right joyful was their intercourse. Hearty hand-grips and cordial greetings m rugged Gaelic speech made or renewed acquaintanceships. Grim visages, bearing the impress of years and of life’s struggles, lit up with gladness in the glow of good fellowship, and at the revival of slumbering memories of the past and of the Old Land. Much enthusiasm pervaded the audience. The society is already a cherished institution amongst its supporters, and the spirit which animated last week’s gathering seemed to promise many another such reunion. The songs, speeches, music, and other items were ' redolent of Caledonia, and evoked great approval. Conspicuous in the group on the platform was Mr A. McKellar, who, in the picturesque garb of Chief, looked his part to the life. Having read greetings sent by letter or telegram from WaitaLd Celtic Society, Hon. Jno. McKenzie, Father O’Neil, of Milton and others, he passed on to speak on the subject of conserving the Gaelic language, which was one object the society had in view. Taking only one of many benefits Gaelic afforded, be illustrated its value to the studious researcher. British place names, particularly those of natural features, were largely of Celtic origin. The naming was often strikingly appropriate, or else of historical or traditional significance. Thus the suggestive etymologies provided by Gaelic would help to throw light on olden times, and on the dim past of many a locality in Britain. Turning to the history of Scottish Highlanders, the speaker presented a brief survey of its leading features —how this race had resisted oppression, sinking their clan feuds and joining forces in presence of national foes, and how, since Chatham saw and utilised their martial prowess, they had figured in the military glory of the Empire. With a few appropriate remarks in Gaelic the chairman concluded an interesting speech. These brief addresses interspersed through the programme deserve more than mention. Mr Dugald McLachlan, speaking in fluent Gaelic, conveyed the good wishes of the sister society in Dunedin from which he had been sent as delegate. Wby, he would ask, should not the language and associations of Highlanders be preserved P There was not a race under the British Crown that had better cause for keeping alive its ancestral traits and characteristics. That little rugged land with the great heart had played a unique and stirring part in history, and the language which was the true vehicle for the sentiments which inspired such valour, and prompted to noble deeds, should not lightly be allowed to perish. Mr J. A. Mitchell, President of the Caledonian Society, while claiming that the body he represented held catholic sympathies with every social organisation, considered that its relationship with the Highland Society was close, and he would, therefore, tender the most cordial felicitations. Mr Mitchell has a style of pleasantry and humour all his own, and was in bis best vein, chaffing the Chief on his use of Gaelic, and depicting the part that language might play in domestic life.

Mr R. GKlmour, as President of the .Burns’ Club, expressed his delight in

fraternising with a society whose aims were almost identical with those of his own club. The dialect of Southern Scotland had its treasures ; life and literature in the Lowlands held elements which would be a salutary leaven to enrich modern times. The Burns Club sought to foster the love of all that should be kept unforgotten from such sources. He was sure Gaelic must be a grand language, embodying noble sentiments. For a race with such a record, reaching up to recent events, could not but have expressive speech. Simple primitive tongues oft possessed a fulness of sound, a richness of flavour, an aptness to express emotions which were diminishing qualities in modern English on account of the hardening associations of a mechanical, commercial age.

Mr A. Carmichael’s brief address in Gaelic gave practical proof of the previous speaker’s estimate of the vividness and intensity of that language. There were, doubtless, he said, good and bad among Highlanders and their doings, as in the case of other peoples, but they bad witbal left a legacy which should not suffer oblivion. It was their ancient custom to raise, stone by stone, cairns in memory of noble men or worthy deeds. The Forest Hill Highlanders had, as it were, begun a cairn to which that night’s gathering would be an added stone, and which he trusted would grow to the proportions and durability of a true monument. He bad little fear for the rising generation of Celts. The old language was indeed vanishing, and might be doomed to extinction as spoken speech, but the blood of the race remained. Imperishable should be the strong nature and tbe virtues of men who knew not to desert a friend, to bow the neck to oppressor’s yoke or cower before a foe, whose chronicles were written, often in blood, in almost every realm of the wide earth. Fop the rest of the programme the songs were happily chosen and admirably rendered, nearly every singer being encored. Individual comment is unnecessary where all received marks of favour and are mostly well known. The lady singers were Mrs Blue, Misses McChesney, Cameron (Mataura), and Thomson ; the gentlemen, Messrs W. D, Smith, Jas. McGregor, J. Black, and Jno. McNeil, the last mentioned giving acceptably two Gaelic songs. The pipe band performed the opening selection effectively, and the Black Family, who also provided music for the ball, were at their best in the selection ‘ Scotia.’ Master Macdonald (Bluff) expounded the sword dance with great precision, and, to wind up, the Highland Reel was spiritedly danced by Messrs Geo. Anderson, W. Jenkins, Geo Louden, and H. Geddes. Earlier in the evening Mr Kinross recited a poem composed by him for the occasion. The ball was voted most enjoyable. The Grand March and Reel to pipe-band music were worth seeing. Some old-timers with their good dames took the floor and footed the dance with a dash which put the young folk in the shade.

The following is the poem referred to : Another year has passed away, and once again we meet, And Highlanders, with heart and hand, their countrymen will greet, And Celts have come from Forest Hill, though different in name, The Highland heart and Ghielie tongue are everywhere the same. And now we have a Highland band, the best in all the land ; When pipes shall play, and tartans wave, then everything is grand, And marching stately at their head, leads the drum-major bold, Who Southland’s might and dignity can everywhere uphold. Our Chief shall ably fill the chair, though risen from the ranks, The man who serves the people’s cause, deserves the people’s thanks ; For here we have a blessing great, a privilege we prize, That every man, if good and true, has got a chance to rise. The poet’s words shall reach the heart, as they have done before, The Highland patriot and bard shall live for evermore ;

And orators, "frith glowing words, ahall tell the tales in prose. How, in the records of the past, our gallant race arose.

And bards shall sing the good old sonera we heard when we were young, And Highland hearts shall warmly glow to hear the Gaelic tongue ; And we will show the Lowland men that they are welcome here, To clasp our hands, nnd join with us in sharing Highland cheer. .

And, after all these joys are passed, shall come the best of ail, When manly hearts will gladly yield to woman’s pleasant thrall; Too quickly all the night will pass when mingling in the dance, And all our cares shall be forgot when cheered by beauty’s glance.

And if we choose to blow our pipes, we have a right to blow, For Dargai’s hills, and Egypt’s plains to all the world can show, That Highland arms are just as strong,,and Highland hearts as bold, As when they drove the Romans back in famous davs of old.