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THE "big" days in the
average Highland parish are not numerous. Monotonous sameness has almost
universal sway, and such days as show any features different from the
ordinary round maybe briefly told.
Fairs will naturally
occur to many as likely to hold a high place among such "big" days as
may exist. The fair—or the "markatt," as some of the older natives call
it—was for a long time a great institution in the Highlands. In most
Highland parishes, indeed, up till within the last fifteen years or so,
it was the only big day, or series of days, for the "markatt" often
extended over two, and even three, days. Of course, the Communion season
was then, as it yet is, looked upon by very many as a great event,—not
chiefly because of the grander thoughts it is calculated to suggest, but
as a time for, meeting relatives and acquaintance, for purposes of
getting news and exchanging gossip, which latter was often unprofitable
enough. No doubt there were many then—more, perhaps, than to-day—who
looked forward to the Communion season under the inspiration of feelings
appropriate to the event ; but of the other sort there were, and are,
many, as all that know the Highlands are aware.
The "markatt," however,
was the big day properly so called. It suggested no idea of restraint,
no necessity for assumed gravity of demeanour, and was therefore more
generally and eagerly looked forward to as a big day. There were, of
course, as is yet the case, only a few parishes that could claim the
dignity of having a market "stance," and to which the people flocked
from the surrounding districts. One locality was the market-place for
some six or seven parishes, and, generally speaking, the "markatt" took
place twice a-year. It usually began on a Tuesday, and often extended
over three days. The first day was the principal business-day, - the day
on which the buying and selling of cattle and horses took place. The
Wednesday turnout partook greatly of the character of variety. Lads and
lasses were out in strong force, and, just as to-day, there was no small
flirtation—in some cases very demonstrative. The Wednesday of the market
was a general holiday, and shepherds, ploughmen, and others, with their
wives and families, strolled along—the young people looking with special
interest at the "sweetie" vendor's spread, the temporary toy-shop, the
merry-go-round, and a few other attractions. Towards evening some in the
crowd displayed leanings in the direction of boisterousness, as the
result of too frequent visits to the "tent" or extemporised dram-shop;
and later on, some of the boisterous ones might be found figuring
prominently at something of the nature of a free fight, at which wild
and often disgusting exclamations largely prevailed.
The "markatt" of to-day,
in many respects, is much the same as it was at the period referred to.
There are changes, however. The market is not to-day so prolonged an
event, so far especially as districts having railway communication are
concerned ; and this is well, because those that remained longest were
ones, as a rule, under the spell of a decidedly injurious attraction
—strong drink. Not that they were perhaps drunkards, but in meeting
friends, or closing a bargain, they got into tasting, and unfortunately
tasting too much. The railway in this respect has been, and is, a
temperance reformer. The people may leave home in the morning for the
market, buy and sell, see friends and acquaintance, visit the "sweetie"
stall, hear the strolling violin-player, and return home by train the
same day. Again, the attendance at the market of to-day is not quite so
large as of old. The travelling facilities of the present time explain
this. When travelling was difficult, and especially when trains and
steamers were comparatively unknown, the people looked on the market as
a time to meet to transact the greater part of the business of the year.
Now it is different. The train is so convenient that people can go from
home at any time. Then where no train is, the steamer, and where neither
is accessible, the mail-coach, facilitates going from home at any
time,—and altogether the "markatt" gathering has become a secondary
event.
We remember one or two
big days of some twenty years ago, and even later, that are now swamped
in the changes of to-day. There was the examination of the parish school
by the Church dignitaries of the district, and which took place once
a-year. The examination, which was conducted by the parish minister and
one or two of the neighbouring clergy, was long and eagerly, if not
anxiously, looked forward to by the scholars. Parents came out in
considerable force in those days to witness the event ; and, as with the
pupils themselves, on the examination-day some parents were proud and
some disappointed, and, doubtless, a few envious. Under the new system
the examination or inspection day is not, to outsiders at least, so
great an event. To the teacher, no doubt, it is quite as important a
day—perhaps, indeed, in some cases more so—as her Majesty's Inspector of
Schools does not necessarily accept the indulgent estimate of the
school's appearance which some of the clergy may have been wont to take.
Be this as it may, in the average Highland parish the examination by the
inspector does not seem to be attended by nearly so many parents and
others as used to be present on the examination-day under the old
system. We wish to take this opportunity of testifying to the very
general satisfaction which the school inspectors visiting the Northern
Highlands afford in these districts. They are all gentlemen of ability
and culture, and undoubted integrity; and the fact of their being
Highlanders, and so knowing the ways, and what yet is, to some extent,
the language of the Highlander, constitutes an additional element of
efficiency in this highly important department of our educational
arrangements.
corps in Stratheden, over
fourscore strong—generally speaking, a stalwart, handsome set of men ;
and who will blame the Stratheden people if they speak with pride of the
creditable appearance the Stratheden Volunteer Corps usually makes at
the annual inspection by the captain—a young nobleman in the
neighbourhood, deservedly esteemed by the Stratheden volunteers—and at
the big review that yearly takes place in the district? The Stratheden
volunteers have big days—such as the captain's inspection, friendly
matches between married and single men, Christmas competitions, and the
like, — all, comparatively speaking, modern big days in the Highlands.
We had another big day,
or rather big night, in Stratheden lately—very big, indeed, because the
first of the kind in the parish. It was a concert got up by local
talent, and the singers at which were almost all natives. Some
enthusiastic Celts, naturally enough, missed the Gaelic element from the
songs; and, though the singing of Gaelic songs is becoming very rare, it
is said the programme of the next concert will contain one Gaelic song
at least.
Another big day in
Stratheden is the railway excursion day—"La'n Scurshan," as some of the
older people call the cheap-fare day in the Gaelic tongue. This, of
course, is comparatively modern, and is largely patronised, being a day
to which many in the parish look forward long and eagerly. Some go as
far as Glasgow or Edinburgh, but the great majority content themselves
with visiting friends some ten miles, or thereabouts, distant.
Another big day seems to
be—it is an ecclesiastical day—the day of signing the "call" to a
clergyman selected to fill a vacant charge. It has already been noticed
that the great majority of the native residents in Highland parishes
adhere to the Free Church, and hence it is to this Church our remarks in
this instance refer. We have seen on such a day the neighbourhood where
the event of signing the call was taking place very largely peopled,
giving the day a very big appearance indeed. Lessons of the fickleness
of crowds, however, may be gathered from contrasting this apparent
enthusiasm with events that take place afterwards in the relations
between these eager-looking "calling" ones, and their, for the nonce at
least, popular, very popular pastor. We remember, some half-dozen years
ago, seeing a very large crowd assembled in a Highland parish for the
purpose of signing the call to a clergyman who, when candidating, made a
very great impression. A year passed, and another year went with it, but
by this time more than time was vanishing. The preacher's popularity was
fading; and whoever was to blame—we suspect the fickleness of the
multitude had more to do with it than any collapse in the preacher's
powers—by the time three years had passed we believe there would be a
not inconsiderable number of the original and enthusiastic crowd quite
prepared to turn out to call upon their pastor to vacate his charge. We
need not wait to make reflections on the cooling of the enthusiasm of
the big day of a call-signing. We cannot help remarking, however, that
it would be unwise, in every case, to put it down to any want of
sincerity at the time of signing, for Highlanders are just as sincere,
as honest, as any other people. The fact, however, of their being easily
led, and especially so in matters ecclesiastical, may partly explain
such a phenomenon as we refer to.
Another big day is the
crofters' rent-day — on which, usually, no small excitement is
observable. As a rule, there is a praiseworthy ambition to be prepared
for this day; and as the crofters pass homewards after paying their
rents, there is, in many cases, discernible the commendable
consciousness of duty done. In no district that we know of is the
crofter's rent thigh, and it should be, generally speaking, an easy
matter to meet the requirements of this big day.
Such are the principal
"big" days in the average Highland parish of to-day.
In some central districts
with special privileges, games, such as tossing the caber, dancing, and
suchlike, take place at stated seasons; but those other events we have
referred to include the big days generally known in the Highlands of
to-day. |
