Men of Muscle, and the Highland Games of Scotland, etc.

KENNETH MACRAE OF BEAULY. 45 he did not reach his best until quite thirty years of age; in fact many of his most remarkable performances have been accomplished when he was almost ten years older. In 1879, being then twenty-nine years of age, M'Rae threw the light hammer at Inverness 12oft. 6in., and the 21lb. hammer 95ft. 6in. At Kingussie, in 1882, he made some extraordinary hammer throws. On this occasion he made 125ft. 5in. with the light hammer and 99ft. 9in. with the 21lb. hammer. M'Rae himself considers this the best he has ever done in competition. At the Edinburgh Exhibition in 1886 "Kenny" made what was probably his best putt with the stone. The stone used at this great gathering was brought specially from Inverness. The weather on the date fixed for the games was most unfavourable, rain coming down in torrents, and at last the meeting was postponed until the following day, when, luckily, the sky was bright and clear, although the ground was still exceedingly wet and slippery, and it was found necessary to sprinkle a quantity of saw-dust over the pitch in order to afford the competitors a footing. This plan was most satisfactory-at least, as far as M'Rae was concerned-the final result being :-M'Rae 1st, 4oft. 3in.; Owen Duffy 2nd, 38ft. 3in. ; George Davidson 3rd, 37ft. ; and A. Nelson, Blairgowrie, 4th, 35ft. 7in. Even the 4th man was a good putter, and yet M'Rae was 4 ft. 8 in. over him, which adds considerably to the value of M'Rae's per– formance. " Kenny " also won the light stone, the hammer, and the caber on the same day, thus carrying off premier honours in each of the heavy events. At the Glasgow Exhibi– tion Highland gathering in 1888-not the police sports which were also held there, and which M'Rae did not attend, -"Kenny" won light and heavy ball, hammer, and 56lb. weight. His distances were-light ball, 44ft. 4in. ; heavy ball, 38ft. 7in. ; while with the 56lb. he made 28ft. 6in. At the great Highland gathering held at the Paris Exhibi– tion when Colonel White collected the clans, as it \Yere, and