The Athletes and Athletic Sports of Scotland

102 ATHLETIC SPORTS OF SCOTLAND. at Argaumhe played with such animation, and influenced the men to such a degree, thatthey could hardly berestrained from rush­ ing on to the chargetoo soon and breaking the line." (Stewart's Sketches.) THE COMPETITION AT HIGHLAND GATHERINGS .—The second and perhaps the main factorin maintaining the popularity of the bagpipe inScotland is the prizesawarded at all Highlandgather­ ings to the best performers on it. These competitions not anly take place in Scotland, but wherever Scotsmen promote such gatherings. The bands of the Highland regiments are heard only where theregiments are stationed ; the gatherings are held all over the country. The competitions in bagpipe playing at the Highland gatherings are subject to the same defect as the dancing competitions—the judges are often incompetent, and sometimes partial. In matters of this kind the judges ought to be thoroughly up to their duties and above suspicion. Some who are skilled judges ofbagpipe music are also makers of bagpipes. Now it is too much to expect that a judge, hearing a first-class performer playing on bagpipes of the judge's own make, and another first class performer playing on bagpipes by a rival maker, will be strictly impartial. A judge of over-sensitive nature who is a bagpipe maker will rather favour the performer on a rival maker's pipes, from fear that he should be thought partial tohis own instrument. An unscrupulous judge will give the first prize toa performer on bagpipes of his (the judge's) own make,, although knowing the performer on them does not deserve it. A maker of bagpipes ought, therefore, never to be asked to judge. When asked he oughto refuse. •Another fruitful source of unfair decisions is the fact that there are in some cases different versions or sets of the same tunes. Each sethas its supporters, and instances are known where ajudge has given his decision infavour of a player who played a tune as the judge thought it should be played, although a better performer played the sametune ina superior style, but followed a different version or set of it. Such ajudge istotally unfit to act as a judge. It