The Athletes and Athletic Sports of Scotland
ATHLETIC SPORTS OF SCOTLAND. strength unreservedly for one object, which he should always be free to do in such exercises. This method is now obsolete in Scotland, although about ageneration ago it was the styleused at Leith. How American or Americanised Scotsmen came to adopt and perpetuate a system now unknown in Scotland, in what they call Scottish games, isa mystery. SCOTTISH STYLE.— InScotland the caber isgenerally brought into the field of a length and weight beyond the powers of the best athletes to turn, and they aregenerally consulted as to how much shouldbe cut off. Sometimes, where the ground is une the samecaber does for years, being turned downhill or uphill according to the ability ofthe various competitors. At other places two or more cabers ofdifferent sizes are kept, to suit the different powers of the tossers. On level ground no stance is needed, each competitor throwing from where he likes. When the groundis uneven, to prevent onecompetitor from taking an unfair advantageof another by the inequalities of the ground, a mark issometimes put down, from near which, and not beyond which, the toss must be made. When the competition is to begin, the first competitor has thecaber brought to the spothe wishes totake his run from. He then places his foot to the small end,and two or three men, appointed for the purpose, raise thecaber till it is perpendicular, with t e heavyend upper most. The athletenow takes hold of the caberwith both hands, and, assoon ashe feels it balanced, gives the word to those who put it on end to let go their hold. As soon as they doso, everything depends on the athletehimself, who now stoops care fully down till his hands are near the ground, when he allows the caberto rest on his right or left shoulder. He thenraises the caber,so as to get both hands underneath the end. With a heavy log 16 to 20 ft long, with the heaviest end uppermost, it is evident that as there is from nearly 14 feet to nearly 16feet above his shoulder, and only about 2 feet between his shoulders and his hands, there is a tremendous leverage against the athlete should the upper end get off the balance, and itrequires great
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