The Athletes and Athletic Sports of Scotland

TOSSING THECABER. 59 care and much experience to preserve the balance at this junc­ ture. It is, therefore, no unusual sighto see anawkward hand, or even a pretty skilful one on a breezy day, as soon as he has lifted the caberfrom the ground,begin a series of wild gyrations and spasmodic lurches backwards and forwards and from side to side, while everyone near him beats ahasty retreat. The upshot often is that the upper end at last overbalances beyond control, and the baffled competitor flings the small end from him amid the laughter of the spectators, and retires to brood over his dis­ comfiture with black care inhis heart. A PRACTISED HAND , having freedthe caberfrom the ground, and got his hands underneath the end,raises ittill the lower end is nearly on a level with his elbows, then advances for several yards, gradually increasing his speed till he is sometimes at a smart run before he gives the toss. Just before doing thishe allows the caberto leave his shoulder, and as the heavy top end begins to fall forward, he throws the end he has in his hands upwards with all his strength, and if successful after the heavy end strikes the ground the small end continues its upward motion till perpendicular, when it falls forward, andthe caber lies in a straight line with the tosser, with the heavy end next him. If unsuccessful the smallend fallsback towards the tosser, or falls to one side before reaching the perpendicular. It isa splendid feat, requiring great strength and judgment, and few events in the programme create more interest and excitement than when, after aseries of abortive attempts, the small end is seen sweeping upwards from the hands ofa Dinnie, Davidson, or M'Rae, andgetting nearer andnearer to the perpendicular. The nearer upright it gets, the slower it rises. Will it go over ? It is now almost motionless, and upright as a flag-staff, while thousand of eyes are watching it in silence. An instant of breathless suspense,then, slowlyat first, but with ever increasing speed, it leans over, away from the hero of the moment, till, amid thunders of applause, it falls, "as falls on Mount Avernus a thunder-smitten oak." Compared with this, the American