NEWS FROM THE PAST

CALEDONIAN GATHERING

The first annual gathering of the Darling Downs Caledonian Society took place in the grounds of the Royal Agricultural Society on Monday last.

The grounds of the “Royal” are admirably suited for public gatherings or pleasure parties, and being within an easy distance of the town an excellent opportunity was afforded to heads of families of holding a New Year’s picnic. The weather also was everything that could be desired, the show of tartans moderately good for the season of the year, and the sports quite equal to anything that might have been expected on a first attempt.

Our local Scotchmen were poorly represented in the various contests, and the principal prizes were taken away by our visitors.

The piping and dancing contributed, in a great measure to the success of the meeting, and the best thanks of the society are due to those gentlemen who so kindly undertook the journey from BrIsbane in order to assist and advise us in our first annual celebration.

The booths and fruit stalls appeared to be doing an excellent trade in the lighter beverages, and the confectioners were “eaten out” long before the first half of the programme was completed.

The number of persons present may be safely estimated at eleven or twelve hundred, and although the weather was exceedingly warm, and the inducements to take “just a sip of the dew” for “Auld lang syne,” remarkably numerous, there were no cases of excessive indulgence brought under our notice during the whole of the day.

The Brisbane Courier, January 5, 1871