Decidedly the most successful entertainments, from a national and festive standpoint, were the first two of the festivals held in commemoration of Robert Burns, the un-canonized idol of " T h e land of brown heath and shaggy wood," for there was a thoroughness, in fact a backbone, in the demonstrations which all the others in some way lacked. A s I was present at nearly all the jollifications in question, I can safely declare that I never saw anything to exceed the fervid enthusiasm, the appetizing activity and the bodily and mental enjoyment which pervaded the first and second of those gatherings. T o sum up, then, I would say that the St. Andrew-ites were the most clannish, the St. Patrick-ans the least disorderly, the St. Georgians the most cliquish, and, in one instance, the rowdiest. T h e Robbie Burnsites were the most unmeasured indulgers in the pleasures of the table, the most ardent Bacchanalians, and infinitely the "tallest talkers" and loudest chanters of everything and everybody connected with the old historic country which they had abandoned.
With these prefaratory observations I proceed to briefly particularize the more prominent features of the early National celebrations taking them so far as I can, in their chronological order.
Saint Andrew.
The first National Festival held in the colony was the celebration of the anniversary of the Patron Saint of Scotland, on the 30th November (St. Andrew's Day), 1840, when to it was associated an Australian welcome to a Mr. M'Donnell tribally known as " T h e Glengarry," a Caledonian Chief, who purposed settling in a portion of the then almost unknown Gippsland country. It took the form of a dinner at the Caledonian Hotel in Lonsdale Street. T h e Chair was occupied by Mr. A. M . M'Crae, and a long list of toasts was disposed of with the customary honours, the speakers being Messrs. M'Crae, Lauchlan M'Kinnon, George Arden, W m . Kerr, Norman Campbell, James Williamson, P. W . Welsh, Donald Cameron, and " The Glengarry." Everything was passing on well until the place was rushed by a half-a-dozen boisterous Scots, w h o had been making over merry at the Adelphi Hotel in Little Flinders Street, and after a brief stand-up fight the intruders were ejected " neck and crop" through the windows. As the tavern was only a small one-story concern, their fall was a short one, no bones were broken, and they sustained no further inconvenience than a good shaking.
Saint Andrew's Society of Australia Felix.
To date from the 1st December, 1841, was inaugurated at a Scottish Festival held at the Caledonian Hotel, on the previous evening (the 30th November.) It was to be simply an organization for promoting conviviality, and its having no higher aim, probably accounted for the brevity of its existence. Its only qualifications for membership were—viz., Scottish descent and the payment of a guinea. Its first roll of office-bearers consisted of—
President : The Honourable James Erskine Murray.
Vice-President: Mr. Claud Farie.
Committee : The Honourable Robert Dundas Murray, Messrs. Archibald Cunninghame, Hugh Jamieson, William Kerr, and James Hunter Ross.
Secretary and Convener: Mr. Andrew Muirson M'Crae.
Treasurer : Mr. Isaac Buchanan.
"The Battle of Bannockburn" offered the first suitable opportunity for the Fraternity to give practical effect to the object for which it was formed, and accordingly, on the 25th June, 1842, there was an anniversary battle celebration at the Caledonian. T h e President (Hon. J. A. Murray), and Vice-President (Fane) officiated at the top and bottom of the table, and the company made quite a jolly night of it. T h e toast of the evening, " T h e immortal memory of Robert the Bruce, and the other heroes of Bannockburn," was eloquently proposed by the Chairman; but instead of being rece.ved (as it ought) in solemn silence, it was, according to a chronicle of the time, drank "with most decorous applause, a phrase difficult of definition. Mr. Oliver Gourlay very appropriately responded by singing, with much effect, the famous national lyric, "Scots wha hae," etc. Amongst the toasts, the memories of Wallace, Scott, and Burns, were not forgotten.
