Popular Amusements. 177 



tion. Of the general characteristics of the "ba'in'," 

 a graphic summary is given by Skinner in his opening 

 stanza : 



Has ne'er in a' this countra been 



Sic shouderin' an' sic fa'in', 

 As happen't but few ouks sinsyne 



Here at the Christmas ba'in'. 

 At evenin' syne the fallows keen 



Drank till the neist day's dawin', 

 Sae snell that some tint baith their een, 



An' coudna pay their lawin' 

 Till the neist day. 



The heroes of the field were those who could fear- 

 lessly head the " hurry burry," grappling all and 

 sundry, right and left, and amid the general scrimmage 

 of " routs an' raps fae man to man " gi'ein at any rate 

 as good as they got in the way of cuts across the shins, 

 and " clammy-houits " over the cranium, or strokes 

 " alang the chafts." It was a feat worth mentioning 

 to make a man's " harnpan " ring, or lay an opposing 

 player sprawling on his ])ack with the suggestion of 

 damage to some one or other of his limbs. As the 

 struggling mass of players swayed hither and thither, 

 now up now down, those of the feebler sort got drifted 

 away from the vortex fairly out of wind, and per- 

 haps not altogether scatheless in person or apparel. 

 And clearly victory was to be hoped for quite as much 

 from the reckless exercise of muscular strength as 

 from agility and skill in hitting the ball, which finally, 

 by " a weel-wil'd-wap " from Sawney's foot, is " yowff't" 

 in o'er the park, " a space an' mair " from the Kirk- 

 yard, the recognised field for the parish ba'in', and where 

 it has been going on all the while in the lively fashion 

 indicated. The incidental humours of the scene are 

 in entire harmony with the general ongoings, and few 

 mere spectators, even, are allowed to escape without 

 mishap more or less. The " insett dominie, " a " young 

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