482 HIGHLAND AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



gentlemen of the Highlands who resorted to Falkirk signi- 

 fied their earnest desire that in future the competition should 

 be at Edinburgh. 



The first competition was therefore held at Edinburgh 

 on the 20th October 1784, when sixteen competitors ap- 

 peared. The judges proceeded by a printed plan, by which, 

 previous to the competition, a salute was played by Pro- 

 fessor Macarthur, the Society's piper. The rest of the 

 performance was divided into two parts. The first consisted 

 of various kinds of ancient Highland music, particularly 

 salutes, marches, and gatherings, made choice of by the 

 different candidates in the order of their names, previously 

 fixed by ballot, after which the Bard M'Intyre rehearsed an 

 occasional Gaelic poem. The second part consisted of the 

 Glosmhear prescribed to them by the judges, and was 

 concluded with a piece written by the Professor, and a 

 Gaelic song by the Bard Campbell, in praise of the pipe, 

 Gaelic language, and Highland dress, in which all the 

 candidates and bards appeared. Between the acts there 

 were several Highland reels and Strathspeys, danced by 

 the candidates with much spirit and the approbation of a 

 numerous and elegant company of ladies and gentlemen, 

 who appeared much pleased with the whole performance, 

 which was carried on in the Assembly Room (afterwards 

 the Society's second hall) and concluded with regularity 

 and order. On Wednesday the judges again met, when the 

 prizes were awarded as follows : 



The first prize of an elegant pipe and forty merks Scots to John M 'Gregor, 

 from Fortingall, Perthshire, who, with the additional merit of having already 

 taught above fifty military pipers, himself was the oldest of five sons taught by 

 their father, John M 'Gregor, with above ninety other pipers. The second prize 

 of thirty merks to Donald Fisher, from Breadall)ane, in Perthshire, who also 

 possessed a great deal of merit, for, though only a day labourer, he had by his own 

 study and application arrived at great proficiency and skill in playing. And the 

 third prize of thirty merks was given to Dougal M'Dougal, from Lorn, 

 Argyllshire. 



At the same time, the merits of the other performers 

 were properly acknowledged by the Preses in presence of 

 the Judges, and the whole candidates were each of them 

 presented with some money in consideration of their different 



