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The first Toronto Athletic Games were held, beginning on 11 September 1839, under the sponsorship of prominent Toronto citizens and the commanding officers of the regiments stationed at the Fort York Garrison, LieutenantColonel Robert Spark, 93rd Highlanders, and LieutenantColonel Thomas Wingfield, 32nd Foot. Also known as “The Gathering” the games were held to demonstrate the prowess of both members of the Garrison and ordinary citizens. Competition commenced after four pipers from the 93rd Regiment paraded through the city, and crowds, estimated at several thousand, gathered at Caer Howell, the city’s pleasure garden, where a stand had been erected to hold five hundred spectators behind a large gathering space. Over the next four days, from 10 am until 6 pm, some six hundred boys and men competed at such sports as quoiting, running hop step and leap, hammer throwing, ball putting, sack racing, foot and hurdle racing, wrestling, bowling, and rifle shooting An article in the Toronto Patriot, unfortunately no longer extant, but reprinted in New York’s The Spirit of the Times on 2 November 1839, gives us most of the information about the event, but this is now supplemented by an eyewitness account from a young Scottish doctor who had been assigned to the 93rd for six months in 1839 and whose journal will be published this fall by the Champlain Society as ‘Another World’: William Ord Mackenzie’s Sojourn in the Canadas, 1839-1843. William Ord Mackenzie describes not only The Gathering, for which he had helped train some of the men, but recounts, delightfully, one of the events around the competition, dinner at the Garrison with the extraordinary Archibald McNab, 17th chief of clan MacNab, one of the Stewards of the games. 1 1 1 Being much straitened in Circumstances, & his estate at home having been sold, Macnab came out to this Country several years ago with several followers of his own name. His residence is in the upper Province on the River Ottowa, & has been described to me as being a pretty place. Occasionally he visits Toronto, Kingston, & other Towns – & it was during one or two of his visits to the former that I made his acquaintance, which was at his request, having heard my name mentioned in the Messroom of the 93rd Highlanders, & being anxious to know from which of the families of the name of Mackensie I was descended. In Personal appearance he is a tall, stout, goodlooking man, & must have been very handsome in his younger days; even now it is more than likely that most passers–bye would ask 4 The Fife and Drum
who was that fine looking old fellow, with such a pompous, & at the same time graciously–patronizing air. Nor would his curiosity to find out, be less Excited on seeing the chief’s Dress, or his dignified manner of returning the salute of an acquaintance. The Hat is gracefully raised, showing a nearly bald head surrounded by a few venerable grey hairs, while the body is formally inclined to make a most gracious bow. While in Town the chief’s Dress is black excepting the Vest, which is a huge specimen of Macnab Tartan; (red) – on more formal occasions, as I shall soon describe, his Dress is much more remarkable. Pride, indomitable family pride, is the great failing of the present, as it was that of the late chief. It is however mixed with much kindness & warmth of heart to those whom he deems worthy of regard. – Strangers very often say that Macnab is mad. On the points of pride & chieftainship, he certainly carries his notions too far for the present day. It is the Custom in every Hotel in Canada & the Un: States for all newly arrived persons to enter their names in the album at the bar. The form in all these cases – in addition to the date, & no of the bedroom – states your “name, residence, where from, & where going”. – On going to leave a Card for the Chief at the Hotel at Toronto, I looked for his name, and as I expected, I found to my great amusement, & to the astonishment of an English officer with me, Macnab’s name entered most pompously – in a round bold hand in the following manner, at the top of a page. North American Hotel, Toronto Date Room Name Residence Where from Where to
1839 14 Macnab of Macnab Macnab Macnab Septr 10
Nothing offends him more than to address him as Mr Macnab – It must be always even from Strangers & servants – Macnab – He dined with us twice at the 93rd Mess – on one occasion I asked him, but he was engaged to Major Arthur. The scene (for such it certainly was) was the same in both cases. I shall sketch the latter. – About 7 o’Clock most of the Guests had arrived, & immediately after, in walked the Chief, making a profound bow to the group of officers. All eyes were at once rivetted on his Dress. – Out of respect to the 93rd Highlanders, he had on his chief’s dress (for this country). – – His lower man was encased in brogues, & a pair of cotton shepherd–plaid Trousers, of such an uncouth cut & of such ample dimensions,
that (possibly the date of their creation may have been later) they seemed to have been made for one of his ancestors, who perhaps, like the Laird of Rasay, “kept a boat at the flood!”— The Vest was white of corresponding amplitude, with round silver buttons. The coat was “the thing”: a genuine Highland– cut, short–tailed coat of Macnab Tartan, with double rows of immense round silver buttons, formerly worn as he said, by one of his ancestors, who was killed at Culloden. A plaid of shepherd’s tartan was thrown across his ample chest, while from his head he had just removed the Glengarry Bonnet. His manner as I have already said is highly courteous, even dignified, but he speaks in a strong broad Scotch accent. The Bagpipes striking up “MacPherson’s Lament” as the signal for Dinner, the Chief was soon seated next to his host – the major. I sat either next to, or within one of him on the other side. – On his being asked to drink wine, the first thing I heard was “Noo, Major Arthur, we’ll tak the guid Auld Hieland Custom of touching our Glasses”. The insignificant–looking little officer did so with a very bad grace, for he evidently fancied that every body was looking at him. Nor was he far wrong. The Chief did the same with all near him, & Archibald McNab, 17th Chief moreover when he drunk with the unknown artist about 1830. adjutant McDonald, Lt Gordon, Ens. found in the Dictionary of Canadian McPherson & myself, he addressed www.biographi.ca/en/bio/mcnab_archibald_8E.html Credit. National Galleries of Scotland, each of us in some short Gaelic sentence ending with “Clanchattan”, “Caberfeigh” &c &c Most persons at Table for the form of the thing, & calling him “Macnab” asked him to Drink wine, some of the younger members maliciously wishing to see “how much wine he could carry”. – As he drunk with all, & of course never left a drop in his Glass, the result was rather probable. As soon as the viands were off the Table, “Noo major, you promised me a Glass of Glenlivet”. The Head mess waiter McDonald, knowing his man, was immediately at his Elbow, pouring out a bumper of Whisky, & demanding in Gaelic if he would be pleased to take a Glass. On the removal of the Cloth, before the desert could be arranged, the Laird became impatient for music, & turned to his neighbour – “Gie’s a tune, whare’s yer pipes?” – Immediately the pipe–major (Gunn) with his prize pipes, in full Highland (Rob Roy) costume entered, when Macnab after appointing the tunes, called out to the Mess waiter – “Bring me ma Bonnet!” – On the pipes commencing, he instantly put on the Bonnet, set his arms akimbo, drew himself up, pursing his lips & looking very fierce, at the same time following Mail: 260 Adelaide St. E., Box 183, Toronto, M5A 1N1 e-mail: info@fortyork.ca
the piper with his eye round the room, & nodding his head occasionally in sign of approbation. All this time, tho’ he did not see it, Half the Company were ready to go into fits of laughter. – On the air being concluded, he doffed the Bonnet, called the piper, & they drunk one another’s health (all in Gaelic) in good bumpers of Whiskey. In the Course of the evening two or three more tunes were played, the same ceremonies were gone through, & 5 Glasses of Whiskey were drunk – The pipe–major not finding himself so steady as on his arrival, wisely set off for his Barracks rather than get Drunk before his officers. On Macnab’s hearing this, he was in high dudgeon. In the Interludes of the Pipes, the Band struck up some fine Scotch airs (a very rare thing in the Regt, so many officers of it are English) – the Laird was pleased on the whole, but at last remarked that he “wad na gie that (snapping his fingers) for a’ yer fine music, aside the pipes”. Time waned, & midnight was at hand, when it was quite evident that the extraordinary mixture of Port, sherry, Hock, champagne, Claret & whiskey was beginning to affect the Laird. As most of the other guests rose to take their leave, he did so also. By this time of Clan MacNab, by an Major Arthur either was ashamed, or An extended biography is believed he should be ashamed of his Biography. http:// Guest, so he merely shook hands at the Acc. No. PG 1514. Table, & said good night. On reaching the door, he turned round & told the Major, that “at least he expected he would have seen him out to the door”. I was delighted to see old Arthur look very foolish, while all others also enjoyed it amazingly. – Lt Gordon & I, with Ens. D. Seton (from Aberdeen) went out with him. The air was keen & frosty, & soon had such an effect on Macnab, so that it was quite evident he never could walk home alone 1¼ mile, so we accompanied him without appearing to do so for the real reason. – It was with great difficulty, that Gordon & I could manage on each side to steady such an immense, & for the time unsteady body. – When we had got about half way, he stopped short, & insisted that we should turn back. “Ye’re fine braw chiels, & I’m a puir auld man (I should think his age is about 60), & ye think I canna gae hame without ye”. So saying, we wished him good night, & pretended to leave him: fortunately I recommended that we should follow at a distance, for I knew that close to his path, was a tolerably deep ditch at that time being made. We watched him from a corner, when after staggering a few paces, he disappeared, & sure enough, we soon found him with his face downwards in the ditch, from which he website: www.fortyork.ca The Fife and Drum 5
never could have raised himself; with great difficulty we got him up, & unheeding his further remonstrances, took him to the Hotel, where he allowed no one but myself & “boots” to put him to bed. This work, one of considerable difficulty being satisfactorily accomplished, I offered my hand & said goodnight – With a good humoured but Drunken smile he raised his huge hand, & gave me a smart slap on the cheek, “Guid nicht, ye rascal!”. – On Going home, we all agreed, to say nothing of his Drunkenness to our Brother–officers, for the Credit of the Highlands, nor was the Circumstance ever mentioned up to the period of my leaving the 93rd.
Next day I met the Chief “as sober as a Judge” & “quite himself again”; he gave me a kind invitation to accept of the Hospitalities of his house, of which I shall certainly avail myself, should occasion offer by my being in that part of the Country. Sandra Alston is librarian emerita at the University of Toronto, the former Canadiana specialist of the Robarts and Thomas Fisher Rare Book Libraries. Her primary research interest is in printing and publishing history prior to Confederation. Her forthcoming book, with C.M. Blackstock, ‘Another World’: William Ord Mackenzie’s Sojourn in the Canadas, 1839 – 1843 will be published by the Champlain Society this fall.
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