Australian Highland Dress in 1898

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I thought our Aussie friends and others might be interested in this quaint newspaper report from the "Goulburn Herald" of 24 September 1898.

..." Amongst the adults present on the night of my visit was one who by reason of his height, his commanding appearance, and his magnificent costume, stood out prominently from all others. This was Mr. D. C. Mc Donald, the elected chief of the McDonald clan in Argyle. Dave is a native of the colony, but is as fine a specimen of the "braw John Hielanman" as ever donned a kilt, or buckled on a sporran. I am not much of a judge of tartans nor of Highland costumes; but one glance was sufficient to convince me that the costume worn that evening by Mr. Mc Donald was one of unusual beauty and importance. On making inquiries I found that it was a complete Highland costume which Mr. McDonald had just received from Scotland, where it had been specially made for him by Mr. William Ferrier, the great Carnoustie tailor, who has gained a very enviable fame in ths making of these costumes. The complete costume consists of a full-dress Highland doublet and vest, full kilt, shoulder plaid, pair kilt drawers, pair diced tartan hose, pair clan hose, Glengarry bonnet with silver crest, pair garters with silk bows attached, shoulder brooch, sporran, skean dhu, black leather shoulder bolt, waist bolt, and pair shoes with buckles. The kilt and plaid are composed of course of that beautiful combination of colours known as the McDonald tartan. The plaid is twelve feet long by six feet wide, and is a magnificent article. The doublet and vest is of the best dress cloth, and is excellently made, and embellished with silver buttons. The massive and artistically engraved shoulder-brooch is of solid silver, in which is set a magnificent cairngorm. The buckle of the waist bolt, and the sporran plate are also of silver, and are artistically inscribed with the Mc Donald crest and motto. The crest consists of a hand fesswise proper, holding a cross crosslet fitchie; encircling this is a bolt bearing the motto, "per mare, per terrares.' The same crest and motto is also on a silver shield on the Glengarry bonnet. The skean dhu is encased in a beautifully silver mounted scabbard, set with a fine cairngorm stone. The shoe-buckles and the various clasps connected with the costume are all of silver, and are engraved with the thistle and other emblems of tho land o' cakes. The whole costume is particularly well made, and as may be supposed is of great value. It is exceedingly beautiful, and I am credibly in formed-indeed by a brawny Scot, who has seen perhaps all the best Scotch costumes in the colony--that Mr. McDonald's is unquestionably the most handsome and costly in Australia. I trust he may long be spared to display it, and to reign as chief of the McDonald's. "...