Bringing Down the Stones
“When the rink is chosen, a little mark is made at each end. This is called the ‘tee,’ and near that point stands, in his turn, each player, whose object is to hurl or slide his stones to the opposite end by a swinging motion of the arm. Each opponent also endeavours to place his stones nearer the tee than those of his opponents.”
So far for Pennant’s description of curling in the olden time. The old style, thanks to the Edinburgh men, who play on Duddingston Loch, has long gone out. Seventy pound stones would no longer be tolerated by any body of sportsmen affiliated under the Royal Caledonian Curling Club. In the olden times it seems, in some parts of Scotland, notably in the south-west, to have been a game of strength rather than of skill, and the man who threw his huge block the farthest, and struck his opponent’s stone from the tee, or “cock,” was considered to be the superior player. The stones are not now much more than half this weight, and so highly are the soles polished that they slip along keen ice so much faster with slight exertion on the part of the player, that they pass the tee or mark altogether, and go clean off the rink. The rinks or sides have been chosen—four players, one of whom acts as skip or director. He is generally the ablest and most experienced curler, and equal to the responsible duty of guarding the winning shot, if in his favour, or securing it if against him, with his last stone. The rink, which is also the name of the diagram of the game, is drawn off according to the rules of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club, and carefully swept clear of all snow or hoar frost. The skip takes up his station at the tee, which is the innermost of a set of circles, known as the “hoose,” no stone outside of the outer one counting in the actual score. Sweeping scores are drawn for the guidance of the players; one down the centre, which practically is a sort of hockey arrangement, as you must stick to your own side of the rink.
Preparing For the Game
Sweeping commences half-down, that is, at the centre of the forty-two yards between tee and tee, and can be carried on by the players’ side up to the tee, when, if it still has a little impetus, the opposing skip will sweep it out of the house altogether. When this happens after a stone has been brought on when apparently lagging, it is generally greeted with what in Parliamentary phrase would be called “Opposition cheers and laughter.” In this a skip may show very superior judgment, and order his men to desist from sweeping. At his words “up hands,” brooms must be raised immediately. In front of the house or counting circle is the hog score. If stones are not thrown with sufficient force to be taken over this with the assistance of the sweepers they are shoved off the ice as dead. This is sometimes galling to a young player who, when it happens, as it does repeatedly happen on soft ice, is practically put out of the game. But the “crampits” have been adjusted. These are foot-boards, grated so that they hold firmly to the ice. On these both feet must be placed when the stone is delivered. The skip gives his directions to his first player to place him a stone on the near edge of the outer ring. Why not exactly at the tee? Because if there it would form a rest for the stone of his opponent and be forced out. Our young player, who is wielding a beautifully polished pair of Ailsa Craigs, with a sweep or two of the ice does exactly what is wanted. His opponent is asked to play to the face of this stone. This he does, hurling it out and laying his own almost in its place. The next stone of the leading player fails to catch it, and goes away to the rear, dead. The fourth stone played effectually covers or guards the winner. The next pair of players give up their brooms to the leaders, and take up their position at the crampits. A gentle draw past guard and winning stone is counselled; and this is well executed, the brooms taking the stone to the very edge of the tee or centre circle. The next player fails to remove this, and being slow guards his opponent’s stone.
Soop her up
This is a piece of good fortune for the other side, who now have a second shot drawn by a very skilful player. The third pair of players cannot well get home and try to wick, and curl in (from the latter expression we have curling). This is done by putting with a turn of the wrist a certain bias or screw, by means of the handle when the stone is being delivered. The position of the game is not changed when the skips lay aside their brooms. There is a little more than half of the winning shot visible through a port or channel. Through this the skip, against whom the shot counts, threads his stone gently and easily and rubs the winner out. His opponent has no chance now, unless he rattles out the nearest guards. This he tries to do, but his opponent guards again, this time just across the hog score. A gentle draw, with an inner twist, might succeed. It is bravely attempted, but it is short a foot, and the leading skip claims one shot—victory for a well contested end. And so the game will last for twenty more heads, the winning rink being that which has the majority of shots. It is a happy, healthy game, not so well-known in England as it ought to be. In Germany some enthusiasts have introduced it, and from the military-like character in which it is carried out, guarding and storming and knocking out occupants of the fortress, it is likely there to come greatly into favour. It is to be hoped that we may oft see the pond where, in the language of an old Scottish curling poet—