159 



occasions when he was present, and on another occasion when Dr. 

 Norman and he were the only guests. 



While measuring Scale Force, in 1796, he mentions giving 

 Mr. Robinson, the host at Buttermere, half-a-crown to encourage 

 him to make steps up the Black Rock, to aid tourists in visiting 

 the fall. 



During his residence at Blyth he invented a life boat, for 

 which he thought of taking out a patent. He consulted a ship 

 builder at Shields, who said that ninety-nine out of every hundred 

 patents did not pay. He took his model of the invention to the 

 Admirality, and was requested to leave it there for consideration. 

 Meanwhile, a boat builder at Shields in the employ of the ship 

 builder previously consulted, brought out a life boat lined with 

 cork, which was the new principle Peter Crosthwaite applied, and 

 which he had not hesitated to mention to the ship builder in 

 consultation. Whether the latter communicated the idea to his 

 boat builder or nOt, can now only be a matter for conjecture, but 

 it is quite certain that Peter Crosthwaite's model was deposited at 

 the Admirality some years before Mr. Greathead's was sent in. 

 The Government awarded Mr. Greathead j[^\ 200 for his invention. 



In the year 1800, he published a pamphlet, and issued one 

 hundred copies, relating to the settling of Dervvent Lake twelve 

 inches, in addition to nine inches which his brother had already 

 lowered it. This would have brought one hundred and thirty-six 

 acres into cultivation. On this topic his diary has the following 

 entry: — "March 31st, 1801. At this time I received the thanks 

 of two philosophers for writing my small pamphlet on the draining 

 of Derwent one foot, and thereby mending the relaxing air and 

 rendering the coast of Dervvent better for individuals. Their 

 names were Coleridge and Wordsworth— both poets too." 



Meanwhile, the Museum increased year by year. His extra- 

 ordinary zeal in collecting, and the liberal prices he paid, brought 

 everything that was curious from all parts of the county. The 

 time would fail me to tell the excursions he made on the 

 mountains to examine their geological formation. The papers 

 he has left behind are so numerous and varied, that, although 



