CONTENTS. xi 



CHAPTER XVI. 



DIFFICULTIES, DUMPS AND DIMPLES IN THEIR JOINT STUDIES. 



Difficulties in deciphering plants ; the Grass of Parnassus made out ; their 

 want of text-books ; their studies in the inn at Mayfield ; Hooker's Flora 

 and its history ; " Flora " and " Bacchus " : opposition in the kitchen at 

 Whitehouse ; the irritable housekeeper ; her persecution of the botanists : 

 Charles's hilarity and tricksiness with John ; John's boots and bonnet 

 stolen ; debates and bumps ; high jinks and games ; John's Jew's-harp ; 

 their friendship and intimacy. 



1836 1838. Pages 156 169 



CHAPTER XVII. 



JOHN'S EARLY EXPERIENCES IN HIS OWN BOTANICAL RAMBLES. 



Botany becomes a passion ; his explorations on the Don ; his enthusiasm the 

 astonishment of his neighbours : finds the Bladder-wort in Tillyfourie 

 Moss; does not want a better road; "the man maun be daft!": the 

 Water-lily in the Loch of Drum ; John nearly drowned ; he wins the 

 plant ; its after history : finds the Royal Fern and the Moonwort : his 

 ardour and endurance ; often out all night ; his Spartan fare ; his walking 

 powers ; trespassing and gamekeepers ; the " Scotchlarchia Joseph's 

 ear ! " and bucolic stupidity and contempt. 



1836 1840. 170 181 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



FURTHER INTERCOURSE WITH CHARLES BLACK. 



Charles marries and removes to Edinburgh ; John visits him there ; in the 

 Botanic Gardens; his "thief-like" examination of the plants there; 

 fishes for the "Water-soldier" in Duddingston Loch; the sights of 

 Edinburgh he visited ; evenings with his friends there : the Blacks return 

 to Whitehouse ; Charles's great herbarium arranged ; their curious mode 

 of doing it ; the history of the herbarium : the Blacks remove to Aberdeen ; 

 Charles Black and Thomas Edwards, the Scotch naturalist, meet ; John's 

 visits to Charles there. 



18381846. 182196 



CHAPTER XIX. 



OTHER FRIENDS OF THE WEAVER AT NETHERTON. 



His friends few but fit Forbes the schoolmaster ; merry times at Coulterneuk : 

 James Black, Charles's brother ; becomes John's companion ; his im- 

 pressions of John then : Willie Beveridge of the Craign ; becomes great 

 friend of John's ; John at the Craigh ; John puzzled for once ; Beveridge's 



