148 JOHN DUNCAN, WEAVER AND BOTANIST. 



we wander over those dear old hills, and what a pleasure 

 Botany was to John and me ! " 



It was their wise custom to collect and press the plants 

 in summer, and lay them carefully aside, to be discovered 

 during the long nights of winter, in the kitchen at White- 

 house. During the four years in which they thus worked 

 together there, they visited the greater part of the surround- 

 ing country and conquered most of its plants, John going 

 to more distant corners, which Charles's want of leisure 

 prevented. And it is wonderful how much country they 

 thus traversed together, with the little time Charles had at 

 command from his close confinement to work ; as John 

 proudly said, "we missed naething a' roond." It is only 

 another example of the perennial truth, of the will finding 

 or creating the way ; for in this, as in all else, enthusiastic 

 will wields the might of the conqueror before whom every 

 valley is exalted, every mountain and hill are made low, the 

 crooked straight, and rough places plain. 



But Charles had no spare time at all, except what was 

 stolen from sleep, for he has always been too conscientious 

 to steal even a single hour from the service of his employer, 

 carrying this to an absurd extent, by refusing to take 

 liberty when allowed it. Neither of these students grudged 

 their sleeping hours for the flowers ; and Charles was 

 obliged occasionally to use the Sunday for more distant 

 journeys to new spots where rarer species grew. John 

 used at first to accompany him a good deal on that day, 

 but by-and-by less frequently ; for he became more rigid 

 in regard to Sabbath observance, and having more leisure, 

 he had not the same reasons for employing that day as 

 Charles had, beyond his reluctance to allow his friend to 



