EARLY BOTANICAL RAMBLES. 179 



by the Cairn-o-Mount, and on to Lochlee, near the source 

 of the North Esk, to visit his wife's relatives, some forty or 

 fifty hard mountainous miles, every step of them in one 

 day ; and then return the next or following day, with 

 little trouble. Even in those pre-railroad days, John was 

 famous for his speed and endurance on foot, one of his 

 characteristics being an unusually rapid, light and long step 

 in walking. As he used to say, " I was terrible fine i' 

 the fit ; aye a gran' walker " so that in his day, he " gaed 

 ower a lot o' grund, a terrible heap o' miles." 



His wanderings in unfrequented places, often the best 

 stations for plants, frequently subjected him to the charge 

 of trespassing, and brought him into unpleasant contact 

 with the guardians of game and forests, whose rude 

 exercise of authority was often quite mollified by John's 

 kindly humour, and their haughty anger turned into smiles. 

 In more difficult circumstances, his mother wit was more 

 than a match for these mighty custodiers of the moor. 



Many of John's experiences in his botanical excursions 

 were entertaining and humorous. On one occasion, John 

 went a-plant-hunting along a burn-side not far from the 

 church of Tough, with James Black, Charles's brother, 

 who often accompanied him on such rambles. After 

 gathering a large bundle, they began to return home. 

 As they were passing a small farm above the stream along 

 which they walked, they were hailed by the farmer, who 

 knew John well, and who thought he would have some 

 amusement for himself at the mild man's expense. They 

 accepted the invitation. " Weel, Johnnie man," cried he, 

 "ye hae been bot'neezin', as ye ca't. Come noo, lat's 

 -see the weyds ye hae gaithered i' yer hand there." They 



