346 JOHN DUNCAN, WEAVER AND BOTANIST. 



with "Hooker and Arnott " and "Dickie," he reseated himself 

 at the loom, while the young student sat by, and they 

 began the examination of the specimens. This was a long 

 but interesting process, names, structure, properties, and 

 adventures being variously intermingled. John's odd pro- 

 nunciation of the technical terms at once tickled the ears 

 of the collegian, just fresh from university benches. The 

 writing of the names from' his dictation was " downright 

 Thracian," as he says, John trying the spelling letter by letter,, 

 but giving it up, and asking him to " look at the buik." In 

 due time, Deans secured the names of the plants he brought, 

 and got instructions in regard to gathering, drying, laying 

 down, and other mysteries of practical Botany. When he 

 left, John accompanied him up the hill above the cottage, 

 naming and describing all the plants they saw, till they 

 reached the summit. There he sat down beside a marsh, 

 and asked his companion to " look aboot'm." The place 

 was covered with the purple flowers of the Common 

 Butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris), John's pronunciation of 

 the Latin being exceedingly amusing. When this had 

 been examined and commented on, John asked the hour, 

 bade him good-bye, and hastened homewards down the 

 hill, shouting back to his young friend not to be long 

 before coming back again. 



A day or two after this, John himself called at Mrs. 

 Deans' house, about six in the morning, saying he would 

 return about seven that evening. He travelled a long- 

 distance to his former haunts at Keig and Tough, delivering 

 to customers some " cloutie coverings " he had finished, but 

 duly appeared on the road near the house at the hour 

 named. The young student, who had been looking out for 



