1814-1840 APPOINTED TO GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 31 



duce him to you. Oh yes, quoth the Doctor. 

 So I was introduced, and the Doctor gave me two 

 of his digits to shake. There were a lot of big-wigs 

 there whose names I do not know members of Par 

 liament and others. Mr. Taylor, whom I sat next, 

 knows, or knew, Dr. Thomson of Glasgow, Dr. Ure, 

 Charles Mackintosh, C. Tennant, and others, who 

 were old friends of my father s, and we had a great 

 deal of conversation together. After dinner we went 

 to Somerset House to hear Murchison on Russia. 

 The Marquis of Northampton was there. The dis 

 cussion broke up about eleven, when we all went 

 upstairs to tea. 



I must now close, as I have to go to Belgrave 

 Square and elsewhere, to get my equipment before 

 leaving for Wales. 



From De la Beche s letter, containing the formal 

 offer of the appointment, a few sentences may be 

 quoted. It is dated from Cardiff, 22nd March 1841 : 



My friend, Mr. Murchison, having recommended 

 you to me as well qualified to assist on the Ordnance 

 Geological Survey, as I have little doubt, judging 

 from your labours in the Isle of Arran, is the case ; 

 and Mr. Murchison having also stated that you were 

 desirous of joining the service as Assistant Geologist, 

 I have now to offer you the situation of Assistant 

 Geologist on this Survey, with a rate of pay, for the 

 present, of 95. per day for the six working days of the 

 week (it being the somewhat singular rule that the 

 Sundays are unprovided with pay), payable quarterly, 

 which is at the rate of ^&quot;140: 8s. per annum. Inde 

 pendently of this salary, your travelling expenses from 

 station to station would be paid, and all necessary 



