1 85 1 TRAINING IN FIELD- WORK 1 87 



purpose. He had not written out his lectures, but had 

 only made full notes, and these he used to revise 

 frequently, so as to bring them abreast of the onward 

 march of geology. This task had to be accomplished 

 before the beginning of the next year. But it was not 

 one which pressed heavily on him, even though it in 

 cluded the preparation of a special introductory lecture 

 designed for the purposes of the School of Mines. 



Ramsay had thus ample time for inspecting duty 

 in the field during the summer and autumn. Much of 

 the earlier part of the season was spent in the Midlands 

 looking over the ground mapped by or assigned to 

 Jukes, H. H. Howell, and E. Hull. 1 The two latter 

 geologists were recent additions to the staff, and he 

 trained them for their work. Never was there a more 

 delightful field-instructor than he. Full of enthusiasm 

 for the work, quick of eye to detect fragments of 

 evidence, and swift to perceive their importance for 

 purposes of mapping, he carried the beginner on with 

 him, and imbued him with some share of his own 

 ardent and buoyant nature. Laziness and indifference 

 were in his eyes such crimes that indulgence in them 

 marked a man out for his wrathful indignation, and 

 even for ultimate dismissal from the service. He 

 would take infinite pains to make any method of 

 procedure clear, and was long-suffering and tender 

 where he saw that the difficulties of the learner arose 

 from no want of earnest effort to comprehend. But 

 woe to the luckless wight who showed stupidity, 

 inattention, or carelessness ! Ramsay s eye would 

 flash, his hand would whisk the tips of the curls on 



1 Edward Hull joined the staff in 1850, became District Surveyor for 

 Scotland in 1867, was appointed Director for Ireland in 1869 on the death of 

 Jukes, which post he held until his retirement from the service in 1890. 



