38 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. II. 



which we shall hear anon, were now awaiting him ; but he 

 seems to have made the most of his time. After visiting 

 friends in Stirling, some days were spent at Loch Katrine, 

 Loch Lomond, and elsewhere. As bearing on this very 

 happy excursion, we give the following letter to his mother. 



Sept. 26th. 



" I sit down in a great hurry to write you a few lines 

 before leaving Glasgow, although I trust the arrival of Mrs. 

 Thompson has abundantly informed you of the manner in 

 which I spent my time in Callander, so that I shall say 

 nothing, as I might merely recount to you things already 

 sufficiently well known. I started from Callander at five 

 o'clock on Monday morning, and, with the crescent moon 

 for my only light, journeyed along, singing and musing and 

 meditating. In an hour the first slant rays of the sun began 

 to peep above the horizon, and I had the pleasure of seeing 

 his illustrious majesty the sun rise in all his glory, no 

 small pleasure to me, who cannot recollect to have ever 

 seen him before in similar circumstances. I arrived, after 

 a most delightful walk, at the head of Loch Katrine, 

 nothing doubting that I should find a boat ready to receive 

 me, and waft me along the lake, but although boats and 

 oars lay about in abundance, there was no appearance of 

 rowers. Imagining that the boat had already gone, although 

 I was quite in time, I walked along the banks of the lake, 

 hoping to make up to them if passed, and to be taken up if 

 they came after. As it afterwards appeared, they sailed 

 after me, and I saw them slowly sailing up the loch, but 

 though I halloed and shouted, and waved my handkerchief, 

 they either could not or would not hear me, and I had to 

 tramp on along the sides, which, as they form every here 

 and there wide bays, make the land journey much longer 

 than the way by water. I pushed on, however, at a rapid 



