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 ^140:85. per annum. Inde- 

 pendently of this salary, your travelling expenses from 

 station to station would be paid, and all necessary 



