i66 SURVEY OF THE SNOWDON REGION CHAP, v 



steam-yacht, belongingto the Commissioners of Northern 

 Lights. Dr. Robinson, Strickland, Dr. Johnston of 

 Durham, Oldham, Allan, M 'William, Williamson, and 

 many others there, a most lively and amusing party. 

 We got into boats by and by at the Bell Rock [Light- 

 house], and fairly effected a landing. A wonderful 

 sight that tower, rising direct from the waters, so far 

 away at sea ! Then we went to the Isle of May and 

 the Bass Rock, where we landed and saw its wonderful 

 covering of live birds. There we picked up Lord 

 Wrottesley 1 and his daughter. Then to Inchkeith, 

 and so home. We breakfasted, lunched, dined, and had 

 tea on board, and gorgeous meals they were. Some 

 splendid speeches were made, and altogether it was quite 

 an event in one's life. Strickland had a gannet knocked 

 down with a hammer, to take away with him. In the 

 evening to Robert Chambers 's : a large assemblage. 



' 6tk. Breakfasted at Chambers's. Sopwith very 

 funny ; he is witty. Opened the Section by giving 

 a very short abstract of my paper. Sedgwick and 

 Murchison then spoke of the labours of the Survey. 

 I spent the rest of the day at the Ethnographical 

 Section. Latham spoke a splendid paper to the 

 few gentlemen round the table, Mrs. Latham and I 

 frequently making the whole audience. Went to the 

 soiree in the Music Hall. When just over, Forbes 

 and I, to Sir David Brewster's great disgust, got up 

 a dance in the Assembly Rooms. We had nice little 

 partners, but neither of us knew their names.' 



After the close of the Association meeting he 

 spent a few days in Glasgow with the old familiar 

 faces. One little touch may be quoted from his diary : 

 * Then the parting. My mother came upstairs. 



1 Afterwards (1854) President of the Royal Society. 



