216 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY IN SCOTLAND CHAP, vn 



De la Beche, though he had consented to the adoption 

 of the larger scale in Scotland, was rather inclined to 

 disparage it. But as that scale was to be employed, 

 Ramsay clearly realised that it was his duty to profit 

 by the experience of those of his colleagues who had 

 been using it for years. ' It would be a great mistake 

 on my part,' he wrote to his chief, 'to omit seeing 

 what they do, and how they do it, in Ireland. It does 

 not follow that the same rules should be applied in 

 Scotland ; but whether or no, I want to see how they 

 keep, cut, use, and abuse their maps, what their port- 

 folios are like, how they handle them in the field, and 

 twenty other things that may save us much time and 

 trouble in Scotland, and which only eyesight can 

 instruct upon.' 



De la Beche's bodily and mental powers were 

 visibly failing, though his natural gaiety of tempera- 

 ment showed little abatement. His declining vigour 

 appeared more especially in the uncertainty and 

 vacillation of his official decisions. He had both 

 verbally and in writing agreed that Ramsay should 

 begin the survey of Scotland, but afterwards, when all 

 the arrangements had been made, he was afraid to go 

 on with the proposal, lest there might be some question- 

 ing on the subject at headquarters. Ramsay, how- 

 ever, knowing how fully the matter had been discussed 

 and approved by Sir Henry, determined to persevere 

 in the course which had been fixed upon. In pursuance 

 of that resolution he crossed to Ireland to see Jukes 

 and his men at work, and at the same time to have one 

 more conference with the chief, who had joined the 

 survey party in the south-west of County Cork. The 

 story of the interview is told in a letter to Mrs. Ramsay 

 of the 25th August : * Yesterday after breakfast, Jukes, 



