144 THE MOOES AND THE MOUNTAINS. 



was forced to submit to the kindness of my fellow-tra- 

 vellers. My chief pleasure in so doing arises from know- 

 ing that you would feel pleasure from knowing that I was 

 comfortable, or rather from being told that I had been 

 so. I was much refre lied b}' a sound sleep, and awoke 

 about a quarter past six with the unaccustomed feeling 

 that I had got enough. My neighbours were by this time 

 stirring in the adjoining room ; so I got up, and we 

 breakfasted a little after seven. Most of the party started 

 for the hills to collect their plants, and I took my rod and 

 fished up the river about three miles and back again, and 

 killed five dozen of trouts. Two others who also tried 

 anfflina; killed three dozen between them ; so we had a 

 pleasant addition to our dinner. I returned to the house 

 in good time; but it was towards seven before the botanists 

 descended from the mountains. They got many rare and 

 curious plants, the arrangement and pressure of which 

 presented a busy candle-light scene for some hours in the 

 evening. 



" God bless my darling children. I hope and pray that 

 they are well. I shall be at the Castletown of Braemar 

 early on Wednesday ; and I hope my Monday letter may 

 reach me then. I think I begin to derive benefit from the 

 fresh air and exercise ; but my disease still hangs about 

 me in regard to miserable apprehensions, which the good- 

 ness of God will, I trust, ere long shew to be unfounded. 



