Notwithstanding its nautical title, we shall not be 

 afloat throughout the whole of this chapter, but as the 

 best materials for the present biography are Mr Wilson's 

 own letters, and as most of the letters in our possession 

 from 1843 to 1850 were written at sea, we have taken 

 the liberty to include the correspondence of the entire 

 interval under this head. 



On the 17th of July 1843, he wrote from Woodville to 

 Sir William Jardine : — 



" I have promised Sir Thomas Lauder to take a run as 

 far as the Island of Harris, to aid him in some inquiries 

 regarding the fishing capabilities of those insular shores. 

 Lord Dunmore, who purchased the island some time ago, is 

 to meet us in Glasgow towards the end of this month, and 

 proceed in the Princess Royal to his estate, which he 

 scarcely knows. There are a great many lochs in Harris, 

 of which the produce is little known ; so when Lauder 

 and his lordship are catching cod, I hope to raise a few 

 trout. I shall be glad to preserve specimens for you, and 

 if there is anything else you wish to direct my attention 



