BIRCH-WOOD BOBBINS. 3G3 



flies, but fortunately falling rather short of our position, 

 made harmless obeisance at our feet. It is possible that 

 the sea would not have been shipped had the man at the 

 helm manoeuvred more skilfully, but at the same time we 

 would strongly advise all those who desire to prolong- the 

 peaceful pleasure of a morning nap, to avoid j^erching in 

 Sumburgh Roost.-— The Voyage. 



THE BIRCH FOREST MADE INTO BOBBINS. 



We were somewhat surprised to find a bobbin manu- 

 factory about to be established here [Port Sunart]. The 

 proprietor of the woods, as we were told, has agreed to de- 

 liver his birches at the mill door for seven shillings a ton. 

 This seems a low price, but whether the bargain may be 

 good or bad, it is a melancholy and fantastic thought to 

 dwell on, that these fair woods, cut into pieces of a few 

 square inches, are so soon to be set a-whirling amid the 

 ceaseless din and flocky atmosphere of a cotton mill in 

 Glasgow. "Everything is beautiful in its season," as 

 O'Connell said to the curds and cream, and cotton mills 

 are extremely useful in their way, — but whoever may 

 have seen, as we did, the splendid crags, and the fair 

 silvery stems of that 



" Most beautiful of forest trees, 

 The lady of the woods," 



