422 LEADING AMERICAN MEN OF SCIENCE 



more and more absorbed in scientific subjects, and his interest in 

 general literature became less. He retained, however, his fond- 

 ness for music. He rarely failed to attend the concerts of the 

 Boston Symphony Orchestra. Classical music was his principal 

 hobby in this line. This is hard to understand in view of the fact 

 that he had not a musical ear. He could not whistle nor hum the 

 simplest air in tune. 



Rowland inherited a love of sports from his father. His special- 

 ties were fishing, sailing, and horseback riding. The only kind 

 of fishing that appealed to him was trout-fishing. I have had 

 abundant opportunity to become acquainted with his skill, for 

 summer after summer we have gone off together in pursuit of 

 this delightful fish and of the joys of nature that its pursuit brings 

 with it. His tackle was always in good trim, and he seemed to have 

 an instinct that guided him aright while I was bungling along in 

 the ordinary human way. He could cast a fly most enticingly. 

 He never failed to get more and bigger fish than I, unless, as some- 

 times happened the fish were guilty of contributory negligence. 

 In short, Rowland as a fisherman showed the same traits as Row- 

 land the physicist, intelligence, skill, patience, perseverance. It 

 is further of interest to note that those fishing trips always brought 

 the memory of his father clearly back to him. Some of the tackle 

 he used had been used by his father, and often he found occasion 

 to quote his father's counsel in matters pertaining to the art of 

 fishing. 



After his marriage, the fishing trips were given up and sailing 

 took its place. He had practiced this art early and was passionately 

 fond of it throughout life. He had a small sloop built in Balti- 

 more according to his own design. It was taken from Baltimore 

 to Mt. Desert with the aid of a professional skipper. In this boat 

 that had accommodations for only two, he and I have cruised up 

 and down the coast of Maine from Rockland to Eastport in all 

 sorts of weather. We did all the work, prepared our own meals as 

 far as they were prepared, and made our own beds as far as they 

 were made. He had the reputation of being a reckless sailor and 

 the people of Mt. Desert expected him to get in trouble. But he 



