356 MAN OF SCIENCE. 



and on its outer sides there was a heavy sea breaking, 

 but the little dog, after looking doubtfully on the broken 

 water for a moment, dashed in and swam hard after us. 

 The poor animal won on the regards of even the surly 

 boatmen, and after he had made way for about fifty 

 yards against a strong flowing tide, they rested on their 

 oars and took him in. He lay cowering in a corner of 

 the boat, showing that it was evidently not among us 

 but in the steam vessel he hoped to find his master ; 

 the moment we reached the vessel's side he climbed up 

 the ladder, explored every corner from stem to stern 

 above and below, and not finding him whom he sought, 

 took leave of us by leaping overboard. As there was a 

 strong shore-going tide in his favour he would, I doubt 

 not, safely have made the land. I dare say after reading 

 my story to Harriet you must translate it for her into 

 what Swift used to call the " little language/ 7 The per- 

 severance and solicitude of the creature served to show 

 me how dogs who have lost their masters many hun- 

 dred miles from home have contrived to trace them out, 

 making good their passage across wide seas by working 

 on the feelings of seamen. The appeals of a devoted- 

 ness like that of the poor little doggie the rudest natures 

 cannot withstand. 



' On landing in Wick I made my way to the inn, and 

 after waiting to take a draught of lemonade, the only 

 thing my strained stomach could bear at the time, I 

 opened my bag to get out my hammer and chisels, that 

 I might spend two hours ere the coming in of the south 

 mail in geologizing. My walk, pleasant in the main, 

 though the morning was rather close, ran along the 

 Wick, a small stream which flows through a flat valley 

 remarkable chiefly for being rich and green with grass 

 and corn, and yet totally bare of bushes and trees. In 



