CHAP. xin. MR. PEACHES LETTER. 267 



of Strathbeg " had appeared in the Naturalist, we find 

 him applying in different directions for some per- 

 manent situation. He was willing to be a police 

 officer, a tidewaiter, or anything that would bring in 

 a proper maintenance for his family. With this 

 object, one of his friends at Fraserburgh made an 

 application to Mr. Charles W. Peach, Comptroller of 

 Customs at "Wick. Mr. Peach was a well-known 

 Naturalist, and he has since become distinguished in 

 connection with recent discoveries in Geology. Mr. 

 Peach had once visited Edward, in company with Mr. 

 Greive, the Customs Collector at Banff. In answer 

 to the application made to him from Fraserburgh, 

 he said 



" / do know our friend Mr. Edward of Banff, and 

 I have thought a great deal about him of late. I 

 have wondered how he was getting on in bread and 

 porridge affairs. Oh, these animal wants! How 

 often do they ride rough-shod over the intellectual 

 man, not so much on his own .account, as for those 

 dependent on him. I have been thinking of Edward's 

 excellent wife and her flock of seven girls, which I 

 saw when at Banff. They were all neat, and clean, 

 and well cared for, in a wee bit roomie the walls 

 covered with cases of birds. When we called, there 

 was a sweet cake and a glass of wine for myself and 

 Mr. Greive. I was unhappy at refusing his wine 

 for you know I am an out-and-out teetotaller, but 

 I took his cake with thankfulness. And now, what 



