iv. J CHOICE OF A PROFESSION, 1830. 63 



come to dinner. We made our arrangements to stay. 

 We found a bachelor party, but the kind Professor was 

 most hospitable and agreeable, and we spent a cheerful 

 and happy evening. It was arranged that next day an 

 excursion through a mountainous tract should be made, 

 and we could not resist so favourable an offer. We 

 accordingly set out, a party of six on horseback. The 

 first part of our way was very good, but at length we 

 came to a mountain pass called Nan-Bild, over which 

 none of the party, and it was alleged no human being, 

 had ever taken a horse. At great risk of the animal's 

 legs we at length disentangled him from a great chaos of 

 loosened, tangled rocks, bogs, and torrents, in short the 

 " bogs, lakes, fens, caves, dens, and shades of Death," as 

 Milton has it. However we were not a party to stick 

 at trifles, headed by so manful a mountain general as 

 Mr. Wilson ; and we reached Mardale, a sequestered valley 

 above Hawes Water, in safety, where after a due stay we 

 returned home another road. All declared that nothing 

 should induce us to take horse again over Nan-Bild. Our 

 ride was nearly thirty miles. Next day was to be the 

 Windermere Regatta ; so of course we were tied down 

 to remaining to it : but what a day ! We went down to the 

 ground with the Professor, where the Kegatta was agreed 

 to be postponed, and a dinner got up among about 

 ;ty tin-re. I had much conversation with Professor 

 Wilson, and rode and walked much beside him, and was 

 < -plainly anew delighted. He dotes upon the country, 

 and knows every inch of it ; so I was very glad to make 

 a mountainous excursion with him/ 



In October Forbes returned to Colinton House; and 

 the following extracts give the views and interests with 

 which he met tin- approaching winter: 



for iM///. 1 s.m Almost had this day passed 



i my head without a due remembrance. I !< turned 



only yesterday from a tour to England and Wales, and 



'd. lit of Lcil)- (.Mined to date a liote l.roU-Ilt 



! my eyes these d< ply associated characters, iMili 

 lier. By a curiou- -unii-h accident 1 had been 



