CHAP. xxn. * NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 38J 



established in Thurso in 1865. Dick refers to it in the 

 following terms : 



" Macculloch said that an uglier country than Caith- 

 ness was hardly to be seen. God save the mark ! is 

 that true ? A fine natural history society has been got 

 up here, and in their wisdom they have thought proper 

 to dub me an ' honorary member.' They go to-day on 

 an excursion to Dunnet Hills. I wish they may not 

 drown themselves." 



On the following day he says : " I am very glad that 

 I did not consent to go a-gowking to Dunnet Hills. The 

 party went off in gigs, single and double ; and what they 

 saw, in crossing the sands, I know not. Certes, no one 

 ever heard of objects in natural history being collected 

 in gigs ! The Society went to the inn and had dinner, 

 and they did not rise until it was late. In coming back 

 across the sands, they drove their gigs into the sea ! . . . 

 One lady was heard to lament that Mr. Dick was not 

 with them, were it only to keep them in order. Depend 

 upon it, if Dick the baker had been there, the Society 

 would have returned home before midnight ! A fine 

 ' honour ' indeed ! 



" ' A countra lad is my degree, 



An' few there be that ken me, ! ' 



"Thurso had its museum party once before, but it 

 went to smoke chiefly through a want of funds, and also 

 through a total want of zeal amongst the people for 

 things of that sort. A love for those studies cannot 

 be forced, hardly even nursed into existence. But this 

 attempt at a Museum bids fair to prosper." 



