MURCHISON. 277 



The father was an accomplished gentleman, and 

 the mother a young and attractive lady. A second 

 marriage gave Murchison a good step-father in 

 Colonel Robert Macgregor Murray, a friend of the 

 deceased ; but home life was broken up when the 

 colonel was ordered off to Ireland during the 

 rebellion. So Murchison was sent to the Durham 

 Grammar School in 1799. He had a bitter parting 

 from his mother and from Sally, the Devonshire 

 lass, who gave him his English accent, which he 

 retained through life. Six years were passed 

 at school, and he was as full of mischief as most 

 boys ; picking up at the same time some of the 

 so-called rudiments of learning. 



He was ringleader in most of the exploits of the 

 school, and during the holidays led a very active 

 life with the assistance of his pony and terrier. 

 One day his uncle told him that in due time he 

 would make a good soldier, and from that day 

 Murchison read of nothing but military heroes. 



At the early age of thirteen he was sent to the 

 military college at Great Marlow, and, after one 

 pluck, was admitted as cadet. There he became 

 conspicuous as a daring leader of fun and frolic, 

 and as a moderate student ; nevertheless he was 

 great at drill. A gift which decided in after 

 years much of his success was fostered at Great 

 Marlow. His exercises in military drawing led to 

 the future rapidity and correctness of his " eye " 

 for " country " in geological surveying. 



At fifteen years of age Murchison was gazetted as 



