Lehrjahre and Wanderjahre 07 



" He has shewn us everything. Tell Bessy that after all some of these Germans are 

 not a bad sort of fellows." 



The route now turned northwards to Prague, Dresden and Berlin. 

 Saxon Switzerland was a disappointment as the Danube had been. 

 From Beilin he gives Sister Bessy a quaint account of his medical 

 comrades : 



" Dear Bessy, The boils have subsided without the salt water, but thanks for the 

 receipt. However I must tell of some specimens of professionality in my two com- 

 panions. My foot has been unfortunately exactly Uke Erasmus' at Weymouth ; that is 

 the nail of the large e.xtreuiity thereof (which I will call eot for the same reason that 

 you designated pirt of my fishing tackle tug) most pervei-selv grew in the side causing 

 inflammation. I happened to mention this to them ; a smile of conscious professional 

 power illumined the face of one, a grin of delight that of the other. Both readily 

 profferred their services, and as a backer Rus.sell whipped out a bag containing 2 lancets, 

 1 spatula, a pot of ointment, a pair of surgical scissors, bandages enough and to spare 

 for any compound fracture, 2 boxes of blue pills, lint, and a sewing up needle. He 

 deposited these in succession on the table, adjusted his spectacles and smiled serenely. 

 However as my foot pained me dreadfully, I made up my mind, and contrary to Gil Bias, 

 accepted the Senior hand of Bowman. Kus.sell disappointed retreated. Well, at last 

 I found myself seated, the sick member was bared, Bowman, sleeve tucked up, advanced 

 scissors in hand. The reflectetl light from the instrument looked awful. He made 

 a most beautiful circular twist of the hand for what earthly reason I do not know, and 

 brought the scissors to their former plact\ He then examined my eot, shook his head, 

 ejaculated: 'Bad, — very. Russell, have you a pair of forceps?' 'No' was the 

 response. The two heads were now brought together to discover a substitute for the 

 instrument in question ; at last a bent pin was found to answer. Accordingly Russell 

 had to hold the flesh back, and away went Bowman, — wrenching up the nail, then 

 cutting it snip-snap all round, I writhing. However I could not help laughing at the 

 operators. It was a splendid sight. And to do them justice all pain has gone .iway"' 

 [Sunday Sept xvi. 1838, Berlin]. 



Galton came home via Hamburg and Hull and his letter to his 



father from Kirk Ella where he paid a flying visit to the family friends, 



the Broadleys, may be cited at length : 



Tuesday [Sept.] 25, 1838. 



Kirk Elui. 

 My dear Goverxor, 



I had not room in my last letter to tell you all the news so I will now 

 commence. After leaving Hamburg where we saw old costumes, old canals, cathedrals 

 etc, etc. we had the sci-ews of the boiler get wrong, which caused a delay of about 

 3 hours. We were then just too late for the tide and stuck on a sandl>ank where we 

 had to wait for the tide. We accordingly got the ship's boat and rowed to the Danish 

 shore where we rambled about four hours. After that we were t«i late to be able to 

 see our way at the mouth of the river, where we had to spend the night. Next day we 

 P. <;. . 1:5 



