140 MEMOIR OF JOHN WILSON. 



" The wound is iu itself insignificant, but is just on the sole of my 

 heel, and is much festered, about the size of a shilling, so that I 

 cannot walk a single step without the greatest difficulty and pain. 



" I shall ride from this, back to Greenock if possible. Immedi- 

 ately on getting this (which I expect will be Thursday forenoon), 

 write that moment — directed to me at Achlian, by Inverary. On 

 Wednesday the 8th, write to me at Miss Sym's, Glasgow, where I 

 will be on the 10th, and at Edinburgh, on Saturday the 11th, prob- 

 ably about six o'clock. Your other letters, of course, become use- 

 less. I will write again first opportunity. 



" Thine with heart and soul till death, 



"J. Wilson." 



The manner in which he wounded his foot is not a little charac- 

 teristic. He does not mention the real cause of it to his wife, but 

 curiously enough a story communicated by Dr. Smith, of Inverary, 

 whose reminiscences have been already quoted from, explains this 

 circumstance, the date of the occurrence he relates agreeing with 

 that of the above letter : — 



" At a point on the road near to the house which I now occupy, 

 and close by the river-side, as he was on his way to Achlian, a 

 large party of tinkers were pitching their tents. There were men, 

 women, and children — a band — some preparing to go to fish for 

 their supper in the adjoining pool, and some, more full of action, 

 were leaping. They were tall, powerful young men, ready for any 

 frolic, and all the bonhomie of Mr. Wilson's nature was stirred in 

 him. He joined the group ; talked with them and leaped with 

 them. They were rejoicing in their sport, when he, finding him- 

 self hard pressed, stripped off coat and shoes ; but the river had had 

 its channel once on the spot ; it had left a sharp stone, which was 

 only concealed by the thin coating of earth over it ; his heel came 

 down on that stone ; it wounded him severely ; and, unable to bear 

 a shoe on, he had to go to Achlian. The tinkers woidd rather that 

 the accident had happened to one of themselves, and they procured 

 a cart in the neighborhood in which he was conveyed to Achlian. 

 The heel was carefully dealt with there by all but himself. Mrs. 

 Smith,* then a little girl, tells me that her mother remonstrated 

 often, but hi vain ; for he would fish, though scarcely able to limp ; 



* Then Miss Campbell, daughter of Mr. Campbell, of Achlian. 



