38 The Naturalist of Cumbrae. 



of going to bed, to take a nap on a chair before the 

 fire. With a foot up on each hob, I soon fell sound 

 asleep. By-and-by the fire kindled up and set light 

 to my moleskin trousers, though through drawers and 

 stockings for some time I did not feel it. Waking at 

 last, I tore at the burning cloth, and then rushed out 

 to a small stream close by the house. I was wild at 

 the loss of my trousers, as they were the only avail- 

 able ones I had at the time. As all was over quickly, 

 none of the inmates knew anything of what had 

 happened. 



"When I again sat down before the fire, placing 

 a foot up on each side as before, the burned leg 

 was quite bare up over the knee, but I did not see 

 or feel anything wrong with it. After a while, how- 

 ever, I noticed the skin under my knee begin to 

 wrinkle. It was now near the time that I was to 

 start for the coals, which, without trousers, could not 

 be done. When my condition was made known, 

 I was supplied with another pair, and, although they 

 were not the best fit in the world, they served for the 

 time. Soon after starting I felt my leg a little 

 uncomfortable and tried riding in the cart, but, the 

 road being rough, riding was worse than walking. 

 Blisters rose and broke, and by the time I reached 

 a village called Darvel, about three or four miles 

 from home, the pain was most excruciating. Here 

 I went into a house and asked if they would give me 

 anything to roll round my leg, which I had got 

 burned that morning. At the sight of it they ex- 

 pressed the greatest sympathy, and wondered that 

 any one would let me leave home in such a condition. 



