GEOLOGICAL LETTERS AND NOTES 283 



Mr Murchison was further delayed on his Northward 

 journey, and a week or so from the date of the last letter had 

 only got as far as Stockton-on-Tees, when he writes again to 

 Mr. Culley :— 



" I regret much to be ander the necessity of tronbling you with 

 another of my despatches, but as a brother geologist, you know what 

 the examination of coast sections consists in. I have been exceed- 

 ingly well, but (incessantly and laboriously) occupied till yesterday, 

 when I came from Whitby, and have now halted here to spend a day 

 with my friend, Mr Nesham. Having been living in boats and 

 alehouses for the last week, I was not in possession of the most 

 recent public news from the North, but I now find that you have a 

 great public meeting at Morpeth on Tuesday, at which I presume 

 you will certainly be present, as I see your name in the list of 

 requisitionists. I hope you will not for a moment allow my geo- 

 logical visit to interfere with your political duties. My intention is 

 to get to Newcastle to-morrow night, and to breakfast at Morpeth 

 on Tuesday morning, where perhaps I may either meet you or find a 

 note for me at the Inn. I shall certainly contrive my route by the 

 Wooler road, as I specially wish to avoid Berwick. If you can 

 see us, we could not reach your house before Wednesday morning if 

 I trust to my own cavalry (having one still lame). My friend, 

 Askew of Pallinsbnrn, has frequently asked me to visit him en 

 passant, but I know nothing of his movements at present, and I 

 presume you are all in too great a bustle to attend to a travelling 

 stone-breaker!" 



Mr Murchison, accompanied by his wife, accomplished his 

 journey and visit to Coupland Castle, and proceeded thence 

 to the North of Scotland, whither Mr Culley appears to have 

 aranged to follow him. A week or two after his stay at 

 Coupland, he writes the following letter to Mr Culley : — 



Armadale Castle, Sky, July 16th, 1826. 

 "As you must be tired of electioneering, I presume you 

 must be panting for the hills and the use of your hammer. 

 I have really been most agreeably occupied, and I hope with 

 profit to my geological lore. At Edinburgh, Jameson gave me 

 two special walks to teach me Trap. From Glasgow and Loch 

 Lomond we embarked at Dumbarton, and went to Arran, which 

 is truly an epitome of everything on Scotch geology, where 

 we remained five or six days. Then to Rothesay ; afterwards 

 to Mull, where I worked very hard for the better part of a 

 LL 



