JOURNEYS AND RESEARCHES 



SOUTH AFRICA. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Personal sketch — Highland ancestors — Family traditions — Grandfather 

 removes to the Lowlands — Parents — Early labours and efforts — Evening 

 school — Love of reading — Religious impressions — Medical education 



— Youthful travels — Geology — Mental discipline — Study in Glasgow 



— London Missionary Society — Native village — Medical diploma — 

 Theological studies — Departure for Africa — No claim to literary 

 accomplishments. 



My own inclination would lead me to say as little as possible 

 about myself; but several friends, in whose judgment I have 

 confidence, have suggested that, as the reader likes to know 

 something about the author, a short account of his origin and 

 early life would lend additional interest to this book. Such is 

 my excuse for the following egotism ; and, if an apology be 

 necessary for giving a genealogy, I find it in the fact that it is 

 not very long, and contains only one incident of which I have 

 reason to be proud. 



Our great-grandfather fell at the battle of Culloden, fighting 

 for the old line of kings ; and our grandfather was a small 

 farmer in Ulva, where my father was born. It is one of that 

 cluster of the Hebrides thus alluded to by Walter Scott : — 



" And Ulva dark, and Colonsay, 

 And all the group of islets gay 

 That guard famed Staffa round." * 



Our grandfather was intimately acquainted with all the tra- 

 ditionary legends which that great writer has since made use of 



* Lord of the Isles, canto iv. 



