108 PROFESSOR OF NATURAL HISTORY [ch. v. 
at times under the open canopy of heaven after 
supping on a piece of oatcake and a few mouthfuls 
of water from a spring. 
It would do injustice to most of the finer 
passages in the book to attempt to quote them 
partially, but one—a very touching passage near 
the end—can be so quoted without such risk:— 
“ The Divine Providence,” he says, “ has 
rendered my path pleasant to me in the rugged 
corrie, in the thick wood, and in the green valley, 
has prepared friends to forward my views, to 
protect me under their hospitable roofs, and 
instruct me by their conversation ; has restored me 
to health and preserved it to me; has enabled me 
to accomplish the purpose of my journey, and 
filled me with gratitude now that I approach its 
termination.” 
It is believed, however, that although he felt at 
the time that he had benefited in health by the 
excursion, the fatigue to which he had subjected 
himself had been really detrimental to it. He 
became so ill a few weeks before the end of the 
College term of 1850-51, that he was obliged to 
relinquish his class duties for the remaindei of that 
term, these having been undertaken for him by 
Mr James Farquharson, one of his most accom¬ 
plished students, afterwards the Reverend Dr 
Farquharson, for upwards of forty years the late 
much-esteemed parish minister of Selkirk. Mac- 
Gillivray was unable to enter on his class duties 
for the session 1851-52, and the same gentleman 
