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subjected。 I long for you on many grounds； but one is that I may
not be obliged to deliver a running lecture on abstract points of
science； subject to cross… examination by two acute students。
Bernie does not cross…examine much； but if anyone gets discomfited；
he laughs a sort of little silver…whistle giggle； which is trying
to the unhappy blunderer。'
'MAY 9TH。 … Frewen is deep in parachutes。 I beg him not to drop
from the top landing in one of his own making。'
'JUNE 6TH； 1876。 … Frewen's crank axle is a failure just at present
… but he bears up。'
'JUNE 14TH。 … The boys enjoy their riding。 It gets them whole
funds of adventures。 One of their caps falling off is matter for
delightful reminiscences； and when a horse breaks his step； the
occurrence becomes a rear； a shy； or a plunge as they talk it over。
Austin； with quiet confidence； speaks of the greater pleasure in
riding a spirited horse； even if he does give a little trouble。 It
is the stolid brute that he dislikes。 （N。B。 You can still see six
inches between him and the saddle when his pony trots。） I listen
and sympathise and throw out no hint that their achievements are
not really great。'
'JUNE 18TH。 … Bernard is much impressed by the fact that I can be
useful to Frewen about the steamboat' ＇which the latter
irrepressible inventor was making＇。 'He says quite with awe； 〃He
would not have got on nearly so well if you had not helped him。〃'
'JUNE 27TH。 … I do not see what I could do without Austin。 He
talks so pleasantly and is so truly good all through。'
'JUNE 27TH。 … My chief difficulty with Austin is to get him
measured for a pair of trousers。 Hitherto I have failed； but I
keep a stout heart and mean to succeed。 Frewen the observer； in
describing the paces of two horses； says； 〃Polly takes twenty…seven
steps to get round the school。 I couldn't count Sophy； but she
takes more than a hundred。〃'
'FEB。 18TH； 1877。 … We all feel very lonely without you。 Frewen
had to come up and sit in my room for company last night and I
actually kissed him； a thing that has not occurred for years。
Jack； poor fellow； bears it as well as he can； and has taken the
opportunity of having a fester on his foot； so he is lame and has
it bathed； and this occupies his thoughts a good deal。'
'FEB。 19TH。 … As to Mill； Austin has not got the list yet。 I think
it will prejudice him very much against Mill … but that is not my
affair。 Education of that kind！ 。 。 。 I would as soon cram my boys
with food and boast of the pounds they had eaten； as cram them with
literature。'
But if Fleeming was an anxious father； he did not suffer his
anxiety to prevent the boys from any manly or even dangerous
pursuit。 Whatever it might occur to them to try； he would
carefully show them how to do it； explain the risks； and then
either share the danger himself or； if that were not possible；
stand aside and wait the event with that unhappy courage of the
looker…on。 He was a good swimmer； and taught them to swim。 He
thoroughly loved all manly exercises； and during their holidays；
and principally in the Highlands； helped and encouraged them to
excel in as many as possible： to shoot； to fish； to walk； to pull
an oar； to hand； reef and steer； and to run a steam launch。 In all
of these； and in all parts of Highland life； he shared delightedly。
He was well onto forty when he took once more to shooting； he was
forty…three when he killed his first salmon； but no boy could have
more single…mindedly rejoiced in these pursuits。 His growing love
for the Highland character； perhaps also a sense of the difficulty
of the task； led him to take up at forty…one the study of Gaelic；
in which he made some shadow of progress； but not much： the
fastnesses of that elusive speech retaining to the last their
independence。 At the house of his friend Mrs。 Blackburn； who plays
the part of a Highland lady as to the manner born； he learned the
delightful custom of kitchen dances； which became the rule at his
own house and brought him into yet nearer contact with his
neighbours。 And thus at forty…two； he began to learn the reel； a
study； to which he brought his usual smiling earnestness； and the
steps； diagrammatically represented by his own hand； are before me
as I write。
It was in 1879 that a new feature was added to the Highland life：
a steam launch； called the PURGLE； the Styrian corruption of
Walpurga； after a friend to be hereafter mentioned。 'The steam
launch goes；' Fleeming wrote。 'I wish you had been present to
describe two scenes of which she has been the occasion already：
one during which the population of Ullapool； to a baby； was
harnessed to her hurrahing … and the other in which the same
population sat with its legs over a little pier； watching Frewen
and Bernie getting up steam for the first time。' The PURGLE was
got with educational intent； and it served its purpose so well； and
the boys knew their business so practically； that when the summer
was at an end； Fleeming； Mrs。 Jenkin； Frewen the engineer； Bernard
the stoker； and Kenneth Robertson a Highland seaman； set forth in
her to make the passage south。 The first morning they got from
Loch Broom into Gruinard bay； where they lunched upon an island；
but the wind blowing up in the afternoon； with sheets of rain； it
was found impossible to beat to sea； and very much in the situation
of castaways upon an unknown coast； the party landed at the mouth
of Gruinard river。 A shooting lodge was spied among the trees；
there Fleeming went； and though the master； Mr。 Murray； was from
home； though the two Jenkin boys were of course as black as
colliers； and all the castaways so wetted through that； as they
stood in the passage； pools formed about their feet and ran before
them into the house； yet Mrs。 Murray kindly entertained them for
the night。 On the morrow； however； visitors were to arrive； there
would be no room and； in so out…of…the…way a spot； most probably no
food for the crew of the PURGLE； and on the morrow about noon； with
the bay white with spindrift and the wind so strong that one could
scarcely stand against it； they got up steam and skulked under the
land as far as Sanda Bay。 Here they crept into a seaside cave； and
cooked some food； but the weather now freshening to a gale； it was
plain they must moor the launch where she was； and find their way
overland to some place of shelter。 Even to get their baggage from
on board was no light business； for the dingy was blown so far to
leeward every trip； that they must carry her back by hand along the
beach。 But this once managed； and a cart procured in the
neighbourhood； they were able to spend the night in a pot…house on
Ault Bea。 Next day； the sea was unapproachable； but the next they
had a pleasant passage to Poolewe； hugging the cliffs； the falling
swel