workshop and saw-mill, giving
each in turn a poking and joking at times very tormenting to the
recipients. If we had any little infirmity or weakness, he was sure to
enlarge upon it and make us try to amend it, assuming the _role_ and
aspect of a drill-sergeant for the time being. He used to have the
mid-finger of the right hand extended in such a way that he could nip
and slap you with it very painfully. He used this finger constantly to
pound and drill his comrades, all being done of course in the height of
glee, frolic, and good-humour. This finger, no doubt by the unlawful use
to which he put it, at one time developed a painful tumour, to the
delight of those who were in the habit of receiving punishment from it.
James pulled a long face, and acknowledged that it was a punishment sent
him for using the finger in so mischievous a manner.

'There was a pond or dam in connection with the sawmill. In this James
was wont to practise the art of swimming. I remember he devised a plan
of increasing his power of stroke in the water. He made four oval pieces
of wood rather larger than his hands and feet, tacking straps on one
side, so that his hands and feet would slip tightly into them. But my
recollection is that they were soon discarded as an unsuitable addition
to his natural resources. He was fond of hunting after geological
specimens, getting the local blacksmith to make him a pocket hammer to
take with him on his rambles for that purpose. He seldom cared for
company in these wanderings among the mountains, glens, and woods of his
native place and country. He would start early in the morning, and
accomplish feats of walking and climbing during the course of a day.
Indeed, none of his brothers ever thought of asking James to go with
them in their little holiday trips, knowing that anything not the
conception of his own fancy was but very rarely acceptable to him; and
he was never one who would pander to your gratification merely to please
you.

'James was fond of boating. Once he hired a small skiff near the
suspension-bridge at Glasgow Green, and proceeded with it up the river.
Having gone a good way up, the idea appears to have taken him to
endeavour to get the whole way to Hamilton, where, father having retired
from business in 1866, our parents were now residing. This proved to be
a very arduous task, as in a great many places on that part of the Clyde
there is not depth of water to carry a boat. He managed, however