| Description | Farming diary, no. 1.
The writing is generally legible, but the punctuation is sporadic. Scots words and idioms appear often in the text. Most diary entries discuss routine agricultural work and conclude with a summary of the day's weather.
Includes notes on 'Physical Geography'. Description of mountain systems of the world. Structural distinctions between hill and mountains properly understood: geology rather than geography. The formation of mountains, hills and valleys. Plains: deserts, prairies, low and forest. 'The Ocean'. Description of oceanic coverage of the world and the three oceans. [Entry unfinished due to missing pages.]
Descriptions of working days: weather; coal deliveries; surprise at death of George Brown; mares shod by blacksmith; hay work. Sunday worship. Beginning of harvest: Mr Walker from America, one of its makers, sees the new reaper in use; assistance from Lockie's folk. Church candidates, McCallum and McKay, preach on Sabbath. Trip to Aberdeen for two loads of lime for Dunecht: sharp words with Mother (Mary) after seeing her in street after she was not in when visited. Bruises finger while dowing. Pleased with Mr Souter's preaching. Trip to Kintore with reaper. Clyack supper. Dislike of Dr Spence's preaching in Echt. Damage to crops after wind and rain on Sabbath; hurricane winds on Monday. Trip to Aberdeen for lime; Mother in better spirits; sees American cattle. Trip to Aberdeen with old corn for shipping; sees race at Links. Bella accuses Annie Henry of misbehaving towards a strange presenter at Church. End of harvesting for the season. Ploughing. Trip to Aberdeen with Jessie; takes oats and returns with lime. Disappointed by preaching of stranger. Angry with indolent strapper. Hears Mr Calder preach at Skene. Attends Charles Thompson's chemistry lecture with experiments. Trip to Aberdeen; takes oats and returns with lime for Dunecht and cake; tea and conversation with Mother. Trip to Aberdeen. Sings psalms on Sabbath. Evening with James Wilson. Ploughing. Trips to Affloch on Communion Sabbath. Ploughing for William Ewens who responds with kindness. Sees John Sutherland the tailor. Snow in November. Meets with Old Netherie about work during winter - no agreement. Fails to make engagement at Echt feeing market - 'exceedingly bad day'. Trip to Aberdeen with oats for E Liddle and Co; returns with coal for Sandy Duthie; sees Mrs Smith. Reads Chalmers on Sabbath. Trip to Aberdeen with barley for Clark grain merchant and returns with coal; Mother well. Visit from William Bruce. Trip to Aberdeen with oats for E Liddle and Co; returns with bran and parcel for Sandy Duthie. Visits from John Valentine and John Mathieson; aunt from Broomhill. Sees Skene Free Church members going to sign the call. Takes coal to Calder the saw-miller. Leads the singing on Sabbath. Visit from the Baillie. Visit from two of the Andersons of Angusfield. Snow in December. Trip to Aberdeen with various supplies; returns with coal and linseed cake. Goes to hear McKay preach at School of Waterton, but this is cut short due to weather. Heavy snow storm. Has bad cold. Trip to Aberdeen with corn; gives £1 to Mother; returns with coal. Hears Mr McKay preach on Sabbath; Sandy Brown leads singing. Distributes coal. |