| Description | Farming diary, no. 4 [No. 3 missing].
This medium-sized volume has a worn reddish-brown cover. The volume is lined and the writing is generally neat and legible (although the writer sometimes crams in the words which end an entry when he comes to the bottom of a page), but the punctuation is sporadic. Scots words and idioms appear often in the text. Most diary entries discuss routine agricultural work, such as thrashing, winnowing, harrowing, ploughing, sowing, thatching and caring for horses, and conclude with a summary of the day's weather.
The writer also details his social interactions, the friends he meets, helps and sometimes shares a dram with. On Sundays he comments on the Church worship he attends with his wife Bella and at which he often precents (leads the singing). Mr Mathieson occasionally visits Aberdeen, where his Mother stays. On these journeys he frequently sets off with oats and returns with coal or lime.
The action of the diary is limited to areas in and around Mr Mathieson's farm and Aberdeen: Balmuir, Afflock, Dunecht, Craigiedarg, Echt, Waterton, Skene, Garlogie, Denwell, Bogentorrie, Kintore and the city itself.
Some notable events from this diary: Uncle John leaves for America; wins second prize in the ministers ploughing match; baby son is baptised; receives a letter from Montreal; enjoys dinner with friends at Mrs Henry's; attends the feeing market at Echt & subscribes to The Herald & Weekly Free Press; Old Mrs Lawson dies; acts as the town keeper; baillie runs away; Bella and his son (also called Andrew) visit Aberdeen; Mrs Valentine dies; reads Annals of the Disruption; attends cattle show in Aberdeen; wins prizes at Echt cattle show; the Earl of Fife's funeral is noted; misses Church on Sunday 28 September; breaks reaper; gets chest of drawers in Aberdeen; good weather at start of November; concert at Waterton School; snow & frost; works with Bob; hurricane on 28 December causes damage.
Some Scots words and idioms used in the volume: bairnies, ill to do, lowse, precent, spate, bing, endrigs, neepreet, grubbering, yoking, muckle, tares, byre, shielocks, drouth, cole, brae, edder, easins, stathel, redd, strab, bere, clyack, stirk, plucks. |