Edinburgh, Aug. 30Honey dear :-
The distractions of this town are certainly great! We need much more time than we have. I was glad to have your letter which mentioned the lab. You spoke of having mentioned it before, but that letter I must have lost. I had begun to think you didn't want to write of it for five letters, had no reference to it. I heard of it at Glasgow from Hazeltene Stedman whose father had been to So. Had. a line from H. Lyman, and a third from Beryl, but nothing before that.
We've had a varied week. Monday forenoon we took a motor jaunt out from Fort William up along the Caledonian Canal, to Achnacarry, tell Mrs. Cameron, where The Cameron of Lochiel abides, and to some several other places. One is called Dark Mile because the trees are so heavy in the glen over the roadway. I have never seen lovelier big ferns. There were several fine falls, a tree-trunk (down) where Prince Charlie may have hidden, and in many places there were wonderful heather slopes, and fine views of Ben Nevis, with a lot of snow on the north side. There were also peats cut out in bogs, stacked for drying, though heaven knows how they can dry, and the shaggy, wide-horned red Highland cattle. I've never seen such fur on any members of the cow kind before.
We came down by rail to Glasgow, a trip almost as wonderful as that by boat, especially the 15 miles (+/-) of Rannock Moor, where I'd hate to risk my life! It was all a wet, black bog - ghastly to see, with mountains around the rim and water standing and flowing all in among the herbage. No houses, not even sheep! I never saw such a desolate place. There were high, beautiful mountains much of the way, with waterfalls and gorges, and several Lochs - oh, Scotland seems to me very wonderful.
Tuesday morning we packed - we sent our tramping shoes to the ss. for we'll have no more chance to use them alas, and I lightened my suitcase by nine points of tea, guide-books, post-cards and junk, also for the ss! I hope the C.P.O.S. takes good care of our belongings. I'm going to try to get 10s worth of bulbs there, too, though the "bulb-lifting season" is delayed this year! Speaking of such - we'll start this fall about 3 times as many foxgloves as we want, for they winter kill worse than anything.
Do you know the "scarlet creeper" of the Lake Region & Scotland? It's on lots of the shepherds' cottages and lovely, a tiny nasturtium, close-set leaves & flowers, said to be difficult to grow and thriving only in moisture. It's regarded as choice - and it is. You'd adore it.
Yesterday noon (Tues.) we left our cheerful Miss Wallace of Sauchiehall St. and came to Edinburgh via Stirling where we enjoyed the castle greatly. If there is any funnier uniform than long plaid trousers with a khaki jacket and a Scotch cap, I have yet to see it! We see all sorts of mixtures of plaids & khaki and can't classify! The only pure Scotch outfits have been sporting gentleman on boats, some of whom have been done up to kill. Some youngsters are cunning, but I'm not enthusiastic over the kilts of the boy scouts! And as for bare knees - the knee is at least 15 inches long in most cases. But we haven't seen a rolled stocking on a girl this summer, though very large children, both boys and girls wear socks, and the shortness of childrens' skirts I never saw equalled. Girls of 13 have such long, stocking-covered legs under a mere frill of a ksirt, and at least 11 year olds have socks and bare legs to these same frills. But the older girls skirts are at least four inches longer than ours have been at college this last year. And there just are no light clothes worn, to mention. White shoes at these summer places have been a rarity. 'Tis easy to see why.
This forenoon we went to Holyrood, and with pleasure. Also along some of the old parts of Edinburgh, Canongate & the Closes. 'Tis a woefully poor district now, even if Adam Smith did live there not so long ago. There is still a good deal of obvious unemployment, though the reports show it is decreasing. The papers are most interesting in their European news - and I just can't see any case for France. It seems to me the criticisms I've read in the London Times, Telegraph, Manchester Guardian, Glasgow Herald, & today in the Scotsman are all very moderate of France's position, though the differences of opinion are clear. And they are extraordinarily patient with us, seems to me.
This afternoon I've had a wonderful time with Dr. George Robertson, who may be the first psychiatrist over here - surely way up! Miss Woodcock got her Dr. Ruggles to introduce me, and I've had 2 1/2 hours of talk, tea, going over hospital &c. 'Twas so generous of him - and such a treat to me. He is the head of the Mental Hospital, 800 now of the free & poorer patients in "West House", and I don't know how many in Craig House" where the richer, private patients are. He told me a lot about medical education & such - opportunitites for women - and then at Craig House showed me the "earmarks" of a Scotch baron's house of 1565 - the zigzag line at the end of the gable [line drawing], the turrets, and particularly the "doocat" (dove cote) where the baron had many pigeons for pies, which ate of the grain of his tenants. And the true Scotch short bread at tea was another thing to remember!
But the maid has looked in to see whether we're going to bed. Lights out, in sitting room anyhow, at 10:30. Good night, honey - and my love to you. There'll be few more letters to send you.