The Henson Journals

[121]

Tuesday, August 23rd, 1910. Garvocks, Greenock.

I wrote letters to Fedarb, and to three of the Confirmation boys viz.: Noel, Lionel, & Sydney.

The weather was still unkindly. About 10 a.m. it began to rain, & continued to do so until about 5.30 p.m. Then we went out, & walked on the moor. The only incident deserving notice is the appearance of a large barn owl, flying quick & low over the heather.

Most part of the day I spent in reading a novel 'The Cattle baron's daughter' by Harold Bindloss. It is a vigorous description of the lawless life in the newly–settled states of Western America. As it plainly implies a date subsequent to the Franco–Prussian war, one must suppose that the society described has existed within very recent times indeed.

The papers contain accounts of Forest Fires in Montana unprecedented in magnitude, very fatal to life & property, and known to be the work of incendiaries. Mine host told me that he had every reason to believe that the price of timber would soon rise dramatically. Already the railways were experimenting in sleepers made of other materials than wood.

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