David Milne’s attack on his Glen Roy paper ["On the parallel roads of Lochaber", (1847) Trans. R. Soc. Edinburgh 16 (1849): 395–418] made CD horribly sick.

Wants Thomas Thomson to establish geographical range of erratic boulders in India.

Comments on article by David Milne ["On the parallel roads of Lochaber" (1847), Trans. R. Soc. Edinburgh 16 (1849): 395–418]. Refers to his paper on Glen Roy [Collected papers 1: 87–137]. Comments on Louis Agassiz’s article ["The glacial theory and its recent progress", Edinburgh New Philos. J. 33 (1842): 217–83]. Cites his own observations on glaciers in N. Wales. Discusses possibility of ice barrier creating lake. Notes objections to theory of an ice barrier. Defends his own theory that the roads are sea-beaches. Suggests questions for further investigation.

Mystified by the origin of coal-plants.

Milne’s Glen Roy theory is absurd but, oddly, it has staggered CD in favour of Agassiz’s ice-lake theory.

Supposition that glaciers made Glen Roy is a dream. Has received three letters from CD on river terraces. Reports on trip to terraces at Belleville. Comparison with Glen Roy.

Difficulty of scheduling visit before JDH departs on Himalayan expedition.

On scheduling farewell meeting.

Continued problems in scheduling farewell meeting.

CD very ill; tries to arrange departure meeting with JDH.

CD’s guess at composition of Maldive flora.

Has had two bad days with boils.

Is reading Last days of Pompeii [Edward Bulwer Lytton (1834)].

Now plans to come to Kew for an hour’s farewell if his stomach permits.

Congratulations on JDH’s Flora Antarctica [1847].

CD too unwell to see JDH. Encloses Emma’s farewell note.

Replies to note from CL asking about views of glaciers.

Thanks for WK’s letter of the 27th. RC has examined the country between Melrose and Kelso.

Thanks for information about Yarrow terraces. Does not think WK’s objections to the lake theory of Upper Tweeddale insurmountable.

Requests the measurements of WK’s Eildon Terraces be sent to RC at the BAAS meeting at Oxford.

Thanks for the measurements of WK’s Eildon Terraces, but would like the measurements of the beaches below No 9 more precisely.

Thanks for the measurements of the intermediate Eildon terraces.

Will lay WK’s paper on the economising of fuel in gas works before the Royal Scottish Society of Arts when it meets the following winter.

Asks WK to send the new measurements of the Eildon terraces. RC has found terraces in Fife.

The Glenroy terraces match WK’s measurements of the terraces on the Tweed.