From H. E. Darwin to Emma Darwin 15 [June 1865]

Dearest Mamy,

I didn't write yesterday for a reason which I will now detail to you. I shall first give you a slight account of the Barmouth expedition. It was an awfully hot day & had a hot mist over everything so that the drive was not ecstatically pretty. Hope & I felt so bold to have organised it all along & to be trotting off alone together. We found a very amiable waiter at the inn who didn't frighten us & we ordered ourselves tea & chops & set out. The railway is a terrible take off to Barmouth it goes right thro' the town— our beginning was not very successful—we made ourselves very cross by trying to get on the sands & finding them like a scorching fiery furnace—so we decided to mount the hill & after g^t. difficulty & a longish mount we found a heavenly sitz bad under a rock where, barring the innumerable horseflys, we were in peace & shade—but a cow or bull came & looked at us & another to follow us & so we straightway fled & finding it continued to follow & there being no stone walls we rushed on to the road. It is all Papa's fault—he shdn't have told us such awful stories. here we have been close amongst cows without agony of fright. Praps it was imagination but we thought they had such a venomous & fixed stare. This was depressing & we said we hated Barmouth. however I dragged Hope on along up the glaring road & narrow dirty steep path up behind the town on to the hills, & then after a long sit

[sheet or sheets missing]

I hope for Cader Sat. Talylyn on Monday & Tuesday— Small exped today not quite a tiny one as we must be home to receive Eff. I was very glad to have yr letter with rather better account yesterday. I hope I may have a decent one today

yours | H.E.D.