After all, not very deep: August 1-15, 1876

Tuesday, August 1, 1876. Got up at 7 A.M. & left on the 9 A.M. train—Fred, Mr. Bell & we—& oh! (H.S.) is on our train in a 2nd class car. Have started for Dublin. Mr. Thomas too on train. Spoke to him. Mr. Bell & Fred left us at Mallow to proceed to Cork. Arrived at Dublin & oh! (H.S.) is not at our hotel! At the Shelbourne.

Wednesday, August 2, 1876. Rained all day—but nothing daunted. We made a tour of city. Visited the Castle, occupied by the Lieut. of Ireland, the Cathedral of St. Patrick, the Phoenix Park, Bank of Ireland, Trinity College, poplin manufactory, &c &c. Met Messrs. Thomas & Burnett but not (H.S.). He is at the Gresham Hotel & I have not seen him since we left the train yesterday. Did not dine at table d’hôtel. [Today, table d’hôtel refers to a fixed price meal in a restaurant, but Ada would have meant a communal table or tables provided for any of the hotel’s guests who wished to dine with their fellow travelers.] At St. P’s Cathedral we saw & drank out of the well out of which St. P. baptized the first convert. Can you imagine a rather tall slight figure, crowned by a most shapely head & the blackest hair that falls in little waves over the forehead—two eyes so big & black through which one can read the whole soul—a fine nose & a mouth just enough like a rosebud to avoid effeminacy? Such is (H.S.). My first “fall in love at first sight.” After all, not very deep.

Thursday, August 3, 1876. Got up early & started by the 8.10 A.M. train for Portrush, where at a distance of about 5 miles the Giant’s Causeway is situated. Arrived at Portrush at 3. Had music by the band at the Antrim Arms Hotel where we staid.

Saturday, August 5, 1876. Had a very calm night on board steamer (by name Racoon),

Hamilton Palace

very comfortable. Are sailing up the Clyde past where our family first started from 800 years ago—namely Renfrewshire. The banks of the Clyde are lined with ships of all sizes & shapes being built. A very busy scene. Arrived at Glasgow at 9 A.M. Are staying at George Hotel. As soon as we arrived in Glasgow, after eating lunch at the George Hotel, we drove to the depot en route for Uddingston, in whose suburbs lie both Bothwell Castle & the Duke of Hamilton’s Palace, considered the finest in Scotland. But alas! the Countess of Home (owner of Bothwell) was expected home this very day & we were not allowed to see the Castle except from the train—so we then drove to Hamilton Palace & though we had some trouble about being admitted, we were at last let in & we walked over the grounds & saw the mausoleum (family vault) but did not go in the Castle. So, rather disgusted at our bad luck & wasted day, we took the six P.M. train back to Glasgow—(the ride on the train is only one half hour) where Mrs. McLachlan of the George Hotel met us cordially & sympathetically. At night we went to the Royal Theatre to see Lady of the Lake played by Mrs. Marie Gwynne & W. Rignold - Mrs. G. was the perfect image of Miss Carrie Hoyle—W. Rignold was G. Rignold’s brother, I think. The theatre was managed badly though & even the police, stationed in the upper row to keep the newsboys of the Peanut Gallery quiet, could not prevent their going as soon as the fighting was over & making of course a terrible racket.

Sunday, August 6, 1876. Rained all day. Started in a cab about 1 P.M. out to view the city & did not get back till 4 P.M. Hotel very nice—much pleased with Glasgow. Am reading “Lucille,” have almost finished it.

Burns' Monument, Ayr

Monday, August 7, 1876. Started at 8 A.M. for Ayr and, the guards neglecting to tell us where to change cars, we went by mistake about 44 miles out of the way to Thornhill & we are waiting now at T. for the 12-1/2 P.M. train back to Ayr. Arrived at Ayr at 2-1/2 P.M. Went to Kings Arms Hotel & got lunch, then took a wagonette & visited Burn’s Monument & cottage & the Bonny Doon Bridge. Took 5 P.M. train to Paisley. Arrived at Paisley—at George Hotel. [Wildflowers pinned into the book with the caption: “Flowers plucked from Burn’s Monument in Ayr, Scotland.”]

Tuesday, August 8, 1876. Took wagonette & went to Library to find a history of Semples. Not finding it, we were directed to a Mr. David Semple, a great writer, & Mama visited him & found him a very agreeable old gent. Obtained from him all information necessary. Drove then to Eliestoun Castle [the family seat of the Semple line, Renfrewshire, Scotland; built c. 1315], through the village where Wallace was born.

 Eliestoun Castle is only an old ruin in the middle of a field. We went then to Semple Castle & Mama sent up her card to Sir Harvey to ask if we might go through the Castle—he gave us his permission to go over the grounds but not into the Castle—don’t blame him. We then went to an old, old college in the Castle Semple grounds. In this college was buried an old Semple about 5 or 6 hundred years ago. 

The tomb of an early Semple, just as Ada describes.

Thence we visited the Coats Spool of Cotton Manufactory. 
 Very immense. 2000 girls employed to twist the thread. 

Thence to Paisley shawl manufactory where we invested in two shawls. Thence to the George Hotel & thence to the depot to take the 5.15 P.M. train for Greenock. Arrived at Greenock at 6 P.M. At the Fontine Hotel. I got a round comb & now wear hair back. Much nicer. 


Wednesday, August 9, 1876. Started from Greenock at 9 A.M. on steamboat for Ardishraig. It rained cats & dogs all day & we got drenched. Arrived at Ardishraig at 1.30 P.M. & whilst waiting on the wharf for Mamie, Mama & Edgar got separated from us & when we had found Mamie, we looked all over but in vain for Mama & Edgar. We looked for about an hour & finally despaired, for we had naught but six pence between us & of course could afford no hotel &c. At last however we spied M & E coming & mighty glad we are here! but poor dear Mama was nearly wild with fright for—she thought that some thing must have befallen Mamie when we did not follow her. We had expected to make immediate connections & catch the 2 P.M. canal boat for a trip up the canal, but after all the delay, the boat had left. We went then dripping to a hotel, the Ardishraig Hotel, & they could give us but one room, but we were thankful enough to get that. So we are waiting in our pleasant little sitting room now for some dinner & trying to get dry. It has been very rough all day on the ocean, raining the hardest I ever saw & blowing so that one could not hold up his umbrella & we staid up on deck through it all, because it was so close & sickly in the cabins. Although they had said that they could not accommodate us at the A. Hotel on account of the fullness thereof, still Mama sent word to them to ask if they could not lay some mattresses on the floor for us, but they had not a single mattress unoccupied, so we had to trudge down the town to find some place to lay our heads. But we happened to find a lovely neat little place called the Lorne Hotel & they took us in & here we are.

Thursday, August 10, 1876. Monte & I took a long walk this morning on the sea-shore and got some lovely shells. At 1.30 P.M. we took a canal boat up the Crinan Canal—scenery up canal very, very beautiful. A great many drunken Highlanders on board & we had a very exciting time. Arrived at 8.30 P.M. at Banarie in lovely little place on the sea-shore and staid at the Lochiel Hotel—decidedly the best kept & largest we have seen yet. Had a splendid supper of fresh herring, tea & toast. Had telegraphed for rooms.

Friday, August 11, 1876. Got up at 6.30 A.M. to take the 8 A.M. boat up the Caledonian,

the celebrated canal of Great Britain for its superb scenery. Have made the acquaintance

Inverary Castle, known to PBS viewers today as Downton Abbey

of a very pleasant young English lady—have just come on boat after a little walk on shore whilst the boat went through a lock. Are passing Inverary Castle—very fine. Arrived at 3 P.M. at Inverness. Went to Caledonian Hotel, a very fine one [dating back to the early 1700s and still offering rooms today]. The little English bride friend of mine & husband went also. [On the page for November 12, flowers are pinned with the caption: “Flowers plucked at Fort Augustus on the Caledonian Canal, Scotland. Aug. 11, 76.”]

Saturday, August 12, 1876. Left at 9.30 A.M. for Edinboro on train—changed cars at Perth. Just before we left, while sitting in the train this morning, a man from the Caledonian Hotel came running down with my watch in his hand which I had left under my pillow in my room. It was an honest thing for a porter to do & I was very thankful. Have passed Birnam Wood (connected with Macbeth), Stirling Castle & the fields of Falkirk & Bannockburn. Arrived at Edinboro & met Mrs. & Mr. Pomeroy [acquaintainces from the Scythia] at the depot. Went to the Douglas Hotel where they are.

Sunday, August 13, 1876. Mama & Monte went to church. Greta Pomeroy, Mamie, Henry, Edgar & I went walking. Dined at table d’hôtel—had a very nice dinner. Went walking in the West Park.

Monday, August 14, 1876. Took a carriage at 10 A.M. and went around the city & to Edinboro Castle, where we saw the room where Mary of Scots bore James VI & the windows from which he was let down for a place of greater safety—& to Holyrood where we saw but the outside, as the Queen was going to be there on 17th. Calton Hill—Queen’s Drive—St. Giles Cathedral &c &c. Tonight Greta & Henry, Mamie &c acted Lady of Lake to Mama, Edgar, Mr. & Mrs. P., their mother & father & Mary, nurse.

Tuesday, August 15, 1876. Went at 10.30 A.M. by rail to Melrose where we saw

Edinburgh Castle

Melrose Abbey, that very beautiful abbey in which were buried the heart of Bruce Alexander II & Black Douglas. Mr. & Mrs. Burnet, Mr. & Mrs. Pomeroy, Greta P. & ourselves composed our party. We then went to Abbotsford, Sir W. Scott’s home & I enjoyed that immensely. Then to Dryburgh Abbey—very beautiful, where W. Scott, mother, father & wife are buried. Then back by the 6 P.M. train to Edinburgh. [Flowers pinned into the diary with the caption: “Flowers plucked at Dryburgh Abbey, Boswell Scotland, Aug. 15, ’76. Dryburgh where Scott is buried—ancient abbey, & very beautiful.” More flowers are pinned with the caption: “Flowers plucked at Melrose Abbey, Melrose, Scotland. And, a sprig of pine is labeled: “Plucked at Abbotsford, Walter Scott’s home, Melrose, Scotland. Aug. 15, ’76.”]