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Characterisation, especially by Letters '507 was fair in Rutland Gate but as I approached the Agricultural Hall the fog began and worsened until at 9 a.m., the time for beginning, nothing could be seen at a short distance!

However, in time, the day cleared, with the result that all the horses selected for making the final judgment were taken. The only mistake was in not securing a lighter background. My staff consisted of the photographer, his son who did the main part of the work, and a most intelligent stud-groom (whom he borrowed from Lord Arthur Cecil to help him) and two collegiates sent by the Veterinary College to make the measurements. There were others in the yard, besides the groom that led in each horse in turn. I was surprised at the facility with which they placed them. Of course some of the beautiful brutes stood on their hind legs and pawed in the air, and others kicked fore and aft, but on the whole they were hustled into place, and in every case stood on the middle row of flags which was only 25 inches wide. So all the photos are in standard position. I wanted to mark the position of the hip bone and did so with paper wafers, each the size of a shilling, with a dab of very thick paste in the middle, which was laid on with a little spud, that .1 cut from a pencil. It was held by its edge, clapped on the right place, and adhered firmly. They told me that the grooms were puzzled as to the object, but on the whole thought it was a mark of distinction, so they left them on and in the afternoon parade there were the spotted horses ! It must have puzzled the spectators. I was standing about helping, on a coldish day from 9 to 2 ; then there was lunch, and afterwards the final judging, but by 4 I began to feel cold, and left before being formally introduced to•the Duke of Portland, etc. It certainly was cold (to me). A friend of Edward's, Sir John Gilmour, to whom I was introduced, asked me for some particulars, but at that moment any teeth were chattering so that I could hardly reply intelligibly. The upshot is that I have got material for a useful little paper, but time will be needed to work it up. I shall have the photos* sent to me abroad, to work at when otherwise idle. Yesterday Frank Butler came for final instructions. He will act altogether for me, in emergencies, and will answer my letters, which will be forwarded to him. His address is A. Francis Butler, Esq., Haileybury Cottage, Hertford. I will take every care of Eva Biggs t. She comes too me on Monday. I want to tell Edward Wheler about the photography but have little time just now to write more. Will you send this, therefore, to him? Ever affectionately, with much love, FRANCIS GALTON.

AT SEA, PAST LISBON. March 21, 1899.

DEAREST EMMA, I begin now, as there will probably be hurry and sight-seeing to-morrow morning at Gibraltar. The sea has been unexpectedly favourable, but weather is so cold that Ihave used all my wraps the whole day and over the bedclothes at night. Eva and a very few other ladies have been squeamish and sick and she is not yet quite right, though sitting on deck. It is a wonderfully well-arranged steamer. We each of us have had the good luck of having a cabin all to ourselves, which, as a cabin is 6 ft. 3 in. long, the same or a little more in height and 6 ft. wide, is luxurious. With two in a cabin it would be rather hugger-mugger, at the best. The ship rolls so slowly, it takes 17 seconds to roll to one side and

back again. There is no jar or smell of steam engines

whatever; the ship seems propelled by attraction or some

other smoothly acting force. This is the section as I under

stand it. Nobody but the ship's officers are allowed on the   i upper deck, but we walk and sit mostly at A, which is

under the cover of the captain's deck and very pleasant   eelzralel,S' Deck to be in. We can walk along B but it is much narrower

,

than A The first class passengers are separate from the   jA Dr0ulia§ Room.

.

rest and walking all round their part at A is just i th   ! B Dinirn4 Room

of a mile, as I find; so 10 "laps" are 1 mile. They feed level or fhe~   Cabins

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us over abundantly. Eschbach (the courier) makes a - uralert, capital lady's-maid for Eva, and evidently knows all a

courier's duties very perfectly. There are about 100 first    ~" class passengers, some pleasant to talk to. I think much

of you all, also of the great sorrows left temporarily behind. So much for the present.

* These photographs have disappeared entirely, and Mr Reid informs me that after taking two sets of prints he destroyed the negatives. Alas !

j Galton's great-niece was about to travel with her uncle for the first time, and Spain and Tangiers were to be visited.

Picture Picture

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