Watercolour by Gina G. Morrison, nd (c.1900).

Wednesday 1^st July

The Lews Cattle market was held today. We were kept very busy.

Thursday 2^nd July

Extraordinary busy today our drawings was £97. We got in a lot of meal.

Friday 3^rd July

Very busy today. In the evening I had a sail with Christina down at the Broad Bay.

Saturday 4^th July

A fine day. Kept pretty busy there was a fair fishing. John had a letter from Kate she says that James Matheson’s wife Proncy, the Big wife, Sandy Rose, & James Matheson Mason, is dead.

Sunday 5^th July

In the morning Mr Leith preached from the 25^th verse of the 43^rd Chapter of Isaiah I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins. In the evening in the 2^nd 3^rd & 4^th verses of the 3^rd Chapter of Colossians. I presented in the evening.

Monday 6^th July

Pretty busy. A most beautiful day. I had a walk up the hill with Mrs Russell & Christina and then a walk down the canal with Christina & afterwards a conversation about M &c.

 Tuesday 7^th July

Very busy. Very few herrings got.

Wednesday 8^th July

I had a newspaper from Lexy with illustrations of some of the places in Strathspey through which the Railway goes. Mr & Mrs Angus McKay fishcurers went away today. I was in the shop till 3 A.M. making up empty bags.

Thursday 9^th July

It blew very hard today. There was news that Prince Alfred was to come in here.

[NOTE: Prince Alfred (1844-1900), the fourth child of Queen Victoria, was 19 years of age in 1863. At this time he was the junior lieutenant on HMS Racoon under Captain Count Gliechen. After this cruise of Scotland, Alfred rejoined his family at Osborne, then undertook a course of study at Holyrood. He later became Duke of Edinburgh (1866) and Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1893). His wife was the Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia, a daughter of Tsar Alexander II.]

Friday 10^th July

Very busy. Fine day. The Stornowegians were looking out for P. Alfred.

Saturday 11^th July

I had a letter from Kate. The Steamer Clansman went to Thurso with the fishermen a good many went on pleasure by her. Christina went.

Sunday 12^th July

In the morning Mr Leith preached from the 13^th chapter of Romans 11^th verse And that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep. In the evening he preached from the last part of the 18^th chapter of Genesis Abrahams intercession for the men of Sodom. I presented twice.

In the afternoon Mr Gault Hawick preached in the F.C. from the 1^st chapter of Phillipians 21^st verse For me to live is Christ.

Monday 13^th July

Angus being away at Lochs I was kept very busy.

[Note: Angus Macdonald, Charles’s business partner, was courting 20-year-old Elizabeth (Eliza)Mackenzie, who lived with her aunt and uncle (Mr & Mrs Alexander Macleod) and siblings at Valtos House, Balallan, Lochs. Her father was Captain John Mackenzie of Greenock. Angus married Eliza on 8 September 1864, several months after insisting on the dissolution of his partnership with Charles Morrison.]

Tuesday 14^th July

Kept very busy. I wrote to Isabella Sutherland Edinburgh.