My life : a record of events and opinions - Wallace-online.org

LIFE AT LEICESTER AND NEATH 131to Neath with my brother John, in order to wind upour brother William's affairs. We found from hisbooks that a considerable amount was owing to himfor work done during the past year or two, and weduly made out accounts of all these and sent them into the respective parties. Some were paid at once,others we had to write again for and had some troubleto get paid.When we had wound up William's affairsas wellas we could, my brother John returned to London,and I was left to see if any work was to be had, andin the mean time devoted myself to collecting butterfliesand beetles. While at Leicester I had beenaltogether out of the business world and do notremember even looking at a newspaper, or I mighthave heard something of the great railway maniawhich that year reached its culmination. I now firstheard rumours of it, and some one told me of a civilengineer in Swansea who wanted all the surveyors hecould get, and that they allhad two guineas a day,and often more. This I could hardly credit, but Iwrote to the gentleman, who soon after called on meand asked me if I could do levelling. I told him Icould, and had a very good level and levelling staves.After some little conversation he told me he wanteda line of levels up the Vale of Neath to MerthyrTydfil for a proposed railway, with cross levels atfrequent intervals, and that he would give me twoguineas a day, and all expenses of chain and staffmen, hotels, etc. He gave me all necessary instructions,and said he would send a surveyor to mapthe route at the same time. This was, I think, aboutmidsummer, and I was hard at work till the autumn,and enjoyed myself immensely. It took me up thesouth-east side of the valley, of which I knew very