(*N THE BASALTIC COUNTRY IN IREtANtf. £53 



geological construction of our area, — the strata of which it Proofs that the 

 is formed — the urragement — and their inclinations. strata were 



- An extensive limestone stratum, white as chalk, and once c*utiru»* 

 about two hundred feet thick, seems to form the base of ous * 

 the whole district I limit myself to : upon this accumula- 

 tions of rectilineal and parallel basaltic strata are heaped up 

 to most unequal heights. 



This great calcareous stratum seems not to be on accu- 

 rate plane, but rather to resemble a basin, as every where af 

 its periphery it dips to the interior ; yet the plane of its sec- 

 tion has a slight ascent to the southward. A recollection of 

 these circumstances will enable us to account for every ap- 

 pearance this stratum exhibits, as it happens to be disclosed 

 to us ; and by the converse, an attention to these appear- 

 ances will enable us accurately to determine the position of 

 the stratum. 



This stratum, from Ballycastle to Solomon's Porch, (about % 

 twenty-five miles, ) ; keeps very nearly the level of the sea, 

 often indeed sinking below the surface, but never raisim - 

 lower edge above it; but when, at Solomons Porch, the 

 boundary of our basaltic area begins to deflect to the south- 

 west, and then to the south, the ascent of the stratum to 

 the southward begins to operate, and we perceive the dotted 

 line of its quarries gradually to rise along the face of the 

 mountain from the shore to Mouynceny and Seafin, where it 

 has attained the height of 1500 feet. It is true, the actual 

 stratum has not been opened at these two great elevations, 

 but the white rubble immediately below the basaltic facade 

 proves incontestibly, that it is close at hand. 



An accumulation of basaltic strata had in this southern 

 course, as well as on the northern shore, covered the lime- 

 stone up to the summits of the hills or mountains. 



I have already stated how the ridge of mountain is sud- 

 denly interrupted by the valley of the Mayola, from l600 

 to 1700 feet deep ; but if we look to the southward, in the 

 rectilineal course of the strata (the positions of which vre 

 have been able to ascertain with so much accuracy), we 

 shall find near the summit of the mountain Slkvegalion a 

 similar white limestone stratum crowned with basalt, cut- 

 ting it in the very direction the former ought to have reached 



