of Deny and Antrim. 1 95 



siding, and sinking of one part, leaving the remainder in its 

 place ; still less by any violent revolution, or convulsion, 

 as the stratification has not sustained the slightest shock 

 either above or below the facade. 



The formation of our abrupt coast, has been ascribed to 

 the action of the sea beating violently against it, washing 

 away the lower parts, and leaving a perpendicular facade 

 standing; as we often see on the banks of rapid and en- 

 croaching rivers. 



A cool examination of our precipices will soon prove that 

 our facades could not have been so formed ; for we always 

 find them on the highest part of the cliff, and receding from 

 the water, which could be instrumental in bringing down 

 the materials from above, only by washing, and so wearing 

 away the bases of the steepest parts ; but the elevations of 

 these bases are utterly irreconcileable to this supposition ; 

 for instance, the base of Pleskin facade is two hundred feet 

 above the present level of the sea, that of Fair head three 

 hundred: now had the sea ever risen to either height, it 

 would have submerged a great part of Ireland, and none of 

 the neighbouring country (whatever its level may be) bears 

 the least resemblance to alluvial ground, nor shows any 

 mark of having been once covered by the sea. 



The next argument is still more conclusive : the boundary 

 of our basaltic area on its north side, is for twenty-five miles 

 also the confine of sea and land ; so far it is natural to ascribe 

 its features, and characteristic marks, to the action of the 

 powerful element that beats against it. But when that pre- 

 cipitous boundary ceases to be the confine of sea and land, 

 turns southward towards the interior, and becomes the line 

 of demarcation between the basaltic and sdiistose country 

 on the west, it still preserves its former character : that is, 

 of a range or ridge of very high land, steep to the exterior, 

 and sometimes cut down vertically into facades, like its 

 northern part that lines the shore. 



Thus Magilligan Rock (four miles inland) is not inferior 

 in magnificence to any of our facades on the coast : its per- 

 pendicular section is one hundred and seventy feet, and this 

 continuous for a mile ; the facades at Bienbraddock are nine 



N 2 miles 



