Dit. Balfour's Botanical Excursion. 39 



arenaria, and Koeleria cristata. On none of the sands in the island 

 did we observe Sinapis monensis, — a plant which is common in many 

 of the sandy shores'on the west coast. 



From Laggan sands we proceeded along the rocks to Slochd Mhaol 

 Torrai * where splendid precipices and caves are seen. The rocks in 

 this district, and indeed all the way from Islay House to the Mull of 

 the Oe, consist of alternations of a bluish quartz rock, clay-slate, and 

 occasional trap dykes and veins. Some of the rocks are bent and 

 contorted in a remarkable manner, and others are hollowed out into 

 enormous caves, some of which extend a great way inland, and open 

 at the distance of several hundred feet from the shore. Some of the 

 rocks stand out prominently in the sea with rugged and peaked 

 summits. One of these is called Saighdair Ruadh, or Red Soldier 

 rock, from its colour. It is 150 or 200 feet high, and presents a very 

 remarkable aspect. There are often very narrow chasms and rents 

 in the rocks, into which the waves of the ocean are rolled with great 

 force. Landslips have also occurred in some places. The rocks, 

 although interesting in their appearance, are by no means productive. 

 Beta maritima grows in considerable quantity on some of the cliffs, 

 and Sedum Rhodiola and Pyrethrum maritimum abound. The other 

 plants worthy of notice were Listera ovata, Luzula pilosa, Lastrea 

 Oreopteris, Ligusticum scoticum, Lycopodium selaginoides, Hypericum 

 humifusum and Androsaemum, Rubus saxatilis and Saxifraga aizoi- 

 des. The last mentioned plant extends from nearly the sea level to 

 a considerable elevation on the hills. 



After examining the rocks in the Oe or Oa, a Parliamentary 

 parish, wo proceeded to the Moile or Mull of Islay, passing Lower 

 Killian, where oddly twisted rocks are seen. The Moile is a fine 

 cliff, or promontory, projecting into the sea, forming the south-eastern 

 extremity of Islay, and surrounded by cliffs of a reddish colour, in 

 which the alternations of quartz rock and clay-slate are well seen. 

 On one of these rocks there are the remains of an old fort, called 

 Dunad, or Dim Athad, which seems to have been a place of great 

 strength in former times. The rock on which it is situated projects 

 towards the sea, is bounded on three sides by perpendicular cliffs, 

 and is connected with tho land only by a narrow isthmus with 

 precipices on each side. In some of the rocks near the fort, 

 remarkable caves and arches are seen. After examining the fort, we 

 proceeded through Upper Killian parish, towards Port Ellen. Wo 

 passed Kinnabus and Assabus Loch, and at Cragabus we saw tho 

 remains of an old churchyard, marked by large stones placed so as to 

 enclose graves, similar to some which occur near Lag, in the island of 

 Arran. Tho party reached Port Ellen about half-past eight, p. m., 



* This means tho Gulf of Mhaol Torrai, a person concerning whom there is some 

 tradition. Ho is said to have been killed at the place in endeavouring to leap across 

 ono of the chasms on horseback. 



