On the Coal-field of Sutherland. 53 



geological position. English geologists will then perceive that 

 the coal, or lignite, of Sutherland, has its well-known analogues 

 in the oolite coals of* England, and 1 need not therefore waste 

 space in extending this comparison. 



It is somewhat more interesting to remark how this par- 

 ticular lignite deposit is scattered and dispersed about Scotland; 

 for the facts relating to which, I may refer to my work on the 

 Western Islands. On this eastern side, it is, however, in a 

 state of antiquity, that is, of geological antiquity; on the west, 

 it is far otherwise. In Sutherland, it is true, we saw but the 

 very edge of some basin, of the extent of which we cannot con- 

 jecture ; and, therefore, the quantity is very small, since the sea 

 has either destroyed or contains the rest. Yet its traces, at 

 least, extend further, even into the Murray Frith, where, how- 

 ever, they are but traces, appearing at two or three points to 

 the south of Cromarty harbour, for the last time. 



In the Western Islands, a very different interference has 

 reduced it to the dispersed fragments which it now presents; 

 and even these are, as we may say, reduced still lower in space, 

 by occurring commonly on the very edges of the sea. The 

 great interference consists in the mountains, or masses of trap- 

 rocks, by which it is everywhere overwhelmed ; and while 

 these have in some measure protected it from the- sea, they 

 have but had the power, generally, of protecting its thin edges, 

 though a few exceptions occur, as in Skey, and elsewhere. As 

 might be expected, every species of disturbance, and obscurity, 

 and destruction, is also added to the mere fact of overwhelm- 

 ing, rendering the whole a task to investigate, which I observe 

 has become abundantly easy, since it has been done ; since 

 the entire analysis has been given, and every, the most dis- 

 jointed atom, traced out, and referred to the general deposit. 

 How often it had all been passed by before, as inexplicable, 

 appears to have been forgotten by those who now find the 

 whole so plain and easy. If I can yet point it out where I 

 have reserved it for others to discover, I should have been 

 little satisfied of the originality of any discoveries, had they 

 discovered these places also. 



But I may terminate tbis paper, referring to that work for 

 details and drawings which will enable any one now to pro- 

 duce a map of the lignite and oolite formation of Scotland, 



