Hydrography. 145 



ousness of the sea is also frequently very remarkable at that sea- 

 son. 



Wrecks are not frequent on this most boisterous and rugged 

 coast, because it is out of the line of navigation between North 

 America and the west coast of Scotland, and the east coast, a- 

 long which a considerable number of vessels may often be 

 seen passing, is provided with abundance of good harbours. 

 Logs of various kinds, chiefly fir, pine, and mahogany, arc, how- 

 ever, frequently cast ashore on the west coast, with occasionally 

 a hogshead of rum or sugar, as well as bales of cotton and bags 

 of coffee. Several species of nuts from the West Indies are not 

 unfrequently found along the shores, as well as a few foreign 

 shells, such as Janthina fragilis and Spirula Peronii. Pumice and 

 slags also occur in small quantities, and I have seen pieces of bitu- 

 minous wood found on the shores, resembling the surterbrand of 

 Iceland, which renders it probable that these substances may 

 liave come from that island. 



Being on the subject of water, it may not be amiss to say a 

 word respecting the lakes and brooks. Of the former, I need only 

 add to what has already been said, that, in most cases, their bot- 

 toms are gravelly, or consist of angular or rounded pebbles, 

 intermixed with mud, and sometimes muddy, or of peat. The 

 streams are in winter seen gushing from every hollow in the 

 hills ; but in summer there are few that remain permanent, if the 

 weather continue dry for many weeks, which, however, is sel- 

 dom the case. There are no rivers of any great size : that which 

 empties itself into Loch Resort, however, is at least equal to the 

 Water of Lcith, and there are several others not much inferior. 

 Springs are by no means rare, although all that I have seen are 

 small. Many of them are chalybeate *. 



* In the island of Pabbay, there are at least ten springs, some of them 

 pretty large. In the peninsula of Ben Capval, there are five. From Cosladir 

 to Nisbost, along and close to the road, in a line of 6 miles, there are five 

 good spruigs. In as far as I have been able to observe, the i*est of the coun- 

 try is equally supplied with springs ; but Dr MacCulloch perhaps thought it 

 necessary to suppose that spring water should not exist in the Outer Hebri- 

 des, because the rock there benig every where the same '* eternal gneiss," 

 the rain waters were luiable to penetrate it. This, to use^the Doctor's own 

 OCTOBER — DECEMBER 1827. K 



