NeigklourTiood of the Giant* s Causeway^ &c, 373 



perfect, and so accessible on 1 he beach, that its singular 

 construction can be examined without any trouble ; it is 

 of the same breadth with mo^t of the others, that is, about 

 twelve feet; it more accurately resembles a ('juay than any 

 of them, its surface is fiat and its sides perpendicular, it is 

 divided in its whole length by three right lines, one bisect- 

 ing it through its middle^ and one on each side of this, 

 about a foot distant. 



These three hnes determine the style of masonry (if I 

 may use the expression) with which it is built, to wit, ho- 

 rizontal prisms about five feet long, laid in rows on each 

 side, and in the middle two rows of prisms about one foot 

 square each. 1 attempt a skccth of these lines thus : 



The bases of the long prisms show their polygonal figures 

 on the sides of the dyke, and, if taken up and laid hori- 

 zontally, would exhibit a rude pave : these prisms are ob- 

 viously composed of smaller ones like those at Port Spagna, 

 but I had not a sledge sufficiently weighty to ascertain th*i 

 fact with precision. 



When I was on the spot, Mr.Magawly, who is concern- 

 ed in and superintends the colliery, told me they were 

 then cutting across this dyke 700 yards within the pre- 

 cipice. 



The next dyke is of ruder bas^alt, and more imperfect 5 it 

 seems to exhibit nothing remarkable. 



The fourth Ballycastle dyke, or as it is called there the 

 Great Gaw, emerges from beneath the precipice, of the 

 same breadth and of the same rude material and construc- 

 tion with the first and third ; but it is soon joined by what 

 the colliers call its wing, that is a new wall annexed to it 

 on each side, by which it becomes triple ; these wings are 

 of a very ditlerent material from the centre, being precisely 

 the same in grain with the very fine Portrush stone, which 

 sometimes contains shells and impressions of cornua am- 

 mouLs, but in these wings I did not observe any, 



A a 3 When 



