1835.] Diluvial Formations, 2d 



ling currents have left behind. Such is the case in the mid 

 region of the lake mountains, where innumerable scattered bowl- 

 ders give the clearest indications of the force and of the direction 

 of the torrents which have swept over it. Any thing like a 

 reijular history of such phenomena would lead me into endless 

 derails. One or two facts bearing upon the subject will be 

 enough for my present purpose. 



1. On the granitic hills which extend from Bootle into Eskdale 

 are many large bowlders derived from various parts of the green 

 slate formation. Among the rest are some specimens of a 

 striped hornstone, identical with the rocks immediately under 

 the crest of Sea-fell, the highest mountain in Cumberland. 

 These blocks are at present separated from the parent rock by 

 the deep valley of the Esk. 



Carrock Bowlders. 



2. Millions of large bowlders He scattered over the hills 

 which form the north-west boundary of the mountainous region ; 

 but they are seldom sufficiently characteristic to enable us to 

 determine the exact spot from which they have descended. The 

 syenitic blocks of Carrock-fell, principally composed of hyper- 

 stene and compact felspar, may, however, be traced from the 

 diluvial loam and gravel of the plains, through the valleys and 

 over the hills of the mid region, to the very foot of the parent 

 rock. On the side of High Pike (near the path leading from 

 Nether-row to the lead mines) are innumerable bowlders of the 

 Carrock syenite. The largest (which is known in the country 

 by the name of golden rock) is 21 feet lon^, more than ten feet 

 high, and about nine feet wide. The back of Carrock, where 

 the same kind of rock exists ifi situ, is about two miles distant 

 from the great bowlder, and is at present separated from it by a 

 deep valley. 



3. Rolled masses of the porphyry of St. John's vale almost 

 cover the groxmd near Penruddock, and from thence follow the 

 course of the valleys of denudation which descend into the 

 Eamont. Blocks derived from a dyke of beautiful red porphyry 

 which traverses a part of the ridge to the west of Thirlmere, are 

 found scattered about on the lower part of the hills near Keswick. 



Shap Granite. 



'• 4. Spherical bowlders of shap granite occur in great abun- 

 dance on the calcareous hills south of Appleby. Among 

 them I found one or two which were about twelve feet in diame- 

 ter. On the south side of the calcareous zone, the granite 

 blocks are incomparably more abundant ; and on approaching 

 WastdaleHead (a few miles south of Shap), where the granite is 

 in situ, they literally cover the ground. Near Shap Wells there 

 is a rolled mass of granite fifteen feet long, ten feet wide,, and 

 eight feet high. 



