322 Fortrose and Rosemarkie, [Sess. | 
VIII.— FORTROSE AND ROSEMARKTE. 
NOTES ON THE GEOLOGY, BoTANY, AND ANTIQUITIES OF 
THE DISTRICT. 
By Mr 8. ARCHIBALD, Tomarttn, INVERNEss, 
CORRESPONDING MEMBER. 
(Read Feb. 26, 1902.) 
THE peninsula popularly known as the “ Black Isle” liesina ~ 
N.E. and 8.W. direction between the Cromarty Firth on the — 
north and the Moray, Inverness, and Beauly Firths on the 
south. It consists of a tableland along the middle, flanked by ~ 
ridges on each side, about 500 or 600 feet in height. The 
ridge on the south has a steep slope seawards, which for the - 
most part ends more or less precipitously at or near the water’s 
edge. From near the middle of the south coast a long sandy | 
peninsula, called Chanonry Point, stretches fully a mile and a 
half out into the firth, forming fine bays on either side; and ~ 
the ancient burghs of Rosemarkie and Fortrose, which are just — 
about a mile apart, are charmingly situated on the east and © 
west bays respectively. Nearly opposite Chanonry Point, but 
a little lower down, projects the peninsula on which Fort 
George is built, and the geological problem of how these two 
points were formed is an interesting but rather difficult one. 
There are great cliffs of boulder clay at Rosemarkie, and there — 
is a hill of similar material behind Campbeltown on the ~ 
opposite side. One writer thinks that in the geological — 
ages there may have been a great barrier wall of this — 
material right across the valley, sending the drainage of the ~ 
Ness and Beauly basins out some other way, and that after — 
the pressure of water had broken through the barrier, the | 
currents would deposit the rougher materials on the south — 
side, and being deflected and eddying round, would deposit 
the finer particles on the north side, forming Chanonry Point. 
While staying at Rosemarkie I noticed a peculiarity in the 
tide. About fifteen minutes after high water, and when it 
had gone down a little, there came a succession of large 
waves, raising it to about its previous mark. This would 
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