29 



but not articulated, and others columnar, prifinatic, and articulated, con- 

 tain cavities full of freQi water to the amount of a thimble-full ; all 

 thefe fafts have hitherto efcaped notice. 



Naturalifts, who vifit our coaft rarely, allow themfelves time enough 

 to examine any thing, and, while there, are occupied in looking for 

 arguments to fupport the theory they patronize, not in fludying na- 

 ture for information : they never examine any of our bafalts but 

 that at the Giant's Caufeway ; this, it is true, has none of the pro- 

 perties I mention, it has but one principle of conftruftion, to wit, the 

 vifible prifmatic form fo much admired, this afterwards breaks indiffe- 

 rently in all direftions. 



To return to my fubjeft ; though the bafalt fepts in mines in gene- 

 ral, and every one of our own Whynn Dykes at Ballycaflle, are attended- 

 by a depreffion of the ftrata on one fide ; yet thofe I have defcribed 

 at Bengore Head are accompanied by nothing fimilar, except the one at 

 the Caufeway, and proceeding farther eaflward, coafting this promontory,, 

 we meet with three deprcffions of our flrata, where nothing like a Whynn 

 Dyke is to be found. 



The firfl is fingular and beautiful; it is near a mile eafl from the 

 Caufeway, and a quarter of a mile beyond the lad Dyke. The preci- 

 pice here is uncommonly magnificent, its height more than three hundred. 

 and fifty feet above the water; and the upper part of this,' which is accurate- 

 ly perpendicular and extends half a mile on either fide, is one hundred, 

 and fifty feet. 



This whole face is compofed of three ftrata, two of them formed of 

 fuperb bafalt pillars forty-five and fifty-five feet long, v/ith an interme- 

 diate 



genuine or legU'imaU bafalt; An eminent Scotch Natorslift, wfio vifited the fpot M fum»- 

 mer, I am told, aflerts this (tone, to be Chart Petrqfilex or Scht/liis. • 



On the other fide, Mr. Kirwan, to whom I gave fpecimens, afferts in a late publi- 

 cation, that it is bafiilt ; our ingenious Mr. Higgins is of the fame opinion, and the cele- 

 brated ProfeJTor Piflet of Geneva, who did me the honour of a vifit lalt fummer, confidcrs 

 It to be ba£ilt, containing a greater portion a£ fiU:t tlian ufuai^ I believe Monll Piiftes 

 Is right.. 



