• 36 



it, is on the weil fide moftly fchiftus, on the eafl; fand ftone and clay pe- 

 netrated by bafalt Dykes, which furnifla ftones in abundance for all purpofes. 



The Scotch Whynn Dykes have been generally fuppofed to originate 

 in Ireland. If this faft be admitted, we can eafily trace them by attending 

 to the direflions of our own ; thus thofe that iiTue from the coafl welt 

 of Ballycallle, proceeding north with a flight inclination to the eafl:, are 

 to be fought for in Way, Jura, Mull, &c., where Mr. Mills actually found 

 them in great numbers. 



Our Dykes which are feen at Murlog, Torr, and Culhendun, are ob- 

 viously thofe which, having crofl'ed the Mull of Cantyre, were obferved 

 by Mr. Jamefon in fuch abundance in the Ifle of Arran. 



Dr. Hutton alfo mentions twenty or thirty Whyn Dykes he found 

 " in the (hire of Ayr to the north of Irvine on the coaft." Thefe corref- 

 pond with the numerous Dykes about Garron point and its neighbourhood, 

 whofe reftilineal courfe is direfted towards that part of the Scotch coall:. 



The Dykes about Lame may be expefted to be found on the Mull of 

 Galloway, while thofe I examined far up in Belfaft lough, on account of 

 their S. E. direftion, probably do not catch Scotland, nor meet land until 

 they arrive on the coafl: of Cumberland. 



Whether our Whynn Dykes be identically the fame with thofe on the 

 Scotch coaft oppofite, is not eafily afcertained, though highly probable ; 

 but even confining ourfelves to our own country, we find fufficient matter 

 for afl:onifhment in contemplating our bafaltic area, formed by accumu- 

 lations of horizontal ffrata, with numberlefs vertical planes radiating 

 from it ; had Dr. Beddoes been acquainted with thisftrufture of our bafaltic 

 country, I think he would fcarcely have afferted, that " a right knowledge 

 of bafaltes is conduftingas faft to a jufl: theory of the earth." I think very 

 differently from Dr. Beddoes, and conceive that inftead, of ajjijiing, bafaltic 

 fafts are throwing new difficulties in the way of cofmogonifts, who flatter 

 themfelves they have developed the fecret of nature ; and that thole in 



my 



