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 CVIII. Intelligence aiid Miscellaneous Articles, 



HYPERSTHENE ROCK. 



XvR. MacCulloch has given this name to anew rock which hi* 

 has discovered in Scotland. He has found it in two places ; iu 

 the island of Sky, and in Airdnannnchan. In the former it con- 

 stitutes the jjreat and picturesque mass of mountains known by 

 the name of the Culin hills ; but is not limited to them, as Dr. 

 M. has found that the hiils which lie inmicdiatelv to the east vi' 

 these, and which encircle the romantic valley of Coruisk, arc 

 formed of the same rock ; he even suspects that a portion of Bla- 

 vcn also is composed of it. Dr. M. ascertained the existence of 

 tiiis rock five years ago, ])oiiiting out to travellers at the same 

 time the picturesque and sublime scenerv of the spot where it is 

 found, at that time unknown out of the island, and scarcely in- 

 deed known to any within it, except the proprietor Mr. Macalister 

 of Strathaird and his shepherds. Our readers are doubtless ac- 

 quainted with the popular poem, " The Lord of the Isles," in 

 which it is described ; the curiosity of the poet having, fortunately 

 for the public, been excited in consequence of that representation. 

 But the descriptive powers even of Walter Scott fail to convev an 

 idea of that which exceeds as far the powers of poetry as it does 

 those of painting. Loch Scairg must be seen to be felt; nor will 

 the traveller repent his labours, if the only reward of his Highr 

 jand tour should be a day spent among the wild mountains that 

 surround this romantic spot. We shall render both the traveller 

 and the mineralogist an acceptable service, by informing them of 

 a route not described by the Scottish tour-books, and by facili- 

 tating their movements in a country but little known— fully as 

 little to the lowlanders beyond Cheviot, as to us southerns. 



There is an excellent road of forty miles from Fort William to 

 Arasaik, vihence there is a ferry to Ardavasar in Sky. Roads 

 that can be walked, or traversed on a Highland pony, lead from 

 here to Kilbride, Tarskairg, Gillan, Ord, and other towns ot> 

 the west side of Sleat, whence boats can be procured, in which 

 the voyage to Loch Scairg may be completed iii a day ; or the 

 traveller may set up his quarters at Broadford, and thence mak< 

 his excursion with perhaps greater facility. It is not accessible 

 by land. 



The mountains composed of this rock are remarkable for their 

 rugged outlines and dark colour; from which causes they are di^ 

 stinguishable far at sea, being strongly contrasted with the neigh- 

 bouring hills, They present the general features of granite, th« 

 rocks being disposed in large continuous masses with curved sur- 

 faces, aiid sometimes appearing to form large concretions of an 



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