and County of Anlrlm. 253 



luxuriant herbage, and with groves of indigenous shrubs and 

 trees — lower down we observe numerous groups of argillaceous 

 hills, all perfectly naked ; it is indeed near the water's edge, 

 and under its surface, that we tiud the largest masses of lava, 

 and of volcanic cinders and scoria." 



We have abimdant proof in our own country, that decomposed 

 basalt produces a beautiful verdure at the greatest elevations; — 

 the little vallevs lining the bases of oiu- most elevated basaltic 

 far-ades, at Magilligan, Cave Hill, and Monyneeny, are of a bril- 

 liant green ; and the high verdure of the steep precipices lining 

 Bengore j)romontorv, strikes every one; yet these green decli- 

 vities are rarely cheered by the rays of the sun, from their 

 northern exposure, and approach to perpendicularit)'. 



In St. Helena, the basaltes and burnt matters are mixed in 

 a manner that must be very embarrassing to those who under- 

 take to account for the formation of this singular island, and 

 few naturalists can refrain from indulging tlicir wise conjec- 

 tures. 



Our author says, '^ All these layers consist of rock, placed 

 alternately with deep beds of volcanic matters; this rock is evi- 

 dently basaltes." 



" The parallel and horizontal strata leave a wide intermediate 

 space, which is occupied by an irregular mass of agglutinated 

 volcanic matter." 



" Frequently eight or ten ascents of rock are separated by 

 these volcanic masses." 



This steady alternation of basaltic strata with scorified mat- 

 ters, evidently ijurnt, bears no rescnibiance to asiy thing yet ol>- 

 serveil at any of our known volcanoes. Our author, though he 

 endeavours to account for this arrangement by successive erup- 

 tions, is startled when he can discover no remaining craters. 

 Mr. Demarcts too, wiien lie attempted to account for the basal- 

 tic colonnades in Auvergne, as produced by volcanic eruptions, 

 admits that in many cases the craters had entirely disappeared, 

 and in others that the cinrcuts of lava had vanished. And our 

 author tells us expressly, " that in the island itself there are 

 no sulphureous, bituminous, or inflammable matters." 



Ill my (liflFerent memoirs on the subject of onr basaltic country, 

 I had repeatedly asserted that it did not afford a particle of 

 burnt matter, scoria, or cinder ; and that our solid basaltic rocks 

 did not exhibit the slightest trace of having ever sustained the 

 action of fire ; — of late, however, a discovery has been made of 

 some quantity of cinders, and scorified matter ; J^mall indeed, — 

 but the fact becomes important, when we find that these mat- 

 ters arc disposed in the very same manner in which our author 

 found similar matters, to an immense amount, at St. Helena ; 



tiiat 



