1 lf> On the Geology of Loch Lsvcn. 



ncrliy Burn, wheii I observed it coming over the dam- dyke or 

 weir-head in the same state. I immediately went down to ex- 

 amine it more closely, sent for my monitor, and we concluded 

 " that an earthquake had happened somewhere, be where it 

 might." The first post from Comrie confirmed the fact; and I 

 am now without the smallest doubt of what I have stated, of the 

 whole of that range of country superstrating a natural arrange- 

 ment of galvanizing materials, which are incessantly at work, 

 and will continue to "keep the good people of that part of the 

 worhl in remembrance of the instability of all sublunary things, 

 even the earth itself. 



By an attentive examination of tlie metals, and a skilful geo- 

 logical survey of the strata and primitive formations in these af- 

 fected districts, and in i)artii.'ular a studious application to the cur- 

 rent of galvanic, electric, or magnetic tendency, vvhich 1 consi- 

 der mere terms or modifications of the same principle, only vari- 

 ously attired, in these peculiar combinations, the poles of this 

 galvanic range or ranges jnight be discovered, and the" dread of 

 impending danger lessened, if not altogether averted, by boring, 

 sinking shafts, or other openings in the stratified drifts, at suf h 

 places as were most likely to facilitate the escape of the gases 

 produced in this great laboratory of nature. I am drawn to this 

 conclusion by analogy, from an existing fact. 



The shock vvhich so much alarmed the country in August 

 1816 was felt at Leslie, Kirkaldy, and several intervening places 

 some miles to the east and south-east of Loch Leven ; vet no 

 shock was felt at Kinross, nor any village or hamlet in the im- 

 mediate circle round the lake ; and notwithstanding the troubling 

 of its waters, no subsequent shock has ever been felt for miles 

 round its bed. The depth of the lake gives vent to, and allows 

 the elastic fluids to escape through the stones, gravel, sand, mud, 

 and water, without affecting the surrounding solid matter. The 

 stratified formation at the bottom of the lake must be the nega- 

 tive termination of one of these galvanic ranges ; and perhaps 

 to its regular discharge of hydrogen into the waters of the lake 

 may be attributed their superior purity and softness, when con- 

 trasted with the numerous and copious springsof pecnliaily hard 

 silicated water "^hat flows from the bottom and sides of the sur- 

 rounding mountains, and fall into the lake round its margin. 



To hydrogen uniting with kindred affinity to the base of this 

 hard silicated water, may be attributed the copious deposit of si- 

 liceous dust that covers so large a portion of the bottom of the 

 lake, and constitutes no inconsiderable proportion of the mud 

 brought down in these eruptive discharges. 



On viewing the geological map of British strata exhibited in 



Gary's 



