92 Mr Anderson on the Quartz District of Inverness, 



to the eastward in the narrow space (covered mostly with peat 

 and gravel) which intervenes between the hills of Balcharnoch 

 and the o-ranite knolls of Stratherwick. This space is in 

 some places diversified by a series of dark Alpine lakes, which 

 extend close to the bounds of the stratified sandstone, and 

 help to vary this otherwise bleak table-land. 



To the west of Dun-Jardil, the same line can be traced 

 with more distinctness. It is chiefly to be found in a ridge 

 which rises close behind the cottage of Boleskin, and the Inn of 

 Foyers, and in a hollow or gully at the south of this ridge, 

 stretching from what is called the head of the pass of Inver- 

 farakaicr, towards the cataract of Foyers. 



Crossing the deep and winding chasm through which this 

 celebrated river " pours down its mossy floods," the limits 

 and junctions of the quartz rocks and granite may be observ- 

 ed among a series of nameless mountains towards Su-Cuming, 

 the former keeping always the side next Loch Ness, while the 

 latter stretches away over a rugged plain towards the moun- 

 tains of Badenoch. 



Near Whitbridge, the blue or grey quartz rock first comes 

 to view, and, in union with gneiss, it characterizes the rest of 

 the country to Fort Augustus. Here several varieties of rock 

 occur, but proceeding still westwards, we again find the 

 quartz prevailing along the banks of Loch Oich, and Loch 

 Lochy. 



On the south side of these lakes the quartz rock is associat- 

 ed with mica-slate, from which it seems to have acquired a 

 new modification of colour, and a silvery lustre, owing to the 

 increased commixture of scales of mica. 



The high-peaked mountains, however, on the north side of 

 the last mentioned lake, called the mountains of Glengary, 

 are almost entirely composed of the red compact quartz rock, 

 identical with that of Loch Ness. 



The same rock is also visible between Loch Lochy and the 

 sea, and I need scarcely remark, that a variety of quartz 

 rock has often been described as extending far up Loch Eil. 



To return again to Loch Ness, — its northern shores are 

 lined with rocks, in which the red quartz is the most preva- 

 lent, but which is, in several places, especially near the en- 



4 



