428 Mineralogical Observations in Galloway. [ivKVi 



appears at the bridge where the high road passes, is very red, and 

 is called by the common people red granite, as are indeed gene- 

 rally the other beds of this rock throughout the countiy. 



A fourth bed 50 feet thick, nearly vtrtical and of a red colour, 

 is to be seen running across the river Ken at the head of the Isle of 

 Cleugh, about two miles farther down ; and there is another still 

 farther down, about half a mile above the house of ""J odston, cross- 

 ing the river also, of about the same thickness, and inclined at an 

 angle of 60. 



About 300 yards up the river from the first of these two beds of 

 porphyry, I observed a remarkable vein of quartz in the greywacke 

 three feet thick and traceable for 40 yards, cutting the strata very 

 nearly at right angles. In this vein there appeared to be also 

 felspar, and quartz mixed with greywacke. 



1 obsened several other smaller Ijeds of the porphyritic rock in 

 this district ; but these it is unnecessary to particularize. I shall 

 mention just one more, which occurs in the Fell, as it is called, of 

 Mochrum, about three miles to the east of the Louran. This 

 Fell is a conical hill, in the transition country, rising considerably 

 higher I should think than the Louran itself, (for 1 do not know 

 the measurement of it.) I estimate its height at 1000 feet. It is 

 far from any other hill nearly so high as itself, and consequently 

 commands the finest view that I think is any where to be had of 

 the whole valley of the Ken. From Mochrum Fell can be seen, 

 when the atmosphere is tolerably clear, almost the whole of the 

 lower part of Kirkcudl;rightshire, the sea, with the island of Little 

 Ross at Kirkcudbright itself; Saubee's Head in Cumberland, all 

 along the Solvay firth by Vvoikington, and as far to the east as 

 Dumfries. On the south side of this Fell is a large bed of por- 

 phyry, traceable 100 yards and 40 feet thick, the usual diiection of 

 the strata and dipping to the south-west, inclination G0°. 



On the 2d of September I went to the Louran, for the purpose 

 of collecting a suite of specimens of the rocks of that hill for a 

 friend in Edinburgh, and, the day being fine, had a most interesting 

 view of the surrounding scenery. The prospect from this hill will 

 I believe be allowed by all who have seen it, to be very fine. 

 Seven lakes are in view, viz. Loch Ken,* Strone Loch, Loch 

 Scarrow, Black Loch of Bennan, Woodhall Loch, Bleach Mill 

 Loch, and the Loch of Barnboard ; together with the whole sweep 

 of the fine valley of Ken, from the borders of Ayreshire to Castle- 

 douglas ; a part of the Solway firth, and the Cumberland hills 

 beyond it. On the west and south are the towering granite moun- 



• The kinds of fish that occur in this lake are the same with those formerly 

 mentioned as found in the Loch of Strone, viz. salmon, trout, eels, pike, and 

 perch. Some of the two latter sorts arrive nt a very great size. I have very 

 often kilkd in Loch Ken perch weighing four pimnds, and at one time a pike of 

 »even ; but this is nothing in comparison of one that was caught about forty years 

 ago in tliis lake, by .)olin Murray, Gamekeeper to tlie Hon. John Gordon of 

 Jteiimore. It weighed 61 pounds, and tiie head of it is still preserved in Mr. 

 (iprdun's iibrary ut Kenmore Castle. 



