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torrai* where splendid precipices and caves are seen. Tlie rocks in 

 this district, and indeed all the way from Islay House to the Mull of 

 the Oe, consist of alternations of a bluish quartz rock, clay-slate and 

 occasional trap dykes and veins. Some of the rocks are bent and 

 contorted in a remarkable manner, and others are hollowed out into 

 enormous caves, some of which extend a great vray inland and open 

 at the distance of several hundred feet from the shore. Some of the 

 rocks stand out prominently in the sea, with rugged and peaked sum- 

 mits. One of these is called " Saighdair Ruadh," or red soldier rock, 

 from its colour. It is 150 or 200 feet high, and presents a very re- 

 markable aspect. There are often very narrow chasms or rents in the 

 rocks, into which the waves of the ocean are rolled with great force. 

 Land-slips have also occurred in some places. The rocks, although 

 interesting in their appearance, are by no means productive. Beta 

 maritima grows in considerable quantity on some of the cliffs, and 

 Sedum Rhodiola and Pyrethrum maritimum abound. The other 

 plants worthy of notice were Listera ovata, Luzula pilosa, Lastraea 

 Oreopteris, Ligusticum scoticum, Lycopodium selaginoides, Hyperi- 

 cum humifusum and Androsa^mum, Rubus saxatilis and Saxifraga 

 aizoides. The last mentioned plant extends from nearly the sea-level 

 to a considerable elevation on the hills. 



After examining the rocks in the Oe or Oa, a parliamentary parish, 

 we proceeded to the Moile or Mull of Islay, passing lower Killian, 

 where oddly twisted rocks are seen. The Moile is a line cliff or pro- 

 montory projecting into the sea, forming the south-eastern extremity 

 of Islay, and surrounded by cliffs of a reddish colour, in which the 

 alternations of quartz rock and clay-slate are well seen. On one of 

 these rocks there are the remains of an old fort, called Dunad or Dun 

 Athad, which seems to have been a place of great strength in former 

 times. The rock on which it is situated projects towards the sea, is 

 bounded on three sides by perpendicular cliffs, and is connected with 

 the land only by a narrow isthmus wnth precipices on each side. In 

 some of the rocks near the fort remarkable caves and arches are seen. 

 After examining the fort we proceeded through upper Killian parish 

 towards Port Ellen. We passed Kinnabus and Assabus Loch, and 

 at Cragabus we saw the remains of an old church-yard, marked by 

 large stones placed so as to enclose graves, similar to some which 



* This means the gulf of Mhaol torrai, a person concerning whom there is some 

 tradition. He is said to have been killed at the place in endeavouring to leap across 

 one of the chasms on horseback. 



