472 



ROSS-SHIRE. 



Ross-shire, house ; and is remarkable, on account of its consisting 

 ^^y^^ of layers of two or three inches thick, bent at sharp 

 Mineralogy angles, as if a force had been applied longitudinally. 

 The sandstone occurs red and yellow ; but it seems to 

 belong to one formation. Near Geanies there appears 

 a very remarkable fracture of the strata, those OH the 

 coast having been elevated about two hundred feet 

 from those appearing in the sea. Some very interest- 

 ing facts appear at this place, but we have not room 

 to describe them here. On looking at the map of 

 Scotland, the eye is at once struck with the remark- 

 able line stretching from Tarbet Ness towards Fort 

 William, in the direction of the Great Canal. It will 

 be interesting to attempt tracing the production of this 

 singular feature, and the formation of the lakes to one 

 cause. 



Before we reach the primitive rock on this side of 

 the county, we meet with detached hills on which we 

 notice ait immense bed of conglomerate, containing 

 sometimes very large blocks. The whole mass is of 

 primitive origin, a fact that will afford ample scope for 

 discussion when the formation of this rock is contem- 

 plated. It is the newest rock of this county, and is 

 seen, after interruptions of various extent, in almost 

 every corner of Scotland. It is seen at considerable 

 elevations, and as it rises towards the north-west, it 

 will probably be found at a great height in the inte- 

 rior. Indeed, the writer of this article recollects hav- 

 ing seen it at an elevation of nearly two thousand 

 feet, though he had not an opportunity of examining 

 the rock ; and it ,is not improbable that it may be 

 found capping the high mountains of red sandstone. 

 on the west coast. There is not a rock within the 

 whole range of geology that is so interesting as this ; 

 and much time will not elapse before it will become 

 the means of proving beyond dispute that although the 

 earth was in a state of chaos previous to the creation 

 of man, it has more than once been under the reform- 

 ing hand of Almighty power, producing order out of 

 confusion beauty out of deformity, and giving to 

 cdd materials the form and properties of that which is 

 new. 



On proceeding westward, we find the secondary 

 rocks resting on gneiss but not conformable to it ; a 

 fact which proves that the elevated angle of the se- 

 condary rocks, -has not been caused either by the ele- 

 vation of the gneiss, or by its position. This has 

 been fully proved indeed by the appearance of a block 

 of gneiss, in the conglomerate rock, traversed by a 

 granite vein. This was observed by Mr. Lyall near 

 Coul, last year, in company with Sir George Mac- 

 kenzie and Professor Buckland, and he remarked that 

 this was a most distinct proof that the gneiss had 

 been invaded by the granite, and brought to its present 

 position before the formation of the rock in which 

 this block was observed. This observation of Mr. 

 Lyall will lead to new views of the formation and ele- 

 vation of the secondary rocks, but into which we can- 

 not enter, without swelling our article to an unreason- 

 able bulk. 



The junction of the primitive and secondary rocks 

 on the western side of the county has not been ob- 

 served. Greenstone occurs there in beds among the 

 secondary rocks, as near Applecross, and in veins cut- 

 ting the primitive rocks, as in Kintail. There are 

 many curious facts in this quarter that seem likely to 

 change the present order in which rocks are arranged. 

 From the position in which mica slate has been found, 

 / it would appear to be under the gneiss. It is pro- 



bable that the distinction between these two rocks may Ross-shire 

 not long continue. ^ ,-^-/ 



Limestone occurs abundantly on the west coast ; Mineralogy. 

 and it is said that roofing slate has been observed, but 

 the locality is not known to us. 



No large mass of granite has hitherto been observ- 

 ed ; but the primitive country is much intersected 

 by veins of granite of many varieties. Bitumen ha* 

 been found in gneiss in several places, and many years 

 ago a considerable quantity was found near Carthland, 

 and used as fuel. The writer of this article found a 

 small quantity above Brea on the north side of Stratb- 

 peffer, and about three miles from the above locality, 

 nearly twenty, five years ago. This is mentioned be- 

 cause it has been recently announced as a new disco- 

 very. 



Copper pyrites was found in a considerable mass 

 near Kishorn on the west side, and worked for a con- 

 siderable time. The accumulation of water in the pit 

 prevents its now from being explored. A vein of heavy 

 spar appearing on the north shore of Loch Maree, 

 tempted some persons to mine into the rock, but after 

 having followed it a little way, it was abandoned. 



Many of the proprietors of Ross-shire inhabit Habitations, 

 mansion-houses of considerable elegance ; but there 

 is little, if any thing, to praise in their architec- 

 ture. Some of the seats are well placed, and the 

 grounds about them ornamented by plantations and 

 shrubberies. Around many of them are found noble 

 trees of every variety. At Castlelaud there is a sweet 

 chesnut tree of great size, the diameter of the trunk, 

 five feet from the ground, being six feet, and where 

 the branches separate the thickness is much greater. 

 At the side of the great road leading to the west coast 

 near Kinloch Luichart, are the remains of very large 

 oak trees, and one trunk in- particular, lying on its 

 side, has belonged to a tree much exceeding the great 

 chesnut in dimensions. The houses of the principal 

 farmers are neat and commodious. Of late years a very 

 great improvement has been visible in the cottages of 

 the peasantry ; but much yet remains to be done. The 

 clergy are particularly well accommodated. 



The improvement of the roads in this county Hoads and 

 has advanced with rapid strides, since government Br'dg 05 - 

 saw the importance of easy communications be- 

 ing afforded to the Highlands, and obtained liberal 

 assistance from Parliament. The proprietors de- 

 frayed one half of the expense. The bridges are 

 neat and well built. That across the Conon river 

 consists of five arches ; but, in the opinion of many, 

 the top of the parapet, forming a segment of a circle, 

 does not please the eye. The iron bridge at Bonar, 

 across the Dornoch firth, where it is so narrow as to 

 resemble a small river, has little merit in respect to 

 appearance, though it is most substantial and moet 

 useful. 



There are three royal burghs in this county, Ding- Towns and 

 wall, Tain, and Fortrose; and it were perhaps bet- Villages. 

 ter for their prosperity had they not the privilege 

 of voting for a representative in Parliament There 

 are no manufactories in any of them ; and their 

 chief support is the litigious spirit of the people, 

 giving employment to a host of practitioners be- 

 fore the Sheriff Courts. The police is extremely 

 bad, if in any respect effective, both as it regards the 

 towns and the county ; and the increase of crime is 

 not much heard of, because little effort is made to 

 check it. 

 Cromarty is a thriving town. It once was a royal 



