KOHA. GENERAL DESCRI P'FT ON r . 



RON A.* (EAST.) 



AFTER the repeated and wearisome descriptions of 

 islands of gneiss, scarcely any thing remains to give 

 interest to the account of Rona, the geographical im- 

 portance of which is however too great to allow it to 

 pass without notice. At the same time its connexion 

 with Rasay gives it a claim on attention, since it becomes 

 the connecting link between the division now under 

 review and the group of the Trap islands which is about 

 to follow. 



Its aspect at a distance is little engaging, even to a 

 geologist; to whom its external configuration presents 

 no promise of variety ; while the evident indications 

 of gneiss offer still less temptation to him who has 

 already toiled through the uniformity of the Long Island. 

 To an ordinary traveller it is even repulsive, presenting 

 no picturesque features and but little verdure to checker 

 or contrast with its grey and sterile surface ; the very 

 patches of brown mountain pasture it possesses being 

 almost lost to the eye amid the rocks which rise on all 

 sides. 



Rona is five miles in length and less than one in breadth, 

 forming a long parallel ridge prolonged from the northern 

 part of Rasay, and geologically connected with it by 

 the intermediate island Maltey and some smaller rocky 

 islets scattered in the sound by which they are divided. 

 The greatest elevation does not seem any where to 

 exceed 500 feet, the whole ridge being separated by 

 deep irregular valleys into rocky hills much resembling 

 in their general characters those of Coll. 



In proportion to its area it is among the most barren 

 and unproductive spots in the Western islands ; con- 



* See the Map of Sky and also thr sirnrnil Map. 



