530 MULL. GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 



MULL.* 



THIS island, the third in magnitude of the Western 

 isles, although possessing but little attraction either for 

 the general traveller or the lover of natural beauty, is 

 far from being deficient in interest to the geologist. It 

 presents some striking examples of those junctions and 

 relative positions of rocks which have recently been 

 objects of attention, and have thrown so much light on 

 the science of geology. In other respects it exhibits a 

 great sameness of structure, from the predominance of 

 one set of rocks, those of the trap family ; and is therefore 

 less calculated for the amusement than the instruction 

 of the geologist ; to whom moreover its wet and stormy 

 climate, its trackless surface, and boisterous shores, present 

 a perpetual succession of the most discouraging obstacles. 

 He who shall pursue step by step the connexions of the 

 rocks of Mull, may be assured that he possesses at least 

 one of the fundamental requisites of a practical geologist. 



Mull is of a very irregular form, being deeply indented 

 in one part by Loch na Keal, and projecting toward the 

 south-west into a long promontory called the Ross. Its 

 extreme length, which is at the southern side, is about 

 thirty miles, and its next most considerable dimension 

 from south-east to north-west is about twenty-five. The 

 surface, as well as the shore, is so irregular, and in different 

 parts so dissimilar, that it will conduce much to perspi- 

 cuity, both in the geographic and the geological descrip- 

 tion, to divide it into certain physical portions. These 

 are partly regulated by the general aspect of the surface, 

 and partly by the nature of the rocks ; the latter, in many 

 cases, producing considerable differences in the characters 



* Mull, Meule, aluo Meal. Moel in Welch. A mass of hill. Moles ? 

 See the Map. 



