532 MULL. GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 



walls of castles rising high above the surface, while the 

 surrounding parts have decayed ; and scarcely distin- 

 guishable from them at a small distance unless by the 

 experienced eye of a mineralogist. The division which 

 I have now described contains the districts of Mornish, 

 Mishnish, and Quinish.* 



The middle trap division, which includes Gribon and 

 part of Torosay, differs but little from the former in its 

 general aspect, as it also consists for the greater part 

 of the same trap terraces disposed in a similarly scalar 

 manner ; but ascending to a much greater height, since 

 the highest land of Gribon has an almost uniform eleva- 

 tion, apparently not much less than 2000 feet. The 

 western side is here bounded by high cliffs with steep 

 slopes, attaining an elevation of at least 1000 feet ; and 

 the southern descends by interrupted slopes to the even 

 and level shores of Loch Scredon. 



It is in this part of the island that the caves which 

 form objects of attraction to a numerous class of visitors 

 are found. One of these, known by the name of Mac- 

 kinnon's cave, is of considerable magnitude. Tradition 

 still points out the table on which the feast was served, 

 and the uses of several other parts : uses sufficiently 

 probable, since it is undoubted that similar retreats were 

 occupied either as the temporary abodes of predatory 

 partisans, or for the concealment of the feeble and the 

 property of the clan during the incursions of an enemy. 

 Although dark, lofty, and profound, and from these cir- 

 cumstances imposing to the imagination, it offers no forms 

 for the painter ; nothing but an abyss of vacancy in which 

 the eye seeks in vain to repose even for a moment on the 

 evanescent objects around. It appears to be one of the 

 discontinuities formed by a vein of trap which has after- 

 wards been washed out; this being the most common 



* Nish, Ness, a point or promontory, a common termination in the 

 islands : thus Trotternish, Vaternish, Mingim'sh, in Sky. 



