TRESHINISH ISLES. GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 585 



THE TRESHINISH ISLES.* 



THE aspect of these islands from a distance is so 

 singular and enticing, and they are in general so difficult 

 of access, that they offer a double incitement to the 

 curiosity of a traveller, who in visiting Staffa seldom fails 

 to cast a look of regret on that which he can rarely find 

 time or weather to reach. It will render, to the geologist 

 at least, a service, to inform him that they contain nothing 

 to gratify his curiosity or reward his trouble ; since it will 

 both prevent his regrets and teach him to husband his 

 time for better purposes. Had they not been here 

 described, he would perhaps have imagined that they 

 contained neglected treasures; had I not visited them, 

 they would still, like other unattained objects, have haunted 

 my remembrance as they had long done. 



The Treshinish isles are disposed in a ridge extending 

 for five miles in a north-easterly direction, and in some 

 degree forming a breakwater toward the north-west for 

 the island of Staffa and the bay of Loch Tua in Mull. 

 There are four principal islands besides some intervening 

 rocks ; Cairnburg, which indeed forms two distinct islands, 

 Fladda, Linga, and Bach. They appertain to the farm 

 of Treshinish in Coll, but are uninhabited ; and being 

 covered with rich grass, are used for pasturing black cattle. 

 They are all surrounded, with little exception, by perpen- 

 dicular diffs, reaching from twenty to forty feet in height 

 or upwards; and are remarkable for the correspondence 

 of their general appearance with each other and with the 

 neighbouring islands. 



Cairnburg is divided, as I have said, by a very narrow 

 strait, into two islands, Cairnburg beg, and Cairnburg 

 more; the little and great. The Scandinavian origin 



See the Map of Mull, 

 VOL. I. Q Q 



