STAFFA. GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 9 



course of the stratum. Near Mackinnon's cave its thick- 

 ness is only thirty-six feet; while under the highest 

 part of the rocky face, at a point not far from the Boat 

 cave, and where the conglomerate sinks below the water, 

 it is between fifty-one and fifty-four; the irregularity 

 of both the surfaces preventing this from being ascer- 

 tained more nearly. That is consequently the extreme 

 height of the columns. To the eastward of this point 

 their real altitudes can no longer be known, as their 

 bases are skirted to a varying height by ranges of broken 

 shafts, which, near the great cave, rise to a considerable 

 elevation, and form a large causeway sloping gradually 

 outwards to the sea. Partly from this cause, and partly 

 on account of the gradual lowering of the upper surface 

 of the columnar bed, the heights of the pillars diminish 

 so fast, that while on the western side of the great 

 cave they are thirty-six feet high, they are only eighteen 

 on the eastern ; from which point they go on diminishing 

 in succession, until near the Buachaille they at length 

 vanish altogether. As the columns are perpendicular 

 to the plane of the bed, and the bed is inclined to the 

 horizon, it follows that they have the same inclination 

 to the vertical line, namely, one of nine degrees. But 

 this inclination is only visible about the S. S. W. point, 

 where the section of the stratum is viewed directly 

 in front ; and it then produces a very unpleasing effect 

 to the eye, since the whole appears like a fabric that 

 is tottering and about to fall. Fortunately for the lover 

 of picturesque beauty, the chief views are to be found 

 from positions so nearly coinciding with the inclination 

 of the columns, that this defect rarely intrudes; and 

 many have doubtless visited, and perhaps also made 

 drawings of this fagade, without having discovered it. 

 I am even in doubt whether this inclination extends to 

 the columns on the eastern side, but as there is no 

 accessible position in which the eye could judge of 

 that obliquity if it really exists, and as it is impossible 



