BUTE. GEOLOGY. 471 



called their natural position, and in the same order which 

 they occupy relatively on the edges of the vein ; the first 

 of these rocks being the lowermost. Unfortunately, the 

 rolled stones which cover the beach to a great depthy 

 prevent the possibility of tracing the connexion between 

 these strata in their vertical and in their horizontal position. 

 The sketch which accompanies this description, is intended 

 to represent the mode in which this appearance seems 

 to have been produced ; representing the actual state of 

 the rocks and the proposed explanation. It is possible 

 that there may be a fracture where I have only supposed a 

 curvature ; but it makes no material alteration in the views 

 of this very interesting phenomenon. The calcareous 

 breccia will appear, by this drawing, to be situated below 

 the sandstone, and can therefore rarefy be seen in its 

 natural position; becoming here visible only in conse- 

 quence of its edge being thus turned upwards. 



Among the numerous instances of displacement pro- 

 duced by the passage of trap veins, no case exactly similar 

 to this, or of so marked a character, has occurred in the 

 innumerable examples of such veins that I have examined ; 

 although marks of a force acting upwards are not uncom- 

 mon. The very partial and limited, as well as decided 

 marks of such violence here, render this case particularly 

 striking ; and points our attention strongly to the probable 

 cause, namely, the protrusion of the vein from below. 



I shall conclude this account of the rocks of Bute with 

 a brief description of the bed of coal mentioned above. 

 Having been wrought at different times, it is easily 

 examined. The working has been carried on by driving 

 from the face of the cliff on the course of the stratum ; and 

 having been, as might be expected, found unprofitable, it 

 has been finally abandoned : much against the wishes and 

 inclinations of the natives, who, as usual in cases where 

 coal is concerned, can with difficulty be convinced of the 

 futility of this pursuit ; even under circumstances far more 



