OHAP. iv.] AllltAN. 165 



knowledge, although I do know a little more than the man 

 who wondered if the granite boulders which he saw on a 

 brae-side were on their way up or down the hill, and argued 

 that it was a moot point. What I would like to see would 

 be a good work on geology, divested entirely of the learned 

 and scientific slang which usually make such books entirely 

 useless to ninety-nine out of every hundred persons who 

 attempt to read them. I would like, moreover, a work that 

 would not bully us with a ready-made theory. 



Arran is a rugged island, and, as I have said, is full of 

 interesting and almost unique geologic features. There is a 

 mountain upon it which it is a kind of necessity for all 

 visitors to ascend. It is called Goatfell its proper name 

 being Goath-Bhein, or hill of winds. At Corry I was told of 

 persons who had ascended Goatfell and come down again 

 the mountain is 2865 feet high in less than three hours ; 

 but I very soon found that I could not do the going up from 

 Corry in that period of time, not to speak of the coming down, 

 which to some people, especially if, like myself, they carry 

 about with them a solid weight of fourteen stones, is still more 

 fatiguing ; but then I had the disadvantage of a wet forenoon, 

 necessitating an occasional sojourn beneath a granite boulder 

 in order that we that is, myself and a friend who essayed the 

 ascent with me might keep ourselves tolerably dry. It was 

 toilsome, too, wading up to the knees in heather, even 

 although the heather was in its fullest bloom ; but by per- 

 severance and the good guiding of an intelligent shepherd 

 whom we took with us as a guide, and who knew the best 

 paths, we did in time reach the top, and must confess that we 

 obtained upon our arrival an exceeding rich reward, the view 

 from the summit being very grand and extensive, embracing 

 what I may be allowed to call a sublimely-painted diorama of 

 portions of the three kingdoms. 



It would be commonplace indeed to say of the view from 



