NATURE'S MASONRY 



923 



DURDLE DOOR IS ONE OF THE KOST BEAUTIFUL NATURAL ARCHES. 



the coast, a most striking and beautiful 

 example of Nature's masonry. Sailing 

 onward we arrive at Lulworth Cove, and 

 here the scene is wonderfully impressive, 

 for the strata of the cliffs are bent and 

 folded into great sweeping curves. At 

 first one would be inclined to imagine 

 that this great contortion of the surface 

 of the earth must have been produced 

 before the rocks had solidified, or that it 

 is the outcome of some violent volcanic 

 upheaval, but really Nature has slowly 

 produced these wonderful sweeping curves 

 by immense pressure brought to bear upon 

 the rocks when they were at a great depth. 



Not far from Lulworth is Durdle Door, 

 one of the most beautiful natural arches 

 to be seen in the west of England. 



Amongst the most wonderful and, 

 when we come to consider the forces 

 used in their moulding, most awe- 

 inspiring examples of Nature's masonry, 

 are the beautiful basaltic columns which 

 have made Staffa and the Giant's Cause- 

 way famous. The north of Ireland offers 

 unique o])p()rtunities not only for tlic 



observation of these basaltic columns, 

 but also for gaining a clear insight into 

 the history of our volcanoes which, in 

 past geological ages, must have sent forth 

 enormous lava streams over the country. 

 As we pass in the train from Coleraine to 

 Londonderry, the scenery is singularly 

 grand and impressive. On our left tower 

 the dark gloomy cliffs of basalt, telling of 

 mighty volcanic energy in the past ages ; 

 while on our right are the recent sand- 

 banks, and lovely blue, sun-kissed waters 

 of Lough Foyle. If we tramp inland from 

 the east coast right into the heart of 

 County Londonderiy, we shall find the 

 surface of the country formed of gently' 

 swelling basaltic plateaux. There is an 

 indescribable charm about the wild and 

 almost desolate landscape, with its purple, 

 heather-clad uplands and broad, nearly 

 treeless levels of bog land. As we stand 

 by one of the typical conical peat stacks, 

 and gaze away across the warm, brown 

 expanse of bog, to the distant purple of 

 the gently swelling hills, over which great 

 masses of cloud are passing in a glorious 



